“Yolvoski is dead,” Killian bit out, willing his rage to taper long enough to find out where Juliette was. After that… “He can’t possibly have Juliette.”
Marco nodded. “I don’t know who this person is, but they knew about Lisa and what I’d done. They threatened to kill you if I didn’t bring them the girl.”
That momentarily surprised him. He had expected a great number of reasons for the treasury, but not that.
“And why would you care about what happens to me after what you’ve done?” Killian demanded.
Marco’s head slipped even lower on his neck so the sharp bones along the back jutted out beneath the pale skin. He was practically doubled over in his chair with his face in his hands and his elbows digging into his knees.
“I lost my son that day.” His muffled confession was barely above a whisper. Marco sniffled and raised his head a notch. “After they were gone, I thought of you as a—”
“Don’t you dare!” the snarl lashed out of him before he could stop it. “You kidnapped my mother. You let her get tortured and murdered and you knew all along who had her and you did nothing! Now you’ve taken Juliette. You took the woman I love and gave her to men who are doing God knows what to her right now. Don’t you dare sit there and tell me you thought of me as your son.”
Marco’s head lowered all over again, but he said nothing.
“Where did you take her? Who contacted you? What else did they tell you?”
While he waited for a response, he charged past the broken man and stalked to the doors. He yanked them open and motioned only Frank inside. But Vi sprinted in after him. Killian started to tell her to wait outside, but opted against it. He just left the door open behind her as he returned with Frank to his desk.
“Where did you take her?” he asked Marco again.
Marco straightened a notch. “They gave me a street address. A van was waiting there and two men jumped out and took her.”
“And you let them?” Vi blurted. “You just … let them?”
Marco said nothing.
“How could you do that?” Vi went on.
“Viola.” Killian put his hand up to stop the girl. “Now isn’t the time. I promise he will get exactly what he deserves once we get Juliette back.”
Vi said nothing else, but stood glowering at Marco like she wanted nothing more than to jam a pen in his eye.
“Where did you meet the van?” Killian turned his attention back to Marco.
“On the corner of Easten and Broad. Right next to an old bakery. There are no cameras there. They were careful.”
Killian ignored that. “Assemble a crew,” he told Frank. “We’re going to the location. I want every inch of it searched.”
Frank started to incline his head when a movement in the doorway had them all turning. Jake, Melton, Laurence, Javier, Phil, John, and Tyson stood in a loose cluster on the threshold. They were already in their Kevlar and camo. Their guns were tucked into holsters strapped to their legs, across their chests and anchored at their ribs. They were dressed ready for war.
“What’s this?” Killian demanded, although he had a feeling he already knew.
John stepped forward. “With all due respect, sir, but we’d like to be that crew.”
Something in the determined lines of their faces, the hard strength of their shoulders, and the fire burning in their eyes filled Killian with a burst of pride and a hint of amusement that he concealed behind a frown.
“I’m fairly certain I fired two of you,” he said evenly. “Why would you want to help?”
“You did, but Miss Romero was good to us, sir,” John answered. “We owe it to her to find her and bring her home.”
The other six nodded in agreement. But Killian turned to Frank, waiting for his analysis. He was the head of security. He knew the men better than Killian did and Killian wanted the best out there to get Juliette back.
“I vouch for them, sir,” Frank assured him. “They’re the ones I would pick.”
Killian nodded. “All right. Get my coat. We leave now.”
The men nodded.
Frank stepped forward. “With all due respect, sir, it would be best if you remained here.”
Killian blinked. “Here?”
“This could be a trap to get you out in the open,” Frank explained. “We should tread wisely until we have something more concrete.”
The notion was sound, but Killian had been in that house since before Juliette was taken. He’d suffered inside every inch of those four walls. Remaining behind when Juliette needed him was a notion he did not want to even consider.
“You would be a risk to the mission, sir,” Frank added.
Killian conceded. “Fine, do whatever you deem necessary. Bring her home safely.”
“With your permission, sir, I would like to run point from here.”
“What?” Killian frowned. “No. I want you out there looking.”
“I understand, sir, but my first and only priority is to protect you.”
Killian nodded. “But I’m ordering you to find and protect Juliette. She is your charge now.”
Frank’s thick eyebrows furrowed in clear disapproval, but he bobbed his head once more before turning on his heel and marching to the doors. The crew followed him.
“What can I do?” Vi demanded. “I want to do something. I need to do something. I’m going crazy.”
Killian started to open his mouth when Frank returned, his expression tight. “Sir, there’s someone here to see you.”
That someone, much to Killian’s surprise, turned out to be Arlo and Juan. The two were followed closely by no less than eight fully armed men in black attire and cold features. Their impromptu visit had Killian’s suspicions rising. It had him moving to put himself between Vi and the newcomers. The girl’s big, brown eyes shot to his, filled with question, but she wisely kept her mouth shut.
“If I tell you to leave, leave,” he told her quietly under his breath. “Understand?”
Vi nodded.
Killian turned just as the group came to a halt in a small cluster inside the door. Juan, in his loose trousers and gray coat, tore off his leather gloves and stuffed them into his pockets. Next to him, Arlo had the sour expression of someone who’d been force fed cockroach clusters. His bright, red coat was zipped all the way to his chin and he had both hands shoved into his pockets. He reminded Killian of a sullen teenager, which was almost entertaining.
“Juan.” Killian stepped forward to shake the other man’s hand. “To what do I owe to this pleasure?”
“Killian.” He took Killian’s palm in a firm shake. “I have come to offer my services in your time of need.” He motioned with his free hand to the men waiting for his instructions. “They are my best and will do what they can to help find your woman.”
At your woman Arlo shifted and averted his gaze. No one paid any attention, but Killian noticed. He also noticed the glance Arlo cast Vi. It was barely a sideways flick of his brown eyes, but there was no mistaking the spark of interest. It made Killian wonder if he’d ever seen Vi before or even knew who she was. He might have. Maybe he was just surprised to see her in Killian’s home. Whatever the case was, Killian had to suppress the urge to tell Arlo not to even think about it. Even without his promise to Juliette, he still wouldn’t allow assholes like Arlo near her. Not that it mattered. Vi caught the glance and shot Arlo the curled lip of disgust, followed by the aversion of her gaze.
“Thank you.” Killian turned his attention back to the man standing before him. “That is quite generous of you.”
Juan nodded and stepped back. “When one is attacked, we are all attacked. We must unite in times such as this and prove that we do not go down quietly.”
He inclined his head. “Thank you.”
“Arlo will also stay to make sure my orders are followed,” Juan added.
The last thing Killian wanted was Arlo, but to decline would be to insult the other man and Killian had enough problems. Not that he believed this unexpected act of kindness came from somewhere deep in the man’s heart. No one ever did anything without a price. Juan would eventually ask for something and Killian had a feeling he knew exactly what that would be. For now, however, Killian let it slide.