Page 83 of Taking His Heart

“I… Hurry,” I tell him.

“I’m hurrying, sweetheart. I’m going to see you real soon. I love you,” Dad says.

“I love you.” I hand the phone to CJ as he places me in the back of an SUV. That’s when I see my brother running towards the car. He jumps in on the other side.

Without a word, he pulls me across the seat and wraps his arms around me tight. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.

My fingers cling to his shirt as I let it all out. “I forgot,” I say between sobs.

“You forgot what?” Aurelio asks.

“I forgot what I was supposed to do. What Dad taught us to do,” I admit.

“It’s okay. You did good, Daniella. You stayed alive,” Aurelio tells me.

CJ is on my other side, his body pressed against mine. The moment Aurelio lets me go, my husband wraps his arm around me and I sink into his hold. His lips press on the top of my head.

“Where’s Rosie?” I ask Aurelio.

“She’s with Uncle Vin. She’s fine,” he assures me.

“No one was in the house?” I know CJ already told me everyone was out. But I need to hear it from my brother too. Honestly, until I see them all with my own eyes, I’m probably not going to believe it.

“They all made it out. Everyone is fine, Daniella,” Aurelio says.

My body shivers. I’m so cold. CJ sits forward, shrugging out of his jacket before he wraps it around my shoulders and pulls me against him again. His cousin is driving, and his aunt is in the passenger seat.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” CJ insists. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I never should have let you out of my sight, a mistake I won’t fucking make again.”

Elias pulls up to my Uncle Marcel’s house, the security guards at the front offering me very little comfort right now. I always thought nothing could hurt me in my home, in my childhood home. No one was supposed to be able to get in.

My dad wasn’t there, though. I can’t help but think that if he had been home, this wouldn’t have happened. I know that’s not fair to the rest of my family. I know they did everything they could. And that CJ is going to blame himself for not keeping me safe. I also know it’s not his fault.

“Come on, let’s get you inside.” CJ opens the door and reaches in to pick me up.

“I can walk,” I tell him, climbing out of the car.

CJ’s arm wraps around my waist and his fingers dig into my waist. I know he needs me as close to him right now as possible. I feel the same. I don’t want him to let me go. I need the touch. I need to know he’s here. But the fear that he will put himself between me and any kind of danger is in the back of my mind. I’m going to be the reason this man dies. I just know it.

The moment I walk into my uncle’s house, I’m bombarded. Everyone pulling me into an embrace I don’t want to pull out of. As soon as I’m let go, CJ is right back next to me with his arm on my waist.

“I’ve run you a bath in one of the guestrooms, sweetie. Follow me.” My Aunt Zoe starts walking up the stairs, and I follow because I don’t know what else to do.

When we get to the bathroom, my aunt looks from me to CJ.

“I need a moment alone with my niece,” she tells him.

“If she’s in this room, then I’m in this room,” CJ tells her.

“I need to have a conversation with her that she might not want you to hear. Give her a couple of minutes.”

“I’m not leaving,” CJ growls.

I sigh in relief. When my aunt suggested that he leave me alone in here with her, I started to panic. My hands started to shake and my body went cold. I’m not scared of my aunt. I’m scared of not being with CJ. As much as I don’t want to have him sacrifice himself for me, I feel safe when he’s near, and right now, I just really want to feel safe.

“Daniella, do you want him here?” my aunt asks.