Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“I know. I know.”
“Just hold my hand, close your eyes if you need to. I’ll walk you out.”
“But you don’t know where you’re going.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“No, I have to . . . I have to show you. I can do this. I can.”
I can’t. I can’t.
He cupped her face between his hands. “You can do this. I believe in you. I’m right here. I’m going nowhere.”
He was here. He wasn’t going anywhere. He wouldn’t leave her.
She could do this.
Nico could feel her shaking and it killed him.
He wished he could just pick her up and carry her out of here. But he couldn’t. He needed her to keep it together, so the best thing he could do for her was to be strong.
She led him through the underground tunnels that must have been here for years. It was cold and damp and he had to admit, he fucking hated being in here as well.
Every so often, red eyes glanced out at him, and he heard the scurrying of rats along the ground.
Lottie would let out a small whimper, but she would keep going, her hand wrapped around his. It was a double whammy for her. Leaving the house as well as walking through these fucking awful tunnels.
“You’re doing so good, pretty girl,” he murmured when he heard her breathing speed up. She dug her nails into him, but he didn’t care. Better him than have her hurt herself.
“I hate it down here. I want to go home.”
“I know. I know you do. Not much longer.”
He had no idea how much longer it was. Fact was, she was doing far better than he’d thought. He figured she would have frozen up. And he’d been prepared for that. Liam told him to get her as far as he could and that they would find them. No matter what.
He had complete faith in Liam. All he had to do was keep their girl safe until their Dom could get to them.
“Nico,” she whispered on a soft cry. She stopped, her hand pressing to her chest. “I . . . I . . .”
“You got this, pretty girl. You’re doing so well. Come here.” He drew her close, hugging her tightly.
“I . . . I can’t go any further.”
“You don’t have to. You got us far enough away. We can wait here.”
“But . . . but . . .”
“We can stay here. Liam will come for us.”
“He’ll come for us?”
“Do you doubt that anyone would stop Liam from finding us?”
“Right. Right. Liam will find us. Can you . . . can you . . .”
“Can I what?”
“Can you t-tell me n-not to think? In that c-commanding voice. W-when you say it l-like that. It’s e-easier. I can b-breathe.”
Got it. Maybe now wasn’t the time for gentle. He grasped her cheeks in his hands and raised her face. The light tilted up at the ceiling but that didn’t matter right now. There was still enough illumination to see her.
“You are going to listen to me,” he commanded. “You are going to keep walking. You will get us out of here. Because it’s what I want. Understand? You’re going to do as I say, aren’t you, Charlotte?”
Her breathing started to calm.
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?” he asked sternly.
“Yes, Nico.”
“You’re not going to think about anything else but what I want. What Liam wants. We both want you to lead us out of here. Understand?”
“Yes, Nico.”
“Good girl.” He longed to kiss her, but she was growing calmer, and he didn’t want to do anything to ruin that.
Fuck, she was so brave. So beautiful.
A miracle.
Liam felt like he was going to crawl out of his skin.
“What if they’re not there? What if they can’t get through the tunnels?”
Regent glanced at Victor. Their driver was taking them to where Lottie and Nico were supposed to end up. What if something fucking happened to them?
“I should never have left them alone,” he said.
“If they’re not there, then we’ll have to go in. Lottie won’t be coping,” Victor said.
Regent’s phone rang and he answered it.
“Lottie’s stronger than you give her credit for,” Liam told them. But he didn’t see how she could managing this. Leaving the house, going through the tunnels, the FBI raiding her house.
“The lawyer is at the house,” Regent said, hanging up.
“Jardin?”
“No. Jardin needs to be kept separate from all this. Maxim and my trusted lieutenants have gone to each legitimate business in case the FBI turn up there.”
“Feels like plugging holes in a sinking ship,” Victor muttered.
Regent grunted. “The plane is ready to take Lottie to our place in Mexico. I assume you’ll want to accompany her.”
He shook his head.
“You’re not going with her?”
“No. She’s not going to Mexico. She needs to be far away from you and your family.”
“No one will get to her there. No one knows about the house in Mexico.”