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Then I’ll deal with the inevitable pain of losing what’s left of my family and also the man I love in the same day.
Chapter XI
Heath
What a fucking shit show. I can’t believe how sideways everything went in such a short time. Just as we Connollys thought we had Serenity in the clear, Sergei tracks her down and attacks.
By some grace, she was allowed to live. And so was Patrick.
He’s pretty beat up from the bullet that tore up the length of his thigh. It tore through the muscle but missed arteries and bone, so he’ll be back on his feet soon.
Serenity’s brother wasn’t so lucky, though.
We took her back to our family home to clean up. She’s been locked up in my bathroom for so long that I had to question if she’s still inside. Then I remember that bathroom doesn’t have a window for her to escape through.
I drop my face into my hands and scrub at my eyes. I was so close to losing he—just when I finally got her back in my life.
She’s in shock after what happened. Who wouldn’t be? I know Serenity and it will take some gentle handling on my part, but I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she’s okay.
After what feels like an hour, the bathroom door cracks open and Serenity steps out.
She showered away the blood. Her hair is drying, the tendrils curling at the ends where they fall below her breasts.
My guts clench with desire.
She grips her bag and walks over to the dresser where I’ve set her potted cactus she calls Jagger.
She won’t look at me.
I cross the room to her and position myself behind her. Hovering close but not touching her.
Seeing death like she did has an impact, I know. And she’s so fragile. Always has been. She’s more so now.
ButI’m here to pick up the pieces and put her back together.
“Serenity, look at me.”
She doesn’t turn.
I swallow hard.
“Talk to me.” I gently turn her to face me. She clutches her bag like a lifeline. Tenderly, I disentangle her fingers from the strap and drop the bag to the floor.
“Tell me what’s going through your mind,” I rasp.
Her face is a blank mask, scaring me more than anything has in a long time. Even when I saw Patrick bleeding on that carpet, I knew he’d be fine. Serenity I’m not so sure of.
I cup her face in one hand.
She pulls away and walks across the room, putting herself out of my reach and as far away from me as possible.
My chest burns.
I cross to her, and she moves to escape, but I block her in between the wall, the bed and my body.
“Baby—”
She cuts across me, “I’m not your baby, Heath. I never have been, and I never will be.”
