Lucia and Siena had rushed to Nicia, gathering her in their arms and hugging her tight. At Maxim's order the children all turned to him, shaking heads and protesting.
Siena looked around the room. "Where's Sofia? Why isn't she here?" Her trusting eyes jumped to Maxim's face.
Maxim slowly stepped away from Airiana, feeling helpless. He didn't much care for the feeling, he'd experienced it too many times as a child and he'd vowed never to be that way again. All the training in the world didn't prepare him for this situation. He killed people and was comfortable in his role. He didn't tell little girls with big eyes that he hadn't saved their sister.
Lucia held out her hand to her younger sister. "Sofia is Nicia's twin."
Maxim went still inside, hating the position he was in with these children. He couldn't fix it, couldn't take away the trauma and hurt. He wanted to kill Ricco all over again. And after he killed him, he would like another chance at Saeed, this time a long, slow death. He'd change his position on torture just for that deviant.
Maxim sank down on the bed. Airiana moved up behind him, laying her hands on his shoulder, connecting them, trying to comfort him.
Siena stood in front of Maxim, ignoring her sister's outstretched hand as if she knew only Maxim had the answers. "Where is she?"
Maxim took her hands in his. "I'm so sorry, little one. I didn't board the ship in time to save her. There was a very bad man on board, and he killed her." Did one tell a child the truth when it was so ugly? He didn't know any other way. He couldn't soft-soap it. Hell, children weren't his forte and never would be.
Tears welled up. Siena turned to Lucia, who gathered her close and rocked her gently. Nicia burst into tears all over again. She was every bit as traumatized as Benito. Maxim thought about punching a wall, but doubted if that would help comfort the children. He needed to get out of there.
"I'm sorry," he repeated lamely, floundering.
Airiana circled his neck with her hands. "Maxim tried, Siena, but we found her that way. As soon as he could, Maxim went to save Nicia, Benito and then you and Lucia. We're so sorry about Sofia."
"Mommy died too," Siena said. "And Daddy. Now Sofia. Where are we going to go? I don't want any more uncles."
"We're not going to any uncles," Benito said, his eyes catching fire. "We're staying with Maxim."
Nicia broke out into a smile, nodding her head vigorously.
Maxim hoped the horror didn't show on his face. He was trained to stay expressionless, but what the hell? He could just see himself going across countries, assassinating criminals with four children in tow. He had the good sense not to shake his head. The next thing he knew he'd have a house with a white picket fence and a dog.
"We'll see," he said.
"That means we'll never see you again," Lucia said. "We've heard it a hundred times. Come on," she gathered the younger ones to her. She looked so old, so motherly--and a little lost--struggling against tears.
He grit his teeth together. "It doesn't mean that at all. It means we'll see. I have to make certain there's no one on board who can find you children and harm you. I can't give guarantees. I'm not going to lie to you."
"But you will come back for us," Benito said.
"I've got business with Airiana, making certain she's safe. I gave her my word."
"But then you'll come back for us," the boy insisted.
Maxim could barely stand looking at their hopeful faces. They had no one and he represented hope to them. Survival. He was the hero, and they needed something to hold on to while they waited on a ship of horrors all alone.
He was no hero, and if there was anyone on the planet who knew less than he did about kids, he wasn't aware of them. They were waiting for his answer. He could actually feel Airiana willing him to answer in the affirmative.
He resisted the urge to swear at her. At them. At all of them. He cleared his throat. "Look. I'm not exactly a nice man. I know I seem like it in comparison to men like Galati and Saeed, but you don't want to rely on me."
Nicia slipped her hand in his. His heart stuttered when she turned her dark, Italian eyes on him with a child's trust. "I feel safe with you."
The others nodded. He closed his eyes. This is your fault. You look at me all trusting and these poor traumatized children get the idea that I'm trustworthy.
You are. And they need to know you'll see them through this. Can you imagine them sitting here waiting for someone to come and being scared out of their minds? They need to know you're coming back, that you'll check on them. They have to believe in something, Maxim, and they believe in you. That's not a bad thing.
You don't know what the hell you're talking about. He stared down into the child's eyes and then looked at Benito. The boy was trying hard to keep it together.
He yanked open his war bag and took out ointment, tossing it to Benito. "Yeah. Fine. I'll ask some people to keep you close until I can come back for you. They'll have to take you off this ship, but we'll find a place . . ."
The farm. Have them sent to my farm, Airiana said. My sisters will look after them and they'll be safe. Try to arrange that. At the same time you can get word to them that I'm safe and I'll be coming home as soon as possible. They'll be worried sick.
He didn't want to think about taking Airiana back to her home.
Airiana, these children are never going to be normal. They'll need special care. The trauma they've been through . . .
Everyone on that farm will understand. Trust me, Maxim, I know what I'm talking about. Can you find a way to get them transported there when they're taken off the ship? My brothers-in-law are very good at arranging papers if there's need, she reminded. He would know that Lev and Stefan Prakenskii would be every bit as adept as he was at creating new identities.
Maxim sighed, feeling as if his life was spinning out of control when he was all about control.
Lucia's gaze had jumped to Maxim's face. "There are four of us and we want to stay together." Siena began to cry, and Lucia put her arms around the younger child.
No one at the farm would try to break them up. I have plenty of room at my house and if necessary, we can figure out legal papers to keep them in the country if they want to stay. The point is, I know a wonderful counselor and she can help them.
"Airiana has a farm," Maxim said aloud. "It may be a temporary solution, just until I can figure something else out."
"It's a little isolated. No big city close, but it's near the ocean and the redwoods and is absolutely beautiful," Airiana offered. "You might hate it, but you'd be safe. My sisters live there as well, and each of us has our own home. I have a fairly big house, enough bedrooms if the two younger girls can share."
"And he'll come?" Benito asked, indicating Maxim with his chin.
This was too much. Airiana was already arranging a future for the children, ignoring all the laws and trapping him into something he didn't want. He wasn't that man. "I'll come. Now all of you settle down. It's going to be a long wait. At some point the ship will stop. You'll hear the engines stop. Stay in this room. I'll let the rescue crew know which cabin you're in."
"But you'll be gone," Lucia guessed shrewdly. "That's why you're stopping the ship. You're getting off."
He nodded. "I have to protect Airiana. Some very bad men are after her as well."
"Why can't we go with you?" Benito asked.
"I can't take all of you with me while I clear this ship, it would be too dangerous," Maxim explained. "And then I have to get Airiana to someplace else fast. That's dangerous as well, and there's no way you children could make the journey. But I keep my word, and I said I'd come back for you, to make certain you're safe and in a good place. I have a couple of men I trust who will come for you. They'll say 'nutmeg grows in odd places.' If they don't say that, Benito is going to shoot them."
Are you crazy?
They need that, it helps to make them believe they're safe.
But giving Benito a gun? He's a child.
Not anymore. Galanti made certain of that.
Lucia clutched the blanket on the bed so hard her knuckles turned white. "There is no safe place." Tears welled up in her eyes.
Nicia and Siena crying was one thing, but Lucia had been struggling so hard to be grown up and take care of her siblings. Seeing the tears spilling down her face was too much. He took both of her hands, gently prying open her fingers.
"You have no reason to trust anyone, least of all me, Lucia, but we don't have too many choices left. I'm running out of time. If I want to clear the ship for you, I have to do it now. I'm on a time schedule. Airiana's farm is the best we can think of. Otherwise, the authorities will ship you back to Italy. I'll look for you, but I have far less control over what happens to all of you once you're there."