When Day Breaks

“Quit beating yourself up,” Hancock said gruffly. “This is as much my fault as it is yours. There’s nothing to be accomplished by either of us going over the woulda, coulda, shouldas at this point. We have to get it together and find her.”

“We need the video surveillance stat,” Swa

“Leave that to me,” Hancock said. “I may not be the geek your Donovan is, but I know my way around computers and electronics. You can be the heavy and I’ll pull up what we need.”

They both hurried inside and went straight to the security desk. Confronted by two very large, very pissed-off men, the head of security didn’t even protest. He brought them into the surveillance room and let Hancock take over.

“There was a blip earlier,” the security guy said in impeccable English, his expression grim as he related the information. “It blinked and went out for a few minutes, which is likely when Miss Sinclair was taken. But we have a camera in the alleyway, so if they went out that way, and it’s likely given the location of the murdered maid that they did, you may pick up footage of the vehicle and get a plate at least.”

Hancock typed furiously, skimming through footage before the blackout and then homing in on the alleyway when the cameras had gone back online.

“Son of a bitch,” Hancock breathed.

Swa

The kidnapper’s face was averted from the camera. Longer dark hair hung down her back and her skin was darker toned. She was shorter than Eden but way stockier. Her arms were muscled as if she had a strict exercise regimen. Her shoulders were broad and square and there was no hint of the curve of breasts through the maid uniform she’d appropriated from the employee she’d killed.

Then the Peugeot drove away and Hancock zoomed in on the plate. Hancock barked the number to the security guard and instructed him to contact the police to put out an APB for the vehicle with the plate number.

Swa

“We need to widen our perimeter and make damn sure we cover the borders, airports, train stations, any public transit and get the word out on the car and plates. We need as many eyes and ears on this as possible,” Swa

“I’ll call Sam. Get the teams this way so we have all our manpower focused on finding her,” Joe responded.

“It’ll be too fucking late for that,” Hancock snapped. “She won’t survive long enough for fucking Rio and Steele to ride into town. We have to find her and find her now.”

“No shit, asshole,” Swa

Hancock went silent and stared long and hard at Swa

“My relationship with Eden is none of your goddamn business,” Swa

Hancock shoved into Swa

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Hancock growled. “Eden’s my sister in every way that counts except blood. Her family is the closest thing I have to family, and I will do whatever it takes to protect her.”

“Then quit fucking around and let’s get moving,” Swa

“Fair enough,” Hancock said quietly. “Let’s get going.”

CHAPTER 34

TWO hours into the extensive search for Eden, Swa

Shea and her sister Grace were angels sent from God. Swa

It was also times like these that Swa

His stomach was in a permanent knot and even though he refused to even consider the worst-case scenario, that Eden was already dead, he couldn’t help the surge of grief that threatened to buckle his knees.

He couldn’t lose her. His life had been fine before. He wouldn’t consider himself happy, but neither could he have said he was unhappy. His life was well ordered. His absolute focus had been KGI and his team, their missions and the bond he had with the Kelly family.

Marlene Kelly, the matriarch of the Kelly clan, had pulled him into the fold, instantly adopting him as her own, and she mothered him just like she mothered her actual sons. That love and loyalty extended to her daughters-in-law and everyone else who’d been adopted into the Kelly family.

But now? He couldn’t bear the thought of going back to his sterile existence. He couldn’t imagine his life without Eden. She was his own personal ray of sunshine, her warmth enveloping him just by being in the same room.

Mentally he reprimanded himself. Such dire thoughts did no good whatsoever, and he wasn’t giving Eden the credit she deserved. She was a fighter. She would find a way to survive until Swa

And he would find her. If he had to turn the whole goddamn world over in his search, he’d find her or die trying.

His secure cell rang and he yanked it up, knowing it was one of his teammates. Hancock paused, slowing the vehicle he and Swa

“Swa

Swa

“We’re five minutes out. Stay put. Eddie has heard from Eden’s kidnapper and you need to see this, man. But you’re going to have to keep your cool and keep your head straight. Eden needs you—all of us—and you can’t let emotion cloud your judgment because we’re going to have to go in and hope to hell we aren’t too late.”

“What the fuck?” Swa

“It’s not what he said. It’s what he sent me. Just stay put. We’ll be there in three minutes now.”

Swa

“What the fuck did he say?” Hancock demanded. “Joe heard from Eddie? Why the hell wouldn’t he contact me? I’m the one who fucking told him, Raid and Ryker to stand down when they lost their shit after the RPG attack. I told them I’d take care of the matter and they’d just get in my way. They damn well should have sent whatever intel they received to me.”

“I have no fucking clue,” Swa

The heavy sarcasm—and a healthy dose of terror—was registered by Hancock. He lost some of his belligerence and he actually paled.

“Jesus,” he whispered. “What the fuck could it be? God, don’t let it be a picture of her dead body.”