Then I heard it.

  "Gus!"

  The only voice that could lift me and devastate me at the same time. Aiden was standing in the lobby, soaked from head to toe, hands trembling, bright red hair plastered to her face and her eyes bloodshot and terrified. It took me only a moment to realize that the wetness on her face wasn't just from the rain. She was crying.

  "Aiden!"

  She ran toward me, water flying off of her and leaving puddles on the linoleum floor. Every pair of eyes in the room was on her. I met her halfway and she launched herself into my open arms. My heart stopped beating, waiting for the worst of the worst to come out of her beautiful mouth. I had never felt desperation like that before, not knowing the problem but already scrambling to find a way to fix whatever it was.

  "Gus! Oh my God. It's Aidy. She's gone."

  My stomach dropped to the floor and panic flooded my senses. "What?"

  "I went to pick her up at preschool and she wasn't there! The teacher said my boyfriend showed up to take her home because I was busy at the studio."

  "But-"

  "Yeah! BUT! You don't have her!" Her voice was frantic, rough with grief and it pierced through my chest.

  Linc showed up at my side and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Aiden, come sit down and tell us everything."

  I couldn't find the training in me to give her that kind of calm. I was clinging to her, trying to keep myself from tearing out of there like a madman to go scour the streets and find my Little Red.

  "Gus, she said the guy had a picture of me and Aidy in his wallet."

  My gaze zeroed in on her eyes, wide with terror, and the confusion set in. I couldn't even grasp what she was trying to tell me. How the hell was I going to do my job if I couldn't even think?

  "How the fuck did he get a picture of me? The one she described is the wallpaper for my computer. The bitch never even questioned it, didn't call to verify, nothing!"

  Anger replaced the desperation and all I saw was red. Every Red in my life. The one in my arms, sobbing and frightened, the little one who was probably doing the same in some cold, dark room somewhere. The red of rage because I knew exactly who took her and I couldn't stop the thought that it was all my fault.

  I set her down in the chair at my desk and knelt in front of her, drawing in every ounce of control I could muster. Every muscle in my body was pulled taut and ready to fight. Linc stayed standing, but close, eyeing me cautiously and waiting for the moment that I lost it. He more than anyone knew how much Aidy meant to me. It was him that had been with me all those times I bought her something out of the blue just to spoil her, just to see her sweet little freckled face smile.

  I took several deep breaths. Aiden's gaze was on me as tears fell from her beautiful brown eyes, her hands tightly clasped together on her lap trying to stop the tremors. My jaw clenched as I ground my back teeth together. The deep breaths weren't helping.

  "Gus," Linc called. "You need to calm the fuck down or I'll take over."

  I raised my hands to Aiden's shaking knees, holding on for dear life just like she was. I didn't dare look into her eyes. Not while knowing that if I had gotten this guy sooner, she would still have her niece.

  I ignored Linc's warning and buried my face in Aiden's lap. Her hands wrapped around my head, holding me against her as she kept mumbling to herself, "What am I going to do? What are we going to do?"

  "I'll find her," I promised. "I swear to God I'll find her."

  ***

  We walked into Lily's apartment and I immediately felt the grimness of the situation. The air was saturated with a thick fear that made it difficult to breathe. The gloominess of the day only made the darkness in the apartment thicker. It was exactly how I had been feeling since Aiden told me her little niece, that I had grown to love so fiercely, had been taken right out from under us.

  Once I had gotten myself in control and Aiden had taken what comfort I could give her, she told Linc and me everything she knew. She replayed what happened when she arrived at the school. It had been only been five minutes since the teacher had lined the children up to leave. The class only lasted a couple of hours and Lily had been the one to drop Aidy off before she headed into work.

  "She said that I had just missed them. He drove away as I drove up to the building. If I had just gotten there two minutes sooner-"

  "No, Aiden. This guy doesn't just take random children on a spur of the moment decision," Linc interceded. "He knows the families, knows the schedule. If he hadn't taken her today, he would have tried again tomorrow, or the next day. That is, if it is the same guy."

  When she looked over at me, I couldn't stop the cringe. "He knows us?"

  It wasn't an accusation, but it might as well have been. She'd been right. My job had put her and the people she loved in danger. I was sure of it.

  She continued to tell Linc what had happened and I resisted the urge destroy everything in sight. The teacher came in minutes later and gave a vague description; she was dealing with multiple children so she hadn't taken a good look.

  Aiden said she had gone to Lily immediately and the sweet woman that she loved so much broke down completely. Not knowing what else to do, Aiden had contacted Chad to ask him to come over and help calm her down. He was with Lily at her apartment.

  When I asked why she didn't call me, she said that she couldn't find her phone this morning. She was in a hurry to get to Aidy on time and decided to leave the apartment without it. Then she'd dropped Lily's in a panic when her sister collapsed in front of her the second she got off her phone with Chad. The phone had broken to pieces and with no other way to call me or the police, she took a cab to the station.

  "Lily? I'm back with Gus," Aiden called out.

  No response, but Aiden was already on her way down the hall and I followed closely behind her, leaving Linc at the door.

  The once bright hallway littered with colorful drawings appeared grey and lonely. We passed Aidy's room and I felt my stomach twist seeing the plastic princess tiara and green princess gown Aiden and I had gotten her just last week, lying on the ground.

  "Lily?"

  We found her sitting on the edge of her bed in the dark room, staring at the wall. Aiden turned on the light and knelt down in front of her sister. I assumed it was Chad who was sitting beside Lily with a lost expression, not knowing what the hell to do. Just like the rest of us.

  He was exactly who I pictured Lily with in my mind. He looked strong enough to protect her and just being here assured me that he was a good man. Both he and Lily were in scrubs and looked like they had been through the ringer. I didn't know Chad, but the helplessness on his face told me how much he truly cared for Lily and her daughter.

  Lily's eyes were empty, her skin was pale, and she didn't move a single muscle.

  "Lily? Sweetie? I know this is impossible, but Gus is here to help and I need you to talk to him, okay?"

  Lily just kept her stare on the wall in front of her, no reaction to Aiden's tearful voice. It was a shock to see her so unaware.

  I moved to Aiden's side and knelt with her, grabbing hold of Lily's cold hand and looking up at her. She was an amazing friend and sister and made it possible for me to be in Aiden's life. I felt for her how I felt for my own sister.

  "Lil, honey, I'm going to find her. I swear on my life," I stated firmly.

  Her expression flickered before she dropped her head slightly to meet my eyes. The look on her face was dreadful. Never, in the months I had known her, had she ever looked so dim. The once bright mother of the most beautiful little girl in the world was consumed with loss and darkness.

  "I swear it," I said once more and she blinked down at me just once before moving her eyes back to the wall.

  Aiden started crying again, clutching her sister's hand. She was about to lose it.

  "Linc!"

  "Right here," he answered from the doorway.

  "Stay here, get whatever you can. I need to make a phone call."

  I left the room quickly and pulled out my phone. If there was any way to bring Aidy back, anyone that could possibly help with Lily, it was my family.

  "Hey, Gus."

  "Emily, is Con right there? It's an emergency."

  "Oh, he just went for a jog and left his phone, what is it?"

  I knew Emily would do everything in her power to help. She loved our family just as deeply as we loved each other and she would want to be there for Aiden. Right now, though, I needed my big brother.

  "I've got a situation over here," I tried to swallow past the tightness in my throat, but it was proving difficult.

  "God, Gus. You sound awful. Just say it."

  "Aidy's been taken."

  I could practically feel the anxiety pouring through the phone. Emily had grown up with shitty parents that she lost over shitty circumstances. She had raised her brother on her own and been through hell and back to give him a life only to lose him. If anyone understood loss, it would be Emily Dawson. "Holy shit! When?" her voice wavered.

  "She's been gone for just over two hours now. Emily… I need to find her."

  "We're on the next flight out, sweetie. Con will call you back the second he walks in, I promise you. You stick with Aiden and Lily. We're coming. Do you want me to call Ash and Luke?"

  "I don't know. With Ash's pregnancy, I don't want her getting into this shit."

  "Gus, you know your sister. She'll come help anyway. Those girls are going to need someone to lean on while you all find Aidy."

  She was right. And we were going to find her. "I'll call."

  "See you soon."

  I dialed Luke right away and he answered after two rings. "Shade."

  "Luke…" the tightness in my chest was excruciating and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold it together for much longer. "I need your help. It's Aidy."

  Silence for all of five seconds.

  "We're on the next flight out. I'll talk to your dad."

  "Thanks."

  No questions, no excuses. It didn't matter what had happened, my family wasn't going to let us go through this alone and the tiniest bit of weight lifted from my shoulders knowing they would be here soon.

  Linc walked out of the bedroom with Aiden right behind him. Her red rimmed eyes were dry, but her face was pale and the stiffness of her expression proved they wouldn't be dry for long.

  "You met Brandon before?" Linc asked and my attention immediately shifted to him.

  "Yeah."

  "You get the feeling he would do something like this?"

  I glanced at Aiden, but she was watching the ground with her arms wrapped around herself, holding it in.

  "Maybe," I answered Linc. "But don't tell me you aren't considering-"

  "You know I am considering it, but we have to cover all our bases."

  "Do you have his information, baby?" I directed at Aiden.

  She nodded and walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer that was full of papers. When she returned, she handed me an address book.

  "His last name is, Hampton. I'm going to go back to my sister."

  I nodded, expecting her to just walk away, but instead, she walked right up to me and gripped my shirt in her fingers before burrowing into my chest. I let out the breath I felt like I'd been holding for hours and wrapped my arms around her trembling body.

  "It's not your fault, Gus," she whispered.

  The sting of tears I hadn't shed since I was a child burned the back of my eyes and I buried my face in her neck, breathing her sweet scent in to keep me calm.

  "Just bring her back to us, love." She kissed me softly, just a brush of her lips and trailed her fingers down my cheek, then pulled away and returned to her sister.

  It was exactly what I needed to hear because my mind finally started up again the second she disappeared. This asshole was going to pay.

  "Call the fucker and get his ass over here," I growled to Linc.

  He smirked and pulled out his phone. "Welcome back."

  Chapter 13

  Aiden

  Seeing Gus so close to the edge was something Aiden didn't want to ever see again. She had broken down, been ripped apart, and was lying in pieces all over the ground, but Aidy was her blood. She couldn't imagine what was happening inside of Lily and her always positive big sister was completely absent, leaving a shell of the woman behind. Understandable.

  But Gus…

  That was something altogether different.

  The tough, bad boy detective who always had the answers, was lost. So utterly lost that it was no question he considered Aidy his blood. His family.

  The guilt pouring out of him was unwarranted. No matter who took her niece, it was not his fault. There was no way for him to prevent the sick fucks out there from using something like this to gain whatever the hell it was they hoped to gain.

  If it was anyone's fault, it was hers.

  If she hadn't been running late…

  It didn't matter. She could focus on that later and find a way to make up for it. Right now, her sister needed her.

  It was five hours after they had arrived back at Lily's apartment. Evan had gone back to the station, neither him nor Gus finding anything unusual in the apartment to give them any kind of clue as to who could have taken her. Gus insisted on staying behind while his partner gathered whoever he could to help find her little niece. He mentioned in passing that his family was on the way and Evan looked relieved.

  Lucas Shade and Conall Brannock were legends here in Detroit apparently, and it wasn't just because Gus shared their stories with his coworkers. Conall had taken risks to help Emily, going as far as facing the very dangerous man who had supposedly wanted her dead, only to find out otherwise. Word was that Conall and Lucien Ripley were close now, but no one could confirm it and no one really wanted to. All they knew was he had connections and Lucien wasn't the only one.

  Lucas was fearless. Having been taken under wing by the also legendary Captain William Brannock wasn't the only fact that gave him his reputation. He knew his shit, according to Gus, and could be a valuable devil's advocate in tough situations. Denver PD wanted him, Detroit wanted him, but he wasn't leaving Oakland.

  Aiden didn't know how they were going to be able to help, but two additional men who would dedicate their lives to finding Aidy was more than she could have asked for.

  Lily had fallen asleep after Aiden forced her to take some sleeping pills. It wasn't late, but if the woman didn't sleep, Aiden didn't want to know what would happen. Chad had gotten called into emergency surgery and promised to be back as soon as he finished. He was reluctant to leave, but I assured him that Lily would be fine. He was extremely handsome, tall, dark hair, green eyes, and lips that she knew Lily was probably crazy for. It broke her heart that something like this happened so early in their relationship. Lily had seemed to really like him and she hoped he was strong enough to handle this tragedy with them.

  Gus was finishing up a call with Conall who had just arrived in town and was about to leave the airport to come there when she heard a knock at the front door. Gus grabbed her arm and yanked her back before she could move to answer it.

  "I'll get it, babe. Stay right here, okay?"

  When he looked through the peep hole, his shoulders relaxed, but not enough for her to believe that whoever had arrived was exactly welcome. Evan walked in first, but it was the man with him that made Aiden go rigid.

  Brandon.

  Aiden's fists clenched and Gus was at her side in a heartbeat.

  "We had a hell of a time finding the bastard," Evan grumbled.

  "Why is he here?" she asked tightly.

  "In case I need to beat the shit out of him. I'd lose my job if I did it at the station."

  She huffed with amusement. She would love to see Gus do something like that.

  "Where is my daughter?" Brandon growled viciously.

  Aiden's blood boiled. "You tell me, you piece of-"

  Gus squeezed her shoulder and shook his head, "Hold on, babe. Let's try and do this as rationally as possible - for now."

  Evan shoved Brandon into the living room. The man looked and smelled sober and had thankfully showered since the last time she saw him. She wondered if he was actually trying to pull himself together so he could be in his daughter's life, but that thought was short lived.

  "I told Lily something like this would happen. You two are pathetic and you," he glared at Aiden. "You are the last person I would leave her with."

  She didn't even have a chance to berate him because Gus was there already, yanking Brandon forward by his shirt before slamming him back into the wall.

  "You stupid piece of shit! Don't you dare talk to her like that. You are the pathetic one. Abandoning your wife and baby… you think that makes you more of man?"

  Brandon looked like he was about to piss his pants. Being on the other side of that anger wasn't where she ever wanted to be, but it was definitely effective.

  "L-Listen," Brandon stuttered. "I don't have anything to do with Aidy being taken. I swear to God. This guy already questioned me." He pointed to Evan who looked just as anxious for Gus to beat this idiot to a pulp.

  "And you didn't give me a straight answer," Evan spit out.

  "I don't know anything. Yes, I followed Lily for a while. Kara left me for some underwear model and I was a mess. I wanted to see if I could get Lily back."

  Gus released him and took a step back.

  "Then I saw my daughter," he added. "It all came crashing down. She's… she's beautiful."

  Aiden didn't even realize she was moving. She lunged at him and connected her fist with his jaw. Pain flared hot in her hand and wrist, but she still wanted to kill the bastard.

  "Whoa! Aiden!" Gus pulled her away and held her back while Brandon cupped his jaw in pain.

  "You son of a bitch! Five years! Five fucking years and now you want to see her? Want to be in her life?"

  He didn't respond, just stared at the floor as he absently rubbed his jaw.

  Gus held onto her and after a minute of soothing words and touches, she finally calmed down. The pain in her wrist was excruciating and her hand felt like it had been crushed with a hammer. She hugged it to her chest as hot tears burned her eyes.

 

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