No Place to Run (KGI #2)(58)

She raised her gaze until she stared up at him. “I need you to trust me, Sam. You want and expect a lot from me, but you aren’t willing to give me anything in return.”

He brushed his hand over her cheek and smoothed away her hair. If he’d answered right away, she wouldn’t have believed him. She would have thought he was saying whatever it took in that moment to persuade her. But he stayed silent for a long moment, and then finally, he tilted her head so that their gazes were locked.

“I do trust you, Sophie. My gut tells me that I believe you, but my head is screaming I’m a fool. I’m sorry if that hurts you, but I’m being one hundred percent honest with you.”

“Just tell me you believe I never betrayed you,” she whispered. “That you know I didn’t whore myself for my father.”

His gaze softened and he kissed her, just a light smooch to the lips, and then he raised his mouth to press a kiss to her forehead.

“I believe you, Sophie.”

She wrapped her arm around him and burrowed into his chest. He held her tightly against him while she absorbed his warmth and strength.

“I’m scared, Sam.”

He rubbed her back and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “I know, honey. I am too.”

“He’s going to demand the key. He’ll want me back. I have to go. If it had been my father, he would have already killed your mother, but Tomas will try to trade. He’s desperate. He just wants the key . . . and me.”

Sam tensed beneath her. His arms tightened painfully around her. “This is where I need you to trust me, Soph. I’m not handing you and my child back over to that bastard, but neither will I leave my mother. I’ll find a way. I swear it.”

She pulled away and braced herself against his chest so she could look into his eyes. All she saw was unwavering determination. She wasn’t as convinced as he was, but she knew he believed absolutely in what he was saying.

She put a hand on his face and smoothed her fingers over the lines carved deep into his brow. “I know you will.”

And she prayed with everything she had that he would.

CHAPTER 23

THE convoy of SUVs rolled into the narrow alley at the side of the rural hospital. Rio strode from the building, his mouth set into a grim line. He came immediately to greet Garrett and Sam as they stepped from the truck.

“How is he?” Sam demanded.

“Stable. He was awake for a while. A little disoriented. Asked where your mom was. Donovan is with him. I don’t know if he’s told him about your mother yet.”

“Stable?” Garrett parroted. “He’s still in ICU, though, right?”

“He’ll remain in ICU until the cardiologist releases him. They want to monitor him closely, but they’ve listed his condition as stable. I’m sure the doctor can tell you more than me.”

Sam reached into the truck for Sophie’s hand and pulled her out beside him. Rio, Garrett and Sam formed a protective circle around her while Steele and the others brought up the rear. When they reached the inside of the hospital, Sam paused briefly to issue a directive to Rio.

“Give Steele and his team the report. Coordinate your efforts. I want my family safe. We can’t allow another breach in security.”

Rio nodded, and Sam could see the wash of guilt in his eyes.

He put his hand on his team leader’s shoulder. “I don’t blame you, Rio.”

Rio didn’t react or respond. Sam knew he wouldn’t. He dropped his hand away and curled his arm around Sophie once more.

“I want Sophie to see a doctor while we’re here,” he said to Garrett as they hurried toward the elevator. “After we see Dad.”

They shoved into an elevator, and Sam pulled Sophie even closer. She trembled against him, and her eyes looked so sorrowful. The same guilt he’d seen in Rio’s gaze he saw in Sophie’s.

He squeezed her hand. It was all he could offer right now. Words weren’t good enough, and until he could see his dad, his tongue would be so knotted he couldn’t speak anyway.

When the elevator doors opened and he saw the sign overheard pointing the way to the intensive care unit, fear squeezed his chest so tight he felt light-headed.

Rio had said he was stable. That was good, right? But he’d had a heart attack. A serious one. Did it mean he could have another? Was his heart damaged?

He didn’t want to imagine a world without his dad in it. Growing up, his dad had been his rock. He’d been the rock of six rambunctious, rowdy boys, and he’d infused his core values into all of them.

Be a good man, have honor and integrity, protect those weaker than you, and never suffer injustice.

Those values had formed the cornerstone of KGI.

He hadn’t realized he’d stopped outside the entrance to the family room until Sophie’s small hand circled his and squeezed.

The ache in his chest intensified until he felt bogged down with emotion. Sorrow. Fear. Anger.

Oh God, he couldn’t lose his father. Not Dad. And his mom. Oh God. It took everything in him to stand there, steady, and not break as he stared at the closed door to the room.

Garrett turned to him, and he saw that his brother fared no better than he did. They were both supposedly so tough. The older brothers. Leaders. Sam felt like a fraud.

Then Sophie reached out and touched Garrett lightly on the arm. It was a simple gesture that softened some of the raw grief in Garrett’s eyes. Garrett reached for her hand and gave it a quick squeeze.