Page 104 of Protected By the Sinner

I stand up, walk over, and sit in my fiancé’s lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“I love you,” I say, and he seems to relax.

“Are you happy?”

“Very. We’re a family now, and it’s only getting bigger. I’m already an aunt.”

He nods.

I rest my head on his shoulder while I listen to my brother and my sister talking. I think I could spend all day just watching them.

Yes, because even without the DNA results from the kits Amos brought—tests we’ve just completed—I have no doubt we’re siblings.

Amos is reserved, more analytical, while Elodie speaks for all three of us. And she’s actually being pretty restrained for her standards—she’s usually bursting with energy.

She hasn’t said anything specific about that Giancarlo guy, but I know something went really wrong between them. I can see it in her eyes—they’ve lost their shine. And every time I’ve tried to bring him up since Amos arrived, she’s dodged the subject.

Right now, she’s recounting our childhood, mostly about Mom, and I think Amos finally understands that he wasn’t rejected, he was saved.

We have no idea what happened to him in the orphanage or what his life was like before he was adopted, since he hasn’t brought it up yet, but I think he’ll share that with us eventually.

We already spoke on the phone with Lilly, at Elodie’s request, and I took the opportunity to apologize for that ridiculous run-in at the mall.

“What’s going to happen with the cult? You haven’t mentioned it again,” I ask Beau, but I can tell Amos is listening closely.

“I don’t want you involved in that, Amber.”

“But are you planning to expose them? We could help.”

“First, we need to get the girls out of there.”

“I’d like to talk to you about that,” Amos chimes in.

I glance at Beau, and I know he’s dying to say no. But he looks at me, changes his mind, and nods.

“Thank you,” I say just to him.

“For what?”

“I know you hate giving in, but don’t forget, the cult is part of Amos’s past too. We all need closure. And I have a request.”

“Anything, as long as it doesn’t put you at risk.”

“It doesn’t. What I want is for their faces to be everywhere. I want the whole world to know who the elders are. They destroyed so many lives and separated us,” I say, referring to my siblings, who have stopped talking and are now watching me, serious expressions on their faces. Whether it’s the pregnancy hormones or not, I feel the tears wetting my cheeks. “And only fate allowed us to find each other again. I dare say we’re the lucky ones. There are so many others who’ll never have a second chance like we did . . .”

He cups my face and wipes my tears with his thumbs.

“You have my word. They’ll pay.”

One week later

As soon as the DNA results came in confirming we’re siblings, Amos flew back to Boston.

I made him promise that next time, he’d bring Lilly with him.

Even though he’s not here, I know he and Beau are talking every day. I imagine it’s about the rescue mission for the girls. My brother told me his security firm specializes, among other things, in hostage recovery.

I’m anxious because it’s supposed to happen any day now, even though Beau hasn’t given me a specific date. It’s also unclear what’s going to happen to the girls afterward.