Author's note: The next few chapters contain material about sexual assault and human trafficking that could be triggering. The story may be taking a bit of a darker turn for a while, just for the record.

Nathan tapped a pen against his desk absently. Try as he might, he couldn't get his mind on work. He hadn't seen Elizabeth since he kissed her goodbye this morning, and though it had only been a few hours, he missed her. They'd been home from their honeymoon for six weeks, and it still wasn't getting any easier saying goodbye to her each morning.

She was working the afternoon shift today, so he wouldn't see her until 8:00 tonight. He stifled a sigh. There were many times he wished their time together was uninterrupted the way it had been at the cabin in Colorado. But they were back to reality and figuring out how to feed their love while living their everyday lives. They had managed it while dating, and Nathan knew they would continue to do so while married.

But he missed his wife.

"I know you're in dreamland right now," Lee said, appearing in Nathan's line of sight, "but we have a problem." He dropped a newspaper on Nathan's desk.

Nathan glanced at it, then sat bolt upright, grabbing the paper in his hands and scanning the article. "No! How is this possible?" He looked up at Lee, face ashen. "Wyatt escaped from prison? How does anyone escape from a maximum security prison?"

Lee's face was serious. "I don't know, Nathan, but this is bad. Very bad. He looked you right in the eye in that courtroom after his sentencing and told you he'd get revenge."

Nathan rubbed a hand over his face. "I remember." He remembered all too well. Wyatt was a wealthy billionaire who had moved to Kauai under the guise of wanting to build several large beachfront condominiums. Instead, he had used his wealth and connections to run the biggest human trafficking ring in the Pacific. Nathan had gotten suspicious when several things didn't add up with Wyatt's claims, and Bill had assigned him to investigate. He had eventually uncovered the ring and broken it up in a huge bust that saw Wyatt and his cronies receive life sentences in prison. At the trial, Wyatt had turned after his sentencing, dark eyes filled with wrath, and coldly informed Nathan that he would live to regret busting the ring. He'd vowed revenge even as he was dragged out of the courtroom.

That had been five years ago. Nathan hadn't thought much of it since, believing Wyatt was safely tucked away in a federal prison with no hope of parole.

"Where was the prison he was sent to?" Nathan asked, looking up at Lee.

"Florence, Colorado," Lee said, looking grim.

"Get me the number for the prison," Nathan said tersely. "I want to know what they're doing to find him."

Several hours later, Nathan rubbed his forehead, trying to keep a tension headache at bay. The police in Florence and the surrounding towns had nothing on Wyatt. The prison didn't know how he had escaped. Nathan blew out a breath in frustration. How in the world had Wyatt escaped from the only federal maximum security prison in the country?

Calculating in his head the timing, Nathan groaned. Wyatt had gotten out six days ago. He could be anywhere. But somehow, Nathan knew with a sinking feeling in his stomach that he was coming back to Kauai. He knew that threat five years ago wasn't empty. Something occurred to him, making him frown.

"Lee!" he called. "Do you know why this is only just now being reported? He got out six days ago, and this is the first we're seeing of it."

Lee nodded, the grim look wrinkling his forehead. "Maybe they wanted to keep it quiet until they caught him, but couldn't after a few days. No one wants to hear that criminals can escape from prison, much less that prison in particular."

"He could be here. You realize that, right?" Nathan's breathing grew shallow and his eyes widened. Lee's brow furrowed again.

"What is it, Nathan?"

"You know the kind of man Wyatt is," Nathan said slowly. "His version of revenge isn't going to be coming after me or anyone connected to this case directly, at least not at first. He will play a game of cat and mouse. People we love are at risk." He looked Lee right in the eyes, his serious words spoken slowly. "That means Elizabeth and Rosemary and your children are most in danger."

Lee nodded, his eyes firm despite the fear that reflected in them. "We'll have to install state of the art security systems, better than the ones we have now. And windows can't be left open at night."

"No," Nathan said. "And patrol cars will have to watch the streets at night, at least until we have an idea of where Wyatt is."

Lee looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, maybe he won't come here. Everyone in that courtroom heard his threat; this would be the first place they look for him. For all we know, he's in some town on the mainland or he even could have fled to another country. We're making a big assumption here."

"Perhaps," Nathan conceded. "But I'd rather be safe than sorry."

As Lee went back to his desk to call Rosemary, Nathan pulled out his phone and called Elizabeth. There was no answer. He texted out a quick message: Have Carson escort you to your car tonight. I'll explain later. Putting the phone in his pocket, he resumed strategizing what his next move would be.

He knew Wyatt was likely on the island already. Nathan was going to find him. And he was going to put that man back in prison where he belonged.


Nathan walked up the steps to his sister's house. Steve opened the door and grinned at him. "Nathan! Come on in! Can I get you something to drink?"

Smiling wearily, Nathan shook his head. "Thanks, but no. I'm only here for a short visit." He glanced around. "Is Colleen here?"

Steve shook his head. "She and Allie went shopping for new clothes. They've both been not-so-subtly hinting that we need to take a vacation, and since they're shopping for winter clothes, I think that's an even bigger hint."

Nathan looked Steve straight in the eyes. "I think you should take that vacation, Steve. And I think you should go as soon as possible."

Steve's brow wrinkled in confusion as he studied Nathan's eyes. A slight understanding filled his face. "What's happened, Nathan?"

Taking a deep breath, Nathan asked, "Do you remember Ray Wyatt?"

Steve thought for a moment, eyes moving back and forth as he looked at the ground, trying to remember. Finally, he looked up. "Was that the guy in charge of the human trafficking ring several years ago? The one you busted?"

Nathan nodded. "Yes."

Steve spread his hands. "I thought he was in prison."

"He was," Nathan said grimly. "He escaped."

Steve's mouth dropped, and further understanding lit his eyes. "You think he's coming back here. He had a vendetta against you for breaking up the ring and arresting everyone involved."

"That's right," Nathan nodded. "And therefore you, Colleen, and Allie are in danger. It would make me feel a lot better if the three of you were on the mainland while we try to figure out if he's here or not."

Steve nodded. "Alright, Nathan. I'll book a trip. We'll leave tomorrow." He raised a brow. "Do you want to know where it is we'll be going?"

Nathan shook his head. "Better that I don't know. Just be safe, Steve. Keep my sister and my niece safe."

"You know I will," Steve said solemnly. Nathan hugged his brother-in-law, then headed for the door. He paused, hand on the knob. "Steve, have you remembered yet how you ended up in that ravine? I was never able to figure out why you were on that road that night."

"Yes, actually," Steve said. "And it's the most ridiculous reason. I wasn't being careful." At Nathan's raised brows, Steve continued. "I drove to Kahawai to pick up some of Colleen's favorite flowers and fruit from a local vendor. She loves the fruit from one of those local streetside stands, and I wanted to surprise her. After I bought them, the rain got worse and visibility went down. I had to brake suddenly on my way back to town because a wild boar ran into the road, and some of the fruit fell onto the ground." He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I never should have tried to pick them up then. I should have waited until I got home. But I took my eyes off the road and bent to pick them up. All of a sudden I hit a ton of water and hydroplaned. I lost control of the car and went over the ravine. After that, I remember nothing until waking up in the rehab center."

"That clears up a few things," Nathan said. "I didn't know Colleen loved that streetside produce stand. I might have been able to find you sooner if I had known there was a connection to Kahawai."

Steve shrugged. "What happened happened. We can't change the past." He clapped Nathan on the shoulder. "But I have to thank you for never giving up, Nathan. I'm so glad you kept searching until you found me." He blinked back tears. "You gave me my family back."

Nathan returned the shoulder clap. "Anytime, Steve. That's what you do for family." Bidding his brother-in-law goodbye, with a reminder to book that vacation as soon as possible, Nathan walked to his car. He had plans for the evening, and he was determined not to let the news about Ray Wyatt ruin them.


Elizabeth pulled up to the house after her shift. She had been puzzled by Nathan's request for her to have Carson walk with her to her car, but she had complied. As soon as Carson heard it was Nathan's wish, he asked what was going on. Elizabeth had to tell him she didn't know, but she trusted Nathan's judgement. Her curiosity was heightened, and she hoped her husband could tell her what was going on.

She opened the door and caught her breath, all questions flying out of her head. Rose petals made a trail to the kitchen, with more scattered throughout the living room. Something delicious was wafting from the kitchen, where Elizabeth could see their dining table overlaid with a lace tablecloth and decorated with two candles and a vase of flowers. She smiled, hanging her purse on the hook by the door. "Nathan?" she called, walking slowly down the path of rose petals.

He met her in the kitchen, a smile on his handsome face. "Welcome home, sweetheart." He took her in his arms, nuzzling her neck with his lips. "I missed you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her fingers tangle in the hair at the back of his head. "I missed you too," she said, feeling suddenly breathless. "Is that what this romantic evening is about?"

Nathan pulled back and grinned. "Do I need a reason to set up a romantic dinner with my lovely wife?"

The look in his eyes made Elizabeth go weak at the knees. "Not at all," she whispered, right before Nathan's lips claimed hers. His kiss was strong and passionate as he probed deeply, pressing her close with his hands. Elizabeth sensed something was wrong. There was a desperation in his kiss that wasn't normal. When he finally broke away, Elizabeth looked into his eyes. "What's wrong, Nathan?" she asked. "You never ask me to have Carson walk me to my car unless something's wrong. And your kiss just now...I could feel a desperation. Something happened today, didn't it?"

He sighed, holding her close to his chest. "Yes, Elizabeth, something happened today. And I promise we'll talk about that later tonight. But first, I want to enjoy dinner together without the shadow hanging over us."

Elizabeth was confused by his words, but she trusted that it would make sense once he told her. "Alright, sweetheart. Let's enjoy dinner." She smiled. "It smells amazing."

He chuckled. "Spaghetti and meatballs with salad and garlic bread. Nothing too fancy."

"You know perfectly well that spaghetti is one of my favorite meals," Elizabeth said with a fond smile. "Thank you, Nathan." She looked around, taking in the ambience. "And this setting you've created is perfect."

He smiled a little shyly. Elizabeth smiled to herself, thinking it was sweet that he could still feel shy around her. "Anything for you, love," he said, pulling out her chair to seat her. The salad and bread were already on the table, and he served two bowls of spaghetti and brought them over. They said a quick blessing over the meal and then started eating.

"Mmm," Elizabeth said after her first bite. "This is delicious! How have I never had your spaghetti before?"

Nathan gave her his crooked smile. "I have no idea. It never occurred to me to make it before."

"You can make this anytime you want," Elizabeth said, taking another bite. "I love it."

"Will do. So how were the babies today?" Nathan asked, looking at her over his bread.

Elizabeth smiled. "Good. Right now all the babies we have are doing well and projected to go home within the next week or two." She sighed happily. "It's so nice when that happens. It's not often we have such good news all at once."

"It makes your heart happy," Nathan observed, his smile back. "That much is obvious."

"So happy," Elizabeth sighed. "This was such a happy day."

A shadow crossed Nathan's face, but quickly passed. "That makes me happy, too, Elizabeth. I know how much you love those little babies." He covered her hand with his. "You're making a real difference in the world."

"So are you," Elizabeth returned.

"Sometimes I believe that," Nathan said absently, rubbing his fingers against her palm. "Other times…" He stopped, shaking his head. "Well, we'll get to that later."

They finished their meal, then washed the dishes quickly. Once they were done, they retired to the living room, where Nathan pulled Elizabeth down onto the couch next to him. He held her close, and Elizabeth wondered if he was ready to share what was on his mind. "Nathan…" she began, but he placed a gentle finger over her lips.

"Not yet," he said softly. "Right now, I just want to be with you." He closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers. His kiss started off sweet and tender, but quickly moved to hungry and passionate. He eased her back onto the couch, deepening the kiss even more. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him, her body tingling.

A knock sounded at the door, barely discernible over the racing of her heart. Nathan moved his lips to her neck. "We're not home," he said, his voice muffled as he kissed the spot where her pulse hammered in her throat.

Elizabeth was inclined to agree, and for a moment she let him continue his trail of kisses toward her lips. But a niggling doubt filled her, a sense of unease. Something was prompting her to answer the door.

She gently kissed Nathan, then pulled back. "I think we need to answer that," she said softly.

Nathan looked like he was about to argue, but then he saw the look in her eyes. "Alright," he agreed, moving to the side so she could get up. He stood, running a hand through his hair. "But this little rendezvous isn't over."

Elizabeth laughed at that, pulling open the door. The laughter immediately died on her lips.

Faith stood at the door, arms wrapped tightly around herself, her cheeks dirty and tear stained. Bloody scapes marred her pale cheeks, and Elizabeth could see blood stains on Faith's torn dress. Alarm filled her, and she wrapped an arm around her friend, ushering her into the house. "Faith! What happened?"

Faith tried to speak, but she burst into tears instead, clinging to Elizabeth as if her life depended on it. Elizabeth felt bewildered. Nathan stood next to them, a horrified look on his face. Elizabeth looked at him over Faith's shoulder, a question in her eyes. Nathan gestured to Faith's appearance, grief filling his eyes.

Slowly, understanding dawned. The dirty appearance. The torn dress. The bloodstains. Elizabeth felt the blood drain from her face and her pulse started throbbing. Anger burned hot inside of her, and she felt a rage unlike anything she'd known that someone could do this to her sweet, innocent friend.

She pinned Nathan with a look, a fierceness building inside of her. "You find whoever did this to her," she said, her words soft but icy. "And you put him away."

He nodded, the ice in his eyes matching hers. "I will."