Luke A hot burn pushed through my bicep muscles as I came to the end of my hundredth rep with the weights. Coach had been working me hard for two days now, focusing on my upper body while I eased into movements with my knee. The pain sucked, but not as intense as before and I was used to it. Pain was a daily part of my life anyway when you're a fighter. But it was also a signal to go easy and neither one of us wanted to take any chances in re-injuring it during this window we had.

"One more time," Coach said.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I glared at him.

"Do I have to remind you what's at stake here, boy?" Joe snapped.

I didn't need a fucking reminder. It was my career and my daughter's life on the line. Everything was riding on me being able to pull off these fights to draw Bruno out.

"Add ten more pounds."

I added the weights and gritted my teeth, knowing I was pushing myself to the limit.

"That's more like it." Joe's voice was confident and proud. He knew what he was talking about when it came to coaching. His strategies had always worked for me in the ring and I had to trust his expertise now. I managed two more reps before I heard someone say my name. I set the weights down, grateful for the break despite my dedication. I shook out my arms and stretched the muscles as I saw Brad, my lawyer, walking toward me, but he wasn't alone. Another man was with him-a man I didn't recognize but whose suit screamed Fed was next to him. Neither one of them looked pleased, and Brad's expression was downright angry. My gut twisted.

"It's not Lacey." Brad spoke as soon as he was close enough. "But it's still bad news."

"Dani?"

Brad shook his head. "It's about the case."

Fuck. Now what?

"Luke, this is Agent Spencer of the FBI. Well, let's cut to the chase," Brad said and turned to the agent to let him explain.

"We're about to close the case against Bruno and the cartel," the agent said bluntly.

"What?" They weren't fucking serious were they? There was no way in hell they were going to cut me off after they'd promised to give me at least three months.

"It's not because we don't want to go after them, but budget cuts"

"Budget cuts?" I could've choked the guy. My words came out strained as I struggled to keep my voice down. "You're telling me that you're giving up because there's something more important to spend money on?"

The Fed glanced at Brad, who shrugged as if to say that he was on his own. Welcome to my world. I'm always on my own. Sorry, asshole, no sympathy here for you.

He continued nervously under my piercing glare. "My superiors feel that since the point of finding Bruno Costello was to have him flip on the cartel, without Bruno, there's no case. And they feel there are better avenues they can use to get to the cartel."

"And what about my daughter?" I snapped. "Last I checked, the damn FBI is supposed to handle kidnappings."

Brad shifted uncomfortably. "Here's the thing, Luke. Cindy has primary custody and since there's no evidence that she's been taken by force, they can't officially rule this a kidnapping."

"What the hell, Brad?!" I shouted. "That's my daughter!"

"The most we can charge Cindy with at the moment is custodial interference," Brad said. "And that's not enough to warrant the FBI's involvement.

I wanted to rip the guy's eyeballs out and shove them down his throat but that would get me nowhere. If I was going to get things back on track, I had to prove I was in control. The last thing they wanted was a hot-head in charge. I ran rubbed my hand at the back of my neck and calmed myself before I spoke. "Look, you gave me three months. I'll get Bruno. I have a plan."

The agent shot a nervous glance to Brad and hesitated a moment. From the look in his eyes, he knew what I wanted to do to him and the rest of the FBI. "I'm sorry, Mr. Romero. I can't do that."

Everything I'd been working for, a life with my daughter, with Dani, all of it was slipping away. In desperation, I pleaded, "Then at least hold off dropping the case until after the first match. Give me that one shot. Come on, you've got to cut me a break here, man. This is my daughter. Put yourself in my place. Don't you have kids? Wouldn't you do everything humanly possible if you thought they were in danger? Bruno's one evil motherfucker and he needs to go down. "

Brad and the Fed looked at each other, and then the agent's expression softened. "Sure, we can do that."

I let out my breath and a wave of relief washed over me. "And don't tell Judge Schwartz anything yet. If he gets wind of this, he'll pull my license on the spot. And with great pleasure."

"We'll keep this as quiet as we can," the agent said. His voice was back to it's stiff formality. "But after that fight, if there's no Bruno, my hands are tied."

I dropped my chin to my chest. This guy believed that the law overrides reality. I knew Bruno better than they did; I'd known him for years. Even though Lacey was with her mother, she was still in danger.

"Call us if you get something," the Fed said. "Otherwise, we'll be in touch after your first match." He turned on his heels and walked towards the exit, leaving Brad behind.

Brad lingered for a moment and said, "Look, Luke, I tried everything to get them to reconsider closing the case. There wasn't anything I could do."

"I believe you," I said. Brad was pretty much out for himself most of the time, but he usually came through in a pinch. It didn't really matter now. "Thanks anyway."

"I'll keep working at it," Brad promised before walking away.

I sat down on the weight bench and ran my hands through my hair. What the hell was I supposed to do now? I'd had it all planned out. Three months would be tight, but I could do it. A couple fights up and down the East Coast and we'd draw Bruno in. Now, I had one seemingly impossible chance. Just one and everything would be riding on it.

"Come on, Luke." Joe clapped his hand down on my shoulder. "We have a job to do, and we'd better make it good."

"Right," I said. "Let's get to work." I set my jaw and grabbed a heavier weight.

Chapter Eleven.

Dani The first morning rays of the sun streamed through my bedroom window, but they didn't wake me and I ended up sleeping until past ten. I skipped breakfast and wandered down the hall to one of the empty bedrooms. I poked my head inside to see how much progress Emma and Michelle had made. It didn't look like they'd touched it since I'd left so I tied my hair back, ready to pick up where I'd left off. It seemed like every time I came here, I didn't get to relax like the other vacationers. My mind was still filled with all my worries about Luke, Brian and-well, just everything in this nerve-wracking life of mine. Eager to get started and have something for my hands to do, I reached for a paintbrush and bucket of paint.

I'd been working for a little over an hour when I heard a knock on the door. I glanced behind me and saw Emma standing in the doorway.

"You don't have to do that," she said. "I got your 'reservation' money. You've more than paid for your stay."

"I like helping," I said. I didn't add that it also helped me keep my mind off of the landslide of shit that had been happening lately.

"Well, I was just coming up to ask if you'd like some lunch."

My stomach growled loud enough that I couldn't lie and say I wasn't hungry. I was, but I didn't want to have to try to stomach Emma's cooking, so I offered, "How about I cook for us this time?"

Emma smiled. "That would be great. I have a few things I need to get done before lunch. This way, I can finish them without burning anything. You know how cooking is. You look away for one minute and things can get ruined."

"Great." I put the lid back on the paint can and tapped it shut with a hammer. "Let me wash up and I'll be right down to see what looks good."

As I walked down the stairs, the sounds of Michelle and Pearl playing outside drifted in through the open windows. I was glad Pearl was here. It was good for Michelle to have a friend, even if only while Pearl and her mother were on vacation. When I'd come here the first time, I got the impression that Michelle was a lonely child. It only seemed logical, considering she'd lived in fear all those years of her abusive father. Under those circumstances, it was a wonder she trusted anyone at all. I could relate. Having friends was difficult, so a lot of times it was easier to just keep people at arm's length. Michelle and I were lucky, though. She had her mom and I had Grammy. I never wanted to think about where I would've ended up if it hadn't been for my grandmother.

I heard a noise before I entered the kitchen, and when I rounded the corner, I saw Pearl's mom looking through the cupboards. She spun around, a guilty look on her face when she saw me.

"I was looking for something to eat." She lowered her voice. "But I don't want to tell Emma because she'll insist on making something, and..." Her voice trailed off and she dipped her chin down, as if she were embarrassed. I had a pretty good idea of what she had been thinking, so I helped her out.

"Yeah, Emma's not the best cook, but I don't have the heart to tell her that, either." I stepped over to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs. "I don't have a large menu of things I'm good at, but at least what I make is edible."

"That'll be a step up," she muttered. She sighed and looked up at me as she plopped down in one of the kitchen chairs. "I'm sorry. And I'm sorry if I came off as harsh earlier, too. Things have just been a little crazy for me."

"It's okay," I assured her as I rummaged through the cabinets for any sign of spices. I was starting to see some of Emma's problem. Not much variety here. "Are you guys on vacation?" I didn't want to say family, remembering how Pearl had acted when I'd mistaken her mom's boyfriend for her father.

I saw her hesitate, then nod. "My boyfriend wanted to get away for a couple weeks." She scowled. "I like it here, but he's being an asshole. Spending most of his time on his phone or watching TV." She toyed with a strand of her hair. "He doesn't want to do anything, like go out or go to the beach."

Her voice had taken on an almost-whiney tone, the kind that I always hated in little kids and even more so in adults. I tried to sympathize and put myself in her shoes. How would I feel if my boyfriend took me on vacation but didn't want to do anything but talk on the phone and watch television? Yeah, I'd be pissed, too.

"I'll go to the beach with you this afternoon," I offered. Before she could respond, the eggs I'd been planning on transferring to a bowl slipped from my fingers and splatted across the floor. "Shit." I sighed. "How about we all get lunch at the beach? My treat."

"That sounds great!" She beamed and in that moment when her face lit up, I could see how pretty she was underneath her bad make-up job.

"Why don't you go ask your boyfriend if he wants to come, too," I suggested. Maybe a free meal would tempt him to make an appearance.

"I'll go ask." She jumped up and hurried towards the stairs while I went out to talk to Emma.

"I can't. I'm right in the middle of something," Emma said, barely glancing up from her laptop. "But if you wouldn't mind taking Michelle, I'm sure she'd love to go."

"Of course," I said. "She wouldn't let me go down to the beach without her anyway. And Pearl and her mom are going, too. It'll be good for them." I leaned in and lowered my voice. "Her mom said they haven't gone out much. Can you believe it? They're on vacation."

Emma looked up and shrugged. "As long as they pay rent, I don't care how they spend their time here."

I headed out to tell the girls, running into Pearl's mom on the way. She looked annoyed. "He doesn't want to come. Apparently, he's busy."

"Well, we'll just have fun without him," I said and slung my purse over my shoulder. I held the front screen door open for her and we walked outside. "I'm Hanna, by the way."

"I'm...Carol."

"Nice to meet you." She was a skittish one for sure, the nervous type, but also with a kind of underlying sadness in her face. I tried to encourage her with a smile and said, "Well, Carol, let's get the girls and go have lunch. I know of a nice place down near the pier. At least you'll be getting out."

Chapter Twelve.

Dani The sun was bright, the sky mostly clear with just enough clouds to offer the occasional respite. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The air was warm, just on this side of hot, the perfect temperature for anyone who wanted to go in the water, as well as those who'd prefer to sit on the beach.

Carol, Michelle, Pearl and I went to one of the little beach restaurants first. Surprisingly, it wasn't too crowded and we were able to get seated and served in less than an hour. By the time we were finished, it was past noon and the beach was starting to fill up with people carrying their folding beach chairs, staking their claim with a blanket to the best spot in the sand.

As we walked towards the water, Michelle tugged on my hand. "Come on, Hanna, let's go in the water."

"You and Pearl go ahead," I said. I hadn't worn a bathing suit. Now that I thought about it, I was pretty sure I hadn't even brought a bathing suit.

"Please, Hanna," Michelle begged.

"Race us." Pearl joined in.

I sighed, pretending to be thinking about it. "Oh, I suppose..." I shifted, trying not to think about how hard it was going to be to keep my sandals on my feet in a moment. "Ready set go!" I ran the words together and took off before the girls had even realized what I was doing.

I heard shouts of protest, followed by gales of laughter that drew closer as they ran after me.

"Cheater!" Michelle shouted even as she laughed.

I reached the water's edge and turned, spreading my arms wide. "I win!"

Michelle slapped my hand as she ran past and Pearl caught the other one just seconds later. I spun around just in time to get a splash of cold water across my legs.

"Hey!" I protested. I kicked off my sandals and left them in the sand, then splashed water towards the girls who squealed and ran further into the ocean.

As they turned their attention to the waves and forgot about me, I watched them. Growing up, I'd thought about kids and if I wanted them, how many, names...all the usual things teenage girls are supposed to think about. But, I'd never been baby obsessed. They were just daydreams, fantasies, something I'd never thought would be a reality.

Now, however, as I watched the girls playing, something was changing inside of me. I wanted to be a part of Lacey's life, but for the first time, it really hit home. I also wanted to have my own baby. I knew this was the wrong time to be thinking about having kids, with all the shit going on around me and Luke, but I couldn't help imagining what it'd be like. Although I'd never seen Luke with Lacey, I could tell by the way he talked about her and how protective he was of her that he loved her fiercely. He was an amazing man with a big heart and...oh, my. I was overwhelmed and surprised by this rush of emotions. I truly did want to have a baby. With Luke. Then I snorted a laugh and snapped back to reality, thinking, Let's not put the cart before the horse. There would be a lot of things that would have to be settled before I could even think about that again.

Lost in thought, I dug my toes into the wet sand at the water's edge.

"It's beautiful here." Carol's voice cut into my thoughts. "So much nicer than New York. You'd never know it was the same ocean."

I looked over at her, surprised. I thought back over the few conversations we'd had. I didn't recall either her or Pearl saying where they were from.

"I'm from the city, too," I confessed. I wasn't going to press for details since that'd open myself up for more personal questions. "But this is the kind of place where I'd like to settle down. Much better for raising kids."

My childhood had been spent in a rough neighborhood with the sound of gunshots. Not like this, with a view of the ocean and the sound of the waves. And the fear I'd had to conquer young to survive around my mother's "'boyfriends"', it all added up to too many bad memories. If I ever was going to have a family, I wouldn't be able to do it, have one in a big city like that.

"I hear you," Carol said, lighting up a cigarette.

I thought about pointing out the "No Smoking" sign posted just a few feet away and then decided against it. Again, not my business.

"I'd love to get my girl out of there." She puffed on the thin, white stick. "But a single mom don't get many options... not the kind that include taking off clothes or lying on your back."

"Your boyfriend...?" I didn't want to sound too inquisitive, but I felt like I needed to say something.

"He's not Pearl's daddy," she said, even though that hadn't been what I'd been asking. "He's nice enough to her, but the kid ain't his flesh and blood, so he's not gonna go out of his way to get her someplace nicer."

I could hear the Bronx coming out in her voice now. She must've grown up there. She was good at hiding it, too, when she wanted, when she was calm and not flustered by her emotions, but she didn't like it. I was no psychologist, but if I had to guess, I'd say that Carol didn't like herself, either.

"What about Pearl's real father?" I asked.

Carol blew out a puff of smoke, making me grateful she was downwind. "Asshole ditched me after I got pregnant. He calls and wants to see the kid sometimes, but then he'll be gone for months without so much as a call. Not regular with his child support, either." She stubbed out her butt on the bottom of her sandal and threw it into a nearby trashcan. I had to give her credit for that. Most people would've left it.

She dragged the back of her hand across her nose and squinted up into the sun. "Pearl don't need someone like that in her life. It's not healthy for a kid her age."