Bloom's words rang in his head as he zigzagged through traffic toward the location he'd been sent.
He knew it was selfish to want to keep Esther in their lives, but he couldn't help it. Besides, it was already too late. Even if he sent her away now, she'd have a bright red target on her back. And if his enemies couldn't get to him, they'd use her instead. Her safety would be forever compromised.
The only way to keep her safe now was to keep her by his side. It was only a matter of time before he could extract the Narok family from the Underground's control. Then, maybe, they could finally live a normal life.
His phone dinged. He glanced at the now-empty road before checking the screen. Someone had sent him a picture message. His grip on the wheel tightened as he clicked it open. His breath caught in his throat.
It was Esther.
She was tied to a chair. Her usually long hair had been roughly cut, leaving patches of blood-matted strands on her head.
