Chapter Thirty

Ford stared out the window at the wreck of Dominik’s truck in the edge of the freeway, surrounded by fire trucks and ambulances as Cort drove past, following the police. Heath and Mackenzie had tried to help save his son, risking their own lives without knowing it. No one could have known. Kyle was more dangerous than he’d ever imagined.

And he still had Jaxon.

This was all on Ford. If he’d fucking spoken to the lawyers sooner, gotten the police and the court involved, all of this could have been avoided.

Only, what could he have told the police then? He’d known nothing about Kyle except that he was a disgusting, manipulative bastard.

I swore Jaxon would never see that man again. He trusted me! Ford irritably rubbed away the tears that spilled down his cheeks. His heart was being ripped to shreds, but the pain was nothing compared to what would happen if he lost his son for good. Giving in to his emotions wouldn’t keep him clearheaded enough to figure out Kyle’s next move.

He had to use the skills he’d gained while avoiding the law. Fine, he’d been caught stealing cars once, but that hadn’t been his first time evading the cops. He’d driven on roads like this, blue and red lights flashing in his rearview mirror, with only seconds to make a decision before they closed in on him.

The darkness of the tree line broke and Ford surveyed the truck depot, filled with stacked red and blue containers, all the lights off for the night. A metal partition and a ditch separated the freeway from the lot, but ended just at the next tree line began.

“Here! Cort, turn here!”

“What?” Cort glanced over, gave a sharp nod, then yanked back the handbrake as he spun the wheel. He slowed as they reached the end of the partition, driving close to the edge to avoid the steep ditch beside it.

Tire tracks cut through the long grass ahead of them, proving Ford’s instincts had been right. Staying on the freeway would make it easy for the cops to trap Kyle, and they’d likely set up a roadblock ahead. They’d circle back this way when they realized they’d lost him, but Kyle had bought himself time to ditch the car and head out on foot.

Cort turned off the headlights as he drove onto the paved lot. With the window open, Ford could hear the tires of their car passing over gravel, but nothing else. They could get out and search the area on foot, but the lot was huge.

Kyle could be anywhere.

“Come on, Jaxon.” Ford held his breath, sure he’d heard running for a moment, but there was nothing but the gravel. “Let me know where you are, son. I’m coming.”

The car stopped beside a massive stack of containers. Cort held up a hand. He was listening too.

Running again. A thunk of metal.

“Where are you, you little shit?” The voice came from beyond the containers. Kyle.

His footsteps were careful, almost soundless, as though he suspected someone might find him. The running came from farther away. Jaxon had gotten away from his uncle. Probably hiding, then running when he was scared he’d be found.

Ford’s pulse pounded in his ears. Cort grabbed his arm and motioned for Ford to take the left, while he took the right.

Reaching into his glove compartment, Cort pulled out a pistol. A new one.

Eyes wide, Ford stared at him. He’d turned in all his weapons when he’d been arrested. He might have been found innocent of manslaughter for killing the man who’d tried to rape Jami, but with his record, he couldn’t legally carry anymore.

“Don’t give me that look. My dad dropped this off when I told him you were in trouble.” Cort’s lips curved into the cold, deadly smile he’d always worn when he was on a job for Kingsley. “He says congratulations, by the way. And reminded me we always protect our own.”

Damn it, Ford loved Sutter—even though the man didn’t seem sure half the time if he even liked Ford—but he had to know that giving Cort a gun put him at risk of going back to prison. Ford wouldn’t stop Cort from killing Kyle if it came to protecting his son, but…

“No.” Ford grabbed Cort’s wrist. “I’m not letting you take all the heat. Not this time. Give me the gun.”

“Ford, you’re his father. He needs you.”

“I know he does. But he needs you too. If one of us has to kill Kyle, it will be me. We’ll figure out the rest later.” Ford tightened his grip when Cort tried to jerk away from him. “Let me do this, Cort. I hope we can take him out without it, but I’ll have a better defense.”

“This isn’t up for negotiation. It’s not registered.”

“I’m aware.” Ford pried the gun from Cort’s hand, grateful that he didn’t fight too hard to keep it. “Besides, we both know you won’t need a weapon if you find Kyle before I do.”

Cort’s lips thinned, but he inclined his head. “True. Stay safe.”

“You too.” Ford slipped out of the car, holding the pistol at his side, glancing back once as Cort moved silently to the end of the containers, then stopped to listen.

Jaxon hadn’t moved in a while. He must have found somewhere to hide. But there were the quiet sounds of Kyle walking up and down the lot, searching between the containers, the moon breaking free of the clouds facilitating the hunt. He’d been more careful after the cops had passed, but the silence following must have convinced him he’d avoided detection.

He thought it was just him and Jaxon here. That he had time to track down the little boy.

And Jaxon thought he was alone.

Time to fix that.

“Hey, Kyle!” Ford pressed against a container, eyes on the shifting shadows a few yards ahead of him. “I thought you were good at this! Did you lose the one person you could use for profit? That’s fucking pathetic!”

The shadows stopped moving.

“Ford? I’m impressed. Don’t spoiled rich boys go crying to the cops when they lose their kid? How’d that work out for you?” Kyle’s footsteps were moving away from him. “Did you really think I’d let you take the kid I’ve wasted so much fucking time and energy on? Your father offered me money. A place in his business. Anything I asked for, just to have control of your son.” The footsteps stopped. “But he’s too careful. I looked into what you did with Kingsley. A man who wasn’t afraid of anything. All you needed was a little push and there was no limit to how far we could go.”

“So you thought I’d walk away from the life I’d built because…what, you convinced your sister you could raise my son?”

“I didn’t have to convince her. She didn’t give a fuck about that kid. The only reason she didn’t have an abortion was because she wanted the money for drugs.” Kyle let out a cold laugh. “Your son was born an addict. Did you know that? Oh…wait, of course you didn’t. Because the first time she held him, she thought she could be a mother. And that you would ruin his life. So she kept him away from you. Spent two years trying to get clean, but then she realized drugs were so much more fun than a whiny brat who just made her want to get stoned and stay that way.”

“Trista had a lot of problems. She wanted Jaxon. Say whatever you want, but she decided to keep him.”

“She knew she’d made a mistake. She got pregnant again and followed through with the abortion. Jaxon showed her she wasn’t meant to be a mother.” Kyle’s footsteps stopped. “He was about five then and so fucking annoying she decided to kill his little brother or sister.”

The sound of something hitting the side of a container echoed over the lot, followed by a broken sob.

“She wanted me! She told me she did! She told me she shouldn’t give me a little brother or sister until she could take care of me.” Jaxon’s voice broke. “She tried, but she was sick. She’d tuck me in at night and tell me she was sorry.”

“Your mother loved you, Jaxon.” Ford followed the sound Kyle creeping along a container, just ahead of him. Jaxon was still too far away. He didn’t want Kyle’s words to hurt him anymore, but if Jaxon wasn’t quiet, the man would find him. “Son, I love you. And I’m gonna get you out of this. But you need to hide. Don’t come out until I tell you it’s safe.”

“Dad…I’m scared.” There was a swift sound of sneakers on gravel and Ford’s stomach dropped. “I’m sorry I didn’t stay close to you. I’m so fucking sorry. I knew Uncle Kyle would come after me. He told me I owed him.”

“You owe him shit, Jaxon. Listen to me. The cops are coming. And I’m right here.” Ford pressed his forehead against the cold metal of a container, listening to every footstep, knowing Kyle was close. He needed to keep the man talking. Focused on Ford, while making sure Jaxon stayed out of reach. “I promised he’d never hurt you again. I promised I’d keep you safe. But I need your help to do that. Don’t let him find you.” Silence. He bowed his head. Smiled. “Good boy. Stay where you are. Don’t move until I tell you to.”

“Aww, that’s cute.” Kyle’s footsteps sounded in his direction. “Jaxon, I know where your father is. If you don’t come out, I’ll kill him.”

Ford spotted the shadows shifting at the end of the container just in time to back up quietly behind them. But he knew Kyle had heard him. His confidence wasn’t fake. He knew enough to expect that either Ford or Cort had a weapon. He’d be avoiding them if he didn’t have one himself.

“Ford, you fucking stay out of range.” Cort’s voice sounded for the first time, at the far end of the containers. “I have Jaxon. He’s safe. The cops are on their way.”

Peering around the edge of the container, Ford spotted Kyle. Watched him turn, eyes wild with rage.

“You can’t have him! He’s mine!”

As Kyle started running, Ford stepped out, aiming the gun, an icy calm taking over. “Don’t you fucking move.”

Kyle spun around, saw Ford, and fired.

Ford pulled the trigger, even as his body jerked. Pain exploded in his side. He braced his hand against the container as Kyle ducked out of sight.

“Ford!” Cort’s voice was close. Too close. He had to stay with Jaxon.

Ford inhaled against the wave of black flooding his vision. Shook his head as hot blood spilled under the hand pressed to his side. “Cort, keep him safe! Swear to me you’ll keep him safe!”

Sirens sounded in the distance. Another gunshot went off.

Then there was nothing.