Page 1 of Sean

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Julia’s hands shook, but she shoved her earbuds in tighter and forced herself to press play a second time. The message started again.

“Listen to me very carefully, Julia. I want my damn kids back,” Wilson growled. “Now. You bring them to me or I swear I’ll—”

She hit the pause button and glanced over her shoulder at her niece and nephew, who were playing on the floor of the tiny cabin she’d rented. They couldn’t hear their father’s message. They could never hear it. Never would hear it. She’d make sure of that. It was just one of the ways Julia had been protecting the kids for the past six weeks as they’d moved around, staying in cabins and crappy motel rooms. It wasn’t a great life, but anywhere was better than them being back in their father’s grasp.

Lucy’s eyes met hers and the child raised her stuffed horse’s front paw in a wave. Julia found a smile for the five-year-old that she hoped was reassuring. Her primary concern, what mattered most to her, was conveying to the kids that they were safe and loved. That had been hard when they’d asked about their father and sometimes asked when they were going home.

Julia unpaused the message. Her brother-in-law’s voice continued at a low snarl, but his meaning was crystal clear. He was desperate to find her. After being a negligent father for as long as she could remember, all of his attention suddenly seemed to focus on her and the kids.

“You can run and try to hide from me, but I’ve got people who will find you. And when they do—”

She didn’t need to hear again where he threatened to kill her in front of his own kids. Fighting the instinct to delete the message, she considered everything Wilson had said and the way he said it. He was usually cool and detached, but this time, his tone and words were almost unhinged and definitely threatening.

She shouldn’t be surprised since the noose was tightening around him and his drug smuggling operation. Sophie—an investigative reporter and one of Julia’s closest friends—had recently published an article proving how Wilson used his position as the director of a museum to smuggle drugs into the country, revealing Wilson’s crimes and his violent tactics to all. The article had gone viral and, best of all, it had forced the police to finally take notice and open an investigation into his actions. Wilson was cornered, and like the rabid animal he was, his instinct was to lash out. Julia was now the target of his rage, and all of his rants focused on punishing her for taking his children and running.

She’d done it because she feared what he’d do to them. Sophie’s reporting proved that Wilson could be violent—even deadly. No way in hell would she have left these kids in a house with him. No. Way. But even though she knew her actions were justified, that didn’t mean she was any less terrified. The truth was, she’d been living in fear all these weeks. Her only lifeline was her daily check-ins with Sophie and with their friend Helen, who had been the first to realize what Wilson was up to.

Helen had done her part—along with her husband, Ethan—to figure out how Wilson was using the museum to smuggle drugs. Sophie had taken the baton from there. With the help of one of Ethan’s SEAL friends, Owen—now Sophie’s boyfriend—she had gathered enough evidence to write and publish her story, exposing Wilson to the world as the monster that he was.

Julia had no doubt Wilson was furious at all of them…but the target he was aiming for now was her. She was the one who had his kids. She was the one he was determined to find—and punish. She squeezed her eyes shut and admitted to herself that she needed help. Sean Miller’s phone number was programmed in the burner she used. She’d been stalling reaching out to him, waiting until she could no longer go on alone. He was another former SEAL and a friend of Owen and Ethan’s, the men who loved and supported her friends. Men she could trust.

She removed her earbuds and snatched her phone, her fingers hovering over Sean’s contact. Before she could tap the screen, the phone rang, and she answered.

“Hi,” Helen’s voice came through. “Just calling to see how you’re doing.”

“Oh, Helen,” Julia said, keeping her voice low so the kids wouldn’t overhear. “I’m…scared.” It was tough for her to own up to that. She’d been putting on a brave front for so long.

“What’s happened? Are you okay?”

“For now,” she said. “Wilson left me a message.”

“How’d he get your number?”

“He didn’t call my burner,” Julia assured her before explaining about calling in to check the voicemails that came through her professional website.

“What did he say?” Helen demanded. “Tell me.”

Julia didn’t want to frighten her pregnant friend by going into the details. “The kids are close by, so I can’t say much,” she whispered. “Anyway, I’m…I’m thinking of calling Sean.”

“You should. You absolutely should,” Helen said. “I’d feel a lot better with him watching your back. The feds are pushing hard in their investigation. Wilson’s got to be getting desperate…and desperate men think they have nothing to lose.”

“Why doesn’t he just run for it?” she asked. Wilson’s demand for the kids didn’t make any sense. He’d never shown much interest in them, and he could flee the country more easily without them.

“I don’t know, but you can’t wait any longer to get some help. Call Sean. Do it as soon as you hang up with me. Promise me that.”

“I will.” Julia just couldn’t hold off any longer.

“I’ll let Sophie and Owen know what’s happening,” Helen said. Her friends and the men in their lives had been Julia’s support system, but they were all miles away. She needed someone next to her. “Take care, and we’ll talk soon.” Helen hung up.

Julia took a minute to check on the kids and get them a morning snack that would keep them occupied as she worked out the details with Sean. After taking a big breath, she brought up his contact and pressed Call.

“Miller,” a deep voice answered.

He sounded so abrupt that she had to fight the urge to hang up. “Hello. This is Julia Hart. Ethan Lee gave me your number. I think he talked to you about possibly helping me out.”

“He did.”

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