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Doesn't even raise his hands.

"You're right."

"You put a fucking tracker on my bike."

"Yeah."

"Brought those bastards to my home. To my woman."

"I know."

My fist tightens.

"Give me one fucking reason."

Mel looks past my shoulder.

At Kierra.

Then back at me.

"They had my daughter."

The words hit hard enough to stop me.

I release him.

"What?"

"Emily. She's fifteen. They took her three weeks ago."

Mel rubs a hand over his face.

"Called me. Said if I wanted her alive, I'd do exactly what they told me."

"Why didn't you come to me?"

"Because they said they'd kill her if I told anybody."

"Instead you put Kierra in their sights."

His face twists.

"I know what I did."

Grim moves beside us.

"Emily's safe," he says.

I turn.

"What?"

"Mel gave us her location when he called. We got word to some people nearby. They reached her before the bastards knew what was happening."

Mel sinks into the chair.

For the first time since I met him again, he looks like the man I remember after a bad mission.