Once I stop staring at his eyes, and how precious our little girl looks in his arms, I notice the blood. Blood everywhere. All over their clothes, and splattered across their flesh.
“Is that blood?” I jump out of the driver’s seat and run around the back, needing to get to Zoe and Kostas. “Is she bleeding?” I snatch her out of Kostas’s hands and start checking her for injury. Her face is red and swollen from crying and there’s a handprint mark on her thigh, but there’re no cuts.
“It’s not hers,” Kostas says. “We’re both okay.”
“Who the fuck slapped her?” I bring her thigh up to show him. I’m seeing red. I don’t see Selene or Aris anywhere. Did those fuckers touch my baby and then leave her here? That blood better be theirs.
“Selene did,” Kostas says through a growl, his jaw tightening.
“Please tell me that bitch is alive,” I hiss. “I’m going to fucking kill her.”
Kostas shakes his head. “She’s dead.”
“Did she at least suffer?” I rub my daughter’s thigh while holding her close to my chest. Her crying is already calming down.
“This is her blood,” Kostas tells me. “I made sure that bitch was in pain before I ended her life.”
“And what about Aris?” I glance around, suddenly realizing we’ve only been discussing Selene.
“He wasn’t here,” Adrian says.
“What?” I screech. Zoe jumps in my arms, and I remind myself I need to stay calm. “He can be anywhere.” My gaze flits around us, hating that we’re standing outside. He could be about to pounce.
“We’re going to find him,” Kostas promises. “Right now, we need to get our daughter home.”
Kostas is right. Zoe’s diaper is filled to the brim and leaking. She probably has a diaper rash. Who the hell knows when she was fed last. If that bitch wasn’t already dead, I would torture and kill her my fucking self. Aris better run far because when I get my hands on him, I’m going to make sure he suffers for the both of them.
“We need to find a hotel,” I tell the men as we climb into the SUV. Luckily, when I drove into the front of the building, hoping to create a diversion, the siding was rotted wood and no major damage was done. “We need to get her diapers and clothes and formula. She can’t go two hours like this. I need to give her a bath.”
The heaviness of everything that’s happened is hitting me like a two-ton weight on my chest, and it’s hard to breathe. “We need to get her to a doctor,” I say through a sob. “What if…what if they hurt her?” I’m supposed to put Zoe in her car seat, but I can’t let her out of my arms. She’s clinging to me like a little koala bear.
Kostas tells Adrian to stop at the store, and while he runs in to grab stuff for Zoe, Kostas calls a local hotel and makes a reservation. The entire time, Zoe’s tiny, chubby arms are wrapped around me with her face snuggled into my chest.
Oh, God, I finally have her back in my arms.
My heart is racing.
I need to get her as far away as possible. To somewhere safe.
What if Aris is following us? Waiting to make his move. What if this is all a trap?
I’m so tired, and all I want to do is snuggle up with my baby, but I need to make sure she’s safe.
As I watch her, I notice she’s fighting sleep. She’s probably too scared. Whatever those pieces of shit did to her has my baby too scared to let herself go to sleep.
When we arrive at the hotel, Adrian checks us in and then both men flank me as we ride the elevator to the top floor. Only my husband would book the Presidential suite when we’re only going to be here for a couple hours.
Adrian remains outside, while Kostas and I head inside. While I give Zoe a bath, checking to make sure there’s nothing visibly wrong with her, Kostas rinses off as well. Adrian must’ve gotten him clothes because when he gets out, he’s in a plain white T-shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants.
Once they’re both cleaned up, I sit on the couch with Zoe while Kostas makes her a bottle. I hold her close and take in her sweet baby scent, thankful to have her back in my arms.
Her eyes are almost closed at this point, most likely exhausted from everything she’s been through, but she’s still fighting to stay awake.
My strong fighter. Just like her daddy.
The second the bottle touches her lips, she sucks it down. Her eyes begin to droop, and her stiff body loosens in my arms.
“She was so hungry,” I mumble, trying hard to stay strong for my daughter, but inside I’m a mess.