The alarm blares at 6:00 a.m., and Kas leans over Raina’s sleeping body to cut if off. Amazed at how she could sleep through the annoying contraption, he gently shakes her. Her skin feels a little too warm to the touch, and he presses his lips against her forehead as he shakes her again, “Rain, wake up.”
Her body protests as she rolls over.
“Are you feeling alright, darlin’?” Kas asks, placing his hand where his lips just left, “you feel hot.”
Just as she nods her head, a cough erupts, giving her away.
“You need to stay here and rest if you’re getting sick,” he tells her, reaching for his phone.
“It’s just a little cold, I’m fine,” she assures him, slipping out of bed.
Grinding his teeth, he is torn between making her get her much needed sleep and giving her one more day to finish with the last of the equipment recovered, “You’ll be done by lunch.”
“Yeah, I should be,” she answers.
“That wasn’t a question, sweetheart,” he informs her, “You will be done by lunch, then we’re coming back here, you need to rest.”
“So do you,” she replies, smiling at his determined expression.
“I’m not the one coming down with something,” he retorts, leaning in for a kiss.
Placing her hand over his mouth, she shakes her head, “You will be if you do that.”
“I’ll take my chances,” he teases, tugging her hand away and pulling her lips to his.
Momentarily forgetting the pressure in her chest and head, she loses herself in his talented hands.
“What do you want for breakfast?” Kas asks, making himself pull away from his tempting wife so they can get moving.
“I’m not hungry,” she calls over her shoulder, heading towards the shower.
“Hot oatmeal it is then,” he calls back to her, winking, causing her to shake her head and laugh.
They skip cooking a big breakfast together today since they are at Chase’s, and Raina makes herself take a few bites of the oatmeal and drink the large glass of orange juice Kas places in front of her.
It becomes harder to ignore her scratchy throat as the morning progresses. When she finishes with the last piece of equipment, Raina is relieved that it’s lunchtime. Glancing at the clock, she relishes in how she should be able to get in some sleep while the data is decoding.
Garrett pops his head in the door, “We’re all dragging Lawson to lunch for his thirtieth birthday, want to come?”
“I didn’t know it’s Lawson’s birthday,” Erik states, “I’m in, but only if I can be the one to shove the cake in his face.”
Raina laughs, confused, “Why would you shove cake in Lawson’s face?”
“Tradition, girl. Anytime a lead agent has a birthday, they get cake-faced. Now you know why your man is never here on his actual birthday.”
“I’ll have to be sure that Kas works on his next birthday then,” she winks mischieviously.
“You have to come too, Rain,” Garrett tells her on his way out.
Bed is beckoning her, but she doesn’t want to miss out on Lawson’s birthday, especially since he’s thirty today. Sending a quick text to Kas, Raina lets him know where to meet them for lunch, promising she will sleep the rest of the afternoon. She doesn’t have to wait long on his response, laughing at what he jokingly promises for retribution if she doesn’t rest. Sending a quick reply, she lets him know that what he is threatening makes her very eager to disobey.
“Stop sexting over there,” Erik teasingly chastises, bursting into laughter at her scarlet blush. “I was just guessing, but by the look on your face, looks like I was spot on. If you start sending topless pics, I’m taking your phone away.”
Raina’s blush deepens, but she laughs, “No chance of that, I know how easily those can be hacked.”
Her appetite is still on hiatus, so Raina decides to order soup. Her thoughts immediately turn to her mom, causing her heart to ache from the memory. Her mind takes a detour, happily daydreaming of becoming a mother herself. Wondering how long it will take to become pregnant, she can’t help but get excited at how it’s possible that she already is. Nothing would make her happier than having Kas’ child.
“What’s causing that beautiful smile on your face, darlin’?” Kas asks, kissing her cheek as he takes a seat next to her. The look in her eyes tells him everything he needs to know. Placing his hand on her knee, he inches it higher, thoroughly enjoying the shocked look on her sweet, innocent face, “Do you have any idea how much I love you, woman?”
Leaning against his ear, she whispers, “You can show me later.”
Her perfect mix of innocence and seductive minx is intoxicating, “If you rest first.”
“So, now you’re offering it up as a reward? Stop confusing me, Pierce. I won’t be able to decide between being good and being bad,” she whispers.
“I love it when you’re both,” he winks.
Lawson arrives, and the large crowd erupts into a rowdy rendition of Happy Birthday. His patent gruff expression softens slightly as he takes the seat at the head of the table, “Thanks, but, just so you know, the first one to even mention cake is going to die.”
The meal is spent with everyone taking a break from their current stress. There’s no talk of work, not even a whisper about ghosts, as the jovial crowd enjoys their carefree time together. When the waitress quietly sneaks behind Lawson with a sheet cake in her hands, heavy on the hot pink icing, Garrett and Erik jump to their feet, grab the cake and shove the whole thing straight into Lawson’s face.
The room roars with laughter, even the cooks come out from the kitchen to witness the good spirited chaos. Lawson is laughing too hard to be angry. “C’mon, guys, pink? Really?” he lightheartedly scoffs, taking both hands and wiping the cake from his face.
“I think you would look good in that shade of pink,” Raina teases her husband.
He rewards her with a mock admonishing glare, “Pay back is hell, darlin’, you need to remember that.”
“I know how to handle you, Pierce,” she shoots back, the grin on her face increasing the already unruly protrusion in his pants.
“Sweetheart, I’m taking you home right now.” Throwing down money for their check, he is overly ready to be handled by his wife.
“I’m going to run to the ladies room first. I’ll be right back,” Raina tells Kas, kissing him on the cheek.
“Hurry,” he almost groans, watching her until she is inside the restroom and keeping his gaze steady on the door.
The tall blonde patron at the bar quickly throws a twenty down, his fingers rapidly texting on the way out the door.
The smile on Raina’s face grows as she thinks of last night and how sweetly they made love. Every touch by him seduces her. It doesn’t matter if they make love soft and slow or hard and fast, the way he makes her feel like the most important person in the world to him every time sanctions her. He is her everything, even though he has told her that it’s the other way around.
A creak reverberates through the small bathroom, then a shuffling noise. Raina doesn’t think much about it as she finishes and steps out of the stall. Checking her reflection in the mirror, she suppresses a cough, willing herself not to get sick, thinking of how she doesn’t have time for that. Her heart flutters at the thoughts of spending the rest of the day with Kas as she washes her hands. Turning around, she bumps straight into a tall, handsome, dark-haired gentleman on her way to the door. She catches herself before stumbling and steps back. Her surprise at a man’s presence in the ladies restroom barely has time to register before he steps towards her.
“Raina Pierce, I presume?”
“Do I know you?” she asks, the hair on the back of her neck prickling her skin as her pulse quickens.
Drevor’s fraudulent warm smile turns cold, “We have a mutual acquaintance.”
Raina immediately heads for the door, but he holds his hand up, patronizingly waving his finger back and forth and stepping in front of the locked door, “Uh huh. You might want to take a look at this first.”
Raina’s heart is in her throat as her gaze shifts down to the image on his phone. Throwing a hand over her mouth, her eyes plead with the stranger.
“Her name is Carrie. She just turned fifteen last week. If you want her to live to see sixteen, you’ll come with me.”
Raina closes her eyes; the terrified image of the girl is singed in her brain, “Please, just-just let her go.”
“I will, but you have to come with me first,” Drevor tells her too softly as he extends his hand.
She recoils from him, like he’s the devil himself, “No. Let her go first!”
“You aren’t the one calling the shots here, honey,” his voice hardens, “Come with me, now.”
Slowly shaking her head, Raina starts to back away, knowing if she goes, the poor girl’s dead, and she will be soon after.
“It was your money that purchased her. It will be your refusal that finishes her,” Drevor warns coldly, the steely resolve in his eyes proving he means every word.
Too many thoughts are spinning through her mind at once. Logic is in a fierce battle with her emotions. Carrie’s safety is her priority at the moment, but going with him makes her fear she’s beating the nails straight into both of their coffins instead of protecting the child.
Drevor shrugs nonchalantly as his gaze drops to the live video, “Kill her, she’s not coming.”
Raina throws her hand up, “NO!”
Laughing cruelly, Drevor tells the man to wait. “Tick, tock, honey, time’s running out.”
He turns the phone back to Raina. Seeing the blonde, frightened child crying, her arms wrapped around her knees while she cowers away from the imposing man holding a gun to her head speeds her decision. “Okay, I’ll go with you,” she whispers.
Drevor grabs Raina’s purse, dropping it on the floor and roughly pushing her against the wall to pat her down. “Let’s go,” he demands, painfully grabbing her arm as he leads her to the window. “Up you go,” he laughs, thoroughly enjoying the fear permeating from her as he hoists her higher.
A blonde, forty-something man catches her when she lets go of the windowsill. Glancing back at the restaurant, Raina thinks of Kas as the man shoves her forward. A sharp stab of agony consumes her,
I’m
sorry,
Kas.
I’m
so
sorry
. Drevor slips out behind her, jumping onto the street in the back alley, and he pushes her into the back of the black Lexus waiting on them.
“Let her go, now!” Raina commands.
Drevor loudly laughs, “So innocent, so stupid. I can’t believe you’re the one close to bringing down the entire ring.”
Raina doesn’t have a chance to respond. A cloth is pressed tightly against her nose and mouth, and she struggles against the firm grasp on the back of her neck as she sends her elbow into Drevor’s ribs, managing to wriggle free. Everything is fuzzy as she takes a swing, landing a solid blow against his nose. She screams with frustration as she yanks at the locked door, then kicks at the window. Another kick leaves the window cracked, and Raina immediately goes to deliver another kick, but rough hands from the front grab at her as the cloth is forced harshly against her again. Punching at Drevor, he yanks her backwards and straddles her, pinning her legs. Her fierce struggle begins to weaken as the drug takes effect. The last thing she sees is Drevor leaning over her. His cold hand caressing her cheek is the last thing she feels before the darkness consumes her.
Kas watches the bathroom, wondering what is taking Raina so long, and an uneasy feeling brings him to his feet. Quickly making his way to the restrooms, he knocks on the door, calling her name. Silence is his response, and he tries to turn the handle. Stepping back, he kicks the door open before rushing inside. He panics when he sees the contents of Raina’s purse spilt across the tile floor.
Spotting the window, Kas swears loudly as he races out of the bathroom door. His panic is raging when he barges through the back door to the alley. The cold air greets him as he races outside, looking for his wife, “Raina!” His eyes dart both ways, seeing nothing, no one, except for a few people passing by at the end. He sprints to the street, pushing his way through a crowd of people as he frantically searches for her, “RAINA!”
Ignoring the stares of the passersby, Kas wastes no time searching for anything to give him a clue as to which way she’s disappeared. He calls Erik as he dodges traffic, racing across the street to the bank ATM, “Raina’s been taken! I need you to pull up the footage to every camera on this street, immediately!”
The eighteen agents and Erik meet him outside as Kas runs back to them. The horrified look on his face is crushing. “Send me the footage!” he partly growls, partly pleads as he heads towards his jeep.
“Where are you going?” Derrick calls out, racing after him.
“To find Parker!”
“Kas, wait-”
Kas brutally shoves Derrick when he grabs him. “Don’t! They took Raina, they took my wife!” he yells, a broken desperation filling his voice. Jumping into his jeep, he tears out onto the street.
“He will kill Parker,” Derrick informs Lawson when he reaches him.
“Then, we should help him,” Lawson barks, following Kas’ team and Erik to Austin’s Tahoe.