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He kisses her languidly, and she returns the favor. His slow maneuvers seem to simultaneously arouse her and calm her down. I guess he has a gift for that, evoking placidity. I want to begrudge him for it, but at least she’s feeling better. That’s what matters here.
She closes her eyes as Samuel smooths his hands over her chest. Her breathing slows, and at last, I can see she’s nearly back to normal.
“Come here, baby.” Time to make my move. “I know you were afraid,” I say, pausing to graze my teeth along her neck. “I’m here now. I know I’m all you wanted to see. It’s okay now. Let’s get you upstairs where you can recover.”
“Okay,” she says as her eyes lock with mine.
Our connection is so deep. It’s probably deeper than all the others. She can’t hold back with me. Only I can see into her soul.
I sweep her up in my arms and lead the way out. We leave Kandy’s body to the cleanup crew. A sad fate for her.
Nevertheless, I have my most sacred possession in my arms and I climb the many flights of stairs gently so as not to stir her traumatized body. She kisses me and clings to my neck. I’ve never felt more powerful than I do in this moment, holding this beautiful angel. She must be in awe of me. I let that thought sink in and take her straight to the penthouse.
Chapter 23
Caroline
Apollo sets me down gently on my bed when we finally reach the penthouse.
I feel like I’ve just been through a war—and I have, in a sense.
These men who are my captors are now my protectors.
And they battled it out for me, determined to keep me safe from the men my father sent.
I start to shake again, thinking about how my father could have done such a thing.
And Kandy—she’s dead. I can’t believe it.
I was just getting to know her.
All the casualties in this are astounding.
And for what? That’s what I’m still not certain about. It’s really all about money?
My father is that desperate to avoid paying his debts that he’d allow an attack where his own daughter is being kept?
It’s not like it was some raid to come rescue me. There’s no way that would be a rescue.
I ought to be thanking each and every one of my seven men for rescuing me from my father’s home and keeping me safe ever since.
I can’t imagine going back to that place.
One by one, the men file into my room, each one coming to check on me yet again, to make sure I really am okay.
Marshall is the last one to enter.
“Everything’s been secured. All the floors from the spa down have been cordoned off. No one can get to you, baby.”
I simply nod.
He wants to reassure me, I can tell.
But I’m still shaken up about Kandy. It’s just like it was with my stepmother—one minute Mary was there, the next she was lying in a heap, blood pooling around her.
I’ll never forget the images of either of them.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Samuel asks, coming to me and brushing my hair out of my face. “You don’t seem like it.”
I take a trembling breath, trying to gather my strength. I’ve been through so much already. I can’t give in now. Can’t be weak. I know I can handle this.
“I am,” I say. “But I can’t be okay with what’s happened. Something has to be done about this.”
Justin nods. “It will. Believe me. There’s no way they’re going to get away with attacking us like this. There’s going to be hell to pay.”
“Yes,” I agree, finding my strength again at Justin’s words. “They need to pay for what they did to Kandy. I want revenge.”
Several of them look a little surprised at the vengeance in my voice, but then everyone is nodding their agreement.
“Then you’ll have it,” Kaden says, coming up to me and running his fingers along my shoulder.
A murmur of agreement echoes through the room.
“They need to pay.”
I agree completely.
The old me may not have, but I’m not that same girl anymore who was taken from her father’s home. I’m stronger.
Or maybe I was always strong but never knew it until these men came into my life and changed everything.
They’ve taught me how to accept who I am and stand up for what I want.
“This attack was on all of us,” Apollo says, stepping into his role as leader of the crew.
“Yes, the target was most likely Caroline, but they’ve crossed the line. Make no mistake, this will be avenged.”
He zeroes his gaze in on me.
“But don’t doubt for a second, Caroline, that we won’t protect you. No matter what, you’re our number one priority now. You can trust with your entire being that we will always protect you, from anyone and anything. Isn’t that right?”
