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Somehow she doubted they were talking about the same thing here.
“I need you to help me out, sis. We can have it all, just work with me.”
“I don’t follow.”
A wash of guilt flooded his face. “I tried to get you to leave with me when I came over with Giorgia. See, she’s smart. She knows what’s good for her. I need you to be smart too, Lena. We’ve thought this through and it’s the only way.”
“We?”
Then the door opened and in came the devil. Pedro Morelli walked in, as if he owned the place.
Ice-cold terror flooded her when she finally connected the dots.
“No,” she whispered, fear tightening her throat.
“Oh, yes. It’s so nice to see you again, Elena.” Pedro moved his jacket to expose his gun. His predatory gaze settled on her son. “I bet Viking is prepared to pay anything for his brat.”
CHAPTER 31
VIKING
Viking returned to an empty room. He remembered a nurse in the hallway, talking about bathing time for babies. Apparently, that was a thing. Must be where they’d gone.
He propped the plush dog in his arms onto the chair next to the bed. It tilted to one side and almost slid off. Taking care of the paperwork had turned into a visit to the gift shop. Maybe he’d gone a bit overboard by buying an almost life-size dog. In his defense, he didn’t know the first thing about babies and their needs. He did know he’d always wanted a dog as a kid. Since Junior wasn’t going to be playing with Loki anytime soon, a plush one had seemed acceptable.
Exhausted, he slumped into the chair next to the dog. Giving birth was exhausting. He wasn’t sure if he could go through it again. There had been a lot of puffing and screaming involved. Elena had nearly broken his fingers as she’d held on to him. He’d thought that searching for her for months, not knowing if she was safe, was torture. Thankfully, she’d been pregnant. It had been their only lead in their search. Onyx had hidden her so well, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. A pregnant needle with a certain due date and of a certain age. Still, the insecurity of those agonizing months didn’t beat the terror of experiencing childbirth. He couldn’t stop his grin as he pictured Elena with their son in her arms. He had his woman back by his side, and a beautiful son and daughter. Life didn't get any better than this.
Looking around the empty room, he felt regret for not coming back sooner so he could help with the bathing. He’d missed so much of Vicky’s firsts and he was determined to remedy that with his son. Also, he could use all the practice and help he could get. It wasn’t like babies came with an instruction manual. He took out his phone to text Yuri to get him a Babies for Dummies book or something, when he saw he’d missed several calls from Baran.
Hospitals didn’t appreciate ring tones going off.
Baran picked up on the first ring. “About time you called back,” he snapped.
“I’ve been a little busy,” Viking grouched back. “You know, giving birth and stuff.” They’d have to do without him for a few days.
A moment of silence, then, “I’m gonna park the manly ovary talk thing for later. Right now, I need you to get your ass into a car. I’ve got eyes on your woman and baby. They were stashed into a van. Not sure where they’re headed, but it can’t be too far away. If they’d had any kind of backup, they wouldn’t be doing this by their lonesome selves.”
His heart nearly stopped.
Elena. Junior.
He needed to remind himself to breathe. Someone had taken his wife and son.
“Who?” he gritted.
“Pedro Morelli and her own damn brother. I saw them roll her outside in a wheelchair and into a black van. I’m sending you my live location.”
Viking clenched his fist so hard his knuckles cracked.
His wife and child were in the grip of Pedro Morelli, a man who had nothing to lose, and it terrified him like nothing else ever had.
***
ELENA
They had taken her to an empty building that smelled of sawdust and motor oil. Judging by the graveyard of used cars in the front, it once had been a used cars lot. Now it was just a place held together by four walls with the wind howling through them and a leaking roof. But it looked like it had been abandoned ages ago, and she guessed that was why they were here.
Elena drew the blanket closer around her son and kissed the top of his head. She had to keep him warm and safe.
