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I dig in the pocket of my ruined pants and pull out my lighter. “We’re going to burn it down.”
It makes the most sense. Not only do I want to torch the building that represents a week of hell for my family, but getting rid of all of these bodies will be a headache. This way, we can take care of two birds with one fiery stone.
“Won’t someone call the police?” she asks.
“Not if we call in a favor with our contacts at the emergency call center. Plus, this place is far enough out that anyone who sees the smoke will think a farmer is burning his fields.”
Eve spins in a circle, looking around the inn. When she turns to face me again, her jaw is set. “Let’s do it.”
Just then, the Bratva members come in with a few jugs of gasoline and fire starter from the maintenance shed. Eve takes one of the containers, I take another, and together, we walk through the inn and douse the place.
Eve covers the servants’ quarters, splashing a little extra across the backs of the fallen Cartel members. I douse the floor of the lounge where we spent four days playing along with the Cartel’s sick games. And Eve and I both pour out the last of our containers in the entryway, the last drops falling on Edgar’s back.
Once everyone is outside, I flick my lighter and toss it through the front door of the inn.
The flames catch immediately in a whoosh of heat and air, and I hurry off the porch, not wanting to risk second- or third-degree burns on top of gunshot wounds.
Eve is standing in the grass, looking up at the inn, and I’m amazed once again at how strong she is.
When I married her, I knew she was stubborn. I knew she stood up to me more than any other woman ever had, and I knew she spoke her mind.
I didn’t know, however, that she could carry so much. I didn’t know she could shoulder the burden of protecting our family. I didn’t know that when I was at my weakest, she would rise up and battle our demons.
And more than anything, I didn’t know it was possible to love her more than I did a week ago.
As I approach, she turns to me, eyes bloodshot and tired. “Are we done?”
“A few of the men will stay to make sure the flames don’t go out,” I say, offering her my outstretched hand. “Let’s go find our daughter.”
* * *
As soon as we are in the SUV and driving away from the flames, I borrow a random Bratva phone and begin making calls. To everyone and anyone who could help.
I reach out to every brigadier and tell them to put all of their men on high alert. They need to be on the lookout for any possible child trafficking by the Irish or the LeClerc Cartel, and someone needs to get eyes on Rian Morrison immediately. She left the inn before the Bratva arrived, and I don’t want her to skip town before Eve and I have our chance to get revenge.
While I’m on the phone, Eve fidgets with the skimpy robe and the fashion boots the Cartel forced her to wear. She looks like she is about to crawl out of her skin, but she also looks exhausted.
Dark circles are pressed under her eyes, and she is slumped forward like it is too difficult to hold herself upright.
When I hang up the phone, I slide carefully across the seat to sit next to her, my leg warm against hers. “Why don’t you go back to the house?”
She opens her mouth to argue, but I lay a hand on her leg and continue. “I know you want to help, and you can, but maybe you should rest first.”
“You’re the one who is hurt,” she says.
“So are you. Plus, you did so much back there. You fought hard, and no one would blame you if you rested. Even just for a few hours. I have every single resource at our disposal out looking for Milaya. If she can be found, we’ll find her.”
Eve shakes her head. “If?”
“Bad choice of words,” I correct. “She is out there. I know it.”
Eve turns to stare out the window, her long chestnut hair draped over her shoulder. The ends are tangled, and I think I see a bit of dried blood in the ends, but I don’t want to check.
When she turns back to me, her forehead is wrinkled in thought. “Rian told me something yesterday—or a few days ago, whenever it was. It is hard to keep the days straight.”
“What?”
“She said …” Eve pauses, tilting her head to the side before looking up at me. “She said a baby would sell for a lot on the black market. Which means she hadn’t sold her yet. She still had her.”
