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His words steady me slightly, though my heart continues racing wildly. We have to hold it together for Solana's sake. I take a deep, shuddering breath and nod.
"Call hotel security," I tell Dare, my voice low but urgent. "Get your security team down here. We need to organize search teams and alert the police."
Dare is already pulling out his phone, barking orders to his head of security. In moments the hotel is abuzz with activity, staff spreading out to search every inch of the massive building. I make call after call; to Hope House volunteers, the local police station, even Solana's social worker. Nothing yet.
Dare looks over at me, a quiet fierceness in his gaze. His phone vibrates in his pocket and pulls it out with a frown, scanning the message that pops up on screen, color draining from his face.
"What is it?" I demand. "Have they found her?"
Wordlessly, he turns the phone so I can see. It's a photo of Solana, eyes wide and terrified, a gag wrapped tightly around her mouth.
The message below reads:Sign over your future shares of the inheritance and she'll be returned to you. Don't... and you won't like what happens next.
Ice water floods my veins. I stare at Dare, stunned into silence. He looks just as shocked, jaw clenched so tightly I fear it may shatter.
"Felix," he grits out at last. "The bastard's finally shown his hand."
Anger ignites in my chest, hot and swift.
"You knew," I spit. "You knew he was dangerous, that he'd already hurt innocents, and you let Solana wander off right into his clutches!"
"I didn't know he'd go this far," Dare says defensively.
"Well, you should have!" I shove away from him, pacing the length of the room.
"Talia, please. We have to stay calm."
"Calm?" I whirl on him, eyes blazing. "That monster has Solana, and you want me to stay calm?"
"We have a choice to make here," Dare says, "and we must make it carefully. If we alert the authorities, Felix may panic and hurt her. If I sign over my inheritance, it only encourages him to continue terrorizing others. But if we do nothing at all..."
He trails off, unable to voice what we both already know: Solana will die.
My chest constricts at the thought, a sob rising in my throat. How did we come to this? When did everything fall so utterly apart?
"I don't know what to do," I whisper, wrapping my arms around myself. "Just tell me what to do."
Dare steps forward and wraps me in his embrace. I cling to him, trembling.
"We will get her back," he murmurs. "I swear to you, Talia, we will bring Solana home."
Home. The word cracks something open inside me. We were meant to be Solana's home, to give her safety and shelter and love. And now...
I pull away, wiping angrily at my eyes. "How? How will we get her back from your vile excuse of an uncle?"
Dare's jaw clenches. "I think I should sign over my inheritance."
"You can't be serious!" I cry. "How do you know he won't just take the money and kill her anyway?"
"Because he knows if he harms one hair on her head, I will hunt him to the ends of the earth." Dare's eyes gleam with a dangerous light. "He knows what I'm capable of. He won't cross me again."
I stare at him, stunned into silence. In all our time together, I have never seen this side of Dare.
This is not the kind, compassionate man I know. This is a stranger with power and vengeance in his eyes.This is a beast, formed from anger and desperation. But I can't deny that I feel a thrill of excitement at the thought of him going up against his uncle. Maybe this is what it will take to finally end this nightmare.
"Dare, I--"
He silences me with a finger to my lips.
