Page 59 of Ethan's Command

“My husband,” Leilani muttered, exhaling sharply. “He caused this entire mess.”

Brooklyn schooled her face into a neutral expression. This was what she needed—an opening. She was giving Leilani a chance to brag, to paint herself as the brilliant mind who had everything under control. Businesspeople loved to talk about themselves.

“What did he do?” Brooklyn pressed, pleased that her voice remained steady despite the rapid thudding of her heart.

“He left our nephew alone in the house without locking up the thumb drive. That stupid fucking car USB. What kind of grown man uses something like that?” Leilani said, her tone edged with irritation. “I should have realized sooner that Keoni was up to something, but Rikishi is supposed to monitor him.” Her lips curled in distaste. “I did ask Keoni about it, but he denied any knowledge.” She almost smiled. “I must admit, Keoni is far more resourceful than I gave him credit for. Rarely do I underestimate someone but I believed him when he said he didn’t take it. Rikishi, on the other hand, never fails to disappoint. I assumed he had lost it somewhere. But no, my nephew was the problem. I won’t underestimate him again.”

She turned back to the laptop, fingers clicking rapidly across the keys.

Brooklyn’s mind raced. She needed to keep Leilani talking. She needed to stall. “What is so important on the drive that you needed to kidnap a child?” she asked again, injecting casual interest into her tone. “What does it matter if I know? You’re going to kill me anyway. Humor me—what did Keoni find?”

Leilani sighed as if indulging a petulant child. “He downloaded a list of original files detailing our holdings in certain countries.”

Brooklyn’s stomach churned. “Front companies,” she murmured.

Leilani inclined her head. “Yes. They make business operations easier, and if that list were to fall into the wrong hands… well, let’s just say it would not be good for business.”

Brooklyn’s mind reeled, but before she could formulate another question, Leilani’s eyes sharpened as the screen flickered. The verification was complete.

Leilani’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk. “Looks like it’s all here.” She snapped the laptop shut and turned to the two men holding Brooklyn. “Take her out to the ocean. Make sure her body disappears.”

Brooklyn knew this was coming the minute Leilani pulled a gun on her. But the knowledge didn’t stop the icy terror flooding her veins. The men tightened their grip on her arms, dragging her toward the exit. The humid night air hit her like a sauna as they stepped outside, the sound of crashing waves in the distance.

She thrashed violently, her breath coming in panicked gasps. This couldn’t be how it ended.

“Move,” one of the men growled, yanking her forward.

Brooklyn’s mind raced. She needed a way out. Now.

CHAPTER 27

Ethan’s truckrolled to a stop just outside the dock and left the vehicle idling as he scanned the darkened area ahead. The salty tang of the ocean filled the air, thick and humid. The distant crash of waves was a steady reminder of the water’s deadly pull. The orangish glow of overhead lights cast long, jagged shadows across the warehouse and the dock, stretching toward a sleek black car parked near the entrance.

Ethan’s grip tightened on the wheel. They had her. They had Brooklyn.

Cooper leaned forward from the passenger seat, his gaze locked onto the vehicle. "That’s Leilani’s car. She’s here."

Nova, sitting in the backseat, exhaled sharply. "Then Brooklyn is too."

A muscle in Ethan’s jaw ticked. "We move now. Cooper, you and Nova take the left side of the dock. I’ll go down the far end." He turned to Mojo, the dog already alert beside him, ears pricked forward. "Stay close, buddy."

Cooper nodded. "We’ll cover you."

They moved in sync; each step deliberate and silent. Ethan’s boots barely made a sound as he slipped through the shadows, his breath slow and steady like it was on every mission, despitethe adrenaline roaring through his veins. The dock stretched out before him. The scent of gasoline and saltwater mingled in the air, thick and heavy. The faint hum of a boat engine idling nearby spiked his sense of urgency.

Then he heard it.

A scream. High, desperate.

Brooklyn.

No time to lose, Ethan broke into a sprint, Mojo kept pace beside him, his low growl barely audible over the rush of blood pounding in Ethan’s ears. The scene ahead came into focus in an instant—two men, thick with muscle, dragging Brooklyn toward the edge of the dock where a boat waited, its motor rumbling, ready to disappear into the dark abyss of the ocean.

She was fighting wildly. Her body twisted and kicked; her screams cut through the night like a blade. One of the men tried to pin her arms, but she jerked her elbow up, catching him beneath the chin. The other wrenched her back, and she gasped, the sound laced with fury and fear.

Ethan raised his gun. "Let her go!"

The men snapped their heads toward him. Brooklyn took advantage of the distraction, twisting violently and breaking one arm free. Without hesitation, she drove her elbow into the throat of the man closest to her. He choked, stumbling back, his hands flying to his neck. Mojo launched his body toward the man and wrapped his sharp teeth around the man’s forearm. He shrieked in pain.

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