Page 103 of Reckless Promises

“It wasn’t about the money. He signed a marriage contract.”

Daniel’s demeanor hardens, and he’s walking faster. “He killed your dad to stop him from settling the contract.”

“Exactly.” I grit my teeth. “We need to find Odette.”

Daniel is the first through the door, but two people are on our heels trying to stop us.

“You can’t go back here.”

“This is a sterile testing lab.”

I look over at them and release all the rage desperate to get out. “I don’t give a fuck. Forget you saw us, or I’m going to make this a really bad day for you.”

They both pause. But I don’t, and Daniel doesn’t either. Because we both know the doctor who came to take Odette wasn’t bringing her back here to get tested for anything, even if she wasn’t feeling well.

We continue down the hall, and the poisoning starts to make sense. If they wanted her dead, she would be. The Morenos aren’t incompetent. If they got close enough to slip poison into her food, they could have gotten close enough for something worse.

No—they wanted her here to use her as leverage and force me to sign off on what they’ve always been after.

“Boss.” Daniel turns a corner and pauses.

He’s holding an IV line that’s attached to a wheelchair. I follow his gaze to the exit door at the end of the hall, and gravity might as well give up on me.

“Fuck.” I rake my fingers through my hair.

Daniel is already on his phone. Calling the team, ordering them to check the cameras. He’s doing all the things I would be doing if I wasn’t forced into this position. He’s on the sidelines, and I’m at the center of the sun, feeling the burn of it being too close for comfort.

My phone starts to ring, and I pull it to my ear when I’d rather slam it against a wall.

“What?”

“Shipment’s coming in two hours,” Shane’s voice comes through. “Everything all right?”

Nothing is all right. Not anymore. For me. For Odette. And it’s all my fault.

“I need you to make this happen without me.”

“You’re not going to be there?” Shane is annoyed and it strikes my last nerve.

“They took Odette.” My voice snaps. The tension snaps. Everything is on the verge of splicing in half.

“Who did?”

“The Morenos.”

Unlike Daniel, Shane doesn’t ask questions. He doesn’t care about the details. He’s like my father in that any threat against the family doesn’t require much explanation. He’ll stand and fight for the Cross name to the end.

“I need you to take point on this,” I tell him, whether I like it or not. “I know you didn’t want this, but I trust you. I need you to make sure everything goes to plan.”

“I will.”

“Good.” I nod, trying to calm my nerves. “I made her a promise, Shane. None of this blows back on her family when it comes down. Gabriel and Sascha are fair game, but if questions are asked, that’s all. Her mom and sister don’t have anything to do with it.”

If there’s a time for my brother to prove himself to me, it’s right now. I can’t be in two places at once, and unlike earlier, I’m not choosing the side that doesn’t put me wherever my wife is.

“Got it.”

“I’m trusting you, Shane.” I tip my head back and take in a deep breath. “I know we don’t see eye to eye oneverything, but I’m trusting you to do this for the family. For me.”

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