Chapter 68

Haiden's POV

The pain in my shoulder was relentless, a constant reminder of my failure. A reminder that I wasn't strong enough to protect Hailey. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand. Finding Terrence, rescuing Hailey's mother, and making Leo regret the day he was born.

Xan sat beside me in the car, his red hair a stark contrast to the darkness of the interior. He was silent, his face grim. He knew what Hailey meant to me, to Christian. He knew the lengths we would go to protect her.

"We'll find her, Haiden," he said, his voice low. "We always do."

I nodded, but my heart was heavy with doubt. Leo was a master of deception, a puppet master who reveled in chaos. He wouldn't make this easy.

As we raced towards Terrence's last known location, my mind raced. I replayed every moment I had spent with Hailey, every kiss, every laugh, every shared glance. Her smile was my sunshine, her laughter, my melody. The thought of her being hurt, of her being afraid, filled me with a rage that threatened to consume me.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. I needed to stay calm, to stay focused. I couldn't let my emotions cloud my judgment. Hailey's life depended on it.

The address Noah gave us led to a run-down warehouse on the outskirts of the city. It was the kind of place where nightmares were born. The air was thick with the stench of decay and despair.

We approached the warehouse cautiously, weapons drawn. Xan took the lead, his movements fluid and silent. I followed close behind, my senses on high alert. We kicked down the door and stepped inside.

The warehouse was dark and cavernous, filled with shadows and echoes. The only light came from a single bare bulb hanging precariously from the ceiling. In the center of the room, tied to a chair, was Hailey's mother, her face pale and bruised.

Standing behind her, a gun pressed to her temple, was Terrence. He was a hulking figure, his eyes cold and cruel.

"Well, well, well," he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "Look who decided to join the party."

"Let her go, Terrence," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "This doesn't have to end badly."

"Oh, but I think it does," he chuckled. "Leo wants Hailey, and I'm going to deliver her. And you two are going to help me."

"You're making a mistake," Xan said, his voice steady. "Leo is going to betray you. He always does."

Terrence laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "I don't care about Leo. I care about the money. And Leo is paying a lot to get his hands on Hailey."

"Hailey is not yours to trade," I growled.

"If you wanna play games, I will be happy to. But the more you keep talking, the more I hurt her." He pulls her hair making her whine.

That was it. I couldn't stand it anymore. I lunged forward, ignoring the pain in my shoulder. Xan followed close behind, his gun blazing.

The warehouse erupted in chaos. Bullets flew, echoing off the metal walls. Terrence fought back, his aim wild but dangerous. I dodged and weaved, getting closer to him with each step.

Finally, I reached him. I grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back. He screamed in pain, dropping the gun. I slammed him against the wall, knocking the wind out of him.

"Where is Hailey?" I demanded, my voice a snarl. "Tell me where she is, or I swear to God, I will kill you."

He spat at me, his eyes filled with hate. "I don't know. Leo didn't tell me."

I didn't believe him. I tightened my grip on his arm, feeling the bone about to crack.

"Tell me!"

He screamed again, his resistance fading. "I swear, I don't know! He just told me to grab her mother and wait for further instructions!"

I hesitated, searching his eyes for any sign of deception. I saw only fear. I released him, shoving him towards Xan.

"Tie him up," I ordered. "Call Christian. Tell him we have Hailey's mother, but Leo has her. We need to find her, now."

As Xan secured Terrence, I turned to Hailey's mother. She was shaken, but alive. I untied her and gently led her out of the warehouse.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Thank you for saving me."

"We'll find her, Mrs. Soul," I said, my voice firm. "I promise you, we'll bring her home safe."

But deep down, I knew this was just the beginning. The real battle was yet to come. And I was terrified of what Leo had planned for Hailey. But I knew that I would tear the world apart to get her back. She was my everything. And nothing, not even Leo, would stand in my way.