Page 42 of Savage Truth

“And wanting to make Dad pay. I was down with that too.”

“Obviously.” We shared a dark look. I still wasn’t okay with Dad, and we would need a come-to-Jesus moment when he told all. “At first, it was about payback. But then she got under my skin. Deep. And… I can’t imagine being without her. She’s fierce and talented. Plus, the loyalty between her and Raelyn is similar to how the four of us are.” I sat on the edge of the bed, realizing how deeply I cared. “I love her. She’s the one. I feel it in my bones.”

He tossed a pillow at me. “I told you she was cool a while back, but you were still on your run-her-out-of-town mission.”

I grinned. “Yeah, you did.” We fell silent for a few seconds. “So the drone?”

“Oh yeah. It’s on the floor in the back-left corner of my closet.”

His room was a mess. I had no idea how he found anything in there. “Thanks.”

“I don’t think the drone will help,” he said quietly.

I didn’t, either, but if I didn’t do something soon, I would go crazy. “What else am I supposed to do?”

“We can listen in on what the cops are saying.”

“That’s the problem. They’re not saying much of anything. And they let him go. Her dad is connected.”

“So is ours.”

He wasn’t kidding. Dad had ties to a ton of influential people. “But nothing’s being done. It’s been two days. Shit.” I went to my room and grabbed the letter I’d swiped from behind her picture. I tossed it on his bed. “Check this out.”

I knew the note backward and forward. There wasn’t much to it.

You stole from me, Rachel, and I will get her back. I found you once. I’ll find you again.

You fucking owe me.

“Raelyn got a text from him that said something about it almost being Riley’s eighteenth birthday,” I said. “There’s some significance, but I don’t know what.”

“That’s weird. At eighteen, he wouldn’t have any rights to her, not that he does anyway. Were they married?”

“I have no idea. Raelyn’s engaged to Dad, so I would think not. Unless it’s under Rachel whatever her last name is. Then maybe?”

“I hate to say this, but we need to talk to Dad first. They might have more info.”

I agreed. “Or he’s holding out on us.”

It was time for Dad to come clean.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

RILEY

The ticking clock thundered in my ears. I had a window of about fifteen minutes. Dislocating my thumb and breaking out of the handcuffs had taken five.

My body felt weak, shaky, and low on energy. I’d been out cold for two days. The hit on my head couldn’t have been the only thing keeping me under. The weird taste in my mouth told me he’d used something else to help with my compliance.

I searched the room as quickly as I could. There wasn’t much: side table, bed, TV, and dresser. Nothing of use in the bathroom. I could take a drawer out and hit one of the men with it, but I doubted that would do me any good.

Someone laughed, and I paused then pressed my ear to the dingy wall to hear the unmistakable drone of a TV noise. That was when it clicked. I knew how to escape if I could work quickly enough. I opened the small closet.Score!There was a metal rod and three wooden coat hangers. Careful of my thumb, I yanked on the rod until it came loose.Way to pick the place, Nick.The cheap motel was perfect for escape. If he’d taken us to a high-end hotel, I doubted I would be able to find a way out, at least not easily.

Still, nothing about what I was about to do would be easy.

Please don’t hear me.I tucked the rod under my arm for added support, avoiding my damaged thumb. I gripped it with my uninjured hand then rammed it into the drywall. Sweat beaded along my hairline. The thud echoed like a sonic boom in my ears. I had no idea if it was that loud outside the room.

As soon as I’d made a big enough hole, I set the rod down in the corner of the small closet then tore off pieces of drywall. There wasn’t insulation or anything between the studs—I could see the back of the other room’s wall. It would have been easier with shoes, but I kicked hard enough to knock out a hole on the other side. It didn’t take long to make it big enough. Before I climbed through, I closed the closet door. They would probably look right away, but it could buy me some time.

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