Chapter 4 - The Ransom of Blood
Matteo helped Kate up from the floor, supporting her weight as she cried.
Damon's phone vibrated in his pocket with an unknown caller ID.
He answered it, putting it on speaker for everyone in the room to hear.
"I hear you are looking for a missing patient, Blackwell," Senator Caldwell's voice boomed through the speaker.
Damon's jaw clenched.
"You have made a fatal error tonight, Senator," Damon replied with deadly calm.
The Senator laughed, a rich, entitled sound that echoed in the empty hospital room.
"My son made a mistake, Damon, a drunken error in judgment," the Senator reasoned.
"But I cannot allow you to ruin his political future over a broken bone on a nobody maid."
Kate closed her eyes, feeling smaller and more invisible than ever before.
"The maid is under my protection," Damon stated, his voice dropping an octave.
"Protection is expensive, Blackwell," the Senator countered.
"I have the sick mother, and you have the only witness to my son's indiscretion."
The Senator paused, letting the weight of his threat sink in.
"Bring the girl to the abandoned shipping yards at Pier 40 in exactly one hour."
"If you hand her over to me, her mother goes back to her hospital bed unharmed."
"If you refuse, or if you bring an army, the old woman goes into the harbor."
The line clicked dead.
Damon looked at Kate, his dark eyes searching her pale, terrified face.
"I am not giving you to them," Damon said immediately.
"You have to," Kate pleaded, grabbing his sleeve with her good hand.
"She is the only family I have left in this world."
"If I hand you over, Preston will kill you to ensure your silence," Damon warned.
"I don't care about my life," Kate cried.
Damon stepped closer, wiping a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
"I care about your life, Kate."
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"Matteo, load the heavy weapons," Damon commanded, turning toward the door.
"We are going to Pier 40, and we are going to kill a United States Senator."
