Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 122242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Faith watches him for a moment and then turns her face up to me, her gaze stricken. "She didn't steal that money from Nikolai, did she?" she asks, her voice the barest of whispers.
"I don't think so, conejita," I whisper, wishing like hell that I didn't have to break her heart like this. But she needs to know the truth. She deserves to know that she was never to blame for what was done to her. She's blamed herself for so long for the way Tarasova hurt people to punish her. That burden isn't hers to carry. It belongs to her bitch of a mother. "I think he paid her for you."
As far as I've been able to tell, she was never anything more than dollar signs to her mother. But her mother couldn't kill her, either, or she'd never get her hands on that money. So…she sold her to Tarasova instead. She made a small fortune and no longer had a kid to worry about. Tarasova intended to keep her around long enough to marry her to gain control of her fortune and then get rid of her. I'll never fucking tell Faith, but I have a suspicion he didn't intend to kill her. There's a reason they never raped her. And I'm guessing it's because they intended to sell her to the highest bidder as soon as she was no longer useful to Tarasova. She never needs to know that, though. Some shit, I'll take to my grave. That's one of those things.
"He knew where she was," she mumbles, looking at me for confirmation.
"I believe so."
She swallows hard, staring at me. And then a shiver rolls through her. She nods, laying her head against my chest. "Okay," she whispers. She only lets me hold her for a minute before she pulls back to look at Hamby again. "I thought I dreamed my dad. All this time, I thought maybe I just wanted to believe he existed."
"He existed," Hamby says. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet, flipping it open. "Here." He holds a picture out toward her. "You have his eyes."
Faith takes the picture with shaking hands, turning it so I can see it too. My breath stalls in my throat as I stare down at her as a little kid. She's on her dad's lap, laughing at something off camera. Her little face is bright with joy, her honey eyes shining. Theo's arms are almost as big around as she is, but he's gentle with her, like she's the center of his world. Happiness radiates in his expression as he stares down at her, affection in his gaze.
"I do remember him," she whispers. A tear lands on the picture.
Mila sniffles beside her, dashing away tears.
"You were the best thing that ever happened to him," Hamby says, his voice rough with emotion. "Theo was wrapped around your little finger from the minute you were born. He adored you, Faith. We all did. I'm so damn sorry for what Carmen put you through."
"Me too," Faith whispers.
"How are you feeling?" I ask Faith, stroking my hands through her hair. She's been quiet since Hamby left, processing everything. I can't even imagine how she feels right now, finding out she's a millionaire and that her mother sold her to Tarasova all in one fell swoop. I fed her and brought her back to bed not long after everyone left. We've been here since.
"I'm not sure," she admits, laying her head on my chest. "I'm sad and happy and relieved. And angry." She pauses for a moment. "My mom really sold me to them."
"She's a bitch," I mutter, holding her a little tighter.
"All this time, I thought I did something to make her hate me, but I didn't. Mila was right." She sighs sadly. "She couldn't love me because she isn't capable of love."
"Some people are heartless, little bunny. I'm sorry your mother is one of those people. You deserve love and affection." I will never understand how her mother could do what she did. But she won't get away with it. It may be too late to charge her for the physical and mental abuse she subjected Faith to, but there is no such statute of limitations for selling a child into human slavery. As soon as the indictment is drawn up, she'll be arrested and extradited back here to stand trial.
"I have to tell you something else."
She looks up at me.
"There's going to be a hearing at work. About you."
"Me?" She blinks her sooty lashes. "Why?"
"Because I claimed you as mine." I expel a breath. "My major thinks I violated policy by being with you. He's not happy about it, so there's going to be a hearing."
"You're in trouble because of me," she whispers.
"No, Faith." I clutch her to me, my voice firm. "I'm in trouble for breaking the rules to be with you. Finn and Roman will testify that you weren't in protective custody. I may be suspended without pay for a little longer than usual, but I don't give a shit. I knew it was possible before I claimed you, but I made the choice anyway. I'd make the same one all over again. I love you. You're mine. If anyone doesn't like that, they can go to hell."