“Choose love,” Vanessa whispered, her voice raw. “You’ve spent your whole life chasing revenge, and it’s broken you. You don’t have to be alone anymore. Please, Adrian. Choose me.”
Her words pierced him, and suddenly the decision was crystal clear. All his life, he’d been seeking vengeance for what that bastard had done to him, but now he realized that killing Roger wouldn’t make it go away.
God only knew what Vanessa had been through. She needed him, and being there for her was far more important than going after Roger. There would be time for that later.
He pulled Vanessa back into his arms, holding her tightly, being very careful of the baby, stroking her back to offer what comfort he could. “I’m here, darling. I’m not going anywhere.”
She collapsed utterly then, sobbing as if her heart would break, telling him of everything she’d been through, how she’d helped deliver Anne’s baby girl, then woke to find Anne dead.
Tears filled his eyes, too, and for once, he let them fall. He’d love Anne. She’d been a sweet beautiful soul, and he couldn’t help but feel guilty for what had happened. They stood in the hallway, grieving, for quite some time.
Then, at last, he took Vanessa’s hand and led her out of the building to the street outside to wait for his brothers and Clinton.
* * * *
MORGAN WAS THE FIRSTto arrive, his mount’s sides heaving as he flung himself to the ground. He glanced at Vanessa’s bruised and bedraggled state and then looked around frantically. “Where’s Anne?” he cried.
Adrian stepped forward, his heart in his throat. “Morgan, I’m so sorry,” he murmured, placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder. He’d been holding the baby beneath his cloak for warmth, and he slowly revealed her. “Anne is gone, but here is your daughter, Felicity.”
Morgan shook Adrian’s hand off, shaking his head and backing away. “No,” he muttered, turning toward the building. “No, she’s still in there. Why didn’t you get her? Why did you only rescue Vanessa? Why did you leave my Anne in there!” His voice rose with each word until he was practically screaming as he strode toward the building.
Vanessa threw Adrian a devastated look and chased after Morgan, capturing his arm and forcing him to stop. He stared down at her, his chest heaving, just as Luke and Clinton arrived.
“Morgan, it’s not Adrian’s fault. Roger’s men threw Anne down the stairs, right after they brought us here. She went into labor, and I helped deliver the baby. But... she... didn’t make it.” Vanessa’s large, expressive eyes filled with tears, and Adrian knew how difficult this was for her. “I did everything I could... but she wouldn’t wake up. There was so much blood...”
“No,” Morgan screamed, still refusing to believe it. “Where is she? Where is my Annie?”
“I’ll take you to her,” Vanessa whispered, taking his hand and leading him into the building.
Lucien stepped toward Adrian, questions in his eyes. “What the hell happened?”
“Anne’s gone,” Adrian muttered, helplessly holding the baby, who had begun to cry. Morgan hadn’t even looked at her, too wrapped up in his denial that he’d lost Anne. “That bastard Roger killed her.”
“Is he dead?” Lucien asked, fury in his eyes. “Did you kill him?”
Adrian shook his head, unable to explain himself, but knowing he’d done the right thing, nonetheless. “He got away.”
“What! How long ago? Why didn’t you go after him?” Lucien demanded, obviously disappointed in him.
“Vanessa needed me,” Adrian said quietly. “She begged me to stay with her. She’s been through so much... But I did kill his two henchmen, the ones who actually killed Anne.”
Lucien gave him a measuring look and then turned to confer with Clinton, who immediately took off the way they’d come.
A deep, sorrowful howl came from inside the warehouse. Adrian and Lucien exchanged looks and then rushed inside to take care of Morgan.
