Chapter 6 - SHADOWS OF THE PAST
Both mercenaries collapsed instantly into the mud.
Jax did not waste a single second inspecting the bodies.
He grabbed an extra ammunition magazine from one of the fallen men, shoved it into his pocket, and carried Lily deep into the forest.
The rain washed the warm blood off his forehead, mixing with the sweat on his face.
They walked for nearly an hour through the dark wilderness until they reached a hidden, abandoned cabin tucked away in a ravine.
This was an old safehouse Jax had built years ago, long before he had ever met Elena or stepped into the Vance family syndicate.
He pushed the heavy wooden door open, carrying Lily inside, and locked it securely behind them.
The cabin was dry, smelled of old pine, and was stocked with basic emergency supplies.
Jax gently laid Lily down on a small sofa in the corner, covering her with a thick wool blanket.
"Is the bad man gone, Daddy?" Lily asked, her eyes heavy with exhaustion.
Jax knelt down beside her, wiping a streak of dirt off her soft cheek.
"Yes, baby," Jax lied gently, offering a faint, reassuring smile. "We are safe here now."
Lily clutched her plush bear, closing her eyes as fatigue finally overtook her tiny body.
Jax sat beside her on the floor, resting his head against the base of the sofa, holding his gun on his lap.
His body was exhausted, but his mind raced with unanswered questions.
How had Victor's men tracked them so quickly?
He had checked the SUV for GPS trackers before leaving the manor.
There was only one terrifying possibility that Jax refused to accept.
Someone close to them had betrayed their escape route.
Jax pulled out his encrypted satellite phone, staring at the blank screen for a long moment.
He dialed a secure, unlisted number that only three people in the world possessed.
The phone rang three times before a familiar, cold voice answered on the line.
"You shouldn't have run, Jax," the voice said.
May you like
It was not Victor.
It was Marcus, Jax’s most trusted friend and second-in-command.
