Page 50 of Waiting For A Girl Like You (Haven House #4)

S he told herself to remain calm. They were expecting this, and she had to keep him on the phone. “Why do you have Liam’s phone?”

Another huff of laughter had every hair on her body standing on end. “I don’t. We cloned his number.”

“We?”

Michael didn’t reply, and she searched her brain for what to say. Liam had rehearsed a few options with her, but now that the moment was here, she was drawing a blank.

“Why are you calling?”

“Because I missed you.”

“Fuck you,” she hissed, unable to hold back. “If you come near us again—”

“Easy there. I don’t want you to say something you’ll regret.” He tossed another laugh in her ear. “And to answer the question you really want to know, I’m doing fine. How are you?”

No one had to tell Rowan that Michael was on the line. The camera in the closet clicked from blue to green, transmitting not only sound but video to those below. An army of footsteps rattled the floors, making it sound like the entire household was charging into her room.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Evie asked, her voice muffled through the partially closed closet door. “Samuel?”

Jamison heard Samuel shushing her as Liam silently slipped into the closet and closed them in .

“You know, I hear your sister is doing fine too,” she said to Michael, struggling to keep her tone even and not pant in total terror. “Rotting in a jail cell because of her brother.”

“Kris can hold her own for now.”

“For now? She'd better get used to it. They’re not going to let her go.”

“Of course they aren’t. But where’s the fun in that?” Michael whispered. “I do love a challenge.”

“You don’t even know where she is.”

“If you say so. But that’s not why I’m calling,” Michael replied. “I wanted to check on you. Bruce told me how you had a meltdown the other day.”

“If I ever see Bruce again, he’s a dead man.”

“That’s a shame. He thinks very highly of you.”

“He’s lucky Liam didn’t kill him.”

“That is something, isn’t it? Two armed men, both excellent marksmen, facing off in a single room, and yet no one is dead?” Michael made a noise as if he were thinking. “Sounds suspicious. You should really question things more, Jamison.”

She didn’t know how to process what he was implying. Bruce was ex-military—more than comfortable with weapons—and Liam definitely was. So why had only one of them walked away with a minor injury?

Meeting Liam’s hard stare, she searched for a sign that what Michael was suggesting couldn’t possibly be true.

“Did Liam tell you what Bruce said?” Michael asked.

“No, he didn’t. But how about you and I discuss something?”

“I’m all ears, baby. What do you want to know?”

“Where are Madison and Claudia?”

That sick chuckle of his scraped across her nerves. “You only want to know about Madison and Claudia? Jeez, I bet poor Emily and Damon will be pissed to hear their cousin wasn’t at all concerned about them.”

Jamison’s eyes went wide. She flapped a hand at Liam, who moved closer to listen.

“Madison is safe,” Michael said, his tone turning less casual as Liam joined. “Hello, Mr. Cohen. It’s nice to talk to you finally.”

Liam grabbed the phone, switching it to speaker. “Where’s Madison? ”

There was shuffling on the line, and Michael’s tone turned soft again. “Hey, Mads, can you say hi?”

“Hi,” Madison’s sweet voice came through the speaker. “Mama?”

Time stopped. Jamison forgot how to breathe. Michael Sinclair had Madison. Right there. Right next to him, he had Claudia’s little girl.

Vomit burned in her throat, and she swallowed a few times so she wouldn’t spew it all over the floor. “Don’t you dare hurt her.”

“Madi, am I going to hurt you?”

Madison let out a high-pitched squeal, as if being tickled. “No!”

“That’s my girl,” Michael said. “Now go play.”

Liam stayed silent, his head lowered as he listened and gathered information. The only background noise coming through now was the occasional whisper of wind, which meant Michael was walking around outside.

Or he could be standing by an open window. Or perhaps playing decoy ambient noises to throw them off.

Frustrated by all the possibilities, Jamison spouted off the first thing that came to mind. “You’re a monster.”

She could hear the bastard grinning. “I’m not a monster.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Eh, yeah. Maybe I am. However, I won’t hurt her.”

Breathing in through her mouth and out through her nose, Jamison forced herself to ask the unthinkable. “Is Claudia dead?”

“Nah. She’s too mean to die. I’ve got her locked in a cage, so she can’t hurt anyone. Same for Damon, though his cage has more cushion,” Michael said, amused. “Those two are surprisingly vicious. Damon nearly bit one of my guy’s ears off.”

“Good.”

“Yeah, I figured you’d be proud.”

“Where’s Emily?”

“Ah, but where is our Emily?” he purred. “Emily’s a good girl. Beautiful, but not like you and Claudia. No, with you two, your beauty runs hot and can burn a man alive. Am I right, Liam?”

Remaining utterly still, Liam didn’t acknowledge the question, too intent on listening.

“Emily’s beauty is cold,” Michael went on. “Lethal. An ice queen with a frozen heart. ”

Holden chose that moment to enter the closet, the three of them cringing when Evie shouted his name and demanded to know what was happening.

“What the hell is going on?” Evie yelled, and as the door to the closet started to close again, Jamison shook her head, trying to communicate to her sister to stay out. “Oh, hell no. You guys better tell me what you’re doing in there.”

With the door closed once more, Holden held up a sticky note that had one word written on it.

Arkansas.

Goosebumps prickled along Jamison’s arms. Rowan was making progress.

Liam caught her gaze. She had to keep going.

“What are you doing with Emily?”

“Me? Nothing,” Michael replied. “She’s not mine.”

“Yours?” Her stomach turned. “What the hell does that mean?”

A faint sound echoed through the phone. It was a bird crooning or cawing or making whatever the hell noise birds make. Liam heard it, as did Holden, who leaned in.

“Emily belongs to Emmett. You remember him, right?”

The bird called out again, louder and longer than before, but Jamison was too disgusted over the thought of Emmett Watson touching her cousin to pay attention. “You son of a bitch.”

“It was love at first sight and—” Michael paused. “What is it, Madison?”

Madison's cries could be heard through the speaker. “I fell down on the rocks.”

“Come here, sweetie.” Fabric rustled against the phone. “It’s just a scratch. Let’s go back to the house and get it fixed up, okay?”

“Okay,” Madison whimpered. “I want my mommy.”

Madison’s plea for her mother had Liam yanking the phone close to him. “If you touch them, if you hurt them, I swear I’ll put a bullet in your head.”

“There he is,” Michael said. “Remember, you’ve got to catch me first, Cohen.”

“Catch you? By the time I’m done, you’ll be crawling to me.

” Taking the phone from her completely, Liam seethed in his rage, letting the weeks of exhaustion out in a string of venomous threats.

“You love your family, and if any of our people are hurt, I’m going to make them pay for your crimes.

Those grandparents in assisted living? Consider them homeless.

Mom and Dad and their insurance firm? Consider them bankrupt.

The baby brother? I hear he’s doing well in both his professional and personal life.

New wife, new house, new baby. Consider them gone, gone, gone. ”

“Empty threats.”

“Where’s your sister, Sinclair? Do you know?

Have you learned her fate?” Liam snarled.

“No? Well, let me tell you. When she was arrested, it was on the Florida border, and we dragged her across the state line into Alabama so local officials could handle the initial arrest. Do you know what that means? It means she’s eligible for Wetumpka.

Wetumpka, Sinclair. I know you know what that is.

Oh, and your nephew? When we find him, that little boy is on the line to be sent to Holman.

You’ve sentenced them to the worst prisons in the country, you piece of shit. ”

There was a pause on Michael’s side. “You don’t want to back me into a corner.”

“I already did, so what will it be now? Send more murderous lackeys to the house to kill us—”

“You think that’s the worst I can do?” Michael snapped. “That was just a preview.”

Liam laughed, and Jamison’s heart stuttered. She’d never seen him like this. Never. Not even when he confronted her at the townhouse.

“You know, you’re quite the adversary, Sinclair.

I’ll give you that. Being a coward, you’ve learned how to hide and do it well, but I think my time hunting you has ended,” Liam said loud and clear into the phone.

“And since I can’t have you, I’m going for the next best thing.

Your family. From here on out, all the effort and money we’re investing in a manhunt for you will be redirected to them.

Every fucking move I make will be to drag them down. ”

“Oh, that’s hilarious,” Michael shot back, sounding slightly winded as if he were jogging. “You’ve become what you hate the most. Me . Desperate to destroy anyone—even innocent people—who might threaten to harm the woman you love.”

“You don’t love Jamison.”

“I wasn’t talking about Jamison. ”

Liam straightened, the manic smirk on his face blooming into a terrifying smile. “I know. But thanks for confirming.”

In the background, Madison’s scream pierced the line. “I want my mommy! Please let me have my mommy!”

The desperation in Madison’s voice resonated deep in Jamison, and she covered her mouth to hold back a sob. If she could crawl through the phone to get to her, she would.

And unfortunately, as Madison’s screaming continued, the growing sound carried through the closet door to those standing just beyond it.

“Is that him?” Evie burst into the small space to savagely manhandle the phone from Liam, who gave it up without much of a fight. “Is this the sick son of a bitch that came after my babies?”