Page 190 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

“Wait.”

I kneeled and stared into her lifeless eyes.

“Rest in peace,” I whispered, before gently closing them.

Goran tucked me under his arm as I stood.

“Did you know her?”

“Not well.”

He didn’t press me for more. Instead, he found a discarded jacket and offered me a bottle of water. We climbed into the pristine limo, a stark contrast to the massacre outside.

“I prayed for you. That you’d find me. I guess God was listening tonight.”

“No,” Goran said, tracing my jaw with his fingertips. “If he answered anyone’s prayer, then it was mine years ago when he brought you into my life.”

My bottom lip trembled as I rested my head over his heart. I was exhausted, but every time I closed my eyes, I saw dead bodies and blood coating every surface. It was a sight that I would never forget.

The car door opened and shut as Nathaniel climbed in, followed by Sven and Ivan. Nathaniel pounded on the divider glass.

“Let’s move out. Cops are on their way.”

“Where’s Titus?”

“In the next car with Dimitri. He’s making sure Father doesn’t try any bullshit on the way to the airfield.”

“You really think he will,” Goran asked.

Nathaniel shrugged.

“Don’t know. Don’t care. I won’t give him the chance to think it’s a possibility.” My brother shot me a quick grin. “Good to see you in one piece, sis, but don’t think for one second that you’re off the hook.”

I cringed but settled in for the berating I was about to receive. This would be the sweetest scolding of my life because we were all alive. My baby was safe. And the man holding me was all I would ever need.

Nothing mattered more than that.

Nothing.

Chapter

Forty-Nine

GORAN

Even when we reached the airfield, we remained tense. No wasted motion. No unnecessary words. We got out of the car and moved straight into the hangar. Our biggest concern, aside from the police, was ensuring that no one had followed us.

I pointed to the far building.

“Check over there.”

My men swept the perimeter in coordinated arcs, clearing blind spots and scanning rooftops as the pilot checked the jet. He reported that everything had been quiet, but that didn’t mean we were clear of danger.

Julian had vanished with his father. And we had no inkling as to why the DeLucas had targeted Kaylani. Nathaniel had mentioned hearing some rumblings concerning the Mikhailov/Harrington union, but nothing concrete.

Titus stayed within arm’s reach of Kaylani like a wall of muscle. I had only ever seen him in a business suit, and he was certainly the kind of force that you wanted on your side.

I kept her hand in mine and never loosened my grip.