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“I’m sorry I failed you, Princess,” he’d whispered to her sad face on the screen.

She was lost and alone in a place she’d never been, only trusting two people in her world, and they couldn’t stand by her. When she’d gone to Jax’s room at one point, he’d been confused because he certainly hadn’t seen her. They asked the staff if any of them had taken notice of her, but no one recalled seeing her. So they were back at square one.

She was missing.

Except…

She had a look on her face. One he knew well. Resolve and determination colored her features, and he knew she had a plan. Just what that plan was; unfortunately, became something he had to figure out.

“What are you thinking, Dee?” he murmured aloud. “Ang? Can you take care of Jax for me? Larry will be here soon, and he’s going to take you both to a safe house.”

“Of course, dear, but you best go see him before you leave. He’s very anxious to see his princess.” The affection ever present in her voice when she spoke of his son made it easier when he had to leave. He knew Jaxson was well taken care of with her.

Leaving the security office, he went back down to see his precious boy before checking in on Case. Then he was looking for his woman, and he would bring her back kicking and screaming if need be.

“Hey, bud,” he greeted a sleepy Jax who was playing with the nurse.

“Where’s Pincess, Daddy?” He sounded upset. Dom didn’t blame him, he was, too.

“I’m not sure, bud,” He wouldn’t lie to the boy.

“She weft us, didn’t she?”

“Deedee wouldn’t leave you for anything, Jaxson,” he told him vehemently, wanting to make sure his son held no doubt about what she felt for him. With everything in him, Dom knew she loved his son wholeheartedly.

“Did the bad men take her?”

There was a time in every parent’s life when they dreaded certain questions from their children—Is Santa real? Why didn’t the tooth fairy leave me money?—but not once did he expect to have that question thrown at him. Mostly because he didn’t know the answer. He’d seen the security footage of course, saw her get in a cab, but that was it. He had no other answers.

“I don’t know, kiddo.”

“But you’ll bing her home?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Bing her home, Daddy.” He made it seem so easy when it was anything but.

Leaving Jaxson with Angela and Larry was hard, but he had to see how Case was before he could go looking for Dee.

Arriving at his friend’s room, he heard a groan of pain followed by feminine laughter as he pushed the door open. “Wooo, more than I need to see.” Dom laughed finding the nurse changing out his piss bag.

“Shut up,” Case snapped, sounding just like himself.

“Obviously didn’t gain any respect for your friends with your latest attempt at death, huh?”

“You get shot and tell me how you feel, asshole.”

“I’ll pass. How you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been fucking shot. How the hell do you think?”

“He wasn’t this grouchy when he lost his leg,” Dom fake-whispered to the nurse as she left the room laughing.

“How’s the kid?” Case asked seriously once she was gone.

“He’ll be alright. Bumps and bruises.”

“And Dee? She nailed her head hard. Fucking woman’s got balls of steel man. She’s a fucking keeper.”