Chapter 22

Twenty-Two

Finn dropped the three chocolate bars and ran out of the hospital cafeteria. The feeling that’d enveloped him when Jess was stabbed had returned.

She was in danger. She needed him.

He didn’t know how he knew; he just did.

Instead of waiting for the elevator, he headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time until he reached her floor. The exit door slammed against the wall when he opened it and the people nearby all stopped and stared.

Finn probably looked like a madman. Someone hell-bent on doing harm, and he could unleash hell if he wanted to. That was what he was trained for.

Ignoring them, he raced to Jess’s room, where he found her doctor and a nurse looking around the room, as if hoping Jess would miraculously appear.

“Where is she?” he demanded breathlessly. He bent at the knee and sucked in a couple of breaths.

“You didn’t come and get her?” the nurse asked.

“Does it look like I have her?” he returned. “I wouldn’t have asked if I knew where she was.”

“Okay, let’s remain calm,” the doctor said. “I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation for where Ms. Killian is.”

Finn clenched and unclenched his hands, trying to keep his cool. “I hope there is. But I think there’s not. I think she’s been taken, and we need to get security in here now.”

Without waiting for the doctor to respond, he pulled his cellphone out, wishing he’d connected Jess’s phone to his so that he could track her. Luckily, he knew someone who could.

He found Tex’s details and connected the call. “Come on, answer,” he muttered as the ringing went on and on. Voicemail kicked in and he bit back a curse. “Tex, it’s Finn Spelling. I need your help. Someone’s taken Jess from the County Hospital in San Diego. Call me as soon as you can, please.”

“I think you’re jumping to conclusions, Mr. Spelling. We don’t know for sure that Ms. Killian has been taken. Couldn’t she have simply gone for a walk?” The doctor smiled reassuringly.

“With her bag?” He pointed to the bed where he’d seen it before he’d gone to the bathroom and then to get food.

His cellphone shrilled and Finn answered quickly when he saw Tex’s name flashing up on the screen. “Tex! Did you get my message?”

“I did. I’m on it. Give me ten minutes, and I’ll have answers for you.”

Relief had him grabbing the covers of Jess’s bed in an attempt to keep him upright. Tex hadn’t questioned him, he’d believed Finn and was acting accordingly. “Thanks. Appreciate it.”

“I know your teammates are still away, but I’ve contacted Kevlar. He and his team will meet you downstairs in fifteen.”

“Thanks, appreciate it.”

“No thanks needed. We’ll find her.” There was a determination in Tex’s voice Finn recognized. It was the same one they all used when they were about to head out on a mission. That fire and determination to get it done and get it done right.

“Where are you going?” the nurse asked when Finn walked toward the door.

“To find Jess.”

He didn’t wait for a response from either of the medical professionals. They’d never understand the instincts a SEAL honed while on missions. The same instincts that warned them of danger and kept them alive. He was listening to his right now and they were all screaming that time was of the essence. Standing around debating whether Jess had been taken or not was a waste of precious seconds.

This time, he took the elevator down, and he spent the short journey texting Oak about the current situation. His friend would be by his side as soon as he could.

The next person he had to inform of the current situation couldn’t be informed by a text. He had to call them.

Fuck. He hated making these calls. He’d already done it once and he didn’t want to do it again, but he had no choice.

Striding out of the hospital, he scanned the area, noting Kevlar and his team hadn’t arrived as yet.

Finn couldn’t put off the call, though. He had to make it now.

He willed Kevlar to appear as he waited for his call to be answered. His stomach dropped when it connected.

“Finn? You and Jess on your way?” Slick’s normally deep voice was light with happiness. Happiness he was about to dim.

“Not quite.” How did he say this? How did he tell her father that he was pretty sure his daughter had been kidnapped, but he didn’t have proof, just a gut feeling?

Now he could understand why the doctor and nurse looked at him as if he’d sprouted another set of arms.

“What’s going on, Finn?” The grumble was back, as though Slick already knew the news wasn’t going to be good.

“Jess is missing. I was in the cafeteria when fear and dread slammed into me. I knew something was wrong. I went back up to her room, and she and her bag were gone.”

“Fuck. If your gut is screaming she’s gone, then she’s gone. I need to call Sledge; his wife is a computer whiz. She’ll be able to hack into the hotel’s security system.”

“I’ve already got someone on that. A former SEAL named Tex.”

“He’s the one who trained Beth,” Slick said.

Finn digested that information, but now wasn’t the time to discuss the six degrees of separation between Slick’s friend and Tex. “All of my team are on R&R. Well, one guy is in the hospital. Anyway, another SEAL team is on the way to pick me up. Hopefully, by the time they arrive, Tex will have the location for us to head to.”

“Once you get it, let me know. I’m coming, too.”

There was no point trying to talk Slick out of coming after his daughter. Finn would be disappointed in the man if he hadn’t wanted to be part of it. “I will. Call Dad, will you? He can come with you, and Mom and Aunt Poppy can keep Primmy and your kids calm.”

“Sounds good.”

Brakes screeched, and Finn looked up to see Kevlar’s car in front of him.

Kevlar directed him to the front.

“Where is everyone else?” Finn asked as he belted himself in.

“Waiting on the street. We’ll go in convoy down to the closest park and wait for Tex to get back to you on a location.”

Finn’s knee jiggled up and down and, as much as he tried, he couldn’t control the anxious tic. “Why hasn’t Tex called? He said he’d get back to me in ten. It’s been fifteen.”

His fellow SEAL chuckled. “Tex is probably making sure he’s got all his ducks in a row before he calls. As this isn’t a military op, he will have to get in touch with the local law enforcement to let them know we’ll be on the scene. This isn’t the first time a team from base has worked with them.”

Finn nodded, but wished his phone would ring. The drive to the park didn’t take long, and as soon as Kevlar pulled to a stop, Finn was out and striding across the grass before turning and heading back to the car. He did that a couple of times until he was sure that he would be able to stand still and wait.

He’d never been like this when he was on a mission. This worried and nervous and…scared.

There was no way he could lose Jess. Not now. Why had he been so stubborn four years ago and believed that putting distance between him and Jess was the best thing to do?

They could’ve been together for longer than just a few days. It might’ve been difficult, but they’d have worked it out. He could’ve done what he was planning to do now—transfer to the east coast.

“Hive, you good?” Preacher asked as he approached the group.

“Yeah, just...” He shrugged, not sure about how he could put into words what he was feeling.

“I get it. But don’t worry. Tex is on the job and he’ll find your woman.”

“But will it be in time?” he asked. Whoever took her had to be the same person who stabbed her.

It was the only logical conclusion he could reach, but who was this person?

It wasn’t Bartholomew. That bastard was still in prison.

Was it a family member who was upset with Jess because Bartholomew was locked up?

There had to be a reason for this attack on her, but what was it?

Another car pulled into the parking lot and Oak jumped out, Kaley right on his heels.

“Is there any news?” Kaley demanded the second she stopped in front of him. “Where is she?”

Kaley’s presence wasn’t a surprise. Either she’d been with Oak when he’d made the call, or his teammate had called her. Either way, he was glad Jess’s friend was there.

“Nothing yet. Still waiting for a call back.” Finn couldn’t imagine the stress Slick was feeling right at this moment. This was the second time in her life that Jess had been taken.

Aunt Poppy had suffered a serious gunshot wound, making sure Jess was unharmed during that ordeal, but Jess was alone this time. Still, Finn didn’t doubt that his girl would fight as hard as his aunt (her stepmom) had all those years ago.

“Why is it taking so long?” Kaley queried.

“Not sure. Tex is doing everything he can to find her.” Finn had to trust what Kevlar said and believe that Tex was as good as they all claimed he was.

“Why is this always happening to her?” Kaley voiced exactly what he’d been thinking about.

“I wish I knew.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than his phone buzzed. Finn froze, wanting to pick the phone up, but also not wanting to.

What if Tex had located Jess and it was too late? That, for some reason, Tex had found her and she wasn’t alive.

But what if she is?

That little voice was all he needed for him to pull the phone from his pocket. Tex’s name flashed up on the screen. “Tex, do you have her?”

“I do. I also have the name of the person who has her. Does the name Daiken Nicholas mean anything to you?”

“No. But Jess’s best friend is here, so I can ask her. She might know who he is.” Finn’s stomach churned at the thought of what Jess could be going through at the hands of this person.

“You do that, and I’ll send you all the address.”

“Okay.” Finn pressed the phone against his chest. “Kaley, do you know someone by the name of Daiken Nicholas?”

Kaley’s brow furrowed and Finn held his breath, hoping it didn’t mean she had no idea who this person was. “Um, I think one of the girls in the company dated someone named Daiken, but I can’t be sure. It could’ve been Deacon.”

His phone beeped with Tex’s incoming message. It took the edge off the fact that Kaley wasn’t sure who Daiken was.

“Wait, I’ve got that wrong.” Jess’s friend’s eyes went wide and with a touch of frantic. “Benita Collins dates a guy named Daiken. Benita was the lead dancer until Jess was promoted. Why?”

There it was.

The connection they needed.

“Daiken’s got Jess, and I’m betting everything I own that the reason he’s got her is to make sure she’s out of the picture and Benita gets the role as lead dancer back. He has to have been the one who stabbed her.” Finn returned to his call. “Did you hear that, Tex?”

“I did and—” Keystrokes were audible. “I’ve found her. Benita is still at the hotel in San Diego. I’m going to message Fort and see if he and one of his guys can go watch it.”

Finn didn’t question how Tex was going to let Fort know what Benita looked like. He just accepted it. “Thanks. I got your message with Jess’s location.”

Things were becoming real, and the adrenaline rush he usually got before they were about to set out on their mission spiked through his system.

“I’ve cleared it with the local law enforcement and SWAT team,” Tex continued. “They’re on their way. They’ll meet you there and know that you will want to be involved.”

“Have you been able to get eyes on Jess, Tex? Is she okay?” Finn managed to ask the question he’d been burning to the whole time.

His sigh was all the answer Finn needed. “Last visual I had of her was when he was taking her into the house. She was...” he paused, and Finn braced for the bad news. “She looked unconscious.”

“Right.” He didn’t know what else to say. He just had to hope that they got there in time and Jess would be alive when they found her.