Page 142 of Road to Redemption

We ushered them out the door and walked them to Roman’s car.

Wrapping my arms around them, I held them close. “I promise this will all be over tomorrow. And then I owe you guys some ice cream.”

“Maybe a few gallons.” Caleb laughed into my hug.

Behind us, Dom and Leo stood in their doorway. “On me.” Dom called out.

Roman looked between the three of us. “I’ll keep them safe. On my honor.”

“Good, Bull.” An exhausted smirk from Dom was as close to a handshake as they’d get.

Piling into the car, Roman made sure the kids were buckled in before peeling out of the driveway. Two motorcycles rode along with her, one in front and another in the back.

They’ll be safe. I’d protect Roman’s family like my own too.

It was our promise to each other when we took our oaths and branded our skin. A new kind of family.

The motel lot got quiet, crickets filling the emptiness.

Turning on my heels, I faced Leo and Dom. “Back to work.”

We gathered in their room, pulling open a laptop of my own as we got back to watching the small red dots move around Greene County.

Watching over Leo’s shoulder, I bit my cheek. “What if they took her farther out?”

Dom shook her head. “They didn’t. He wants her close.”

My eyes caught on a clump of dots. “Wait. What the fuck is that?”

What were five to ten cellphones doing in the middle of the woods after midnight. We knew it wasn’t our friends over at Laniidae — they were out searching for Kiera.

Squinting, I took a closer look. “It’s that old brick factory. They told us not to go there.”

Dom nodded as she got closer. “Told us the mob would cut our eyes out for taking a peek.”

Meeting Leo’s gaze, I nodded. “That’s gotta be it. That’s her.”

I felt it, deep in my bones, that she was in there — afraid and alone in the dark. And there was no more time to waste.

Leo slammed her computer closed and grabbed her brown leather jacket off the chair. “Let’s go get our girl.”

80

KIERA

The lack of sunlight was driving me mad. Time was starting to slip, taking my sanity with it. On the rare occasion that they did look my way, the guards acted like I might bite.

Good, they should be scared.

As I waited for my next slop drop, I sat back on my ass, absently flossing the chain between my wrists through the hard point on the ground. At best, it was a half-hearted attempt to saw through my restraints, and at worst, the rhythmic grating of the metal was a metronome I could organize my thoughts to.

I’d been able to decipher precious little during the infinity I’d spent on this floor. Firstly, these were not Isaac’s men. If they were, I would already be dead.

Isaac is efficient.

Shink.

He doesn’t like to play with his food.