To his surprise, Angelo found hecouldrelax. All it took was knowing that Kara and his family were safe, and Asher was reassuring on that front.
“Thanks.” Angelo yawned. “Could you wake me up in a few hours if I miss the alarm going off on my phone? I have animportant phone call to make and those pain meds make me sleep like the dead.”
“Will do,” came Asher’s reply as Angelo shut his eyes.
Kara had one of Angelo’s cookbooks open in her lap, but she wasn’t seeing anything on the page. Her mind was lost in those moments in the hospital when Angelo had kissed her. It had been so long since she’d dared to let herself to want things like a home, a permanent life, or someone to love. Since her father’s death, she’d started to let her guard down, daring herself to open up to a life that might have more possibilities.
Yet she never lost that voice of her mother’s in her head screaming a warning that she’d never be safe. It was conditioning, she knew, to hear that voice, even when the main threat to her life and safety was gone. She was beginning to wonder if she’d ever break free of those old patterns of run and hide that had been instilled in her since birth.
Now she was facing the certainty that her father’s men were still looking for her and having to shove away those fragile new dreams she’d begun to build. Why did Angelo have to come into her life like some knight in shining armor, offering a dream she desperately wanted to be real? He knew the truth, knew the danger of having her in his life, but he still offered to help her. He’d made her believe for a moment that the nightmare could end and she could have a new life where she didn’t have to run.
But dreams were just that: dreams. They weren’t reality.
No matter how desperately she wanted to embrace the dream of belonging to Angleo and his family, she knew she’d have to run. Perhaps it was for the best. She didn’t deserve to be loved the way someone like Angelo would love. It was a worshippingsort of love, a deep and fiery love that was so far beyond what she could ever hope to have.
Her vision blurred and she hastily blinked her eyes, sending fat tears rolling down her cheeks. She hastily wiped them away and sniffed. She forced herself to focus on the book in her lap.
Kara had read half a dozen recipes when her phone rang. Angelo’s name lit up the screen along with a photo of him standing shirtless on the beach and smiling. She hadreallyliked that image of him so she had made it his contact image. Dante had shown her a few tricks with the phone after dinner. She’d snapped a few photos of the other family members too. Even though she knew she wasn’t keeping the phone forever, it was fun to enjoy it while she had it.
She answered quickly. “Angelo?”
“Kara.” Her name on his lips was like a sigh of pleasure, making her blush.. The memory of that smile against her lips was still there, still vivid even after several hours.
“Did you get some rest?” she asked.
“I did. Are you alone?”
“Yep. In bed… er, I mean,yourbed. Sorry.”
He chuckled at the awkward way she corrected herself. “I wish I was there with you,” he replied in that husky voice that did the craziest things to her heart and her body, only to hear him suddenly stammer. “Er, I mean, because I’m sick of this hospital bed and fluorescent lighting, and… um… the food.”
Kara grinned. At least she wasn’t the only one tripping over their tongue. “Of course.”
But still, his words made her wonder how she’d feel if he was sitting here in bed beside her. She pictured his tall, muscled body emanating that warmth and his sun-kissed skin bared for her view. She imagined him as if he actually was her fiancé, trying to impress her, but really not needing to, because he wasalready so perfect… A flush moved through her body, heating her skin so much that she had to kick back the covers to cool off.
“I imagine it would be better if you were here too,” she added and then cursed silently for her pathetic attempt at flirting. Why was she flirting anyway? It was only going to make it harder when she had to leave him.
“So,” he added awkwardly but still managing to sound charming as he tried to get back on track. “Well, I have some information to share with you.”
“Okay.” She wasn’t sure she liked the sudden change of his tone.
“Do you remember meeting Roarke Covington at the hospital? Jared said he brought everybody food while I was in surgery?”
“Yes.” He’d seemed like a nice man and had shown great kindness to Angelo’s family.
“He’s hired a private security firm, the Brothers of Valor, to keep an eye on us. One of them is here in the hospital with me.”
“Does he know…?”
“Yes. The only way these guys can help is if they know what they’re up against. I don’t want you to worry. They have a second man, Colton, stationed outside my house to keep an eye on you and my family. The codeword is ‘Atlas.’ If someone claims to be him, don’t go anywhere with them unless you hear that word.”
Her heart began to pound as a wave of fear swept through her. Codewords, security teams… it sounded too dangerous. That itching need to pack up her life and disappear into the dark started to build in her bloodstream.
Kara’s head began to swim. It was all so real… and unreal. Angelo was trying to help her. There were people here to protect her, but what was she getting them into? She’d never asked for this, even though she had desperately wanted it for as long as she could remember. She couldn’t do this to them. It was toodangerous. For her. For them. She should grab her bag. She should disappear.
Have to go… have to get out of here… have to hide…
“Kara…? Kara!” Angelo’s voice drowned out the rush of panicked thoughts and her rapid breathing. “Listen to me, Kara. Take a deep breath. Okay… now hold it… release. It’s okay, Kara. It’s going to be okay.”
