Page 37 of Entwined with My Best Friend's Brother

Jen's eyes seem hazy, "And you don't love me enough?"

That question almost makes my knees tremble as I swallow, "I love you. So much, but I still need to go. I need to find Cale so you don't lose your will to live and accept me when I eventually propose to you."

Jen smiles, tears trailing down her eyes as she weakly raises herself. Her actions confuse me when I suddenly feel a soft sensation on my lips. She lays back down, smiling, "Thanks, Ryan. I will be waiting for you and Cale."

Letting go of her, I watch the doctors roll her in through the doors. Gwen follows, passing a shocked glance in my direction.

I turn to find Gray grinning like the stupid idiot, "So…when are you getting hitched, captain?"

Irritated, I walk past the guy, smacking him hard on the shoulder,

Using the information from Charles' email, Mike has got the search warrant against most of the families associated with News Daily, including News Daily itself. At the same time, I prepare the group to invade the Armani property, where I figure Cale will be.

Once we get the go-ahead, I infiltrate the building and my firm's fifty employees, including fifty officers from Chicago's military. We first secure the hostages, then tie the guards and persons nearby. Finally, I look around for Cale once we finish the raid.

He is nowhere among the hostages brought out, so I approach one, "Have you seen a little kid? Five years old. Black hair. Sea green eyes."

The hostage seems shocked at first, then downhearted, "That kid? They took him to the punishment basement last night. Haven't seen him since."

Feeling a cold chill run through my body, I snatch his collar, "Where is that punishment basement?"

The guy stutters, "It's the one with the red door in the lowest level of the basement."

Nodding, I nudge the guy to Gray as I rush down, "Have someone get the ambulance or a car."

Damn it. I curse, seeing the basement filled with knee-deep rainwater from last night. I'm anxious as I desperately pray the little guy is okay.

I try opening the door, but it is locked, so I break it down with a single kick. Looking around the room, I see it appears filled with water, at least on the surface, when I hear a whimper from behind.

I turn slowly to find a criminal who escaped our eyes, with Cale in his arms and a knife to his neck. I don't attempt reckless action as I look him over for injuries.

Noticing a blue and red swelling on his cheek and his badly scraped knees, I can't help my flare of anger. But I manage to suppress the glare in my eyes as I don't want to provoke the man into doing something either of us will regret.

Cale whimpers, his voice so hoarse I can barely hear him, "Ryan…."

Cale may be weaker than he seems. Afraid for his life, I drop the gun and knife in my hands, raising my hands in surrender, "Let the boy go, and I promise you can get out."

The bastard grins, "By your interaction, both of you know each other. I think I'll take him with me. Might make my escape easier."

I can't help glaring at the man this time when I notice someone in the back. Gray slowly approaches the guy in the back, so I distract the man with some extra blabber, "How will you be able to escape? This whole forest is filled with cops. Do you think everyone will just let you go for the sake of one kid?"

The man shrugs, "Whether he is with me or not, I will die or go to jail either way. Might as well take him with me, don't you think?"

His knife raises to Cale's neck, about to cut. Cale's eyes tremble as if he knows what is about to happen. I rush forward, catching the blade with my hands as Gray runs ahead to strangle his neck, and the man throws Cale away in favor of protecting his neck.

I throw the knife away to catch Cale falling into the knee-deep water. Hugging the little guy, I hide him from the view of Gray strangling the man to death. He clutches onto my clothes, his tears and snot mixing with the grime on his face, but he doesn't let out any noise as the criminal struggles like a fish out of the water until he finally let's go.

I stand up, Cale's face to my chest as I go upstairs, "Clean up here, Gray."

Gray stands solemnly, "Got it, boss. I will join you soon and help clean up the rest of the bases."

Getting out of the building, I rub Cale's back soothingly, "Bud, hang in there. I'll get you to your mother."

Cale whimpers as he trembles, "No. I can't see her."

"Why?"

He sniffs, "I lost the bag she bought for me."

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