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Shit. What was I grabbing? Toothpaste?
My phone suddenly starts buzzing under the hardshell lid of my suitcase. When I see who’s calling, I answer immediately. “Hey.”
Silence.
Then a loud, wheezing sob. Followed by more.
I drop whatever was in my hand and freeze. “Clara. Talk to me.”
“She—he—he…” Clara hiccups and sucks in several shaking gasps. “She’s gone. My baby’s gone.”
I’m already halfway down the pathway to the garage. “What? What the hell happened?”
“He t-took her! He—he fuckingtook her!”
Pavel’s in the garage, waiting for me by one of the sedans. When he sees the look on my face, he immediately jumps to his feet and grabs the keys for one of the Hummers. All I have to do is give him a silent nod; in seconds, he’s got Bambi on the other end of his line and a handful of myvorsrush into the garage. They signal to me that they’re right behind us and I make a swipe for the keys in Pavel’s hand.
He dodges my grab and shakes his head. I want to punch him for challenging me, but I get it.
I am way too pissed to be driving this actual tank into a school parking lot.
“Clara, listen to me.”
She hiccups some more. I can practically hear her shaking from head to toe.
“Clara.” I slide into the passenger seat and lower my voice as I buckle in. “Baby, listen to me. I need you to listen to me, okay? I’m right here.”
Pavel glances sideways at me but I pointedly ignore him. All he should be focusing on is getting us the hell out of here and straight to Willow’s school.
“O-okay…” Clara whimpers.
“Take a deep breath.” I wait until I can hear her do it. “That’s it. Big breath in… Good. Good. Just keep taking those deep breaths. We’re on our way, okay?”
“Okay…”
“We’re gonna get her back. I promise.”
Clara’s breath shudders and her tears start up again. “How? He took her. He took my baby and he’s too powerful?—”
“I promised I’d take care of you, didn’t I?”
“Yes… but?—”
“And I promised I’d never let anything happen to you or Willow, right?”
“… Right…”
“So what the hell makes you think I’m not on my way with an army to obliterate Martin Patterson’s sorry ass as we speak?”
Silence. And then she lets out one soft laugh.
I glance at the dashboard. Pavel has the pedal floored, and I catch a glimpse of my men following close behind. “Just hang tight, baby. Where are you right now?”
“In the car.”
“Stay there. Stay there and stay low. Don’t go anywhere until I get there. Understood?”
“Yeah.”
