He Dragged My Granddaughter Through the Courtyard in a Cage—Then Her Stuffed Rabbit Led Me to My Missing Daughter

Marcus came through the archway with Cole at his side and Dean behind them, breathing hard like men who knew they were nearly out of time and had decided desperation was better than caution.

His eyes went straight to the folio in Vincent’s hand.

“There it is,” he said softly.

Vincent moved automatically, shifting himself between the three men and Naomi with Lily. The house manager pulled Lily farther back.

“You’re done,” Vincent said.

Marcus laughed once, but there was nothing easy in it anymore. “Not until I leave with those papers.”

Cole stepped wider to flank him. Dean did not. Dean hovered half a step behind, eyes darting between Marcus and Naomi like a man already regretting every bad decision that had brought him here.

Naomi spoke first. “You kept me in a cellar for paperwork?”

Marcus snapped toward her. “For what those papers unlock.”

Then his gaze dropped to the sealed envelope in the safe.

“For all of it.”

He lunged.

Vincent met him head-on.

The impact sent them both into the end of the dining table. Marcus grabbed for the folio. Vincent drove his forearm up and slammed him back. Cole rushed in from the side, but Dean caught Cole’s sleeve instead.

“Don’t,” Dean shouted.

Cole shoved him off. “Move!”

That split second was enough.

Vincent swung the heavy folio case like a weapon and cracked it across Cole’s jaw. Cole stumbled into a chair and went down hard. Marcus tried again, this time reaching past Vincent toward Naomi—toward Lily.

Naomi gasped. Vincent saw red.

He hit Marcus once, brutally, across the mouth, then drove him backward into the sideboard so hard the decorative panel shattered beneath them. The safe door banged shut.

Dean stepped back with both hands raised.

“I’m done,” he said hoarsely. “I’m done, Marcus.”

Marcus spat blood onto the floor and looked around wildly, finally realizing his men were no longer standing with him.

Then Lily’s small voice broke through the room.

“Grandpa,” she whispered. “He’s scared now.”