Page 110 of Pride
“No,” she said. “He was good to me. He brought me food. I just… never saw your face until now. It’s… nice.”
“You recruited me,” he said, frowning. “You don’t remember?”
She shook her head, confused. Still holding Daisy’s gaze, Axel lifted her effortlessly, determination all over his face. If Alice didn’t know any better, she’d say he had the look of a man enthralled.
Daisy burst into a coughing fit, rolling her head to the side to vomit water. When she was done, Axel pulled her to his chest and gave them a grim look.
“She needs a hospital.”
“She needs to come home,” Parker shot back. He picked up his bionic arm. The wires were still searching, the arm still functioned, but he didn’t reattach it. Maybe he wouldn’t until he was certain it was unhackable.
Home.
Flint.
Alice had dropped the cell phone. She found it on the street, still connected to the call, and put it to her ear. “Flint?”
“Thank Christ. Is everyone okay?”
“So far, but—”
Parker gestured for Alice to hand him the phone. The stern look in his eyes held no room for argument so she gave it over.
“Flint,” Parker said. “We have Daisy but she’s sick. We’re coming home.”
The private conversation that came next turned every muscle in Parker’s shoulders to stone. Alice had thought their troubles were over, but seeing the look on his face made her guts turn to jelly. By the time Parker cut the call two minutes later, Alice’s heart kicked in her chest like a wild stallion.
“What is it?”
He flattened his lips. “We take Daisy to the hospital.”
“Why?”
“It’s not safe at home.”
Realization hit. “It’s still being watched by the Feds.”
Grim eyes met hers. “That… and Wyatt is back. He’s destroyed the med lab.”
“What?” she blustered. “Why?”
The baby crying in the background. “Is Amari…?”
“She’s fine but… Mary was babysitting when—” Parker glanced to Axel, who still held Daisy tight to his chest. Primal fury darkened Parker’s face. Cold, hard intent speared Axel. “I’m going to ask you a question. And you better pray you give the right answer. Did you know?”
Axel’s dark brows pinched together. “About what?”
“While my family were off following the crumbs Julius left, every one of my siblings’ mates were taken.” Parker’s eyes were soulless when they locked on Alice. “Lilo, Misha and Bailey were out having coffee. Max and some of his crew were watching them, but they’ve all gone missing. Grace and Joe never showed for work.”
“I didn’t know,” Axel blurted. “I swear.”
Daisy’s eyelids fluttered, and she rested her head against Axel’s chest. “Julius always said doomsday meant turning you all dark. It was the reason he made me take Max that first time. I thought with everything going on that he’d given up on that plan.”
“Shit.” Parker scrubbed his face. “Griffin is going to kill me.”
Parker had trouble breathing. He roared his pain and dropped to a crouch, his head in his hand.
“This is my fault,” he murmured. “I thought I had it all worked out. The Syndicate was going down and so I loosened security restrictions early. I was that cocky. That stupid.”
