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Houghton and Melody Barratt had no clue this precious little boy even existed. But he’d be their responsibility as soon as Haldyn could get him to them. Their world was going to change in an instant.
Handley Barratt’s view of the way the world worked was a tiny bit skewed.
It was all just crazy to even think about.
Displaced billionaires didn’t just drop random preschoolers off on elder sons’ doorsteps via women who had just been abducted.
At least not in Haldyn’s world.
Haldyn just kept walking, though her broken ribs hurt. Her face hurt where those men had slammed their fists into her. Carrying thirty-five pounds of solid boy wasn’t helping.
That little blue suitcase of torture kept hitting her in the back.
With every step she took.
Haldyn just kept going. One foot in front of the other. It was only two blocks. She could do this.
Finally, she could see the stone and glass building in the distance.
Then…the front doors with the familiar TSP emblem right there.
Tears covered her cheeks. She—they—were safe now. Safe.
She pushed open the glass doors to the lobby. She knew the TSP better than she knew any other place in the world.
She was safe now. Beck was safe now.
Someone shouted her name. She turned. To see a woman running toward her.
“Mads…call…Mel…”
“What?”
“Call Elliot Marshall. Call Melody Barratt. Call…Major Crimes.” It hurt to breathe, just like it had hurt to walk. But she was mostly safe here. Now. “I think my ribs are broken. My hand.”
Madison turned and gave a sharp whistle. It had heads turning.
One of those heads was a familiar face.
Dom Acardi. One of the Major Crimes major pains she’d known for years. And could trust, no matter what. Dom was right there.
She was safe. They were safe.
Beck was crying softly and practically strangling her.
Madison was there, her hands taking him from Haldyn, even though he protested. “Hello, little man. I’m Madison. What’s your name?”
“Hal, Hal. Hold Beck.” Oh, he was breaking her heart. “Hal. My want Hal! Don’t leave Beck, Hal! Hal!”
“We’re going to get Hal some help, bub. Are you hungry? Thirsty? There is chocolate milk in the break room. I promise,” Madison said, rocking him while he cried. “We’ll get some for you and for Haldyn. It’s okay, buddy. It’s okay. I promise.”
“His name…is Beck,” Haldyn said as Dom’s arms went beneath her knees and he lifted her. She rested her head on his broad shoulder.
She was safe now. And so was Beck.
They were safe.
Haldyn finally gave in the exhaustion and pain, aware of Beck’s cries right next to her.
