“We need to keep the children calm,” I said.

“If the police show up, we cannot let them see us panic.”

“They will not show up tonight,” Ryker said, though he didn’t sound entirely sure.

“The snowstorm is getting worse.”

“The roads up here will be impassable in another hour.”

“That buys us some time,” Marco agreed.

I carried two mugs of tea into the living room.

I gave one to Clara, who took it with a grateful nod.

I held the other one out to Lily, but she had fallen asleep, her head leaning against the arm of the chair.

Her small face looked pale in the dim light.

I set the mug on the coffee table and sat on the floor near her feet.

The heat from the furnace was finally starting to seep through the floorboards.

I watched the snow beat against the dark windowpanes.

We were hiding in the middle of nowhere, risking everything for two children we barely knew.

Ryker was risking his entire business empire.

If this went wrong, his reputation would be destroyed.

He would face felony kidnapping charges.