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“Spare me the culinary lessons.” Ellie couldn’t hold back the bite in her tone.

The pieces were quickly falling into place.

Mike had used his position with the FBI to feed information to Gideon and, from the size of the mansion they were standing in, had been paid well for it.

But now he wanted more. He wanted it all and was going to use the threat of the evidence to get it. “Where’s Owen?”

“He’s perfectly safe. As soon as you give me the password to the flash drive, both of you can be on your way.”

“I’m not giving you a thing until I see my son.”

If Mike was annoyed, he didn’t show it. He calmly basted the duck, then finally lifted his gaze to her and sighed.

“Stubborn as ever. Fine.” He snapped his fingers, and the guard at the door murmured into his radio.

A few moments later, light and hesitant footsteps preceded the entry of a woman dressed in housekeeping clothes.

Nestled in her arms was a sleeping Owen.

Relief nearly caused Ellie’s knees to buckle. She lunged forward, her arms outstretched. “Give him to me.”

Mike jerked his head in silent agreement, and the housekeeper met Ellie halfway.

The moment Owen was in her arms, tears pricked the back of her eyes.

She pressed her face against his mop of curls and breathed deep.

Her son. Her baby. A quick assessment proved he was unharmed, but his breathing was strangely deep and he held Scout with an unusually loose grip.

Fury sparked fast and hot as she whirled to face Mike. “What did you do?”

“We gave him a mild sedative.” He continued to baste his duck as the housekeeper slipped from the room.

“Really, Elizabeth. Would you rather we keep him awake and terrified? Being around all these strangers isn’t easy for him.

Taking him from the foster home was traumatic enough, although the fake FBI badges smoothed the way with his new family. ”

Ellie could easily picture the horrible scene. Her son ripped from another set of arms, screaming and terrified. It took every ounce of training to smother the storm of rage building inside her. She needed to stay calm and think, now more than ever, if she and Owen were going to survive this.

“Now then.” Mike popped the duck back into the oven and then clapped his hands. “The password.”

Nerves jittered her insides, but Ellie forced her voice to stay calm and assertive.

“I can give it to you, but it won’t stop the evidence from being released to the public.

On my way here, I prepared emails to three separate reporters.

Friends of mine. Those emails are sitting on the cloud and will go out in one hour. ”

Confusion flickered across Mike’s features for a second, before it was replaced by a feral smile. “You’re bluffing.”

“No. I’m not. Check the phone.”

He strolled over to the island and snatched up the device, quickly pulling up the browser. His expression turned icy, and his jaw clenched. “So you’re a fool, after all.”

“No, I’m interested in making a deal. You can have the evidence and the password, as long as I’m allowed to leave here with Owen.

Once I’m clear of the property, I’ll make sure the emails are deleted.

The attachments, however, stay with me. Insurance.

” She cradled Owen’s head against her chest. “Owen and I disappear. Start a new life. You can blackmail Gideon into stepping aside, and we both live happily ever after.”

Mike was quiet for a long moment as he studied her face. “You expect me to believe you’ll walk away from taking down the Iron Fist?”

“I did it once before.” She met his gaze. “Owen is my priority now.”

“And what about that Texas Ranger? Daniel Perez?” His lips curved. “You just gonna leave him too?”

She didn’t waver. “I told you, Owen is my priority now.”

Silence stretched out between them, taut as a piano string.

Inside, Ellie’s mind was a whirl of emotions and fear, but she didn’t allow an ounce of that to leak onto her face.

She kept her attention locked on Mike. Owen’s breath whispered across her collarbone, the weight of his small body a reminder of her responsibilities.

Then, suddenly, Mike barked out a laugh and clapped his hands several times. “Brava! You nearly had me believing you, Elizabeth.” The smile melted from his face, and he snarled. “But I’m calling your bluff.”

She involuntarily took a step backward. “So what? You’re going to threaten Owen unless I give you the password. I’m calling your bluff. You’re a criminal, Mike, but you and I both know you’re not a complete monster.”

“You’re right. I’m not.”

He snapped his fingers again, and this time when the guard spoke into the radio, the back door burst open.

Three rain-soaked men entered, carrying a body between them.

Unceremoniously, they dropped it on the floor, and a groan arose.

Ellie’s chest tightened until she couldn’t breathe as a set of familiar boots came into view.

“Daniel!” Holding Owen, she dropped to her knees beside him.

He’d been beaten. Badly. Blood soaked his jeans where his stitches from his gunshot wound had opened.

Bruises formed on his cheeks and a nasty cut marred his lip.

Even his hands were puffy. One finger jutted at an unnatural angle, as if he’d broken it while fighting back.

She wanted to weep, but couldn’t.

Daniel opened one eye—the other was swollen shut—and focused on her. “Don’t… give it to him.”

Mike crouched next to Ellie. “You see, I know you better than you realize. This man is in love with you, and I knew you would never walk in here without backup. You’re playing checkers, Elizabeth, and I’m playing chess.” He pointed a gun at Daniel’s head. “And this is checkmate.”