Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Lenny cracked a cold, heartless smile. "Your future or your daughter, you're going to have to choose."

"I just heard something. I'm about to make a move. You grab Sammy and bring him to me when I do." "Don't worry about losing your life. As long as my son is here, you and your daughter can stay alive." Ryan stared at him, shivering. This guy was a devil incarnate!

Before Ryan could react, Lenny and his bodyguard charged into the dense shrubbery mid-slope.

A whiff of smoke reached him. Just moments ago, the air carried it from the direction of the bushes.

Being a smoker himself, Ryan could tell someone was there.

Wherever they were taking Sammy, they had to pass through these bushes.

Ryan, squinting behind his glasses, could barely see a thing. The moonlight, slender as a crescent, was completely blocked by the branches.

He had no choice but to follow the path made by Lenny's rushed passage through the bent grass, desperately trying to catch up.

Finally catching up, Ryan heard the sounds of a fierce struggle.

He smartly stopped in his tracks, still desperately trying not to expose himself. He wanted to save his daughter, and at this moment, he somewhat wanted to save Sammy too.

The sounds of the fight grew more intense...

Ryan circled around, taking a wide detour from the side.

He planned to encircle them from behind. While everyone was busy dealing with Lenny, he could successfully rescue Sammy.

And soon enough, Ryan got his wish.

Because out of the darkness, a child's voice called out to him, "Ryan?"

Ryan pushed through the bushes, following the sound, a bit excited. "How did you know it was me?"

showered in days. It's easy

and grabbed the kid's arm, hoisting him

"Is something wrong? Where

troublemaker, didn't I hint that you should take the chance to run away when the people from Florence were moving you? That way, you could've escaped this hellhole and found your way back to your family. But no

he could give Sammy a piece of

But Sammy wasn't scared.

for him, Sammy tensed

dad soon!" Ryan never intended to harm Sammy. His stance on this matter was always at odds with

Sammy could leave, although Ryan would miss the brilliance of the kid, it

he was caught between goodness and evil, a tough spot to

bushes in the

lit a

dad asked me to sneak you out. I can't be exposed. Do you want to get me killed?" But

drew the attention

even from a distance of a few meters, clearly

It was Sammy...

His son.

had never seen Sammy's face clearly,

as he

running over,

for moving the child. Any mistake, and they'd have a

Florence!

here to pick you up, son. I'm your daddy, you know

voice was a desperate

and quick-witted, should've understood the situation and run

But Sammy didn't.

down