Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
“Let her get dressed,” I say, shivering despite not feeling the cold. “I’m not sending her back outside in her underwear.”
He consents with a jut of his chin.
While Livy hurriedly pulls on her tracksuit and sneakers, I face Raphael squarely. “Where’s my daughter? I want to see her.”
“Where’s the video?”
“On a USB key in my bag, but you’ll only get the Cloud password where the backups are stored once Livy and Claire drive away from here.”
A slow smile curves his lips. “You have some brains in that pretty head of yours after all.” He turns to one of the men at his back with a wordless instruction.
The man disappears through a door on the side. I reach for my sweater again, but Raphael barks, “Leave it.”
Fine. I let the men get their fill, giving Raphael a cutting look.
A moment later, the man returns. At first, it appears as if he holds nothing but a scrunched-up blanket. My heart nearly tears from my chest as he carries the small pink bundle toward Livy.
I hold my breath, clenching my hands so hard my knuckles hurt. He unceremoniously dumps the bundle in Livy’s arms. I reach for it, the weight reassuring as my pulse continues to skyrocket. I nearly burst into tears of relief when I pull away the edges to reveal my baby’s face. Her eyes are closed in a deep sleep.
This isn’t normal.
Claire doesn’t sleep like this.
Shooting Raphael another glare, I feel her pulse.
“Don’t worry,” he drawls. “She’s alive.”
Her pulse is strong. “What did you do to her?”
Livy cradles Claire against her chest.
“She wouldn’t stop crying.” Raphael shrugs. “I gave her a little something to calm her down. It’ll wear off in a couple of hours.”
“What the fuck did you give my baby?” I ask, my fingers poised like claws at my sides. Like a lioness driven by instinct to protect her cub, I want to pounce.
“I checked that it’s safe for her age. I guess I have to learn about these things. After all, I have one of my own on the way.”
“Let me get my bag so that I can give you the video,” I say. “Then I want you to let them go.”
He strolls to my bag and peers inside. “I’ve always found women’s handbags a good reflection of their minds. So messy.”
Biting back a retort, I say, “In the brown envelope. You’ll want a laptop to check the content.”
He pulls out the brown envelope and rips it open before letting the key glide onto his palm. A man runs up with a laptop, opening it on the table between our handbags. Like me, Raphael came prepared.
He inserts the key in the USB slot of the laptop. A few clicks of the built-in mouse tells him what he wants to know.
“Now let them go,” I say. “I’ll give you the rest of what you want.”
Smirking, he looks at Livy before motioning with his head toward the door. One of his men opens it. Livy doesn’t hesitate. She turns around and walks with a stiff back through the door frame, clutching Claire in the death grip of her arms. I have so much gratitude for this woman right now. Brave like only Livy can be, she doesn’t look back.
I go to the door, stopping just inside. The man who let them out stands next to it with a taunting expression on his face, daring me to make a run for it. Ignoring him, I watch Livy cross the open parking lot. Every step she takes echoes with a deafening thud of my heart in my ears. I don’t even care that I’m giving the men a good ogle at my pantie-clad ass. I don’t dare to breathe, praying that no one is going to jump out of the bushes and shoot them or drag them back here.
After what feels like forever instead of seconds, Livy makes it to the gates. The last few paces are the worst, my nerves drawing my stomach into a tight, painful ball, but everything goes according to plan.
Livy gets into the car, not bothering with the car seat. We agreed the priority was getting out of here. Once she’s a good distance away, and only if she’s not being followed, she’ll stop to strap Claire into her car seat. I don’t move until the headlights come on and the car pulls onto the road. A weight lifts off my shoulders when the taillights disappear around the bend.
I turn back to face my enemy. The blue light flickers on the USB key before turning to a solid green.
“See?” Raphael raises his hands. “I’m a man of my word. Seeing that I’ll be a father in six months myself, I understand how it must feel. Fatherhood gave me a new way of looking at the situation. It made me realize we shouldn’t drag innocent children into our war.”