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“I said not now.” Fin spun around to face her, his expression unlike anything she had ever seen on her big brother before. He hated her. It was her fault that his son was missing and in danger. Of course he hated her. She was stupid to have believed anything else.
“Sorry,” she murmured, releasing her grip and retreating. No one was paying any attention to her. Tom was holding Noelle on his hip and hovering over Hannah who was being lifted onto a stretcher. Fin and Chloe were clinging to each other and answering questions from a cop. Michael was in the corner speaking with another cop. Other cops bustled about, and a crime scene unit was carrying cases in.
No one would notice if she just slipped away.
She loved Michael, and she didn't want to do anything to hurt him, but saving her nephew was more important.
Quietly, she slipped from the room.
It was better this way.
*****
12:34 P.M.
Dante couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.
Finally, he’d done it.
And this time it was going to work.
This time he wasn't going to scare her, making her jump out of the car. No one was going to come between them, no one was going to keep her from him. They were going to be together forever.
He couldn’t wait for her to get here.
It shouldn’t be long now. He had texted her the address almost ten minutes ago, and he was only just a couple of blocks from her friend Hannah Drake’s house.
He couldn’t sit still. He was like a little kid on Christmas morning, squirming and wriggling like he had ants in his pants.
“Juice peese.”
The voice startled him.
For a moment he had forgotten he wasn't alone.
Dante turned in his seat to see Asher Patrick sitting on the backseat of his car. The toddler had been very well behaved, he’d cried a little at first, but as soon as he’d given the little boy a toy train and something to eat, he’d settled down.
“Here’s your juice,” Dante said, passing it over. “Be careful though, don’t spill it.”
It wasn't that he didn't like kids because he did, and he wanted to have babies with Samara, but he didn't like cleaning up after children. They were messy and dirty and always sticky. When they had kids, they were getting a live-in nanny to look after them.
“Tank oo,” the little boy said as he took his juice. The child was very polite, and he was glad he wouldn’t have to hurt him.
All morning he hadn't known exactly what he was going to do today, who he was going to go after. He had thought about setting a bomb under the car of the FBI Agents who were trying to find him. Then he’d considered the possibility of shooting out one of their tires, so they crashed the car. The idea of blowing up the building where the private security firm that Samara worked for was located had also crossed his mind. He had been about to settle on that idea as it would not only get them to let Samara go but would also punish them for getting between him and Samara.
But then he realized that if he hurt the people that Samara loved and cared about it would only wind up hurting her. Killing strangers was one thing, but one of the FBI Agents was Samara’s sister-in-law, and the other was a friend, and the people she worked with were also friends.
Then the idea to take Samara’s nephew occurred to him. Just long enough to make everyone realize that he wasn't going anywhere until he got what he wanted. And soon he would have it. Then they could drop the kid off and drive up to the cabin.
Movement in his side mirror caught his attention, and someone knocked on the driver’s door.
“Samara.” He grinned and threw it open. As much as he wanted to jump out and throw his arms around her, he had to be cautious, very aware that the FBI might be trying to lure him into a trap. “Are you alone? Are they following you?”
“I’m alone,” she replied.
Unable to hold back any longer, Dante sprung from the car, wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her feet off the ground, spinning her around in a circle, then setting her back down. He took her face between his hands and stared into her gorgeous blue eyes. He had been waiting for this moment for so long that it didn't feel real. Slowly, he dipped his head and kissed Samara, her lips were warm and soft, and she tasted sweet like candy.
This was heaven.
