Page 109 of Dear John

“I’m not staying. I just need to find Isla.”

He scoffed at me, the hatred in his eyes more intense than the last time we spoke. “Funny how that works. You need something and you assume you can storm in here and use my resources, but the one fucking thing I need from you?—”

“I already gave you,” I cut in.

“You did half the job,” Cash seethed. “You didn’t even last more than a fucking month. Rafe lasted years.”

“Well, I’m not Rafe. I’m not willing to sacrifice everyone around me for one person.”

The jab hit the mark and I watched as he visibly recoiled. I didn’t want to be an ass. I truly felt horrible for what happened to Rafe, but putting everyone else at risk just wasn’t an option.

His eyes slid over Red and then Rae. Something inside him seemed to deflate as he watched all of us, standing against him and refusing to back down. “One fucking time,” he bit out, his voice hoarse and tormented. “That’s all you get. Use what you need to get her back, and then I never want to see you in my building again.”

He turned and stormed out of the room. I started after him, but Red stopped me. “Don’t. It won’t help anything.”

But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from where he just stood. I wanted to go after him, to tell him I’d always fucking be on his side, but I had a line I wouldn’t cross. Even through all of this, I still considered him a man I’d do almost anything for.

“Holy shit. Kavanaugh!”

I turned just as Rae paused the screen. Both IKE and Isla were dragged from the room, both of their faces covered with a bag. We watched the minutes tick by as they were taken from the hotel through a side exit. With everyone asleep for the night, no one noticed them being taken or loaded into a waiting van.

“Running the plates now.”

Minutes ticked by as Rae worked hard to find the location of the van, until finally, she had an address. She turned to me with resignation in her eyes. “Are you ready for this?”

I gave a swift nod. “Let’s go.”

But it was Red who stopped me with a hand on my arm. “Kavanaugh, she means, are you ready for what you might find?”

Death. I could hear it in his voice and see it in her eyes. They both thought she was dead. If IKE was involved, there was every chance someone retaliated against him for a job he pulled. But the fact was, I needed to know. Dead or alive, I had to find her and bring her home.

I ignored the pain in my chest at the thought of losing her. It wasn’t worth being upset over something that hadn’t happened yet. Until I had confirmation of the worst, I would work on theknowledge that she was alive and out there waiting for me to find her.

“I will not tell Riley her sister is dead,” I bit out. “We find them and bring them home.”

Rae nodded. “I’ll tell Scottie to get the plane ready.”

I grimaced. “We’re already headed into danger. Do we really need to be covered in vomit?”

35

ISLA

More lights had gone out.I hummed the tune ofO Holy Nightas I watched the tea lights flickering in the dark. My eyelids felt so heavy, it was hard to keep them open. I curled my numb fingers into IKE’s shirt, letting out a harsh breath as I started to drift off.

I felt his chapped lips press to my forehead in a reassuring kiss. His arm was still wrapped tightly around my body despite his exhaustion. He refused to let me feel alone for even a single minute, and as the hours ticked down, I was grateful to have him by my side.

“What are you humming?” he asked.

“O Holy Night.”

“A Christmas song?”

I nodded against his chest, sighing heavily. I just felt so tired and wanted to go to sleep, but the fear of not waking up kept me from drifting off.

“Sing it to me.”

I didn’t have the energy, but the longing for something real lingered in his voice, overpowering my need for sleep. The words left my lips in a crackle, barely audible even as every wordechoed around us. Another light went out, the darkness quickly creeping back in and threatening to swallow us whole.