Page 115 of Romancing His Heart

Two weeks with no contact,and I feel like my heart is ripping in two. How did I ever live without her in my life?

“You miss her.” It isn’t a question. Luca is making a statement. Turning to him, I see the same pain reflected in his face.

“How have you made it all these months without Nadja?”

“It’s knowing that if she were with me, she might not be alive that keeps me from running away with her. Right now, she’s safe, and I have an opportunity to make sure it stays that way.”

“What will you do if this goes south?”

“I’ve given Ashton access to all my accounts. Everything. If I don’t make it out this time, he promised to make sure Nadja will remain safe.”

I should have known. Ashton has his hands in everything.

“It will get easier, Loki. It won’t always be like this. I have to believe that. We were dragged to the underbelly of the world by a father that didn’t deserve us. We will be what changes our destiny from now on. He no longer dictates our lives, and together, I know we can keep our girls safe.”

Not wanting to get into too many details with him, I go for levity.

“Jesus, I hope it won’t always be this way. Two weeks in a goddamn car with your swampy ass is making me want to turn myself in just for the fresh air.”

Luca chuckles, and I feel a shift between us. The possibility of a friendship with him doesn’t seem so far off anymore.

Glaring at my phone, I read the latest message from Sloane’s security team, and the tension in my jaw nearly cracks my teeth.

“Check in on her, Loki. You’ll be useless on this mission if you can’t see through the haze of hurt.”

Flexing my hand a few times until I’m sure I can text without breaking the screen, I sink into my seat and text Preston.

Loki: Her team just told me she hasn’t left the house. Not once in almost three weeks.

Preston: She turned her phone off too.

Loki: WTF? Preston, I’m worried about her. I can’t focus. I need to know she’s okay.

Preston: We’re on it.

Loki: How?

Preston: Everyone is on their way here now. We’re heading to Camden Crossing within the hour.

The knot in my chest unfurls sightly.

Loki: A Westbrook Rally?

Preston: You know it. We’ll snap her out of it. Focus on your job, Loki. Let us take care of her. I promised you I would, now promise me you’re ending this shit. I won’t lie to you. She isn’t in the best headspace—she needs you, man.

“Loki? Are you ready?” Seth’s voice comes through the speaker.

“Yeah,” I choke out. “Are you in place?”

“I am. This won’t be like any mission we’ve ever been on, though. Technically, we’re on the wrong side of the law here. If we don’t get him, there’s a good chance we’ll all go to jail.”

“We’ll never make it that far. Vic will kill us first.” I know that with certainty. “Are you okay? You have Sadie to think about.”

“If I were with anyone else, it wouldn’t even be a question. I would have walked already, but I’ve always put my trust in you. We’ve come too far not to finish this, Loki. Sadie has to be added incentive for us not to fuck this up.”

“We all have something to fight for,” I acknowledge. “I won’t let you or Sadie down. But, just in case something goes wrong, you know Sadie will be taken care of, right? I know she will.”

Seth clears his throat. The thought of leaving his daughter an orphan too much to contemplate. His voice is raw when he answers. “Yeah, Ashton promised to fight for her if something goes wrong.”