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I dig through the pictures on her Facebook page again. Most of them are generic, almost like it is a fake profile. The last picture, though, catches my attention. Grace is on some kind of hike. But the hike itself isn’t interesting. The two men in the background are. I swear one of them looks familiar. He resembles one of my attackers when I was pregnant—an Irish?
Could Grace be involved with the Irish? The kidnapping could have been orchestrated by Cillian.
The ring of my cell startles me. The screen reads unknown number. Immediately, I answer the call. I know what this is about.
“Hello.”
“Ava Manarch, nice of you to answer my call.”
I don’t recognize the voice. “Who is this?”
“I’m sure by now you’ve realized your son has been taken from under your nose.”
“Who the fuck is this?” I yell while trying to figure out who is on the other end of the call.
“You took something from me, so now I’ll take something from you. An eye for an eye.”
The snarl of the angsty tone sounds too familiar to ignore.
“Cillian McIntyre?”
He doesn’t attempt to hide his identity. “I’m glad you know who I am.”
“Where is my son?”
“Safe…” He laughs. “For now.”
I fist my hand into a ball and ask, “What do you want? You better not hurt my son because I swear if you do—”
“How about a trade? Your son for your life.” He doesn’t give me a chance to tell him I will give him anything to save Niko. “I won’t hurt him if you follow my instructions.”
I know he’s lying. Cillian isn’t a man you can trust, but I need to play along for Niko’s sake. I won’t risk his life for anything.
“What do you want?” I stand from Viktor’s desk when he adds, “I’ll text you an address. Come alone. If you tell anyone where you’re going or bring anyone with you, I’ll kill your precious son just like my daughter was murdered because of you.”
“You don’t need to worry. I’ll come alone.”
I leave Viktor’s office and go upstairs to my bedroom as Cillian warns, “I’ll know if you do.”
“I bet.”
“Be at the address in twenty minutes.” He ends our call with a brittle laugh.
He doesn’t let me speak, but it doesn’t matter. He’s already told me everything I need to know—he has Niko. I go straight to my closet and dress in jeans and a sweatshirt.
Just because Cillian told me to come alone doesn’t mean I will go unprepared.
I go to the lockbox Viktor got me when he gifted me my gun. After scanning my hand over the electronic reader, I take the nine millimeter out to check the clip. It’s loaded. Needing to be prepared for anything, I take a second clip.
With everything I need in my purse, I snatch up my iPad and log into the security cameras to check the property and mansion. To get out of here undetected, I need to know where everyone is. I see men walking the perimeter. Not exactly what I need.
I spot Angus, who is by the guardhouse. He’s the only real threat to me leaving undetected.
I exit my room and enter Aisling’s. Whatever Cillian has in mind, I need her protected while I get Niko.
“Hi,” I greet as I open the door.
“Everything okay? Any news?” Anita asks, concerned.
