his fingers tangling tighter with mine. "She'll be fine. She's tougher than either of you two realize."
I barked a bitter laugh. "I'm not so sure about that." I'd heard the panic and desperation in her distraught voice. I knew just how easy it was to lose yourself to terror. Even if by some miracle her captors didn't hurt her physically, it would still leave a mark.
"I am," Lucas replied, stubborn as fuck. "She's your sister, after all."
Zed grimaced, checking his phone. "Cass is on it. I've called in a favor with an old connection close to him. They'll fly him out the second nightfall hits, and Demi will meet him on the other end. We'll find her, Dare. I promise you we will find her."
I tipped my head back, giving him a brittle smile. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Zed. This has Chase's fingerprints all fucking over it."
Zed's eyes blazed with determination, and he grabbed my ponytail as he crashed his lips against mine for a bruising kiss. "I swear it, Dare. He won't get away with this one."
He released me and stood up abruptly. "I'm going to call D'Ath and find out how the fuck Seph managed to slip out from under their watch." His hand curled into a fist at his side, and I suspected he was cursing the distance between us and Italy right now. He looked like he would happily take out all his fury on Archer’s, Kody’s, and Steele's asses. Come to think of it, so would I.
Before he could make it out of the gym, my phone rang again, this time from an unknown number. Lucas held it out to me, his head tilted in question, and Zed froze near the door.
A sickening feeling built within me, and I already knew who would be on the other end.
Wetting my lips, I took the phone from Lucas and slid my thumb over the answer-call button. "I'm going to kill you," I croaked when the call connected.
Chase's laughter filled the room, echoing out of the phone speaker. "I love when you talk dirty, Darling. Tell me, did something important recently go missing?" He laughed again, and it took all my self-control not to throw my phone at the fucking wall.
"What do you want, Chase?" I snarled back. As much as it turned my stomach, I knew that playing his game would get me Seph's location a hell of a lot faster.
"Same thing I've always wanted, Darling," he replied, sounding like he was grinning. "You."
Zed started storming back across the gym, but I put up a hand to halt him in his tracks. He'd had his turn at Chase last night.
"Be more specific," I spat. "What will it take for you to let Seph go unharmed?"
Chase made a thoughtful hum, as if he hadn't already planned it all out in his twisted little mind. "Well, you know what? I'm feeling kind today. That little catch-up last night reminded me of the good old days. Let's say... dinner at that adorable restaurant in town. What's it called? Zanzibar? Tomorrow night."
My teeth ground together hard enough to send spikes of pain into my head. "Dinner," I repeated.
"Yes," he hissed. "Just you and me. No weapons, no pretty stripper boys, and certainly no Zayden De Rosa." Chase spat Zed's name with thick hatred. "I'll send a car to pick you up at eight."
"I think I'll drive myself," I snapped back. "And Seph?"
"Pretty little Stephanie will be just fine where she is for another day. If you can refrain from trying to kill me for the entirety of our date, I'll give the order to release her. If not..." He clicked his tongue. "I think you can use your imagination, Darling."
Zed jerked like he wanted to snatch the phone from my hand, but I held my palm up again, stopping him.
"Fine," I growled. "Eight o'clock tomorrow at Zanzibar."
"Come alone, Darling," Chase reminded me, "and unarmed. Consider it a peace negotiation." His laughter seemed to echo through the room long after he’d ended the call, and I dropped my head between my knees to try and keep myself from passing the fuck out.
When I felt confident I wasn't going to swoon like a damsel, I raised my head to lock eyes with Zed.
"You can't go," he told me, his eyes pleading.
"Then find her," I ordered. "Before eight o'clock tomorrow night. Otherwise, I’ll have no choice. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, and you know it."