“What’s going on, Daddy?” Ace slips off his chair, pushing in closer to me. I finish standing as I see West coming toward me.
“Stand down!” he shouts. Everyone turns to look at him, but they do as he orders. West used to be a detective until he was promoted to the chief of police. He’d done that for a few years until I talked him into going private. It didn’t take much. He was over pushing paper and would rather be in the thick of it.
“Ace, go with West,” I tell him. West has been on his security detail taking him to and from school. Ace heads for West, and I make a beeline for the bathroom.
“Roman!” West shouts after me. I push open the bathroom door, seeing that it is empty. My heart starts to pound harder as I run to the back door and push it open. In the distance, I see a white van turning out of the alley.
I’ll fucking kill him. John is dumber than I realized. Or he’s desperate. I jog back inside.
“He took her,” I tell West. He pulls his radio off his belt. “White van.”
“Now the girl is missing, dipshits!” he shouts before he issues an order for everyone to be on the lookout for a white van.
“Where’s Mommy?” Ace asks, looking confused at all the commotion. Ace has been through enough in his life. I didn't even get to enjoy the moment when he called me daddy because of this fucker.
“She’ll be back. Stay with West until George gets here.” I hold my hand out to West. “Give me the keys.” He drove us all here. He pulls them out of his pocket and hands them over before I pull my phone out and head for the car.
“Roman. What the hell are you doing?” Everyone steps out of my way.
“Getting my wife back.” What the fuck else would I be doing? By the time I make it to the car, my phone has already pulled up her location. After the last time I lost her in the freaking house, I put a tracker on her for my own sanity.
I suppose that day is actually saving my ass. It’s on the necklace she’s been wearing since I gave it to her. It can be a bitch to get off. You actually need two people to get the clasp to release.
I hop in my car and take off. I share my location with West, knowing he won’t be far behind. I race across town, wondering where the hell her father is taking her. We’ve now entered the warehouse district.
I take a sharp turn and push the gas pedal down to the floor to catch up with him. He’s driving slowly, trying not to draw attention to himself. I drop back a few blocks, waiting for him to park before I make a move. I don’t want him to start driving like a maniac if he spots me.
He takes a few more turns before he parks the van. I watch as another man steps out of the passenger side. I lean over to pull a gun out from under the passenger seat, my eyes never leaving the van.
When my hand wraps around it, I click the safety off and slip from the car. I stay along the building, running to catch up to them. Fawn fights her father, trying to get free from his hold. He lifts his hand to hit her.
“I’ll fucking kill you, John.” I train the gun on him. He drops his hand, spinning around to face me. Fawn’s eyes go wide when she sees me. I can see the relief on her face.
The other man pulls out a gun. I don’t even think about it—I fire the gun, hitting him in the thigh. Fawn lets out a scream as he crumples to the ground next to, his gun skidding across the concrete.
“Stop right there.” John pulls out a knife. I don’t stop. I keep heading right for him. “I said stop!” he shouts again.
“If you cut her, I’ll shoot you in the fucking head,” I growl as I close in on him. He pushes Fawn. She stumbles into me, and he takes off running. I wrap my arm around Fawn. She buries her face in my chest and begins to cry. I’ve never felt the level of rage that I do in this moment.
I fire a second shot. John howls as he hits the ground. I toss the gun away, hearing sirens close in on us.
“I knew you’d find me.”
I hold her tight. “I will always come for you.” She lifts her head, and that’s when I see her cheek is red. “Who hit you?” I grit out.
“John,” she answers, not calling him her father.
Two cop cars come to a stop. West jumps out of one, taking in the scene. He shakes his head.