Reese clutched the pen, her eyes glued to where Matthew had disappeared, worry twisting inside her. She knew exactly why he''d run off like that. He was afraid that if they waited for Roman, they''d be toote. If anything happened to Alex, they might never get the proof they needed to show Grace was behind her mother''s ident.


    ***


    The brickyard was a mess. Broken bricks littered the ground, dust hanging thick in the air. In the faint moonlight, Matthew took in the scene.


    Two copsy on the floor. One was out cold, blood seeping from his temple. The other was clutching his stomach, face ghostly pale, blood at the corner of his mouth. Four men in ck surrounded him.


    Seth stood in front, gripping a rusty steel pipe, his eyes hard and cold. "Hand over Alex, and maybe I''ll let you live."


    The officer struggled to catch his breath, teeth clenched. "Forget it. We already called backup. You''re not getting away."


    Sethughed, hefting the pipe. "Maybe you should start worrying about who are going to find your bodies." He flicked his hand at his men. "Finish him. Then go get Alex."


    One of the men lunged. The cop barely dodged, but pain shot through him and he grunted.


    Suddenly, a shadow burst from the side, moving fast. There was a heavy thud. The man in ck didn''t even see iting. He dropped to the ground, knocked out cold.


    Everyone spun toward the noise, eyes wide.


    Matthew stood there, tall and steady, his presence icy andmanding. "Four on one? That''s your idea of a fair fight?"


    Seth squinted at him, sizing him up. "You should mind your own business," he snapped.


    Ever since Alex had run off, Seth had been on his tail, waiting for a chance to finish things. He''d finally cornered him in the brickyard, only for two cops to show up. Now Matthew was here too. Seth had a bad feeling about him back at the estate, but with his guys around, he thought he had the upper hand.


    "Take him down," Seth said, nodding.


    His men exchanged a look, then rushed Matthew. But Matthew moved quicker than any of them. He threw a punch, flooring the first guy. The second swung at him, but Matthew dodged and caught his wrist, twisting hard. There was a sharp crack. The man howled and copsed, clutching his arm.


    In just a few seconds, two were down.


    Seth''s face twisted with shock and rage. He gripped the pipe so tight his knuckles


    turned white. "All of you, now! Take him out!"


    Thest two rushed in, one aiming high, one low. Matthew didn''t back down. He kicked one right in the knee, dropping him to the floor. Then he spú and mmed his elbow into the other''s chest. That guy flew backward, but a broken wall, and sird to the ground.


    Just like that, all four men were down, sprawled across the floor.