Page 15 of Chained to You (Dark Billionaires 6)

James returned his attention to Aria and got down to his knees. He pulled her into his strong arms and gave her a tight hug. “Be a good girl, all right?”

Aria nodded. “Are you going to get Mia?” she asked, grinning from ear to ear.

James nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“Then I can’t wait to see her ‘cause we’re going to have a girls-only slumber party,” Aria said. “Just me, Mia, and Savannah. I can’t wait. I can’t wait. Please don’t be too long, Daddy.”

James stroked his daughter’s cheek, a half smile playing about his face. “I promise I won’t be long.” He kissed her on the forehead.

When he moved back, Aria gave him a kiss on the cheek in return.

“See you soon, Daddy,” the little girl said.

James nodded and then stood. As he headed into the car, Savannah came over to stand beside Aria and took the little girl’s hand into hers.

Once James was in the car, Scott started driving away, followed in another car by Eric with Matt and Andy as passengers.

Cole updated James and his team regularly throughout the drive toward South Los Angeles, and once they were close, they got another call from the man.

“What is it?” James asked.

“Chesterfield Square,” Cole said. “An abandoned warehouse.”

“Give me the address,” James said, and once Cole did, he called Matt to give the man the details, too.

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the suspected site where Herbert was holding Mia captive.

The abandoned warehouse was isolated and tucked deep off the main road, so it was hard for anyone to notice its existence, let alone pay any attention to it. James wondered how Herbert came to know about such a place when he wasn’t a local around here, unless he had some help. Of course, James knew it had to be Sophie who suggested the site to him.

Cole rushed up to James and his team the moment he and his partner, a bulky ex-boxer of a man, noticed their arrival.

“Boss,” Cole said.

“Here?” James asked, looking around the deserted, ramshackle place with interest.

Cole nodded. “Saw Sophie going into the building some twenty minutes ago.”

James signaled to both Matt and Scott. “Let’s go.” Then he turned to Eric. “You and Andy stay behind.”

“Sure thing, bro,” Eric answered.

Andy quickly voiced, “I’m coming in, too. Mia—”

Matt turned to him. “As I said, I don’t want Herbert seeing you and—”

“I don’t give a fuck about Herbert and whether he sees me or not,” Andy said. “I’m here for my sister. I’m going in to save her with you three whether you like it or not.” With that, he marched toward the building ahead of them.

Matt shook his head as he said, “As hotheaded as usual.”

James said, “Can’t blame him. It’s his sister in there. We’d do the same if we were in his position.”

“Of course,” Matt said as they headed toward the building, a few steps behind Andy.

Chapter 8

Mia

I lay there, naked and with my eyes closed, as the dull pain in my body continued to ache like hot coal burning at my skin. I tried not to let it get to me as I mustered some sort of ability to get up and out of bed. But it was hard since I had been severely beaten.

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