Page 107 of Jay Bird

“No, sir. I don’t believe it is. If Willow managed to get out of the country and back to the United States, I would bet my bank account that is where she headed.”

A slow smile pulled at Chen’s mouth.

He would give Willow credit. How she managed to evade him with no credit cards, a valid ID, and no use of her Social Security number, all while traveling with a two-year-old, was commendable.

At first, Chen had believed that she was still hiding somewhere overseas. But she had found someone to help her, someone who knew how to move her without leaving a trail. Then everything changed.

And an FBI agent certainly fit that description.

Chen’s jaw tightened as he considered the possibility. Riley already owed Willow her life. Helping Willow disappear would be an easy way to repay that debt.

Perhaps he had been searching for Willow in all the wrong places.

“Find out everything you can about both women,” Chen ordered. “If Willow is in Virginia Beach, I want to know.”

Liu nodded. “I’ll handle it.”

“And Liu.” Chen waited until the man met his gaze. “Be careful. If Mia’s husband really is a Navy SEAL, the last thing I want is to draw his attention before we know what we’re dealing with.” His expression hardened. “Men like that tend to come with friends, and I have no interest in involving the United States military in this any more than it already is.”

Understanding crossed the other man’s face, and he nodded and left the room.

Chen waited until the door closed behind him before turning back toward the woman. His mood had improved considerably.

He stopped directly in front of the trembling woman. He studied her for another moment, but in his mind, it wasn’t her face he saw. It was Willow’s.

He could picture those brown eyes staring back at him. Could imagine the fear she would try desperately to hide when his men finally brought her home. Because they would find her, he did not doubt that.

The world was large, but Willow could only hide in so many places. Eventually she would make a mistake. And when she did, Chen would be waiting.

Chen had spent weeks imagining her return, and he knew exactly where she would spend her first night back. He would bring her downstairs himself and make certain she understood the cost of betraying him. Of humiliating him and believing she could just disappear.

His mouth curved into a slow smile. Willow had never experienced the dungeon. During her three years with him, he had never had reason to bring her down here.

She had always feared what existed beneath his home without ever seeing it.

Soon, she wouldn’t have to wonder anymore.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Willow woke slowly, which in itself felt strange.

There was no jolt of panic, no racing heart or desperate need to figure out where she was. She drifted toward consciousness beneath a soft comforter, while early morning sunlight slipped through the edges of the blinds.

For a few precious seconds, she didn’t move. Willow couldn’t remember the last time she had slept that deeply.

Last night had been different. She had slept beside Jay Bird.

The realization brought a small smile to her lips as memories from the night before returned. She had been terrified of climbing into bed with him, even though she had known logically that he would never hurt her. He had somehow understood every fear she hadn’t been able to put into words, giving her space when she needed it and holding her when she had finally asked him to. And she had fallen asleep with his arm around her and her head resting against his chest.

Suddenly, something small moved against Willow’s stomach.

Her eyebrows pulled together, and she opened her eyes. When she looked down, she found a tiny bare foot resting against her ribs.

What the heck?

She lifted her head and discovered that at some point during the night, they had acquired another occupant in the bed.

Lily was sprawled sideways across the middle of the king-size bed, her pajama shirt twisted around her little belly and her hair sticking out in approximately twelve different directions. Ellie was wedged beneath her chin, one leg was draped across Willow, and the other was stretched toward Jay Bird.