Page 73 of Cherished By the Sinners

“The irony of that is profound,” Mason drawled.

Anna smiled briefly.“It is, isn’t it?”

The shower shut off.

“As soon as Magnus gets back,” Anna said.“You and he are going to have a conversation with Darlene where you tell her everything.”

“But—”

“You can wait until she feels comfortable and safe, but you must tell her.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Anna shifted until she faced the rest of the room and waited with him for Darlene to come out of the shower stall.

When she emerged, Anna gestured at the bench seat near the lockers.“Have a seat.”

Darlene sat and the two Chinese ladies sat with her.

“Did you discover any injuries while you showered?”Anna asked Darlene.

“Nothing more than bruises.”

Mason’s gaze was drawn to Darlene’s neck and the mottled blue-green of the bruising there.Some of them in the shape of fingers.

Anna extended a hand and carefully felt the skin of Darlene’s neck.“Some swelling here, but nothing to be too worried about.”

“He, um...picked me up by my neck at one point,” Darlene said quietly.“But only for a couple of seconds,” she hurriedly finished.

Mason grunted.It was the only sound he could trust himself to make and not explode in anger.

Anna took a step back and nodded.“Right now you’re okay to go collect some clothing and toiletries from your room, then go on up to Mason and Magnus’s room.”

“Yes, ma’am.”Darlene smiled.“And thank you for...caring about me.”She cocked her head to one side.“I don’t know if I’ve ever thanked you for that before, but I’m very grateful for everything you and your family has done for me.You’re all very kind.”

“Grandmother says that family is more important than profit or power,” one of the Chinese ladies said.“Without family, we are no more than animals.”

Anna nodded.Mason did too.

Mason waited until Darlene glanced at him before moving to pick her up and cradle her in his arms.“Thank you,” he said to the Chinese ladies.

Then he turned to Anna.“Thank you.”

He turned and went to the door, which Anna opened right before he reached it.He smiled at her burst of speed.Did Darlene notice?

He glanced down, and saw that her eyes were closed.Not asleep, but not far from it.

He exited the room and strode down to the employee elevators.The ride up to his and Magnus’s room was completely uneventful.He could only hope that the upcoming conversation with Darlene about who and what he was, what his whole family was, would be as uneventful.

He got off the elevator, entered his room, and laid Darlene on the couch in the living area of the suite.

He covered Darlene in a blanket then spent a few minutes in their private command center—a small office within the suite tied directly into the hotel's main surveillance—looking over the logs and anything the computer might have flagged as a problem.Aside from the kidnapping attempt earlier that day, nothing stood out.

Mason’s phone buzzed.He checked it.The message was from Magnus.

On my way home.

Good.They had a lot of explaining to do.