Chapter 9
The penthouse went on lockdown.
24/7 security on every floor.
Bulletproof glass installed on all the windows.
A panic room built into the master bedroom.
Noah wouldn’t let Emily or Lily leave the penthouse for anything.
Not even to go to the park.
Not even to go to the doctor.
He was terrified.
And Emily couldn’t blame him.
Elias was out there.
And he had nothing left to lose.
Ava moved into the penthouse with them, too scared to stay in her own apartment.
She and Emily became fast friends, staying up late at night talking, watching old movies, taking care of Lily while Noah worked.
Ava told her about the night she’d run away three years earlier.
“Elias found out I knew Dad didn’t die of a heart attack,” she said, sitting on the balcony one night, watching the sun set over the lake. “Dad was going to fire him. Found out he’d been stealing money from the company for years. Elias gave him too much of his heart medication. Killed him. Made it look like an accident. When I confronted him, he tried to kill me too. I ran. Didn’t tell anyone. Was scared he’d find me.”
She paused, staring at her hands.
“I came back last month because I found the proof. The pharmacy records. The texts between him and the doctor who signed the death certificate. I was going to give it to Noah. But Elias found me first.”
Emily reached over, squeezing her hand.
“You’re safe now. We all are. Noah’s security team—”
“They’re not enough.” Ava’s voice was quiet, scared. “Elias has money. A lot of it. Stashed in offshore accounts. He can hire anyone. Kill anyone. He won’t stop until we’re all dead.”
She was right.
A week later, the first attempt happened.
A sniper fired three shots at the penthouse windows in the middle of the night.
The bulletproof glass stopped them.
No one was hurt.
But Emily found Lily’s favorite stuffed animal on the floor, a bullet hole right through its head.
She broke down, sobbing, holding Lily tight.
That was when Noah decided.
They had to leave Chicago.
Go somewhere Elias would never find them.
A small cabin in the mountains of Colorado.
Owned by Whitman Group, used for executive retreats.
No cell service.
No internet.
No one knew it existed except Noah and his father before him.
They left that night, under cover of darkness, in an unmarked SUV, with three security cars following behind.
The drive took fourteen hours.
Lily slept most of the way, curled up between Emily and Ava.
Noah drove, his eyes on the road, his hand resting on Emily’s leg the whole time.
The cabin was beautiful.
Log walls, stone fireplace, a big porch overlooking a lake surrounded by pine trees.
No roads for miles.
No neighbors.
Just them.
And the security team, stationed in a smaller cabin half a mile down the road.
For a week, it was perfect.
They hiked during the day, cooked dinner together at night, sat by the fire watching Lily play.
Noah worked from a satellite phone, checking in with the office once a day.
Emily forgot about Elias.
Forgot about Ryan.
Forgot about all the bad things that had happened.
For the first time in her life, she was happy.
Truly happy.
But it didn’t last.
On the eighth night, Emily woke up at two a.m.
Thirsty.
She got out of bed, careful not to wake Noah or Lily, and walked down the hall to the kitchen.
She was pouring a glass of water when she heard it.
A twig snap outside.
Then another.
She froze.
The security team was half a mile away.
They checked the perimeter every two hours.
The next check wasn’t until three.
She crept to the window, pulling back the curtain just enough to peek outside.
Four men.
All in black.
Guns with silencers.
Moving toward the cabin.
And leading them.
Elias.
Emily didn’t scream.
She didn’t run.
She turned, walking quietly back down the hall to the bedroom.
She woke Noah with a hand over his mouth, her eyes wide with fear.
He woke instantly, understanding.
She whispered, “Elias. Outside. Four men. Guns.”
Noah slipped out of bed, grabbing the gun he kept in the nightstand.
He woke Ava, handing her a smaller gun.
“Take Lily. Go to the panic room in the basement. Lock the door. Don’t open it for anyone except me or Emily. Understand?”
Ava nodded, grabbing Lily from her crib, the baby still asleep.
They crept down the stairs to the basement, closing the panic room door behind them.
Noah and Emily stayed upstairs.
Noah called Tom, the head of security, whispering into the phone.
“Elias is here. Four men. We need backup. Now.”
“On our way,” Tom said. “Ten minutes. Hold on.”
Ten minutes.
An eternity.
They heard the front door jingle.
Elias picking the lock.
The door creaked open.
Footsteps on the hardwood floor.
“Come out, come out, little brother,” Elias called, his voice echoing through the cabin. “I know you’re here. I can smell your fear.”
He laughed.
“Bring the girl and the baby out, and I’ll make it quick. I’ll shoot you in the head. No pain. If you make me hunt you? I’ll make you watch while I kill them first. Slow.”
Noah squeezed Emily’s hand.
He nodded at the closet door beside them, signaling her to hide.
She shook her head.
No.
She wasn’t leaving him.
Elias walked into the living room.
He was ten feet away.
Noah stepped out from behind the wall, gun raised.
“Drop it, Elias.”
Elias turned, smiling.
“There you are. Where’s Emily? And the baby? And my dear little sister?”
“Gone,” Noah said. “You’re too late. The police are on their way. You’re surrounded.”
Elias laughed.
“Liar. Your security team is ten minutes away. I cut their tires. They’re walking. They won’t be here for an hour. It’s just us, Noah. Just you and me. Like it should have been from the beginning.”
May you like
He raised his gun.
“Goodbye, little brother.”
