She really meant it.

More than twenty men waited in the house and courtyard.

Hayes was alone.

With my mother to protect, his chances were terrible.

The courtyard gate had been locked.

Vivian straightened her hair and lifted her chin.

“You shouldn’t have come tonight.”

Hayes checked his phone.

No signal.

Too remote.

He couldn’t call for help.

His jaw tightened.

One hand shielded my mother.

The other drew his gun.

“Move. Every one of you. Attacking an officer is a serious offense. Step aside now, and I can take your circumstances into account. Come at me, and I will defend myself.”

He fired into the air.

The men at the front retreated.

They had come for money, not to die.

“He has five rounds left,” Vivian said loudly. “Everyone here gets a hundred and forty thousand dollars. Whoever takes him down gets seven hundred thousand.”

She looked around.

“Nobody outside will know what happened. Do the job, and I’ll protect you.”

The men exchanged looks.

Drew their weapons.

Money had brought them here.

Money would make them do almost anything.

They surrounded Hayes and my mother.

His face grew very calm.

“Find somewhere to hide,” he told her quietly.

Vivian wasn’t going to let them go.

I could only watch.

“Take her,” I shouted. “Take Vivian.”

It was his only way out.

He seemed to reach the same conclusion.

He drove back two men and moved toward her.

But she saw it coming.

As he raised the gun, she dragged a subordinate in front of her.

The bullet struck his shoulder.

He fell.

“You think you can take me?” she sneered.

She kicked him aside.

“Another seventy thousand for your medical bills.”

Then she headed for the gate.

“I’ll wait in the car. Ten minutes. Have him ready.”

She reached for the lock.

The gate crashed inward.

It hit her and sent her sprawling.

“Who the hell—”

She looked up.

Her face went white.

“A late-night outing, Mrs. Whitmore? You must have plenty of free time.”

Miles walked in with his men.

Why was he here?

Friend or enemy?

I didn’t dare hope.

He belonged to Lucian.

And on those steps, I had told Lucian I hated him.

Alive or dead.

That he should stop loving me.

I had hurt him so badly.

Perhaps his people hadn’t come to help.

Hope felt impossible now.

Blackwood guards flooded the courtyard.

Against their discipline and presence, Vivian’s men looked like exactly what they were.

Street thugs.

“What are you doing?”

She had barely risen before someone seized her and stuffed cloth into her mouth.

Miles rubbed one ear.

“Tie her properly. Put her in a car. Detective Hayes can take her.”

His gaze passed over the others.

“The rest of you can leave. Or die here.”

With Vivian captured, nobody wanted to resist.

Weapons dropped.

Her men fled.

The courtyard fell silent.

Hayes lowered his gun.

“Thank you. You got us out of a difficult situation.”

Miles inclined his head.

“Mr. Blackwood’s instructions.”

He looked at the woman behind Hayes.

“He confirmed her identity. She’s Stella’s biological mother. We’ve had people watching her. He said nothing was to happen to her.”

Hayes looked uncomfortable.

He rubbed the side of his nose.

“Tell him I misjudged him. I’ll come thank him. And apologize.”

He started to leave with my mother.

Miles blocked him.

“I’m sorry. Vivian is yours. This woman comes with me.”