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Alejandro swore for a moment. “Where are you? I’m on my way to get you.”
On his way? “I’m in Billings, it will take you a while to get here.” She rattled off the address that Tabby gave her.
“We were already tracking you,” he told her.
She wanted to ask more questions, but now wasn’t the time.
“Promise me you’re safe.”
“I am now. I love you, Papi.”
“I love you too, mi Pequeña. Stay there. We’ll be an hour or so. I’ll let you know when I’m close. Understand?”
“Si,” she replied and ended the call. She couldn’t let her Papi see Tabby.
“Good news?” Tabby asked.
“Yeah, someone will be here within the hour to get me. Will you stay with me until they’re close?”
“Of course.”
Cat sent her a smile as their food arrived.
Oh, thank goodness. She was starving.
“Wow, you eat almost as much as I do,” Cat commented. “Guess you were hungry after your jog and saving me, huh?”
“Oh, um, I guess.”
“Well, I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning.” Well, she’d had a few snacks, but they didn’t count. “I’m starved. Damn, this chocolate milk is good.”
“It sure is.” The other woman drunk hers down, before staring at the empty glass.
Cat let out a small laugh. “You’re looking at it like it holds the secrets of the universe.”
“I just forgot how good it tastes. Like I forgot what it’s like to sit and eat breakfast in a diner with good company. Sorry, that probably sounds silly. I just . . . I’ve learned not to take the little things for granted.”
Cat squeezed her hand briefly. “I’m really glad you were jogging by that park, Tabby. And that you’re brave as fuck. Foolish. But brave.”
Tabby laughed.
“You know, you really shouldn’t be jogging in the dark by yourself, right?” Cat said to her.
Tabby shrugged. She seemed kind of sad. Cat didn’t like that.
“They’re fifteen minutes out,” Cat said suddenly after checking Tabby’s phone. She tapped out a message. “You should probably go now.”
“And leave you? What if Bert comes back?”
Cat shook her head. “I’ll be fine now, my Papi is close. I’ve put my details into your phone.” And removed all of Alejandro’s details. “Text me if you ever need anything. I mean it. I owe you. And I mean more than just for breakfast.”
Tabby shook her head. “You don’t owe me anything.” She reached into her pack and pulled out some cash. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, if you’re here when they come, then my Papi will probably take you too.”
“T-take me?”
Cat grinned at her. “You’re smart, brave, and beautiful. I love my Papi, but he’s arrogant and thinks he’s always right. He’ll take you and convince himself it’s for your own good. That he’s saving you.”
“He c-can’t just take me.” Tabby gave her a worried look. “You can come with me. If you need a safe place, I can give you one.”
Wow. She was really kind. “You’re a good person, Tabby. Maybe the best person I’ve ever met. But don’t worry about me. I’m a survivor. Plus, I have Papi wrapped around my little finger. I’m terribly spoiled. I’m safe with him. I was only kidnapped because I went against orders.” Cat grimaced. “I’ll catch hell for that.”
“Will he hurt you?”
“Nah, he’d never hurt me. He’ll bluster a bit, though. But mostly, he’ll be grateful I’m all right. Go now. And thank you. Really.”
Tabby nodded and slid out of the booth, grabbing her phone and putting it away in her pack. “It was good to meet you, Cat.”
“You too, Tabby. Be safe. No more jogging in the dark, huh?”
“No more getting kidnapped, hey?” Tabby replied back.
Cat grinned. “No promises.”
She watched her new friend leave the diner, sadness filling her as she was pretty sure she’d never see her again.
They lived two very different lives. Why would their paths ever cross?
She glanced up as the door opened and relief flooded her.
There he was.
Alejandro’s gaze fixed on her straight away as his men fanned out through the room. Everyone stared, but she didn’t give a shit as she jumped to her feet and raced toward him.
She didn’t even feel the pain in her body as she moved.
Then she was in his arms.
And she knew that everything would be all right.
8
Alejandro had never known fear like this.
The fear of losing her. His wife. His Pequeña.
He held her against him in the backseat of the car as they sped toward where his private jet waited.
As the car came to a stop, he looked over at her. “Wait there for me, Pequeña.”
She nodded. She was quiet and withdrawn.
Very unlike Cat.
He had left Nico and Tobias to search for these assholes who’d kidnapped her. But what really worried him was who Jimmy was, and why he’d want to kidnap Cat.
Right now, though, all he wanted was to take care of Cat and get her home safely. He kept vacillating between wanting to spank her, to attaching her to him and never letting her go.
