Twist of Fate

by Witek, Barbara

  “No we don’t.” His eyes darkened like a storming grey sea, and for a moment she thought he would walk away. She gripped his sleeve, casting a pleading glance, and he reneged. “Fine, but if he does or says one thing I don’t agree with, he’s out. As far as I’m concerned, this is his fault.”

  “I understand how you must be feeling, but he loves Hope, too. He doesn’t want her to get hurt.” She wanted Sam to realize Dante hadn’t always been like this. She saw the dark cloud cross his features one more before he spoke.

  “Our daughter is my priority right now. We’ll deal with ‘cover boy’ later.”

  “Our daughter? We? Sam, what are you saying?” Her pulse raced at the one possibility. Her head warned her of the danger. The crazy beat of her heart told her something else.

  “I was an ass, Kate. I want my daughter, and I want her mother. Can you forgive me?”

  “If you can forgive me, too. You--” she never got a chance to finish. Both their eyes were drawn to the large SUV as it whipped around the corner.

  ***

  The black Hummer screeched to a stop beside Sam’s truck. Dante stepped out and rushed toward Kate. By the look on his face, he’d gotten some information. Sam had the undeniable urge to beat it out of him. He didn’t want him here, and he certainly didn’t want him anywhere near Kate. Sam watched his rival wrap an arm protectively around her. Sam balled his fist inside his coat pocket as not to land it against the man’s jaw. Kate stepped gracefully out of the embrace, her body language relieving his nerves, somewhat.

  Her quivering voice questioned, “What is it? Did they tell you where she is?”

  “Not at first.” Dante shot Sam a cold glare and then turned his attention back to Kate as if he didn’t exist. “I told Carlo to return Hope unharmed, and I would make sure you stayed loyal to him. I told him we were getting back together and you knew you’d made a mistake.”

  “Back together? What the hell is going on here? What about my daughter?” Sam’s nervous impatience was quite evident. He boldly put himself between Kate and Dante. Enough was enough.

  “He denied taking her,” Dante replied, dismissing Sam’s first question.

  “That’s bullshit.” Sam glared at Dante. “You get my daughter back, hot-shot, or it’s going to be your ass rotting in jail.”

  “Sam, stop it. He’s trying to help.” Kate looked at him then at Dante. “There’s no time for this nonsense. Dante, did you ask anyone else?”

  “I didn’t have to ask. Joey has been the one deceiving me, betraying my confidence and relaying information back to Carlo.”

  “Joey? But why? He’s been with you for years.”

  “Apparently Jose and Cody made him a deal he couldn’t refuse.”

  “Well that’s just great!” Sam tossed his arms in the air in lieu of wrapping them around Dante’s neck. “Got any more enemies we need to know about?”

  “Listen, I don’t know why you’re here, but if you want to help I suggest you shut up and hear me out.” Dante stood nose to nose with him, and Sam wasn’t about to back down.

  “Why am I here? To help the woman I love and save my daughter, that’s why.”

  “Stop it! Both of you stop it! We have to work together, please…” Kate’s voice hitched. He and Dante both reached for her at the same time then pulled their hands back. Sam noticed Dante look at his watch.

  “You on a time clock, hot-shot?”

  “We need to go. We don’t have much time.” Dante guided Kate by her elbow toward his vehicle. Sam started after them when she put on the breaks.

  “Wait, much time for what? Dante, we don’t even know where she is.”

  “I do. I made Joey tell me where Jose and Cody took her.” Sam could only watch as Dante placed his hands on either side of Kate’s face. “The ship leaves the marina at eight o’clock. They are keeping her in the old warehouse until then.”

  “Ship?” Kate spun from Dante’s hands and searched Sam’s eyes for answers. “You mean they--”

  “Sold her,” Dante said, and Kate crumbled against the side of the SUV.

  “You son-of-a-bitch. I will kill you if anything happens to her.” Sam charged at Dante, but the man was already bent over Kate.

  “Why, why would they do this?” Kate rested her head in her hands, continuing to sob.

  “Joey told Carlo of the deals I’d made with Rico after he’d cut Rico loose in order to do business with Jose and Cody.”

  “But Rico is our friend.”

  “He is, Trina, he still is.” Dante crouched down, creating an almost intimate moment which made Sam feel like a third wheel. “I hope you can forgive me, because I did not trust Jose and Cody. I took the diamonds from Carlo to safeguard my deal with Rico and prove to Carlo that those guys from Florida were unreliable. Joey must have told them about the diamonds because they came looking for them, and I hid them in Hope’s doll.”

  “Diamonds? Dante I don’t understand. I can’t do this. We have to find her.” Kate sounded like she was in shock. She kept her face down as Dante rubbed her arms, and Sam wanted to throw him aside and sooth her himself.

  “We will get there, I promise, Trina. It’s the abandoned warehouse several blocks south of your building. It won’t take us long to get there.”

  “You mean the one that’s been in the papers?” Kate raised her head and pushed herself to stand. “That’s the one they’ve talked about tearing down to expand the marketplace.”

  “What are we waiting for? Let’s get going.” Sam grabbed Kate by the hand, pulling her toward his truck. He’d be damned if he’d let her ride with ‘cover-boy.’

  She climbed into the front seat, and Dante stormed off. No sooner did he close his door, than she slapped her palms against her thighs. “I can’t remember the address. Oh, God...my daughter could be hurt and scared, and I can’t remember how to get there! What kind of evil people sell a five-year old?”

  “Calm down. It can’t be that hard to find the marina.” He held her hand while pulling away from the curb. Sick bastards, that’s who do this. “Don’t worry, we’ll find her.”

  Sam couldn’t mess up, there was too much riding on it. They were going to be a family, no matter what. They would find their daughter, and everything would be all right.

  He prayed Kate believed it, but a fear like he’d never known took hold as he tore through the city streets like a madman. What did he know about dealing with these kind of people? This wasn’t some children’s game of good-guy-bad-guy. This was real, and lives were at stake.

  “Promise you won’t let go.” Her voice cracked from somewhere beside him. He startled and saw her gaze drop to their hands.

  “I’m never letting go.”

  By the time he whipped into the warehouse lot, his nerves were shot. A scared five-year-old wouldn’t be easy to find. But he would find her or die trying.

  ***

  Kate jumped from her seat and out the door the moment Sam slid the truck in park. He quickly caught up to her. Hand in hand they ran toward the bay door at the side of the warehouse.

  “Where’s Dante? He should be here.” Her panic-driven voice broke through the damp evening air. “We have to get in there.”

  “We need to stay together. Santini could have men inside.”

  “But I--”

  “This could be some sort of trap to get you here. We don’t even know for sure Hope’s in there.”

  “But Dante said--”

  “He works for them, Kate. I don’t believe a word he says.”

  She slipped her hand from his and stopped running. Even though she knew it to be true, hearing the words from Sam’s mouth sounded wrong, and she found herself not wanting to believe it. Staring in disbelief, she tried to catch her breath.

  “He wouldn’t take chances with Hope. He wouldn’t.”

  Sam waved her forward with his hand. “Whatever. C’mon. Stay with me.”

  She let him take her hand again. Her destiny lay with this man, and she knew to the de
pths of her soul she could trust him. They rounded the corner of the building, when the sound of the Hummer’s horn brought their attention to the back of the lot. Dante’s body half-hung out of the large door.

  He yelled, waving an arm frantically. “Wait, I see smoke!”

  Kate’s gaze moved to where Dante pointed toward the second floor. Thick, black smoke poured from a broken window. She screamed and clutched blindly at Sam’s sleeve as she looked back to the window and then bolted forward.

  Sam grabbed her arm, pulling her back to his side. “Wait.”

  “No. My baby’s in there.” She yanked and tugged, but he didn’t relinquish his hold. “Let me go. I have to help her.”

  “It’s too dangerous.”

  She continued to scramble around, trying to break free, hysteria taking over with every second that passed. “What are we waiting for? The smoke is only going to get worse. Someone call the fire department. We’ve got to get in there.”

  Dante’s firm voice calmed her temporarily. “Sam’s right. It’s too dangerous.”

  She turned to him. “We can’t just stand here. We have to try.” She felt a gentle weight of a hand on her shoulder. Sam gave a reassuring smile, and she leaned into him.

  Dante motioned ahead. “First we have to find a way into the building. Look, the bay doors are chained together.”

  “What if there’s no other way in?” Panic crept back as Kate’s body tingled. “Can’t we break the chain? Isn’t there a tool or something?”

  “Let me check my truck.” Sam broke away, and Kate felt an instant loss without his touch. She took two quick steps to follow but stopped when Dante stood before her.

  “Let him go.”

  “But I--” She tried to look past Dante, but he moved to block her view.

  “He’ll be back.”

  She took Dante’s arm for support when a wave of nausea struck. She felt helpless. Tears rolled down her face as she stared at the smoke-filled building. “Dante, why isn’t anyone coming?” she cried.

  “You must be strong.”

  “I’m trying.”

  “Here he comes.”

  Anticipation surged through her when she saw Sam carrying a large scissor-type object. She rushed toward him. “What is that? Will it work?”

  “I’m a contractor. I’ve got all sorts of gadgets.” Kate noticed his weak smile and returned one of her own. “Keep your fingers crossed they’re strong enough to break through those links.”

  Sam lined up the blades and squeezed the tool as hard as he could, but the link didn’t seem to bend. He repositioned the blade. Kate stood by his side, praying for the tool to do its job.

  ***

  Dante stood back. He swallowed the bile that rose in this throat at the thought of Kate with another man. The looks she exchanged with Sam, even during such stress, confirmed even more her heart belonged to another.

  For a moment, he wished things hadn’t turned out the way they did. If only he hadn’t accepted the offer Carlo Santini made. He easily could have turned down representation, but he didn’t. He’d been enticed by the money and prestige.

  He reminded himself to be realistic. Somehow, someday, she would have run into Sam Hackett. Dante rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck before moving to stand beside Sam. Kate gave him a tentative smile, making him hesitate for a moment. It had been so long since she’d sent him a smile of any kind. Dante placed his hands next to Sam’s at the tool’s handle.

  “Let me help.” He would do the right thing. She deserved that from him.

  “Sure.” Sam said with a grunt as he tried to squeeze again.

  Both men used all their strength. The links broke apart with a ‘ping’ and piled at their feet. Together they tossed the tool to the ground and grabbed hold of the bay door. The fire intensified from the breath of fresh oxygen, and a burst of flame shot through the opening. The force of the heat sent them dropping to the ground. Sam had covered Kate with his own body.

  They stood, and Dante moved in front of Kate. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes. How are we going to get in there? The fire is too strong.” They cast worried glances through the door, feeling the heat from the flames.

  “Trina...” Dante touched her shoulder, and she twisted to face him. He hoped she understood the look in his eyes, because he didn’t know if he’d be able to find the right words. He placed a finger under her chin and said with determination, “I’m not coming out without her.”

  He backed away toward the building when Sam grasped his arm to stop him. “And where do you think you’re going, hot-shot?”

  “I’m saving my daughter.”

  “Whose daughter? You’re the one who got her into this mess. I’m going in after her.”

  The two men stood nose to nose.

  “Since when does blood determine a father? You of all people should know that. I know this is my fault, and I’m going in there to rescue her.”

  Sam stepped away, a shocked look on his face. “Listen--”

  Dante formed a tight fist and hit Sam square in the stomach. Sam fell to his knees, gasping. When Kate kneeled by Sam’s side, Dante made eye contact and said, “I’ll find her, Trina. I promise.”

  Without another word, he disappeared through the cloud of black smoke.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Wait!” Kate jumped to her feet, but she wasn’t fast enough. Dante’s image faded away like a ghost. Staring at the burning building, her voice was barely a whisper. “God speed, Dante.” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this scared. How had they gotten to this point?

  Sam came to stand next to her, rubbing his abdomen. “He’ll never make it.”

  “Yes, he will. I know he will.” She reached for his hand. “He called for help.”

  “I’m impressed.” Sam’s voice sounded sarcastic. “I thought he’d want all the glory himself. You know, save the day and win you back.”

  Kate’s jaw dropped in surprise. “How can you say that?”

  “What makes you think otherwise?”

  “He just ran into a burning building to save his--I mean our--daughter. He’s not out to win anything.” She dropped his hand and turned back to the building.

  Sam touched her shoulder. “Listen, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. It’s just ‘cover-boy’ and I are never going to see eye to eye where you and Hope are concerned.”

  “I know you don’t want to hear this, but it needs to be said.” She saw him roll his eyes. When he tried to turn away, she followed. “I did love him. It wasn’t the same type of feeling I have for you, but it was love.”

  “Kate, I--”

  “Please listen. Dante gave me a home and a loving environment for my baby. A baby he believed from the very beginning was his own. Six years ago, that was a lot for me. I couldn’t have made it without him.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you? I was so sure you never really loved me. That’s why I gave myself to another. I had a good life with Dante until he got in over his head with Carlo Santini. As much as I was angry with him, I realize now how difficult it was for him to get out. I think he had been trying to find a way out, but somehow he lost himself. Now look what’s happened because of me.”

  “Hey...you’re not blaming yourself are you?”

  She fell against his chest, holding on for dear life. “What if they both die in there? It will be because of me.”

  “You can’t think that way. He’s one tough guy. He’ll find her.”

  Kate saw the unmistakable fear in Sam’s eyes as he glanced back toward the flames and smoke. They were being put to the test, weathering yet another storm. She could only believe with all her being Sam was right.

  ***

  Dante couldn’t believe he hadn’t found her. Smoke burned his throat down deep into his lungs. He didn’t know how long he’d been inside, and he didn’t know how much longer he’d last. Once he thought he’d seen her, but it turned out to be an office chair. Another
time it had been a small wastebasket heaped with papers.

  “Hope! Where are you sweetheart?” he called through the dull roar of the burning structure, swallowing hard against the soreness in his throat. “Mommy’s outside, Hope. She needs you to come out right now.” He looked frantically around the warehouse, unsure which direction to take next. “Answer me, Hope.”

  Then he heard it. So faint, it could have been part of the sparking embers. He tripped over his feet trying to move toward the sound. It was sobbing. She was crying, but from where?

  “Honey, where are you? Don’t be afraid, Daddy’s here to get you out.” He started up a small metal staircase.

  A tiny voice choked out, “Daddy? Where are you?”

  “I’m coming. Keep talking.” He listened for more crying. Taking the stairs two at a time, he reached the top only seconds before the flooring gave way and the stairs teetered to the cement below. Her sobs and coughs led him into another office.

  Dropping to his hands and knees, he surveyed the room from a child’s point of view. She had to be in there. In a few moments he spied her pink nightgown underneath the metal desk and scurried along the floor to reach her.

  “C’mere, baby. Daddy’s here.” He scooped her into his arms. She was shaking, and her breathing was shallow.

  “I want Mommy,” she said and coughed.

  He looked down into her black-smudged face. “I know, honey. We’ve got to get you out of here.” Taking off his leather jacket, he wrapped it around her before picking her up and holding her close. Stepping back through the doorway, he wasn’t sure which way to go. There had to be another staircase to the lower level. It was either that or try for the roof, but he had to get Hope some fresh air.

  He took light steps, keeping himself as far away from the edge of the railing as possible. A loud ‘creak’ then a ‘snap’ resonated through the building as a beam from the ceiling gave way. He looked up in time to see it swing in his direction.

  Pulling Hope close to his chest, he lunged into a doorway to safety. She screamed against his shoulder as he landed hard on his back to break the fall and then rolled quickly to cover her from any falling debris. The force of the beam sent shards of glass and pieces of drywall in every direction. A section of the wall broke away, pinning Dante’s leg against a cabinet. He cried out, trying not to blackout from the pain.