one ever held his heart, then he’d never have his chest ripped open and his heart pulled out and cut to pieces. That’s what had happened the night his mother left them, and then again when she came back and he dared to hope she would stay—only to lose her in that house fire.
Liam had allowed his heart to turn to stone. Again and again. In the Middle East while in the marines, and then again while he was working for the DEA. The agency loved loners. People like Liam.
But then he’d made the mistake of working with Rae, who had a special way of making him open up just enough to let the light into his cold heart and crack it wide open. He’d let himself fall right before she betrayed him.
He understood the situation now and didn’t blame her for doing what needed doing to find Dina and the trafficked women. But here he was in the exact position he never wanted to be in again. Trying to save Rae but helpless to do so. Only this time he was attempting to save not only Rae but everyone he cared about.
Malcom Fox had used the same fear tactics he used to coerce people, including trafficked victims, to force Liam into cooperating. Admittedly, Liam was scared for the lives of those he loved. One wrong move on his part could get someone killed. And Rae—he loved her. He cared about her too much not to be in love with the woman.
He couldn’t call Heath or Austin or Rae or even Evelyn. Fox had someone watching them all. How much did he know?
Liam pushed beyond the feeling that he was skiing from a mountain peak and approaching a ledge with no way to stop himself from flying over the edge to certain death. Regardless, there was absolutely no way he was going to work for Fox, and the sooner he made contact to let someone know what was going on, the better.
Duke nickered and nearly stumbled. Liam tightened the reins and got off. “You wait here. I’ll be right back. I promise.”
Maybe there was an easier way to make contact without Fox being the wiser, but at the moment Liam couldn’t think of it, and he didn’t have time to brainstorm. He couldn’t let Fox win. Liam couldn’t risk using his own phone and had left it at the house in case Fox was tracking him. Fox couldn’t be everywhere. And there was no one shadowing him in these woods out in this cold.
He hiked up the trail, shining the light as he went. Had he gone too far? He directed the beam through the trees. There.
The cabin. Dark and cold and lonely. He didn’t think anyone was actually staying there, but he knocked on the door. “Liam McKade. Just making a supplies check.”
When no one responded, he opened the door and shined the light around. The cabin was cold inside. He shut the door behind him and in five strides was at the counter on the opposite wall. The satellite phone. He had no idea if these things got too cold to work.
Please, God, please . . .
Liam took off his gloves and rubbed his hands together. He opened up the phone. He’d need to go outside, and maybe move out of the trees. In ways, satellite phones were as much of a pain as trying to catch a signal on a cell out here.
He powered it up and the red light came on. Yes! He would give Heath a big hug for thinking to keep a phone out here. Yes, a big hug—but first, Liam had to warn him.
Liam walked outside to the trail, away from the tree canopy until he saw stars. He dialed Kelvin’s number and it went to voicemail. He left a short but detailed message that he wouldn’t be calling again from this number and that it was urgent. “Do not call my cell. It could be compromised.”
He couldn’t know for certain that Fox had gained access to Liam’s cell, but if he had, then Fox knew much about what was going on. Far too much.
He waited a few moments, then tried again.
Kelvin answered. “McKade?”
Liam shared every sordid detail. “Get my family out. Get them to safety.”
“All right, just calm down. That’s going to take some time. You’re talking Hawaii. We have to find them first. Seattle for Austin and Willow. Evelyn isn’t so hard. And Rae . . .”