I’m going to enjoy killing him.
“P-please take me home,” Sarah cries, the dam bursting as tears spill over her lashes and down her cherub cheeks.
I wipe the tears from her cheeks, silently praising her for flinching away from my touch, even though it makes me feel like my insides are in a dumpster fire.
“Don’t cry, sweetie,” I coo aloud. She cries harder, and my heart blisters from the fury.
Dan licks his lips with unrestrained hunger, reaching over to do what—I don’t know. My hand that’s wrapped around her neck whips out, grabbing his hand with a firmness that has him instantly freezing.
“I don’t share,” I growl, letting some of the pent-up anger loose. Dan jerks his hand away, raising them in the air in surrender.
“Possessive,” he chuckles, glancing at the guests. Embarrassment flashes in his eyes, but it’s gone before it can truly settle. That just might come back to bite me in the ass—Dan also isn’t the type of man that takes well to public humiliation.
Not that I’m truly concerned with the backlash. He’ll be dead soon anyways.
While Dan’s eyes cast over the dinner table, I slyly press the button on my watch, keeping my hands under the table. By the time his eyes are drifting back to me, my hands return to their previous position.
“Please, proceed… brother,” he tacks on at the end, the word said with an inflection of challenge.
I flash a feral grin, not holding back in the slightest. His eyes heat at the sight, likely assuming that he’s about to get a show of a lifetime.
Before either of us can move, a loud banging on the front door startles us both. A muffled, indiscernible shout follows. Dan’s eyes look towards the front of the house, brow furrowing in confusion.
“Who the hell would dare…？” he mutters under his breath, aghast that someone is nearly breaking down his front door.
Panicked, hushed whispers rise from the group, the guests turning to each other with fearful gazes.
“Daniel,” I snap, catching his attention. “I don’t want to wait much longer.”
“Of course, I’ll be sure to hurry,” he placates, appearing more flustered as others from the table continue to speak their concern and discomfort. Another loud crash startles the group, and then seconds later, a booming crash sounds, causing the guests to jump. Some even rise from their seats, ready to bolt.
And then, “FBI! GET DOWN ON THE GROUND NOW!”
The rest of the guests jump up now, myself included. Gently, I set Sarah down beside me but hold onto her arm firmly as the room breaks out into chaos. The dinner guests scatter like ants, screams and shouts bouncing around the room.
The door to the dining room crashes open, eliciting more screams. Several FBI agents storm the room, shouting out demands for everybody to get down.
“Let’s go,” I whisper to the girl, attempting to guide her towards the kitchen door.
She struggles and screams for one of the agents, that dormant fire in her finally erupting.
I’m so fucking proud of her.
I pick her up and whisper in her ear. “Those FBI agents are with me. I’m going to take you back home, but I need you to work with me.”
The second the word home leaves my mouth, her struggling ceases. She looks at me, her brown eyes full of tears.
“You could be lying,” she sniffles, distrust in her eyes. Another surge of pride overtakes me as I stuff my hand in my pocket and pull out a fake FBI badge, flashing it to her discreetly—the first lie I’ve truly told her. She reluctantly concedes, nodding her head. I bolt towards the kitchen door, not wasting another second.
In the chaos, no one will notice me slipping out. But if they do, it won’t hurt my case with Dan. I plan on telling him I did exactly that.
No one is in the lavish kitchen. If anyone were in here before, they probably ran when they heard the FBI breakin.
I slip out of the back sliding door, making my way across the massive porch, and towards the stairs.
The cool air is a balm to my heated skin. This suit is confining. I much prefer my jeans and hoodie to this shit.
“Are you going to take me back to my mommy and daddy?” Sarah asks quietly. Her soft, sweet voice is almost a shock to my system.
Adrenaline has been coursing through my veins steadily since the moment she was brought into that room. The chemical won’t dissipate from my body until she’s off this property.
“I am,” I promise gently.
Her hand lifts, her tiny finger tracing one of the scars on my face.
“Does this hurt?”
“Not anymore,” I say quietly, suppressing the urge to lean away from her touch. I’m not used to anyone touching my scars. When Addie did, it felt like fire lacing across the dead skin. Now, with Sarah, it feels a tad uncomfortable. But not unbearable.
“Did the bad guys that took me do this to you?”
“Not the same bad guys, but bad guys all the same.”
She seems to think that over, digesting my words slowly. She blinks at me and wipes away some snot leaking from her nose.
“Do you know if mommy and daddy are alive?”
I nearly trip over my feet when she asks the question.
Considering I didn’t know the girl’s identity beforehand, I haven’t had a chance to look into her background. I’ve no idea who her parents are, or what kind of home she comes from.
“Is there a reason you think they wouldn’t be?” I ask. I make it to the meet up spot, outside of view of any cameras and the front of the house where Dan is.
Her eyes drop, long lashes fan across her chubby cheeks, still damp from her tears.
“I don’t know where they are,” she says simply.
“When’s the last time you saw them?”
She shrugs her little shoulders and says, “I dunno.”
I sigh, giving in to the urge and rolling my neck to ease some tension. Ruby should be here soon to take care of Sarah while I finish up business.
Soon, the agents will lug Dan and anyone else out to be taken down to the station on false charges.
They’re false agents to begin with, hired by myself. Luckily, I have a few high-ranking FBI agents in my pocket, which is the only thing that made this night possible.
They’ll bring Dan down to the station on suspicion of smuggling drugs. They will release him by tomorrow morning when they don’t find anything.
Dan will insist the FBI agents responsible be fired, and considering no real agents were involved, the fake ones will be easily let go of. False paperwork will be filed, and Dan will be satisfied. Or as satisfied as you can be when your dinner party is interrupted by your front door getting kicked in.
“How old are you, shortcake?”
“Five,” she chirps.
“I’ll try to find your mommy and daddy, okay? If I can’t, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”
She nods her little head, her brown eyes now latched back onto me.
“Then will you be my daddy?”
Fuck. Can’t say I’ve ever been asked that one before. I force a smile. Adoption isn’t out of the question, but that’s something I’ll have to consult with Addie first. She’d be her mommy, after all.
Before I can answer, Ruby is sneaking up to take Sarah off to a safe place. Ruby stays silent, understanding how dire the situation is. When she approaches the small child gripping onto my hand, she whispers to her quietly, urging her to come with her so she can make sure she’s safe. Sarah hesitates.