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“Good one.” Max snorts. As if it’s funny. “Leading theory is they want her for Sloane’s compliance.”
The abduction theory. “No one else watching our place?”
“No. But Kairi believes there’s got to be a job post on the dark web. Her team hasn’t found it. But it fits. Which means others could be out there looking for Sage. To be safe, neither of you will return to your apartment. There’s covered parking at the condo. You’ll park there, go up in the elevator.”
The second I end the call with Max, trusting, hopeful brown eyes await, full of questions.
I’m going to bring her sister home. And that’s a good thing. It’s fulfilling a promise to Sam. But I’m reluctant to pop our bubble. When this is over, she’ll return to Asheville. And then what? Long-distance? It’ll be better than the guys had it on the team, but long-distance wears on a relationship. I’ve seen it time and time again over the years. Long-distance means separate lives. I wanted more time.
“They found her?” Sage prompts. She’s touching me, her hand on my forearm, like she knows everything’s not one hundred percent fantastic.
“Looks like it.”
“Where?”
“Our team on the ground located a facility which could conceivably serve as a place to hold someone against their will.” She doesn’t need the worry of knowing the location we’ve identified has military grade armed security.
“So, you think it’s her company that has her? Is she being held captive?”
“It fits with her company concocting a story about her resigning. Because you never believed that, right?”
She gives it consideration. Her gaze falters, tongue flits out between her lips. She looks me directly in my eyes. “No. Sloane loves her job too much. Don’t get me wrong. I do believe the right guy is going to come along and she’ll fall in love. But when it happens, it won’t happen quickly. And she’d never prioritize a guy over her work. Aside from that, she’d never quit her job and not call me. She’d never move and not call me.” I caress her chin, her cheek. What she’s not saying is that Sloane is the last of her living family. She wouldn’t turn her back on her. “If she’s done anything…if she’s involved in something that’s illegal, what will happen to her?”
I drop my duffel on the bed and unzip it, considering the question. If she was one hundred percent on board with her employers, she probably wouldn’t have gone MIA. “Interpol might want to talk to her, but they’ve only been monitoring her company. From what I’ve gathered, this isn’t a case where anyone’s gearing up to prosecute. We just want to bring your sister, an American, home safe.” Her sister might have experienced trauma. Kindness and hostage situations rarely go hand in hand. “You know, your sister might need you when she gets back.” And she doesn’t have a home to return to. “Maybe while I’m gone, you can spend some time looking at places for you and Sloane to stay when you return. Find yourself a builder.”
“So, when you bring her back, you think it’ll be safe for us to return home? To Asheville?”
“If Sloane knows something they don’t want to get out, the cat will be out of the bag, so to speak, once we rescue her. No need to keep coming after her. I mean, there’s a potential witness scenario, but I doubt it. You’d be dealing with international courts. Whatever intel she has would probably be of the variety you can prove with files. If they were simply forcing her to do work she didn’t agree with, it’s hard to imagine they’d try to recapture her once she’s Stateside. But right now, we’re dealing with way too many unknowns.” She’s skeptical. Worried. Possibly fearful. “I promise you, we won’t let you go back to Asheville until we know it’s safe.”
The trust in those eyes hits me square in the chest. She’s depending on me. I bend and press my lips over hers, close my eyes and let my fingers sift through her hair, giving us a second before we shift gears. With an exhale that releases all hesitation, I open my eyes and give her a quick reassuring smile. “Let’s get packed up.”
“Where’re we going?”
“I’m going to get you settled in a new place. Millie will be there. Stella, you remember her from the soccer game, right?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Well, you’re going to stay with Stella and Trevor. Felix will hang out with you during the day. Won’t be as good as yours truly, but…” I shoot her a cocky grin.
“But you’re leaving?”
“We’re flying out this evening. You’ll be in good hands. Don’t worry.”
“And then when you get back, you’ll have Sloane.”
“That’s the plan.”
“And then I return to Asheville?”
“Not until we know it’s safe. But yes. Didn’t you say you need to go back? School’s starting?” Hell, if she wants to stay?—
“Yes. I need to be back. Actually, on Monday. A week from today.” Six days.
“Well, we should return with Sloane in three to four days, tops. You’ll be good to go.”
“Do we need to go pack immediately?”
It’s a little after noon. My team’s prepping for the trip. “We can fix lunch here if you want. I’d rather not walk on the beach. I don’t like how exposed we are out there, even if theoretically we’re safe.”
