Page 77 of Point Blank

Brock raised his hands. “We’re on a mountain. If we get into a high-speed chase, they could die. Let me drive and you can call for help.”

“If we hurry, we could have law enforcement reach them before they hit the city limits,” Peyton said.

They were right. If he got behind the wheel, he wouldn’t be able to keep himself in check. Keeping Serena safe might mean keeping a bit of distance until they could get help. He dug his keys out of his coat pocket and slapped them into Brock’s palm.

Milo climbed in the front passenger seat and Peyton got in the back. Brock rounded the hood, hopped in the driver’s side, and peeled out of the lookout zone. Milo fished his phone from his coat and hit Rhett’s contact icon. The clock on the dash read 1:12 a.m. Hell, as an FBI agent, Rhett should be a light sleeper.

“’Lo?” Rhett’s groggy syllable grated through the phone.

“It’s me. I need your help.”

“Christ, Milo. It’s the middle of the night—I sure as hell hope you need help.” Brock drove steadily down the hill as Milo explained the situation to Rhett. The constant twists and turns kept them far behind Serena. Too far.

“I told you not to make any ransom deals! Are you out of your fucking mind?”

Milo heard the rustle of jeans being yanked on behind Rhett’s words.

“We had no choice. They’ve got Serena and Dani.” He gave Rhett the name of the road they were on.

“I’ll call some uniforms and head there right now. And Milo,” Rhett said, his voice heavy with warning.

“What?”

“If you’re there when the cops arrive, get rid of your handhelds and anything to tie you to a crime.”

He thanked Rhett and hung up. Milo hadn’t given a blink of thought to protecting his own ass. Hell, if he didn’t get Serena back, did it even matter?

God, he’d been so fucking stupid. He’d spent years away from her when deep down he’d longed to hold her. He couldn’t say that everything would have been perfect between them, not with the beef between Sebastian and Angelo. But he still could have been present. He hadn’t had to run, to push her away. He’d just gotten her back for god’s sake. He couldn’t lose her. Couldn’t live without her—not again. It had taken seeing her shaken and scared, blood on her hands and murder in her eyes, to realize what he’d given up. All this time, a piece of him had been missing.

He needed her. He always had.

Milo pocketed his phone and stared at the road. “Can you speed up? If we don’t catch up soon, we won’t be able to keep track of which way they go once we get to the bottom.”

Brock slid his gaze toward him. Milo returned the stare and made an impatient flick of his hand. His friend pressed his lips together and accelerated.

They rounded another bend and caught sight of the SUV’s taillights just before they disappeared around a corner. Milo sat forward and grabbed the dash.

“There! We’re not far. Cut your lights so we don’t alert them to how close we are.”

Brock nodded and flipped a switch next to the steering wheel. Darkness closed in around them, and Milo had to squint to see the road ahead. The moon peeked through the clouds, lending a sheen of light to the asphalt. “Can you see?”

Brock snorted. “Not really. As long as wildlife stays off the road, we should make it.”

Milo pulled his gun from the waistband of his pants. These bastards were going to get their heads blown off. Milo forced saliva down the back of his throat and wiped the cold sweat from his brow. He closed his eyes and pictured Serena’s laughing face, the one she’d made when they were tangled in the sheets hours before.

Hang on, honey. I’m coming. I won’t lose you again.

Her captor threw himself in the seat between her and her only route of escape and slammed the door, closing off her view of Milo sprawled on the ground. Serena reached for the gun at her back. Dark eyes surrounded by black material zeroed in on her hand. The guy shot his foot out and booted her in the chest. The wind left her lungs and she fumbled the Beretta. Pain snapped through her chest cavity as he snatched the gun from her fingers, and she clawed at the air. He raised his boot again and she retracted her hand.

“Who are you? Where’s?—”

Something brushed against her back, light and so cold that ice penetrated the material of her sweater. Serena looked over her shoulder and Dani’s face filled her vision. Hope inflated in her chest, and she caught her sister’s hand and squeezed.

“Are you okay?” Tears filled Serena’s eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Dani smiled and nudged her again with her knee.

“’Course. You’re here now.” She winked, but her gaze flicked over Serena’s head, toward the driver. Serena followed Dani’s line of vision and curled her lip.

“Who are you? Why did you take us?” It had been on the tip of her tongue to say they’d already complied with the kidnapper’s wishes, but if they hadn’t looked at the diamonds yet, she sure as hell didn’t want to remind them.