My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 1172

Dennis pushed Kevin’s hand away and looked up at him, his voice steady and serious. “Grandpa, we’re talking about Mom right now. If you want to know about school, we can talk about that after. Let’s talk about Mom first, okay?”

Kevin looked away, his expression hard. “There’s nothing more to say. I’ve already told you, she’s on a trip. I haven’t lied to you.”

“That’s not true! She didn’t go on a trip. The bad guys took her!”

Dennis’s lower lip quivered. He climbed off Kevin’s lap and stood right next to him, grabbing Kevin’s arm with both hands. His eyes were big and watery as he pleaded, “Grandpa, please. I’m begging you. Please save Mom. Bring her home, please?”

He tugged at Kevin’s arm, desperate.

Kevin’s face stayed unreadable. He reached for his teacup and took a slow sip, trying not to look at Dennis.

“Grandpa, I already know where Mom is. You don’t have to keep telling me stories. I know you think I’m just a kid and easy to trick, but I’m not. I can tell when you’re lying, and you’ve been lying to me this whole time.”

He kept repeating the word “lying,” and every time, Kevin’s frown deepened.

Dennis’s tears started falling in big drops, splashing onto the floor.

Now, this little boy he’d spoiled all his life was sitting at his feet, crying and begging for the one thing Kevin couldn’t give him. Kevin felt his resolve slipping. He almost said yes.

But Dennis’s request was different from anything else. This was about Isabella Austin.

Getting involved in Isabella’s situation would bring nothing but trouble to the Lane family. Even doing nothing, they were already feeling the fallout. If they actually stepped in and tried to save her, it would be like jumping into a fire. And if they somehow managed to get her out, it would turn into a ticking time bomb for the family, always hanging over their heads, threatening to blow up everything they’d worked for. There was no benefit, only risk.

No matter how much Kevin loved his grandson, he just couldn’t agree to this. Not this time.