Back then, when Ste clung to Yvonne''s sleeve with those sad puppy-dog eyes, whispering that she missed her brother, Yvonne didn''t budge. She hadn''t let Ste talk to Ronald. No way, no how.


    Now, standing in front of Susanna, who was working all the same tricks? Yvonne just rolled her eyes. No chance.


    Yvonne tugged her dress free from Susanna''s desperate grip, pulling it loose one inch at a time. "No can do, kiddo."


    "Yvonne,e on!" Susanna whined.


    "Whining won''t change my mind."


    With a huff, Yvonne turned on her heel and climbed into the waiting helicopter.


    ncing back down, she caught Susanna''s big, sorrowful eyes staring up at her. Yvonne muttered under her breath, "Jeez, this girl''s got the same act as Star." But even Star had never melted her heart. And now, with the metaphorical knife pointed at Dan, there was no way she''d go soft.


    "You getting in or what?" Yvonne called out.


    Susanna hesitated. "I..."


    "What, missing Hull already? You''ve barely known the guy a week, right?"


    Seriously, it''d only been a few days. And she already looked lovesick?


    Yvonne''s words struck Susanna hard. She had only met Hull a short while ago, but three days back, stranded out at sea, the first person she''d tried to call was him. Only when Hull''s phone didn''t pick up had she called Ste instead. Somewhere deep down, she realized her instincts had changed.


    "Come on, let''s move!" Yvonne snapped.


    Hull was probably already on his way here, and Yvonne was more than a little annoyed at herself for making that call in the first ce. If only she''d kept things simple—forget all the fancy tech and just pulled a ssic Skye Yoder move: a little sleight of hand, a little pickpocketing, and they''d be done with it.


    "I''ming, I''ming!" Susanna hurried, dropping her objections and scrambling into the chopper.


    Meanwhile, the moment Hull got word on Susanna''s location, he turned to Ss. "Call Lincoln. I want every inch around Cybele Ind watched like a hawk."


    "Already called him," Ss replied.


    They both knew Yvonne was top-tier when it came to avoiding


    surveince. If they were tracking her, she probably already knew and could be moving out as they spoke. That''s why they needed eyes everywhere.


    "Our ne''s about ready," Ss added. "We should head to the airport."


    Hull just grunted in agreement.


    The moment Hull left for the airport, Dan got the update. He immediately sent word to their people near Cybele Ind.


    Dan had been tearing his hair out searching for Susanna these past few days. If he was being honest,


    thest thing he wanted was formet


    Susanna to get stronger or independent. So, the instant be heard Yvonne had taken her, Dan started working double time-one eye on the search, the other on Xander and Hull.


    "Christ, these rtionships are a mess," Dan grumbled.


    Carroll, his right-hand man, looked up. "If things get out of hand?"


    The tangled web of connections was one thing. But Susanna was the knot at the very center.


    Dan fell silent for a moment, jaw clenched. Was it getting out of hand? With everything tying Susanna to Hull, and then to Lacey... If Lacey got Hull''s support at ck Gate, that would be a disaster for Dan and his crew.


    Dan''s eyes grew cold. "If pushes to shove, make sure she doesn''te


    back alive from Yvonne''s hands."


    A tension, cold and sharp, filled the hospital room.


    Carroll nodded. "Understood."


    Now was the time to act, especially with Susanna in Yvonne''s custody. If Hull and Susanna made it back and Lacey gained Hull''s backing, the bnce of power would shift for good.


    Carroll had only joined Dan''s side a couple of days ago, after serving under Scar. He was known for being calcting, ruthless, and utterly without scruples.