Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 441

"Don't mention it. She's your wife, so she's like a sister-in-law to me."

Damian called the local departments of civil aviation and customs, then the ministries of ports, foreign affairs and immigration.

He also reached out to a contact with links to mercenaries abroad.

Information came rolling in

Damian thanked his sources, hang up and called Austyn straight away.

'Good news and bad news,' he said as soon as Austyn picked up.

Austyn was in a police mobile command centre barrelling down the highway towards the outskirts.

Luca and an officer were doing last-minute checks on two drones, to be released the moment they entered the target area.

"What's the good news?" Austyn asked.

'I found out who's behind this.'

'Name?

'Sean Santoto."

Austyn narrowed his eyes.

He'd heard that name somewhere before.

Sean Santoro was the vice president of Revency, a media company owned by Liam Came

Was Cane behind this?

Austyn upped his plone, "What's the bad news?

"The man has help & lot of it. A contact of mine told me a mercenary group touched down in Stamford about a week ago. They've gone to ground since. But I think wepest found them. They number about two dozen, all heavily armed Aanlyn's brant sank

God Helps Those Who Help Themselve

Lura had brought two teams of officers

But if there was a pintight, Kirá could be caught i

'Don't worry,' Banlan seemed to sense what Austyn was thinking. Tibong my from with me. Mae help's on the way,

'Thank you, Damian"

mike oblidays:

He knew they would be more tha

willing to help, but there wasn't enough time to gathenbe

Damian's team was more thuncapable of handling a hostage rescue missinit.

'Til see you there.' Damian hang up and dialled another mumber. "Mile, round up the team have a task for you."

Na wiped away the blood from the comer at her mouth.

Het cheeks were numb and swollen

She held out her hand

When the low Owen staring at hei, mouth agape, she asked again, "Which one is 11?'

she stole a glance towards the Formica table 'Come on! We don't have time to waste."

Her hand shook as she reached for the pearl earrings What you did way dangerous. And stupid."

How Kita said, freling annoyed and demoralised and terrified all at the same time.

The wastemdied by what happened just now-she could have been raped.

She was demoralised because that was the best plan the could come up with-distract the guards and grab the earrings.

If Austyn were here, he could probably come up with ten different ways to leave this place unscathed.

Kuna keer she had just average intelligence, and she used to be okay with it.

But now, when the found herself in deep trouble and what could very well be a life-or-death situation, she wished she were smarter. "Waityn would know what to do, she said to herself, sighing

Kira was also annnyed by Miss Beyes criticism.

she'd asked her life to get the earnings

The least the woman mould do was say thank you

"Why would yelp me wen asked sadly

The room warnold

the moved closed in Kira

00

Land helping you. I'm helping myself." Kira kept one eye on the guards.

The tall one was still hunched over, his fare pale

The short one was detaining himself with his phone.

"I don't want to die here, Kira whispered. The tracker can lead your friends to this location. The we'll both be saved.

a- "Sorry about the slap earlier had to sell the att

touched a hand to her face. "saky

Kina printed to the eating in Owen's right hard. What do we need to do?

Kita scooted over so she westaring the guards, blocking their view of ten behoedber

teen placed the pearl earring on the floor of the cage and smashed it with her stiletto heel.

the sifted through the broken parts of pearl and picked up a tiny black chip. This is the tracker. sking" Kira glaread lark.

Gown bodded. 'Il Mamy transmitting << signed once the earing breaku.!

'Does it have a rangeli

h's Ops tracker. The signal will be picked up anywhere in the world as long as the receives is on

Hopefully your friend has realised you're missing by now. They must really care about you to give you this tracker." Gwen lowered herejei

Martin wasn't really ber friend,

He gave her the earrings so Gideon could know where she was at all times.

She was like a pet to Gideon-to be petted and coddled, but not to be treated as an equal

For some reason, Gwen didn't want to mention Gideon's name to Kita.

Kira leaned against the cage. All we can do now is wait,'

Gwen agreed.

She was cold, hungry, thirsty, and tired, but she didn't dare close her eyes.

She studied Kira's face which looked so much like her own.

Finally, she said, "I was wrong. What you did wasn't stupid. It was brave, but it was also dangerous. You could've..."

Her voice trailed off.

she had no idea the girl had it in her.

Kira rubbed her bare arms.

They were covered in goosebumps.

She felt the cold wire cutting into her bare back

If she had to be kidnapped, she'd much prefer to be in her comfy t-shirt and jeans when it happened.

'I know,' she said matter-of-factly. But there was no choice. I had to try."

"We could have just waited for help to arrive, Gwen said.

"Your friend wouldn't know y you are missing till the tracker's activated, right? Who knows how long that's going to take

"What about your friend?"

Kira thought about Austyn

He had to have realised she was missing by now.

She wondered what he was doing.

Was he on his way here?

Kira shook her head. 'I can't just sit back and do nothing and pin my hope on help that may or may not arrive in time. You know the saying, "God helps those who help themselves."

HI

'You could've told me your plan

'There was no time. The men came in before I could talk to you, I had to improvise. Besides."

'Besides what?

Kira glanced at Gwen. Besides, telling you wouldn't have made a difference. I would have to be the one to carry out the plan.

'They are my earrings,' Gwen said defensively, 'I could have helped to get them'

Kira shook her head. "It's not about the earrings. I barely know you, but I've spent enough time with you to know that you'll never agree to such a plan. You cursed them the moment they walked in, despite knowing they have complete power over us. It's just not in your nature to bow to men like those."

Gwen fell silent.

Kara was right.

She'd rather die than let the men's filthy hands toochher

'Since you couldn't do it,' Kita said, Twould have to,"

Detter A Living Dog Than A Dead Lion

"Waslyn's going to be so pissed when

inds out I poned

mited edition dress," the thought, making a wry fare

the wished she could see him right now, she missed him to much

Brandt just leave mylife in someone else's hatchs," she said: "While our friends do their part to save ul,

eut, I have to do mile.

Some people said there were crtain dates worse than death

Kiathosght that was just hopwash.

Nothing beat death, death was the worst.

What she went through just was buiting and traumatise, but it got her what she wanted a stint at reval

As Dad used to way, better a living dog, than a dead lion.

'As long as there's a tiny sliver of hope, I won't give up,' Kitasaid.

Owenstared at Kita as it she was seeing her for the first time,

She no longer thought they looked alike,

Another woman would have broken down by now, but Rita Hewitt was made of stemerstuit!

Kicateused when the door opened again.

The team of heavily armed men came back, but Sean Santoro was not among

Kiraanddemhuddled together for warmth.

"I don't like the look of these men,"

„Kira whispered to turn They seem sowell perpant. Your friend might be walking into a trap"

Kira spotted tattoos on the aims of several men.

One wore an eyepatch.

Three had farial scale Santo.