Chapter 3

My plane landed at Nikos Drakos’s private runway with eight armed men.

His soldiers waited beside black vehicles.

Nobody lowered a weapon.

Nikos stood at the front in a white shirt with dried blood on one sleeve.

“Where is my daughter?” I asked.

“Safe.”

“That was not the question.”

He turned toward the villa.

I drew my gun and placed the barrel against his chest.

Twenty rifles rose behind him.

Eight rose behind me.

Nikos looked down at the gun.

“You entered my country, landed on my runway, and pointed a weapon at me.”

“You kept my child.”

“I removed her from a shipping container.”

“Return her.”

A door opened behind him.

Alba ran across the courtyard.

“Mama.”

I holstered the gun and caught her.

A doctor followed with a blanket and medical file.

“No fractures,” the doctor said. “Mild dehydration. Sedatives in her blood. No other injuries.”

Alba pointed at Nikos.

“He shot the bad man.”

Nikos adjusted his cuff over the bandage she had placed there.

I held Alba against my side.

“Thank you for saving her.”

“You are welcome.”

“We’re leaving.”

“No.”

My men moved.

Nikos raised one hand. His soldiers stayed still.

“The kidnappers used a route known only to six people in my organization,” he said. “Until I identify the traitor, every road out of this estate is exposed.”

Alba tightened both arms around my neck.

I faced him again.

“You saved my daughter.”

“Yes.”

“Do not mistake that for permission to keep her.”