Free Seeking Vengeance by M.P. McDonald

small bag of new clothes. He grabbed that and put it on the kitchen table and made sure his wallet was in his jeans.
    Molly's voice carried from Kelsie's room. Sam strode down the hall, stopping in the doorway. The little girl sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes and blinking. Molly was trying her best to soothe her and still pack at the same time.
    Sam took the pink duffle bag from Molly. “I'll finish this if you want to get her dressed.”
    Molly started to protest, but Sam interrupted. “I know what kids need. Don't worry.”
    She nodded and took a stack of clothes off the dresser as she ushered Kelsie across the hall to the bathroom. 
    Sam stuffed the bag, making sure to get a mix so he didn't end up with all jeans and no shirts or the other way around.  He looked in the closet, found some extra shoes and a jacket to add to the bag, then turned around. Kelsie would want some favorite toys, but he wasn't sure which ones those were. The stuffed dog on the bed was a sure bet, along with a well-worn blanket. The nightstand had some books that looked like they'd been read many times, so he took those too.
    Molly came out of the bathroom with a cosmetic bag in one hand, and the other clutching the hand of a sleepy, cranky Kelsie. “Come on, hon, you can go back to sleep in the car.”
    “ Where are we going?”
    Sam zipped up the bag and met th em in the hall. He winked at Kelsie. “We're going where the wild things are.”
    His attempt at humor backfired when Kelsie turned and pressed her face against Molly's side. “I don't wanna go, Mommy.”
    “ Kels, it's okay. We're just going on a little trip. That's all.” With a hand on Kelsie's back, she herded her towards the kitchen.
    Sam snatched up the overnight bag that Molly had left outside her door and followed behind them, plans hatching in his mind.
    Kelsie stopped suddenly and Sam almost crashed into them. With a suspicious look cast towards him, she tugged on Molly's arm. “Is Mr. Sam kitten-napping us?”
    It felt like a bull rammed Sam's chest.
    Molly darted a horrified glance over her shoulder at Sam, and turned back, smoothing Kelsie’s hair off her forehead. “Oh no, hon. Nothing like that. An emergency came up and we have to leave. Uncle Johnny is here too. He's out in the kitchen.”
    As Kelsie rushed into Johnny's arms, Molly turned and whispered, “Sorry, Sam. I don't know where she learned about kidnapping.”
    Sam shook his head. “No need to apologize. You have a very smart little girl. She knows something isn't right and I’m a stranger—she's drawing pretty good conclusions based on the information she has.”
    Molly gave his arm a squeeze and offered an apologetic smile. “Still…”
    He bit his lip and nodded. Maybe it was her job training, but he loved how she touched him to emphasize her words. Just a pat here, or a squeeze there, but the contact was something he hadn't had in a long time. He wished he could take her in his arms, tell her how much tonight had meant to him.
    Johnny held Kelsie on one arm and the little girl rested her head on his shoulder. Sam felt envy creep over him. Johnny didn't deserve her devotion, but Sam wasn't cruel enough to crush Kelsie's obvious hero worship of her uncle. It gave him another idea though.
    The guys who were after Johnny could be waiting at the end of the drive. They needed a distraction.
    Molly rummaged through some kitchen drawers, pulling out envelopes, papers and an address book. At Sam's questioning look, she explained, “My important papers, just in case something happens to the house.”
    Sam nodded. She hadn’t said it, but he was sure she was thinking of his mother’s house and how it had been set afire.
    After tucking the papers into her purse, she asked, “Do you know how long we're going to be gone?”
    “ No, I'm sorry. It could be a few days, it could be longer.” Sam’s goal had been to find the enforcer to avenge the deaths of his son and mother, but he hadn’t expected