I’m a mess, and ordinarily I’d take off my shoes before entering the cabin, especially after trampling through the forest, but my main concern right now is Nova.
If what Vance alluded to was true and there’s a bomb somewhere in the home, I can’t let anything happen to Nova.
I tear up the stairs to the panic room.
I don’t have the code. “Nikki!” I know where the door is and knock repeatedly. She can see me from a camera if she wants to make sure that I’m alone.
The lock clicks and the door opens slowly. Nikki unlocked it for me.
She trusts me.
Why wouldn’t she?
“Is it over?” Nikki asks, glancing me up and down, her brow furrowed at my appearance.
I storm into the panic room, and Nova rushes right toward me, throwing her arms around me as I bend down to lift her.
“I have to go,” I say, carrying Nova out of the panic room and down the hallway.
“Where are you going? Where’s Moreno and Dante? Are they back yet?” Nikki asks.
Bruno, one of the guards I’m least familiar with, lands eyes on Nova and me. I’m cautious with my words. What if he works for Vance?
I can’t warn Nikki. I can only hope that she returns to the panic room and its fire proof.
“They’re on their way back,” I say. It’s an easy lie. She helped set it up by telling me they’re gone.
I have no clue where either of the men are returning. I assume they’re trying to help locate me, but Vance seems to be one step ahead of us.
I hurry down the stairwell to the door.
“Where are you taking Nova?” Nikki asks. Her tone is much more insistent.
“I have to get her someplace safe. Go back in the panic room,” I instruct.
“But you said Dante and Moreno are on their way back. How did you get here—” Nikki’s eyes widen, and she grabs Luca, shoving him behind her as the front door swings open.
“Paige, Nikki,” Vance says with a cunning smile. “It’s so nice to see you both again.” He holds the door open and gestures for me to take Nova outside.
I grab the keys sitting by the door. It’s not my car, mine’s still in town, but I’ll take whatever I can get my hands on that starts.
I hit the unlock button and the SUV a few yards down flash the headlights when I unlock the vehicle. I hurry with Nova, opening the backdoor.
There’s no car seat.
Well, this is an emergency. I strap her into the middle seat and pray that I don’t end up in an accident.
I slam the door shut and hurry around to the front, hopping inside the driver’s seat. I start the engine and put the SUV into reverse, flooring it. Turning the vehicle around, I glide the gear into drive and head for the main gates.
Will Leone let me pass through the main entrance?
As I approach, the guard gates are wide open, the guard tower empty.
Where’s Leone?
Is he dead?
Does he work for Vance? Is that how Vance was able to bypass security?
A shudder runs through my body.
I hit the gas and refuse to look back.
“Where are we going?” Nova asks.
It’s the first time that I miss her silence.