Chapter 13
The door shuts, our guards stepping out to give us privacy, except for Dodge. I grab a drink from the bar and down it, the alcohol burning my throat but not washing away my panic.
“What are we going to do?” I throw my empty glass, watching it shatter before I round on Neo. “Kane is gone, and his guards are dead. Who knows who has him and what they are doing to him. We need to tell Father.”
“Not yet,” Neo says calmly, but I see the tightness around his eyes.
“We’ll handle this ourselves. If we don’t, he’ll take control back and never trust us again.
Dodge, did you get the footage from the surrounding area?
We need to figure out who would be bold enough to take him, and then we’ll find and kill them. ”
“It should be here any second, sir,” Dodge replies.
He’s quiet and withdrawn. I know he’s blaming himself for not being with Kane, but the truth is, he only would have died with the others.
He’s like family to us, so it’s a good thing he wasn’t there.
“I’m very sorry.” He bends into a deep bow, and Neo slaps his back.
“It isn’t your fault. We’ll get Kane back. He’s counting on us and tallying up how long it takes us, so let’s focus on that, okay? Keep it as quiet as we can. We don’t need anyone else figuring it out and coming after us while we are weak.”
I pour myself another drink, but Neo’s hand covers it. “I need you to be sober,” he snaps. “Kane is counting on us.”
“What if he’s already dead?” The words escape me, and I glance up at Neo, begging him to tell me I’m wrong. I might act tough, but the truth is, my brothers are my security. They’ve always been my shield. I couldn’t imagine . . . Even the thought scares me.
“If they wanted him dead, then they would have killed him in the parking garage. That means they want him for something and he’s alive—for now,” Neo says, and it helps me relax a little. “I don’t know how long, though, so I need you with me, brother.”
“I’m here.” I take a deep breath. “Tell me what I can do.”
“Reach out to your contacts in the police department. I want every eye on it. They might find something we can’t. Get the information on the bodies Kane took down—IDs, addresses, known associates, everything. We need information stat.”
Nodding in understanding, I pull my phone out and get started, knowing he’s right. Every minute we waste is another Kane will be suffering. It’s up to us to save our brother, the way he has saved us his entire life.
NEO
Zayn leaves, talking on his phone, and when he’s gone, I slump and scrub at my face.
“Neo—” Dodge starts.
“Don’t apologize again.” I raise my eyes to him. “No one disobeys Kane’s orders. We know that. Just help me find him, okay?”
Weight presses down on my shoulders, and I realize for the first time how much my older brother suffers to keep this family safe at all times.
He does so silently and selflessly, but with him gone, it’s all on me.
We need to present a united front so no one suspects anything is wrong, including our father and younger brother, all while we look for Kane before it’s too late.
“Of course, sir,” he responds, and I watch him depart before taking a sip of my drink.
The alcohol soothes my nerves, if only slightly, but I will only be able to breathe properly when Kane is back.
Whoever took him . . . they have plans. They knew where he would be and how many guards he had, which means I can’t discount someone on the inside helping them.
It makes me feel angry and downright confused.
“The cameras at the scene were disabled beforehand,” Dodge tells me when he steps back into the room, “but we managed to capture some vehicles speeding on cameras as they left the area. Our team is tracing the plates as we speak.”
“They disabled the cameras, which means it was planned,” I mutter as he hands over the tablet, and I watch the footage as four black SUVs roll out of the garage across the street. “They will either be unregistered or stolen, unless they are stupid.”
“My thoughts as well, sir, but we might get lucky,” Dodge replies. I nod as I pull my phone out, checking if any of my contacts have gotten back to me yet, but there’s nothing. Kane has been missing for half a day, yet we still don’t even know who took him. I need to make a move.
I call the person most likely behind it, one of the other leading males in our sector. Grant answers on the second ring.
“Well, to what do I owe this pleasure?” His voice is dark and unwelcoming. “Is this about that stupid land suit again?”
“Not this time,” I reply as I swirl my glass, watching the liquid whirl. Someone took Kane, then it has to be one of the men wanting to snatch our title. Grant hates us, and he stands to gain the most from our downfall.
He won’t just admit if he took Kane, but word games are my strong suit.
“I wish to set up a meeting. Kane’s orders for tomorrow.” If he took Kane, he’ll be surprised, and if not, then he’ll be happy, thinking I’m giving him a shot at that land.
“Of course. Does ten work? I can bring the lawyers,” he answers quickly, betraying his interest, and at that moment, I know it isn’t him.
Fuck.
“I will check and get back to you.” I hang up, lowering my head. “It isn’t Grant,” I tell Dodge. I kind of hoped it would be. He’s powerful and rich, but we also know how to deal with him. Not knowing is worse.
“What about Polly?” Dodge asks.
“No, he isn’t smart enough to make that move,” I admit. “Which leaves the other two.” And they are far more dangerous and unpredictable. Compared to us and Grant, they are street rats grabbing for power and territory. They couldn’t have done this alone.
My thoughts come back to the same conclusion—someone on the inside helped them, which means . . .
I need someone who isn’t on the inside to help find him.
There’s only one person who comes to mind.