Page 72 of Fated Love with You

Adeline’s face is flushed, red and streaked with tears, her palms pressed flat to the glass. She’s sobbing—heaving—her body curled toward the window like she’s trying to break through it.

Fuck.

Without another word, I take the stairs two at a time and move straight to her.

She throws herself into me before I can even kneel down.

“Please don’t make me go back,” she cries, voice shaking against my chest. “Please, Daddy.Please.”

I close my eyes as the guilt punches through me, hard and hot.

“Okay,” I say, rubbing her back. “You can stay here.”

“Forever?”

I look at her face, never wanting to see her this upset again.

“Yes.” I nod, knowing it’s reckless.

“We’ll figure something out,” I whisper, lifting her into my arms and carrying her down the steps and back home where she belongs.

Fire cracklesin my main room’s hearth around midnight. The flames cast dancing shadows on the wood grains of the violin.

Adeline is softly snoring in the room right next door, but I can’t sleep.

I’m done even trying.

Pouring myself a second glass of whiskey, I contemplate running through the jobs that need to be done this weekend, but I know it’s pointless. I’ve run through them over fifty times already and there’s not a single flaw. Not a single second or gap for human error.

It’s all tracked, perfect, just like usual.

Knock. Knock.

I look up at the entry doors and see Chester.

“Mind if I come in?”

“Not at all,” I say. “Just shut the door to the ante-room if you plan on smoking.”

“You read my mind.” He walks over and glances at Adeline for a few seconds before slowly pulling the door shut.

Taking out one of his preferred Cubans, he lights it and puffs a large “O” toward the hearth’s mantle.

“I’ll save you the suspense,” he says, taking another drag. “Miss Jane is safe and sound.”

“Thank you.”

“No one followed her—except two of your guys, and the only people waiting for her at landing were her parents.”

I nod, wanting to press him on whether he made two of our guys remain there until we’re sure she’s in the clear, but I hold back.

“You don’t have to pretend to be completely done with her, for my sake.” He looks at me. “They’ll keep a safe distance and make sure she’s in the clear until you want them to pull back.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Always.”

The fire crackling and hissing serves as the only conversation between us for several moments until I can’t take it anymore.