“My father. And Larry, before he died.”

“Don’t expect me to tear up on Larry Wade’s behalf.”

“Why would I expect that? I know what he and my father did to Talon. You don’t owe any of them any sympathy. Frankly, I can’t understand why you have anything to do with my father at all.”

“We have a common enemy. A lethal enemy. And the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I don’t have a choice. Larry and Tom are gone, and your uncle has enough to deal with, losing his daughter and his wife, for all intents and purposes. Your father and I are the only ones who can try to right all the wrongs now.”

“My father’s interested in righting wrongs? I witnessed him murder my boss less than a week ago, Mr. Steel. I don’t think he’s interested in righting any wrongs.”

“He wasn’t. Not until you got involved.”

“Why would that matter? Maybe my father has neglected to tell you, but he tried to rape me when I was fifteen. I got away.”

“No, he didn’t tell me. But it doesn’t surprise me in the least.”

“I’m sure it doesn’t. How could you let all of this happen? To your own son, for God’s sake.” I gripped the arms of the chair, my knuckles white.

“That is for Talon to know first, and I didn’t let anything happen.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Just tell me about my father, then.”

“He was greedy. He and the others didn’t come from money like I did. When the money started coming in, they were astounded. They wanted more.”

“I know all this. From Wendy.”

“Wendy isn’t the most reliable source of information,” he said.

“Probably not, but what she told Ryan about your business makes perfect sense.”

“Wendy tells the truth when she thinks it will benefit her. Unfortunately, this last bout she had with the truth broke a promise to me. I don’t intend to let that lie.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Ryan

Raj covered his ears. “Damn it, mon! We’ve got to leave them.”

I turned on him. “We are not leaving them.” If we did, I didn’t know what would happen to Talon…except that it wouldn’t be good.

Talon held the boy to his chest. “Shh. You see? I took off the mask. I’m just a normal person, like you. Only the men who wear masks hurt you.”

The boy still sobbed.

“You two,” Talon said. “Take off your masks. Show him he doesn’t need to be scared.”

“Mon…”

“Do it!” I commanded Raj. “Just fucking do it!”

Raj sighed and pulled off his mask as I did the same.

“See?” Talon said. “We’re not going to hurt you. I promise. As long as you’re with us, you’re safe.”

The larger of the two boys still cowered in the corner.

“Ryan, get that one.”

I walked forward, and the little boy cringed. My heart nearly broke in two. How could anyone hurt a child? “Please,” I said. “It’s okay. We’re friends. I promise.”

He choked back a sob but didn’t recoil when I reached for him. I pulled him into my arms.

“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.”