Page 26 of Taking Adalisa (Montgomery Syndicate #2)

MATTHIAS

A nger courses through me as I walk to the manager’s office with Adalisa in my arms. How did her brother find her here? I had Rolo look into her history to see if her brother would be able to find her easily. He said she was careful in a lot of things that she did and moved to New York a while ago.

So how did he find her?

I hold her tighter, wanting to make sure she knows she is safe but also needing to know she is in my arms and not going anywhere. I am not going to let Gerard do anything to Adalisa. He will never get close to her again, no matter what.

“John.” I nod as I walk into his office.

“Matthias, what can I do for you? Could Nala not find something? We probably have it in the back. We can order it if we don’t have it,” John rushes out the words as he stands.

“Relax, John. Nala was able to find everything she needed earlier this week,” I reply. I keep my hand on the back of Adalisa’s neck, wanting to bring her a little comfort as I talk.

“What can I do for you then? Is everything all right?” John exhales deeply and sits behind his desk.

“I need copies of the security tapes for today and yesterday. All of your cameras,” I state. “You can send them to Rolo now.”

Of course. May I ask why? Should I be keeping my eye out for anyone?” John asks.

I run my hand up and down Adalisa’s back as she starts to shake. I need to get her home and out of prying eyes before she breaks down.

“We’ll give you a picture when we have one,” I reply. “Send it to Rolo. Everything from yesterday and today.”

I don’t wait for his reply as I walk out of his office, through the store, and out to my car. My eyes scan the parking lot, but no one sticks out.

“We’re going home,” I gently explain, trying to get her into her seat but she won’t let go. “Baby, I need you to let go of me so I can drive home.”

She shakes her head and holds me tighter.

“I know you don’t want to, but you need to. When I get in the car, we can hold hands, but I need to get to the driver’s seat so I can get us back to the compound,” I instruct her.

I don’t want to be out here longer than we have to. We are sitting ducks, waiting for someone to sneak up on us and do something bad. But I won’t let that happen on my watch.

“Addy,” I whisper. “You’re okay. I need you to let go of me so I can get us somewhere safe.”

Adalisa pulls away from me, her eyes wide as she stares at me. “Not safe?”

“I don’t want to scare you, but we need to go to the compound. We’ll be safer there,” I calmly tell her, not wanting to worry her more than she is.

I can still see the terror on her face when she turned to talk to me, but instead, she saw her brother. The way her face went pale, and she started to shake. I never want to see that look in her eyes again.

Adalisa finally lets go of me, and I quickly buckle her in and shut the door, making my way over to the driver’s side and getting in. I grab her hand and pull out of the parking lot, heading straight toward the compound.

“Everything is going to be all right,” I tell her. “I am going to take care of everything and make sure you are safe. Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”

They will have to come through me before they get to her. She is too precious and has gone through too much already. I’m not going to allow her brother to ruin it again.

“How did he find me?” she whispers. “How did he get out of prison?”

“On good behavior,” I reply. “He showed them that he had changed and wasn’t going to go after you.”

“But he found me.”

I sigh. “I know, baby, but nothing is going to happen. I am going to keep you safe. Everything is going to be all right.”

Silence fills the car as I pull up to the gate, not rolling down my window to talk to the guard. There’s no time. I want her safely behind these walls.

“How did he find me?” she asks. “I paid for everything in cash when I moved here.”

I’m glad she knew enough about the situation not to leave a trail. Not that it matters now. He still found her. She said she paid in cash, but she could have withdrawn some cash and he was able to find it.

“I don’t know, but I am going to find out. I’m going to take care of him,” I promise her after I turn off the car.

Once I know Adalisa won’t leave me, I am going to teach her everything so she knows what to do in a situation like this again. Not that she’ll be in one if I have it my way. No, I am going to keep Adalisa safe for the rest of our lives.

“We’ll figure this out,” I gently tell her. “No one is going to get you in here. There are too many guards and a state-of-the-art security system to catch him if he tries.”

What she doesn’t know is that I messaged Ethan to let him know. They are coming home a little earlier than planned. It isn’t ideal, but something that needed to happen. She’ll get to see her friend, and Ethan and I will be able to hunt down Adalisa’s brother.

“I just don’t know how he found me or why he wants to find me now,” she mumbles, looking so lost. “I haven’t seen him since I was really little, and he tried to kill me. I’m grown up now, and he doesn’t need to take care of me anymore. So why is he coming after me?”

Adalisa has tears in her eyes, and it breaks my heart. I cup her face with my hands, running my thumb across her cheek every once in a while. “I don’t know why he’s after you, but Ethan and I will find out, and we’ll take care of him. Everything is will work out..”

She leans her face into my right hand, closing her eyes as she takes a deep breath.

Maybe… maybe this is exactly what we needed.

Maybe this is exactly what Adalisa needed to see that I am made for her and will do anything to keep her safe.

While I don’t like that her brother has come back for her, maybe in the long run, this will give her the push she needs to stay with me.

“Adalisa,” I whisper her name. “Everything is going to be all right. I am going to take care of everything and make sure nothing happens to you. You are going to be safe.”

She blinks open and looks at me, exhaustion weighing on her face.

“Let’s get you into bed,” I gently say.

“It’s only three in the afternoon,” she mumbles.

“And you need some place to just lie down and decompress. A lot has happened, and it’s okay to want to be somewhere quiet to come to terms with everything,” I tell her.

“Don’t leave me,” she begs. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“Shhhh, I’m not going to leave you. Never.”