Secrets by Erosa Knowles Page B

She
couldn't remember but somehow it was all connected, it had to
be.
    “Oh God, please don't let them hurt him,”
she prayed as arms wrapped around her from behind. Her legs
weakened and she collapsed.
    “Micah, I need you to go wake up Ms. Cook
and help her with Mariah,” Kenton said as she burrowed her head
into his chest. Feelings of inadequacy swamped her. She needed to
pull it together, be strong.
    “Who's going to hurt my brother?” Micah’s
voice squeaked.
    “No one, son. Let me take care of your mama
and then, we'll get Jonah.”
    “You promise?”
    Chastity trembled at the fear in her son's
voice. Lord please help us . Strong hands rubbed her back,
easing the tension.
    “I promise,” Kenton said, the strength of
his conviction soothed her nerves.
    The light shuffling of feet stopped.
“Thanks, Daddy.”
    She felt Kenton's nod and the racing of his
heart. Damn, she hadn't thought of how this affected him. Jonah was
his son as well.
    “Sven, do we have the information on that
car yet?” Kenton asked, his voice harder, more determined.
    “Yeah. It belongs to Spice. I'm sending them
a surprise on the road.”
    Chastity stole a look around Kenton at Sven.
Wiping her face with the back of her hand, she pushed away and
watched him work his hand-held gadget. “What're you doing? What
about Jonah?”
    “Tracking.” He glanced at her. “You don't
think we'd let a strange car on the ranch without making sure we
could find it, especially since I couldn't identify Walker?” He
winked at her. “My men should be intercepting them right about
now.” He stared a moment longer and smiled as his phone beeped.
    “I guess the frog farted,” she whispered
aside to Kenton, trying hard not to think about Jonah with
kidnappers.
    “On my way.” Sven walked toward the
door.
    “I'm going.” Kenton released her hand and
followed Sven.
    “You have to stay here with Chastity and the
kids.” Sven reminded him.
    “I promised my son I'd find his brother and
bring him home.” The two men stared at each other and then looked
at her.
    Each second Jonah was away from her, she
died a little inside. “Please, just bring him home. I'll get my
gun, and anybody that breaks in will get a bullet in their ass for
their trouble.”
    “I know Annie Oakley, but I can't leave you
here alone.” He handed the tracking device to Kenton, gave him the
instructions and called his team. “ Lt. Cmdr. Ken Stone is on his
way to the point to pick up the package, make sure he leaves
unharmed.”
    Kenton nodded and left the room.
    When the sound of the front door slammed,
Sven made another call. “After the package is retrieved, make sure
the car is picked cleaned. Take care of the bones.”
    Chastity's eyes widened as he clicked off.
“Plan B?”
    “Nope, that was Plan A. They lied. Nothing
pissed Mr. B off more than criminals masquerading as the good
guys.”
    ****
    Kenton reached the intersection just outside
the ranch in minutes. He pulled out Sven’s Sig and met a bald giant
standing nearby. The giant wore a small tattoo he recognized.
Sven’s security team was a group of professional mercenaries. They
nodded and walked off a distance.
    The man introduced himself as Levi. “They
don't realize we’re aware the package is missing. Right now they're
blustering about being Feds and all that bullshit.” The giant spit
in the direction of the car.
    “I want them out of the car. Make sure they
aren't wired. No matter what it takes, get them away from the boy,”
Kenton demanded as he took in the scene. All thought of protocol
vanished the moment he promised to bring back his boy. Those
involved would pay a price for causing Chastity a moment’s worry.
And in the spirit of full disclosure, he’d been terrified
himself.
    The giant nodded and returned to the car, a
collective sound of clicks filled the air as he reached for the
door handle. “Exit the car.”
    Kenton listened. His gut burned with anger
and the need to act now, but