Wicked and True (Wicked & Devoted 4)

“You tried to make sure my baby would be looked after?” Tessa blinked up at him in shock.

“Of course. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.” But he had. And he’d been so fucking absorbed in his own pain and betrayal that he hadn’t even stopped to think her daughter might be in danger. Then he’d heaped blame, shame, and fury on top because why not win asshole-of-the-year honors?

Suddenly, so many things made sense. Why Tessa had refused to let him in the house when he’d come by Wednesday night. Why she’d lied Friday about her dinner with Cash’s dad. Why she’d seemed suddenly lukewarm about moving in with him. Why she’d betrayed him.

“Tessa, I’m so fucking sorry.” He lifted her face to his, crushed to see her red-rimmed eyes haunted with fear and grief. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because they threatened to kill Hallie if Tessa said a word to anyone,” Trees supplied. “As soon as I talked Madison off a ledge, I started reading Tessa’s Gmail account.”

When he whipped Tessa’s phone from his back pocket, opened it to the first video the abductor had sent of her baby girl, and pressed play, Zy watched in horror. “You’ve been dealing with this, completely on your own, since Wednesday?”

“I couldn’t risk her by telling anyone.” Her broken voice hurt like a stab in the chest.

“Oh, baby. If I’d known, I would have moved mountains to help you.”

“They’re watching me. They threatened… I didn’t know the bosses think we have a mole, but I knew some things hadn’t gone right. I’d overheard conversations that suggested information that shouldn’t get out somehow was. I was too afraid of what would happen to my baby if I opened my mouth.”

He drew her stiff body against him. He hated her choices…but he completely understood them. And now wasn’t the time to assure her that, no matter what, he would always be there to help her, hold her, pick up the pieces, and love her. After the way he’d treated her tonight, why would she believe him?

Trees nudged the phone in Tessa’s direction. “I know this is tough…but you’ve got a new message.” Then the big guy turned to him with a grim expression, and Zy dreaded whatever his buddy planned to say next. “And I don’t have to tell you what app they’re using.”

“Abuzz? Fuck.” He sighed. “That cocksucker. I reamed him out once. He just never fucking listens.”

“Who?” Tessa’s hand shook as she took the phone and opened the app, looking terrified.

“Phillip Garrett,” Trees helpfully supplied.

Usually Zy hated to mention this relationship, but if he’d berated Tessa for keeping secrets, he couldn’t very well keep his own without being a fucking hypocrite.

“The billionaire who owns Abuzz?” She didn’t seem to grasp why they were talking about him.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “My dad.”

Her eyes widened, then hope lit them. “Really? He could help us track down or pinpoint the location of the kidnapper keeping Hallie.”

“The whole Tierra Caliente cartel has been using the app to communicate for months. I warned him once, and if it’s still going on, they’re paying him to look the other way. He won’t help. Dear ol’ Dad is more interested in making a buck than doing what’s right.”

Trees nodded. “It’s one reason they don’t get along.”

“One of many.”

Tessa looked at him as if she barely knew him anymore. “You grew up with a billionaire?”

He smiled tightly. “And the billion problems that go with that.”

“And you never told me?”

It wasn’t exactly the same thing…but she might have a point.

He cleared his throat and stepped into problem-solving mode. Nothing mattered until they had Hallie back. “The kidnapper sent a new message? What does he want now?”

She was almost afraid to find out.

Her fingers trembled as she opened the DM. The account was a shell with a generic screen name, no picture, and no personal location. Nothing to help him identify who it might belong to. But given the slew of messages this person had sent over the last few days, whoever had set up this account was by no means inactive.

Tessa scanned the screen, brows furrowing. “Something I don’t know how to give them.”

What? Zy wrapped an arm around her again, mentally cursing when she stiffened at his touch. “Let me see. Let me help you. You’ve been dealing with this by yourself for too long, and I can—”

“You can’t,” she screeched almost hysterically. “See for yourself.”

When she shoved the phone into his hands, he scanned the demand—then wanted to throw the fucking phone across the room.

Who is the mole leaking EM Security’s information to outsiders? You have twenty-four hours to provide information and proof or Hallie will pay with her life.

Minutes later, Tessa wordlessly took Zy’s hand as he helped her from the bunker, then wrapped the blanket around herself tighter as she entered Trees’s place. She was relieved to finally have her oppressive secret out in the open. She was even more hopeful to have allies in saving her daughter. Incredibly grateful, too.