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)
“Message me your new number as soon as you have it,” she tells me, and when Kristian begins to cry again, she adds, “I need to feed him. I’ll see you on Sunday. Okay?”
I nod again, then quickly blurt out, “I love you, Grace. So, so much.”
Her face tightens with emotion. “I love you, too, Ciara.”
Santiago ends the call, then ducks his head lower to catch my eyes. “How are you holding up?”
Grace says he’s safe. She trusts him. He’s her friend.
Knowing Grace’s past and that she won’t just say those words, it feels as if the last bit of fear drains from me.
Santiago has done so much for me in such a short amount of time.
Lifting my arms, I curl them around his neck and hug him. His arms immediately wrap around me, and I try to scoot closer, but the chair is in the way. The next instant, I’m lifted out of the chair and find myself on Santiago’s lap. He squashes me to his chest, and the position makes it possible for me to bury my face in the crook of his neck.
“Your strength and how well you’re doing amazes me,” he whispers. “Fuck, I’m so proud of you, mi vida.”
With my eyes closed and Santiago’s woodsy scent filling every breath I take, I relax completely against him and just let the good moment wash over me.
Chapter 19
SANTIAGO
I’m fucking nervous.
Sitting beside Ciara in the back of the SUV, we’re driving from the airfield to Puerto Aguirre, where the yacht is anchored. We still have a four-and-a-half-hour boat ride ahead of us to get to the heavily guarded island where the alliance meets at least once every two months.
That’s why Dominik and Grace have chosen to live there. It’s the safest place for them until Kristian is old enough to go to school. I think once he’s older, they’ll live in the house in Chile I bought for them.
My thoughts return to Ciara, and I lift my hand to rub my fingers over my jaw as I stare out of the window.
I had the ring resized, and I’m now wearing it on a chain around my neck. I want to give it to her on her birthday, even if she never wears it on her finger. I also got her a bunch of other gifts and plan to make the entire day as special as possible for her.
If Ciara decides to stay with Grace, I’ll have no choice but to let her. Even though I love her and consider her mine, it doesn’t matter. She has the final say.
It’s fine. I’ll stay on the island with her. It’s not like I’m losing her.
The words don’t make me feel any better, and I blindly reach for Ciara’s hand, linking my fingers with hers.
She gives me a squeeze, and when I keep staring out the window, her tone is cautious as she asks, “Are you okay?”
I force a smile to my face before turning my head to her. “I’m fine. How are you holding up? Excited?”
She nods, but I can see the anxiety written all over her face.
“Everything’s going to go well,” I assure her. “And I’ll be there.”
She places her other hand on top of mine and grips me tightly.
Static comes over the radio, then Samuel, who’s in the SUV in front of us, says, “Check the road to the left up ahead.”
I tilt my head so I can see past the seats, and the instant my eyes touch on the beaten-up cars idly parked on the side of the road, I reach behind me and pull my gun out of the waistband of my pants.
Pedro radios back, “Get off the road in case of landmines, and be prepared for anything.” His eyes flick to me before he floors the gas while maneuvering the SUV onto the opposite side of the road.
“Wish I had the beast here right now,” I mutter. I had a truck rigged with a multi-barrel missile launcher. It would take out the three cars without us having to break a sweat.
We speed past the cars that have three passengers each.
“Here we fucking go,” I mutter, and looking at Ciara, intense anger pours through my body when I see the fear on her face. “Don’t worry, mi vida. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I’ve been calling her my life ever since the day I realized I love her.
“What’s going on?” she asks, her voice filled with vulnerability.
“Just an inconvenience,” I say as I glance over my shoulder in time to see the SUV behind us turn sharply before stopping to block the fuckers.
My men are giving Pedro time to get away.
I watch as they open fire on the beaten-up cars, but one of the vehicles clips the back of the SUV and makes it past my men.