Page 99 of Finn

He opened the door wider, indicating for us to come in.

Anna sat on the sofa, bundled much like Una in a blanket. Her hair was washed, hanging down her back almost to her waist, and it glinted a soft golden blond in the light. She had creamy skin, and her doe-like eyes were a deep brown. She was small and looked vulnerable. She carried the same marks of abuse as Una did, but hers were even more plentiful.

She cried out Una’s name, and the two women clung to each other, whispering and comforting the other.

I looked at Niall, and he shook his head. “I can’t get more than five feet from her and she becomes upset,” he said quietly. “I couldn’t take her downstairs. I stood inside the fucking bathroom facing the wall while she showered to keep her calm.”

“Una is reacting the same.”

“But Anna doesn’t know me.”

“Una probably talked about you. You carried her out of hell, Niall. It makes sense she feels safe with you.”

He didn’t say anything, his gaze locked on the small woman. There was something in his expression I had never seen from him before.

A look I recognized. I wore it every time I looked at Una.

I turned away, trying not to smile.

This could be interesting.

The women sat beside each other. I could see Anna was wearing a T-shirt of Niall’s and a pair of his sweatpants. Thick socks covered her feet. Every item was too big on her.

“Get her some clothing from the boutique tomorrow,” I murmured.

“Yeah, already thought of that. I gave her what I could.”

“Has she eaten?”

“Tea. Toast.”

I chuckled. “These two are alike. Although I did get some soup into Una.”

“Damn it,” he swore. “I never thought of soup.”

I clapped him on the shoulder. “You’ll figure it out.”

“Doc Barnes says she’s severely undernourished. Dehydrated. She needs care and rest.”

I nodded. “She’ll get whatever she needs. Una is very fond of her. Protective.”

He muttered something that sounded like, “I fucking get that.” But I couldn’t be sure.

“Have you heard from them?” he asked, meaning Roman, Luca, and Aldo.

“A text saying it was done. They should be here soon.” I had arranged suites for them. In fact, I had blocked off two entire floors for the next while, unsure what to expect. I’d had the hotel staff move people, comp rooms, offer casino cash, free accommodations on another date, and dinners. We’d invented a false electrical problem on the two floors as a cover story. The victims and those who helped us tonight had a place to rest and recover for as long as they needed.

“We need to meet.”

“In my suite. I can’t leave Una.”

His gaze drifted to the sofa.

“Bring Anna with you. She can stay with Una.” I looked at them, holding hands, quietly talking. “I think they need each other right now.”

“Okay.”

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