Page 62 of Cash

I stalked out of the conference room thinking this was the most slipshod rescue mission we’d ever pulled together. I also didn’t give the first fuck, as long as we were on the road sooner rather than later.

Nothing or no one was going to stop me from bringing Stella home safely.

I found Cara exactly where I’d left her—happily coloring with her friends.

“Hey Cashy! I started a new picture.” She waved the book before she plonked it back onto the desk. “A unicorn.”

“Can you stop coloring for a second and come here?”

She glanced back at Gia and Frankie and smiled. “Be right back.” Then she handed Frankie a marker. “You can use the pink now.”

Once the marker was exchanged, she hopped off the chair and rushed to my side. I swept her up into my arms and walked far enough away the girls couldn’t hear.

Fuck. I didn’t know how to start this.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, likely picking up on my panic.

Christ. I could face down the Taliban but I couldn’t tell a little girl I needed to leave her after I promised her I wouldn’t.

“No, sweetheart, but I need you to stay with Nebraska⁠—”

“No!” she shouted and shoved her face in my neck.

Fuck.

I should’ve eased into that.

Zane stopped at the base of the stairs that led up to his office. I jerked my head for him to come to me and Cara. I watched as his long strides ate up the distance between us and prepared for the shit I was going to be on the receiving end of for all of eternity. But if it helped Cara, I’d take all this shit talk my boss could dish out.

When he stopped next to us, I kissed the top of Cara’s head. “Remember the story Lolo told you about the King, the Dove, and the Snake?”

“Yes. Do you know the story?”

“I do,” I told her. Cara lifted her face and immediately turned her attention to Zane. “Remember I told you that Zane was the Snake?” She nodded so I went on. “And Lolo said he can turn fear into power.”

“Lolo said he was magic.”

“He is,” I confirmed. “And remember when she told you that the snake only shows his magic to his friends, his most trusted warriors?” She nodded so I again continued. “And remember when she told you the Dove was beautiful and flies around spreading her love?”

“I remember. I like the Dove.”

Good, she still liked the Dove.

“Well, right now I need you to be a warrior.”

“I can’t be a warrior, Cashy, I’m supposed to be a princess.”

“You can be both,” Zane told her. “A warrior princess.”

Cara’s eyes got wide. “I can?”

“Yep. And right now, I need you to be a warrior princess. The strongest, most powerful warrior princess in all the land while I go with Zane to look for Lolo.”

“Will you bring Lolo here?”

“As soon as I find her,” I promised.

“Is she fighting dragons and bad witches again?”