Page 153 of Stains of Desire

More anger spirals inside me. "If it's the last thing I do, William will get what is coming to him. Santiago as well."

She turns so she's straddling me and puts her hands on my cheeks. "All my dreams were of Millie in the snow and on the beach. But I also dreamed of you."

"You did?"

She nods. "You kept telling me to be strong. And I felt like you were holding me. It was so real."

I kiss her then take a deep breath. A huge part of me doesn't want to know. But I have to. "What has William made you do this time?"

"Nothing. The night of the embassy party, he was going to make me be with him. But when the shooting happened, he never came back to the room. The next day, we flew to Colombia, and I've been with Bernadette ever since."

Relief fills me, but I know she won't be safe with him forever. "Let's leave tonight. You—"

"No! Don't go back on your word to me. I need my daughter rescued and taken to safety."

"I will—"

"I can't guarantee her safety if I leave. I won't do it."

"William doesn't know where she's at. He's only using it—"

"You don't know that!"

Silence fills the air. Our eyes lock, and I see the pain shift in hers.

"It'll be two years soon. I missed age four. She's five, and it's almost over. She needs to come home to me. And if it's not to me, then she needs to be somewhere safe."

I nod and stroke her cheek. "I know."

"We have tonight. That's it. I don't want to debate it. I will never change my mind. She comes first. There are no other options. I hate being near William. But whatever I need to do to keep her safe, I will. And I need you to keep the vow you made to me."

She's right in front of me, and I can save her, but she won't let me. I understand her reason, but it burns in my core.

"Tell me you still promise. I need to hear it."

No matter what I say, she's not going to change her mind. She is too scared of William having access to Millie. I don't believe he does, but my meeting with Louis showed me more insight into how backstabbing the Global Leaders are. I can't assure her William isn't aware of where Millie is. And if anything happens to Millie because of my actions, I'm not going to forgive myself.

It's protocol. Always save the weakest first.

I made an oath to her.

"I promise."

Penelope brushes her lips to mine. "We only have a few hours. I need us. Talk dirty to me and make me beg you all night. Give me a break, and for the next few hours, just be mine."

I flip her on her back, slide my fingers through her hair, and kiss her jaw before murmuring in her ear, "I've missed you, green eyes. And that includes every part of you."

For hours, we focus on each other, and nothing else exists. When I have to tear myself away from her, she makes me promise again to save Millie. "Don't come back for me until you've found her and she's safe. Give me your word."

"You have it. Always."

She smiles. I kiss her one last time and rip myself away from her. I leave the way I came in and sit in my broken-down car until the sun rises.

My burner phone rings, and Gustave tells me where to get the new vehicle.

I drive for days, not finding Millie at the first location. When I get to the second location, and last on the list that has snow, I locate Santiago's mountain home, leave my vehicle a mile away, and creep through the snow.

My heart almost stops. Millie's making a snow angel. The same woman from the video is with her, but when she turns, I see her face.