NovelEnglishChapter 406
Audrey's POV
Blood on marble. That's what registered first - Blake's blood dripping onto the polished Parker Group lobby floor.
Medical personnel rushed his stretcher through the entrance from the parking garage, their movements urgent.
What's happening?
Didn't Michael just tellBlake was resting?
Why is he being carried out covered in blood?
How did he get injured?
My brain couldn’t process what my eyes were seeing. Blake Parker - covered in blood, unconscious, his face
ghostly pale against the crimson stains. | ran forward without thinking.
“What happened?” | grabbed the nearest paramedic’s arm. “What's wrong with him?”
The medical personnel barely looked up, focused on moving. “We don’t know.”
His colleague glanced at my panicked face. “You family?”
“I... 1am.” The lie ceasy when it mattered. My voice betrayed more worry than | wanted to show.
“Good. Cwith us then. We might need someone to sign for blood transfusions or emergency surgery.”
| followed them out to the waiting ambulance, my stomach in knots, mind racing with possibilities.
Inside the ambulance, | pressed myself against the wall, watching them work on Blake. They hooked him up to
monitors and slipped an oxygen mask over his face. His skin looked ghostly under the harsh ambulance lights,
his breathing irregular and shallow.
What caught my eye was the burlap sack clutched against his chest. Even unconscious, his arms locked around
it like a vise, protecting whatever was inside despite his injuries.
“What's with the death grip?” A paramedic tugged at Blake's arms. “He won't let go of whatever's in there.”
They tried to move his hands, but his grip only tightened. After a few attempts, they worked around it, finding
ways to connect equipment without disturbing his hold on the mysterious sack.
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“It’s a little girl.”
| jumped at the voice behind me. A blood-covered man stood at the ambulance entrance - Blake's bodyguard,
the one I'd seen in the hotel security footage.
“Look at the shape,” he said, like he was discussing the weather instead of standing there covered in blood.
“That's a kid in there.”
“Emma...” | tried to push past the paramedic toward him, panic rising in my chest.
“She's right there.” He nodded at the sack. “In his arms.”
1 stared at the burlap bundle, now seeing the unmistakable outline of a small body. My heart slammed against
my ribs as realization hit me.
“A kid?” The paramedic’s eyes widened.
i lunged forward, grabbing the sack. “Blake, let go!” | shouted, not caring how desperate | sounded.
CnapTe
Like magic, his arms relaxed. The paramedics jaws dropped as they watched his grip loosen at just the sound of
my voice.
| tore open the sack and nearly collapsed. Emma lay inside, sleeping peacefully like she was taking a nap at
home. | checked her quickly for injuries but found none. Despite all the blood on Blake and his bodyguard, not a
single drop had touched her. She'd been perfectly protected.
“Damn,” the paramedic muttered, watching Blake's now-slack arms. “Guy's out cold but still does what you say.
You must be special to him.”
He gavea curious look. ‘Wife?”
‘Ex,” | said, with a bitter half-smile that felt like it might crack my face.
| touched Emma's cheek, her skin warm and soft. “Emma? Sweetie, wake up.”
Nothing. Just steady breathing, her small chest rising and falling peacefully.
‘Sleeping pills, the bodyguard said, climbing into the ambulance while pressing a cloth against a nasty knife
wound on his arm. “Just one, though. She'll be fine.”
A paramedic pushed him into a seat and examined the wound. “Jesus. What happened out there?”
Speople are in worse shape. The bodyguard’s laugh was empty, his eyes cold. “Not that they'll need
ambulances. Maybe hearses.”
| pulled Emma closer as the ambulance doors closed and we pulled away from the curb. The sirens wailed
overhead while | tried to make sense of everything. Emma’s small weight in my arms was the only thing keeping
“What the hell happened?” | finally asked, barely audible over the noise.
The bodyguard winced as the paramedic cleaned his cut. “You recognize me, right?”
“Yeah,” | nodded, holding Emma tight. “You're the guy Blake hired to follow me. | saw you in the hotel security
footage today.”
He looked surprised. “You knew about me?”
‘For a while now.”
“Name's Jett Rhodes. Ex-Special Forces, then private security for about ten years. He talked like he was giving a
job interview while getting stitched up. “Blake paidcrazy money last month to keep an eye on you without
being spotted.”
“When you cback to New York, he switched my assignment. Said you could handle yourself here, but
wantedwatching your kid 24/7.
Jett grimaced as the paramedic dug something from his arm. “This kidnapping wasn’t random. They'd been
planning it, watching for a chance. Knew your schedule too well.”
‘I spotted them early but couldn't figure out their game. Then your kid wanted garden time, and they jumped
when your friend checked her texts.”
“They only went after Hartford's guys and your friend.” He shrugged. “I was farther back, looked dangerous, so
they leftalone. Followed them straight to Parker Group's underground garage.”
My stomach dropped. “Wait - they took Emma to Parker Group?”
“Yeah. Car had Parker plates. Guards waved them through like they belonged there.” Jett frowned. “I told Blake in
real-time. He swore they weren't his people.”
If Blake had Jett protecting Emma, why would he arrange a kidnapping? And if those cars got into Parker's
garage without questions...
The realization hitlike a punch. There weren't many people who could command Parker Group resources or
get company cars past security. If it wasn’t Blake, then who?
2/3
Chapter 406
Blake's phone suddenly rang. A paramedic pulled it from his pocket and handed it to me.
“Better answer it, he said. “Might be important with his condition.”
| took the phone, my blood turning to ice when | saw the caller ID: Rachel Hayes.
Rachel. Vice President of Parker Group. The only other person besides Blake who could order staff around or use
company cars,
The call connected before I could think.
“Blake?” Rachels voice was sugary sweet. “Why aren’t you answering my texts? Michael said you were resting,
but | wanted to make sure you're okay. I've been worried sick about -
“Miss Hayes. My voice cut through hers.
There was a moment of dead silence.
“Evelyn?” The sweetness vanished instantly. “Why are you answering Blake's phone? Where is he? Weren't you
with Adrian? How did you sharply. “Put Blake on right now!*
Her voice rose
The transformation was jarring - from caring girlfriend to drill sergeant in two seconds flat. If | hadn't known
Rachel for years, I'd never believe both voices belonged to the sperson.
| took a breath, keeping my voice steady despite the rage building inside me. “Rachel. | need to ask you
something. Was it you who had my daughter kidnapped?”
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