Page 92 of Before Broken Vows

"Wait. Child?"

"Yes, my son," I say and step closer to him. "So I want him found and put in the fucking ground."

The way Andrew looks at me is understandable. I haven't told anyone about my child, and while it's not the best way to introduce this new fact to my men, I need them to understand what's at stake here. There is no plan B. There is no 'we can't find them.'

We're burning the fucking boats, destroying this town, bringing goddamn Hades himself up from the underworld if we have to. We're not leaving without Xander. Without my son.

Andrew turns around.

I pivot to my men, barking orders. "Secure the villa. Sweep the grounds. Check every fucking inch. If I find something you don't, I'm going to start cutting fingers."

They scatter, and I start to feel it. That thing I don't allow.

Panic.

Clawing at my ribs like it wants out, but I won't let it win.

I scream so everyone can hear as they begin their tasks. "MILO IS A DEAD MAN WALKING! I WANT HIM FOUND. I WANT HIS FUCKING EYES RIPPED OUT."

I say it to let them know what happens if betrayal is in any of their minds, if Milo's gotten to any of them. And also, I say it for myself. Because I want the universe to know that if my son being kidnapped was always part of my life's plan, then finding my son, destroying the one who took him, and returning my boy to his mother is my destiny.

Then my phone vibrates.

Ares.

I ignore it.

It rings again.

I silence it.

Then, a third time.

I finally pick up. "Now's not a good time."

"I heard what happened. Dimitri told me. You okay?"

"No."

He's quiet for a moment. Then, "Someone told me one of our men flipped on you?"

"How the fuck?—?"

"I've got ears. And eyes. And your friend Gio Bonventi's paranoia."

"Yeah. Milo."

My phone dings.

"Well," Ares says, "I've got something for you. Check your texts."

A message comes through. A blinking blue dot. GPS location. Somewhere near the regional airport. A cluster of hangars and airline warehouses.

"What the hell is this?"

"You remember when we gave all our men Rolexes last year?"

"Uhh, yeah?"