Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
“No.” I shake my head hard. “She’s in no condition to travel. I just got her to eat on her own. I’m not risking the progress I’ve made.”
“How bad is she?”
“She’s fucking broken, Dominik,” I repeat my words of earlier. “He completely fucked with her head.”
“Who kidnapped her?”
“Nolan Walsh. My men are looking for him now.” Only then do I think to ask, “Ever heard of him? He was a guard at their home.”
“I didn’t know the names of the guards,” he mutters. “Jesus Christ.”
“Look, you have Kristian, who’s taking up all of your time right now,” I say. “Ciara is very vulnerable. Give me time with her so she can heal, then we’ll arrange for her and Grace to meet.”
“You want me to keep this from my wife?”
“Well, you can tell her and deal with the consequences. If Grace sees the state Ciara is in, it will rip her fucking heart out.” I need to buy time. “You know Ciara is safe with me.”
“Fuck,” he grumbles. “Give me a second to think.”
I glance at the shut bedroom door again, then say, “Ciara is the one I’ve been looking for, Dominik. She’s meant to be with me.”
He lets out an audible breath. “Grace will never forgive me for keeping this from her. I can’t do it.”
I clench my jaw as I think for a moment. “I’m going to hang up so we can FaceTime. I want you to see what I’m talking about so you’ll understand where I’m coming from.”
I end the call and start a video call with Dominik.
I flip the camera, so it shows what I’m looking at, then I go to open the door and switch on the light.
Ciara isn’t on the bed where I left her, and the trunk is shut.
“Give me a second,” I mutter. I put the phone down on the dressing table, making sure it has a clear view of the room.
Walking to the trunk, I crouch beside it and lift the lid.
Ciara’s curled into a tight ball, and she cautiously peeks at me.
“Come out, mi sol.”
I move back, and it takes close to a minute before she slowly climbs out. When she’s standing, she wraps her arms around her middle, lowers her head, and curls her shoulders forward.
“I found out who you are,” I say, and it has her eyes darting to my face. “Ciara Devlin.”
Terror tightens her features, and she starts to shake her head, then she drops to her knees and begs, “Please. Please. Please.”
I crouch down again and try to catch her frightened gaze, but she’s spiraling fast and hard.
“Please, what?” I ask.
She shakes her head desperately.
“Do you want to see Grace?”
Ciara jerks back as if I’ve hit her, and then she loses her fucking mind, launching her body at me.
I forget about the video call as her fists slam into my chest and neck. She fights with all her strength and I work my ass off to pin her arms to her side. When I have her in a tight grip with one arm, I press my other hand to her forehead so she doesn’t headbutt me and hurt herself.
Our breaths exploding over our lips is the only sound in the room for a solid minute before Ciara begins to weep, sounding like a wounded animal.
It rips my heart out of my chest, and I quickly turn her around before squashing her to my chest. Holding her fucking tight, it takes forever before she begins to calm down. Her body slumps against mine, and lost sobs drift over her lips.
“You’re safe,” I whisper.
Ciara pulls out of my arms, and I watch as she climbs back into the trunk before pulling the lid shut.
Well, that was a clusterfuck of epic proportions.
Standing up, I grab the phone and leave the bedroom. I bring the screen up so I can see Dominik’s face, then say, “I don’t give a flying fuck about how Grace will feel. Ciara is the only one who matters. She is not mentally ready for anything right now. I’ve just gotten her to wipe her own ass and feed herself. It will take months, if not longer, before she’s able to handle something as intense as a reunion with her sister.”
Dominik shakes his head slowly, but then he nods. “I understand. Grace’s hormones are all over the place, and seeing Ciara like that will break her.”
“You protect Grace and let me work with Ciara. Give me a month, then we can check in with each other.”
“But you’ll let me know if Ciara is ready sooner?” he asks.
I nod, then add, “Whatever happens in the future, I need to be very clear about one thing.”
He raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“Ciara is mine.”
“Let’s just get through the next few weeks, then we can talk again.” I tilt my head, staring Dominik dead in the eye. He lets out a tired chuckle. “I get it, Santiago. She’s yours, but brace yourself for one hell of an overprotective Grace. She’s going to fight you.” He pauses, then asks, “Are we good?”