“We know you’ve been around some bad people who hurt you. We won’t hurt you,” Talon was saying. “I know how you’re feeling right now. You’re scared, and you’re hurting, and you don’t know who to trust. You’re also a little embarrassed. You never imagined the things that have happened to you, that such horrible things could even exist. But there is good in the world still, and you’ll be okay. You’ll be okay again. I promise.”
The good in the world… I wasn’t seeing a whole lot of that at the moment, but Talon was finally, after twenty-five years, healing. Jade and Melanie had worked their miracles for him, but the true strength and wisdom came from Talon himself. He was trying to infuse his strength into these little boys. I hoped he’d be successful—at least enough to get us somewhere safe.
God, was there anyplace safe on this godforsaken island? This place was pure evil.
I half expected my mother to show up. Thankfully, she was safely locked up in the psych ward back home.
The smaller boy clung to Talon. Talon kissed the top of his head.
And for the first time, I saw my brother as a father. He and Jade would have children someday, and Talon would be an amazing and loving parent.
“I don’t want to scare you guys,” Talon said, “but we have to put the masks back on. We won’t be able to get you out of here if we don’t, because the bad men will recognize us and know we’re not supposed to be here. Will you be okay if we put the masks back on?”
The little boy in Talon’s arms choked out, “Yes,” but the older one simply nodded against my neck.
“All right,” Talon said in a soothing voice I didn’t know he possessed. “I’m going to put the mask on now. And the others will too. Then we’ll go.”
We put our masks on.
“Are you both ready?” Talon asked.
Again, the boy I held only nodded, but Talon’s said softly, “Uh-huh.”
“I still think you’re crazy,” Raj said, donning his mask.
I glared at him. Talon would break if he said much more. Right now, the most important thing in my brother’s world was saving these two kids. They represented the innocent little boy he’d been, and damn it, I was going to help him.
There were other keys, other rooms. What if Talon insisted on looking in all of them? Rescuing every child and woman here?
We were only three people.
I didn’t voice this concern. Right now, Talon was immersed in saving these two little boys.
We left the room stealthily. Now that the siren had stopped blaring, the hallways were, thankfully, mostly vacant.
“Be quiet,” I said to the boy in my arms. “If you see another masked person, just be quiet. Act scared.”
The boy wouldn’t have to act. They were both still frightened out of their skin. But we hadn’t hurt them, and that would eventually dawn on them.
For a moment, my mind wandered back to Anna, chained up in the hallway with several others. I hadn’t been able to help, but somehow, I’d get back to her.
And then there was Ruby. Somewhere on this island. Possibly being held against her will.
I couldn’t let my mind go there. Couldn’t…
But it went there anyway. Images emerged of her being bound, raped, sodomized…
“No!”
Talon turned around. “What is it, Ry?”
I hadn’t realized I’d spoken out loud. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
But I wasn’t fine. I might never be fine again if I didn’t find Ruby alive and in one piece.
I love you, Ruby, I called out to her in my mind. Whatever happens, we will get through it. I’ll do whatever I need to do. I’ll put you back together piece by piece if I have to. I promise.
“This is ridiculous,” Raj said. “We don’t even know where we’re going.”
“We’ll take them back to the yacht. One of us will have to stay with them,” Talon said.
“Then it’ll be one of you,” Raj said. “I’m not paid to babysit.”
“You’re paid—and very well—to do what we say, damn it.”
“Tal,” I said. “We can’t get them back to the yacht. They’re in no condition to swim, if they even know how.” My brother wasn’t thinking clearly. All he could focus on was getting these boys out of here. Not that I could blame him for that.
“All right. All right. We’ll find somewhere safe to hide them.” Talon moved forward. “But damn it, we’re getting them out of here.”
We moved toward the back where we had entered the building. When we went outside, the little boys both wailed when the sun hit their eyes.
“Shh,” Talon said. “You have to be quiet so the bad men don’t hear you.”
They got silent quickly. We began walking through a wooded area, avoiding the road that had brought us here. But soon it was impossible to navigate, so we made our way back to the road.
We’d been walking for an hour, and my arms were growing tired of carrying the bigger of the two boys, when a black SUV pulled up beside us.
“Get in,” a masked man said.
“Hell, no,” Talon said, reaching for his gun.
“Get in, or you’re dead out here. I can take you someplace safe.”
“Who the fuck are you?” I asked.
“I’ll take you to Ruby,” the man said.
My heart lurched.
“He’s lying to you,” Talon said.
“You’re a fool if you get in that car,” Raj agreed.
“Look, I’m not asking you for your gun. You can shoot me in the head if you want. But if you want to save those two boys you’re carrying, I’m your only shot.”
I made a spontaneous decision. “I’m going. I’m armed. If you two don’t want to go, don’t.” I handed the boy to Raj.
Talon and Raj looked at each other.
They got in the SUV.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ruby
“Wendy is locked up in psych back in Grand Junction,” I said. “She can’t get out.”
“You’re underestimating her.”
“Look. You’re not going to tell me about some things, but can’t you at least tell me about Wendy? Why the hell you slept with her in the first place? She’s crazy and evil.”
“Again, this is something I should tell my children first.”
This was a man who still was trying to hold on to some semblance of honor. After all, he’d waited until all his children had reached adulthood before disappearing into thin air. He cared about his children.
Well, I cared about his children too.
“They won’t forgive you,” I said. “Ryan and the others. They won’t forgive you for leaving them.”
“After they hear the whole story, they might.”
“What if they don’t?”
He sighed. “Then I’ll have to live with that. Everything I ever did was with their best interests in mind.”
“Even Talon?”
“Yes, even Talon. What happened to him was a travesty. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t hate myself for it. Wendy is a vengeful woman. An evil woman.”
The ring. The quote.
“Who designed the future lawmakers ring?” I asked.
“She did.”
“Did she ever tell you what the symbol on the ring meant?”
“Not in so many words. But we figured it out.”
“So did your sons. We’ve all figured it out. Wendy was the mastermind behind all of this.”
“Yes, she was.”
“I hope you know that doesn’t absolve you or my father or any of the others of any of the guilt.”
He sighed again. “How well I do know that.”
“Talon was taken because your wife got pregnant with Marjorie. What do you think that is going to do to Marj when she finds out? And she will find out. We can’t keep that from her.”
His eyes pleaded with me. “Please. She can’t know that. I wasn’t able to shield the boys, but Marjorie… My baby girl…”
“More secrets? No.” I shook my head vehemently. “This all ends now.”
Before Brad could respond, someone knocked on the door.
“Yes?” Brad said.
Marabel entered and brought Juliet inside. “Miss Juliet is tired from roughhousing with the pups. I’m going to take her to lie down.”
“I need to go with her,” I said. “I don’t want her to be alone.”
Juliet looked visibly relieved.
I turned to Brad. “This isn’t over.”
* * *
When I opened my eyes, darkness had fallen. I had no idea how long I had slept, but I must have been exhausted. Nothing else would have let me fall asleep in this strange place. I’d been fighting it, frightened I’d have another freaky dream. Juliet was still snoring softly in the other bed.
I rose, went to the bathroom, and then I tiptoed out of the room, sliding against the wall. The door to Brad Steel’s office was ajar, and voices spoke within.