Chapter 2 - Ethan Changed The Destination
Rachel Morales tightened both arms around Sophie.
“No.”
Ethan Callahan’s expression did not change.
The cabin lights were dim, but the two men standing behind him made the
narrow aisle feel suddenly smaller.
Rachel looked from Ethan to the sleeping baby in her arms.
“We are not getting on your jet.”
One of the bodyguards glanced away, almost as if nobody spoke to Ethan
Callahan like that.
Ethan did not seem offended.
“Good.”
Rachel blinked.
“Good?”
“You shouldn’t get on a private aircraft with a man you met four hours
ago just because he held your daughter.”
His answer caught her off guard.
“Then why did you say we were coming with you?”
“Because your connection changed.”
“What connection?”
Ethan nodded toward her phone.
Rachel checked it.
Three missed calls.
Two messages from her sister, Elena.
The first said:
PLEASE CALL ME BEFORE YOU LEAVE O’HARE.
The second had arrived twelve minutes later.
RACHEL, DO NOT COME TO THE HOTEL. MARCUS IS THERE.
Rachel stopped breathing.
Ethan noticed.
“Who’s Marcus?”
“None of your business.”
“Fair.”
That calm answer irritated her more than an argument would have.
The plane began its descent into Chicago.
Sophie stirred.
Rachel kissed her forehead.
Marcus Vega was Sophie’s father.
He was also the reason Rachel had spent the last six months looking over
her shoulder.
They had never married.
For nearly two years, Marcus had been charming, unpredictable,
apologetic, controlling, generous, furious, then charming again.
Rachel left when she discovered he had taken out credit cards using her
information and had begun moving money through the diner account where
she worked.
When she confronted him, he threatened to take Sophie.
Rachel reported the financial fraud.
Marcus disappeared before investigators could question him.
She had not seen him in five months.
Now he was apparently in Chicago.
At Elena’s wedding hotel.
Ethan watched her face.
“You know him.”
Rachel looked sharply at him.
“I said it’s none of your business.”
“It still isn’t.”
He leaned back.
“But if someone you’re afraid of is waiting where you planned to take
your six-month-old, you need another plan.”
Rachel hated that he was right.
The wheels touched down.
Her phone rang.
Elena.
Rachel answered.
Her sister was crying.
“Rachel, listen to me. Marcus showed up this afternoon.”
“Why?”
“He says he came for Sophie.”
Rachel’s blood turned cold.
“He can’t.”
“He has papers.”
“What papers?”
“He says you signed them.”
Rachel stood too quickly.
Ethan caught the diaper bag before it fell.
Elena continued.
“They say you agreed he could take Sophie out of state.”
“I never signed anything.”
“I know.”
Then Elena whispered something that changed everything.
May you like
“Rachel, the papers were notarized in Chicago.”
Rachel had not been in Chicago since before Sophie was born.
