Can’t Win Me Back

Preston laid out two demands in his ransom call—no guns and Landon had to come alone.

“Jasper, Lyse, and Cyrus,” Landon said. “You guys handle the situation here. I’ll go meet Preston.”

Without a second thought, Landon turned and headed for the door.

“Landon!” Jasper cried out, his heart hammering in his chest. He lunged forward and grabbed Landon’s arm. “This is Preston’s trap! He might kill you; you cannot go alone!”

“I know he wants to kill me,” Landon said with a humorless smile that quickly twisted into a grimace. It was a sight that tugged at the others’ hearts.

“Landon, we’ll go with you!” Alyssa declared with determination in her gaze. “We can stay hidden and wait for an opening. That way, we can save Lauren and Angelina for sure!”

Landon shook his head. “Lyse, thank you, but I can’t take that risk. If giving up my life means Lauren and Angelina can come back safely, then that’s a price I’m willing to pay.”

welled with tears, and Jasper’s

approaching him with a determined glint in his eyes. He opened his hand, revealing a tiny

trembled slightly as he took the camera. “Thank

it’s you, Lauren, or Angelina, you must all come back safe and

his small smile offering a warmth that felt

aren’t the only ones worrying and waiting for

aback. Then, he

was nearly dawn, and a sliver of the moon cast a faint, silvery glow across the starless night sky, deepening the chill and

car drifted steadily into the parking lot, coming to a stop

half-built commercial building that belonged to one of Harper