Forged in Steele (KGI #7)(97)

He ran a hand through his hair and sent her a look of apology. Then he turned back to Hancock.

“So why are you here? Just to warn me and then you’re on your way back to whatever hole you crawl out of when you pull a mission?”

“I’m here because I’m no more willing to let Caldwell get his hands on Maren than you are. Maksimov may have slipped through my fingers—this time—but Caldwell needs to go down. I’ll just have to find another way to take Maksimov out. And I’ll do it. No matter how long it takes, no matter what I have to do. He’s going down. Caldwell is going to take first priority at the moment. He’s unstable, and with his wealth and connections, there’s no telling how far he’ll go to get what he considers his back. He won’t care who he has to hurt as long as the end result is him getting what he wants.”

Maren went even paler until Steele worried she’d drop. Her eyes were huge against her colorless face.

He opened his mouth to offer her reassurance, but he knew they’d be empty words. He had no idea what they were dealing with, where Caldwell was, and as Hancock had said, there was no way of knowing just how far he’d go in his single-minded pursuit of Maren.

“I’ll call Sam. He was going to talk to a local security firm about protection for your family. He was going to have it in place so that when they went home after visiting you they would be protected. But I’ll call him and get him on it immediately. We’ll find your folks and get them here as fast as we can. Once they’re here, we can work out a plan that includes round-the-clock protection for you as well as them.”

She looked a little relieved and then the phone rang, causing her to jump. She glanced down at the phone and then her face lit up. “Steele, it’s my parents’ number! Oh, thank God!”

CHAPTER 36

MAREN yanked up the phone, relief so overwhelming that she had to brace herself on the bar because her knees were shaking so badly.

“Mom? Thank God. I tried to call you. I was so worried.”

“Maren . . .”

Her name came out shaky and Maren knew immediately that something was very wrong. She froze, gripping the bar until her knuckles whitened. Steele immediately became alert and closed in, standing at her side. Hancock frowned at Steele’s reaction and came to stand on the other side so he was facing Maren, and both men stared intently at her.

“Mom, what is it? What’s wrong?” Maren asked sharply.

A low sob sounded and Maren clenched the phone tighter, willing her mother to tell her what was going on.

“Maren, it’s your father. He’s hurt. There are men here. Tristan Caldwell.”

Maren collapsed onto the bar stool, shaking so badly she could barely maintain her grasp on the phone. Steele reached for her chin, turning it so she faced him, his gaze boring intensely into her in obvious question.

Caldwell, Maren mouthed.

Steele reached automatically for the phone, but Maren ducked and stumbled off the bar stool, avoiding his hand.

“What does he want, Mom? What did he do? Is Dad all right?”

“He said he wants you and his child back,” her mother choked out. “Maren, what is he talking about? You told me you were with the father of your baby.”

“I am. He’s crazy. What did he do, Mom? I need you to talk to me. Pull it together and tell me what’s going on!”

“He demanded to know where he could find you. When we refused, they beat your father. I’m sorry, honey,” she said brokenly. “I couldn’t let them kill him, so I called you like they told me to. I’m so sorry. I’d never betray you. I don’t want to be responsible for any harm to you or my grandchild, but oh God, they would have killed him!”

“You did right,” Maren said fiercely. “Don’t let them hurt him any more. Tell me what they want. I’ll come right away.”

Steele’s hand came around her arm, turning her forcefully, his expression so black that it would have terrified her if she wasn’t already scared out of her wits.

“He wants to talk to you,” her mom said shakily.

“Put him on then,” Maren demanded.

“Put it on speaker, damn it,” Steele whispered.

Even Hancock had advanced and now stood only a foot away. She felt smothered by the two men. Overwhelmed with gut-wrenching fear. That bastard had her parents! They’d beaten her father. Two of the kindest, most gentle people in the world. People who’d devoted their entire lives to helping others. They didn’t deserve this! They didn’t deserve to be dragged into Caldwell’s obsession. There was no way in hell she’d let this happen. Whatever she had to do to ensure their safety, she’d do with no hesitation. She had Steele. Hell, she even had Hancock. And she had KGI. She wasn’t alone and Caldwell had picked the wrong people to f**k with.

She quickly hit the button for the speakerphone option but still held it to her ear so it wouldn’t be so obvious and her voice wouldn’t seem farther away.

“Maren.”

Caldwell’s voice froze her. She went utterly still, her blood turning to ice in her veins.

“What do you want?” she asked hoarsely.

Steele and Hancock both crowded close to her, their expressions fierce as they strained to hear every word.

“It’s obvious what I want,” Caldwell said coldly. “You and my child. Back where you belong.”