Page 165 of See You Maybe
A gun appeared on the small screen as Chris scratched at his jaw with the barrel. Declan’s blood ran cold.
“If it were anyone else, Dec, I might fall for the whole I don’t care about anything vibe, but…” His smile turned cruel, and Chris extended the phone the length of his arm so that Declan could see Olivia tied to a chair behind him, completely limp.
Declan clamped his jaw against the bile rising in his throat.
She’s not dead. He wouldn’t call if she were dead. Would he?
“I see.” Declan’s voice was strained.
“Playing it cool.” Chris chuckled, then stepped backward until he was standing next to Olivia. Declan’s heart stopped as the gun lifted. With a wink at the phone, Chris stroked the gun over Olivia’s hair before he used it to push her chin up.
Olivia’s lashes fluttered, but she didn’t make a sound. A tiny flicker of relief took root inside him.
She’s alive.
“Not even going to ask if she’s all right?” Chris dropped her head, and it rolled back at an awkward angle, making Declan’s teeth clench. “Not even an ‘if you touch her, I’ll kill you?’ I expected more from you, Declan,” he mocked.
Declan felt sick. Fear and rage battled for supremacy inside of him.
“What do you want?”
“You groveling at my feet.” Chris gave a dramatic sigh. “But also, money. Starting over is going to be expensive.”
Declan’s heart was pounding so hard he was sure Chris could hear. He wanted to negotiate. That was a good sign.
“Did you have an amount in mind?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll have it all set up by the time you get here,” he said before ending the call.
Declan’s hand trembled as he dialed his brothers. He didn’t waste time on a greeting. “Chris has her at Dad’s estate.”
“We can be there in a little more than an hour,” Luke said. “Olivia brought your jet back to Atlanta, right?”
Declan nodded, not trusting his voice, but then realized his brothers couldn’t see him. “Yes.”
“Wait for us, Declan.” Brady’s voice was serious. “You can’t go in alone. We don’t know what kind of manpower he has there. I have people nearby. I’ll get them moving to meet you.”
Declan stayed silent. He couldn’t stop seeing the image of Olivia’s limp body. It didn’t matter how much money Declan gave Chris, his old friend was going to kill her, because Chris knew losing Olivia would destroy him.
“Dec,” Luke’s voice was quiet. “I know what you’re thinking. If it were Dahlia… But if you rush in there, he’ll be ready. The chances of either of you getting out alive are pretty slim.”
“I’m not leaving her there.”
“We are only asking for an hour,” James said, and Declan heard an engine roar to life. “Wait for us.”
Declan’s breathing slowly evened out, acceptance bringing a sense of peace. “I’m going to get her.”
“This isn’t something for you to strategize your way out of, Declan. This is what Vincent and Brady and their people do. They are professionals,” Luke persisted.
“Fuck!” James exploded. “It’s a trap, Declan. He’s going to kill you.”
“I’m aware.” Declan didn’t care, if it meant there was a possibility she lived.
Ending the call, he walked to the cockpit to let them know the change in destination. Declan estimated his brothers and Brady would be in the air within the next thirty minutes, and then another hour to Rhode Island, and then twenty minutes to the estate. Realistically, they wouldn’t be there for two hours. Declan could be there in a little more than one.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Rhode Island—Present Day