Chapter 5 - The Ransom
I violently snatched the heavy paper from the security guard's hand.
The elegant, looping handwriting belonged unmistakably to Vivian Cross.
"Your other two sons are perfectly safe with their grandmother," the note read.
"Come to the main estate alone if you ever want to see them again."
A ragged, desperate scream tore from my throat.
Damian tried to stand up, but the sudden blood loss made him sway violently.
"Keep drawing the blood," he ordered the terrified nurse.
"Damian, she took Noah and Caleb," I sobbed hysterically.
His gray eyes grew darker than I had ever seen them before.
"Marcus," Damian said to his loyal guard.
"Lock down my mother's estate and ground all of her private jets immediately."
Marcus nodded grimly and ran out of the room to make the calls.
The nurse finally pulled the needle from Damian's arm and rushed the precious blood bags to the operating room.
Damian ripped the bandage off his arm and grabbed his damp suit jacket.
"You are way too weak to go anywhere," I argued.
"They are my sons, Claire," he gritted out through his teeth.
"I missed their first steps, their first words, and five entire years of their lives."
"I will burn my mother's world to absolute ashes before I let her take them away from me."
We sprinted toward the elevator, leaving Evan's life in the surgeon's hands.
The ride down to the parking garage was agonizingly slow.
Damian's heavily armored black SUV was idling near the concrete entrance.
As we rapidly approached the vehicle, a man stepped out of the dark shadows.
He was wearing a perfectly tailored suit and held a thick manila envelope.
"Mr. Cross, Mrs. Bennett," the man said smoothly.
"I am Vivian's lead attorney."
May you like
He held the envelope out directly toward me.
"You have been formally served," he smiled.
