The hum of the jet engines felt louder now, vibrating through the floorboards as the cabin door stayed locked.
I took a step back, my heart hammering against my ribs. I looked from the massive, silent bodyguards to Leo Mercer. His expression was entirely devoid of the desperation I had seen just minutes prior. The vulnerable father had vanished, replaced by the calculating kingpin the world feared.
“Let me off this plane,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt. “The next time we land, I’m leaving.”
Leo looked down at his daughter, gently adjusting the soft blanket around her shoulders before looking back up at me.
“You think this is a kidnapping, Nora,” he said quietly, his tone dangerously smooth. “It isn’t. It’s a rescue. For both of you.”
He gestured to one of the bodyguards, who immediately stepped forward and handed Leo a sleek black tablet. Leo slid it across the mahogany table toward me.
On the screen was a live video feed of my Chicago apartment building. There were three black SUVs parked across the street, engines idling, and men standing under the awning who definitely didn’t belong to the neighborhood.
“Forty minutes ago, a team went into your building,” Leo said, his eyes locking onto mine. “They weren’t there to welcome you back. They were sent by the people who orchestrated the crash that took your husband and your boys.”
The air left my lungs in a sharp gasp. I gripped the edge of the table, the world tilting beneath my feet. “What did you say?”
“Your husband’s death wasn’t an accident,” Leo continued, his voice dropping an octave. “He was working a high-level customs oversight project that directly interfered with my competitors. They eliminated him, and they eliminated your children to ensure you wouldn’t ask questions. But they missed a detail. They didn’t realize he left the encryption keys with you.”
I shook my head, tears finally spilling over my eyelashes. “I don’t know anything about encryption keys. I’m just trying to survive.”
“They don’t care what you know,” Leo said, standing up. He towered over me, a fortress of charcoal wool and cold intent. “They only care about what you represent. If you step foot back in Chicago, you’re a ghost. But on this plane, under my name, you’re protected.”
He took a step closer, his eyes scanning my face.
“My daughter needs you to stay alive, Nora. And right now, you need me for the exact same reason.”
Part 3
