What if she wasn’t here? What if something went wrong?
Forcing her feelings down deep inside herself, Belle only focused on seeing her daughter. Everything else could wait.
She had no doubt in her mind Drago would take care of everything, and even though she would have loved to see the mighty fall, she wanted her little girl first.
There was no sign of a woman or her little girl, but Drago moved them toward a set of stairs.
With each passing second, the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach began to grow. She hated feeling this way and wanted no part of it. Not a single little bit, but it was there, curling within her, threatening to spill over, and attack her at a moment’s notice.
Breathing in and out didn’t help, but she kept taking deep breaths, using all of her training to know what to do next, to figure out how to fight the next battle.
I can do this.
She’s my little girl.
As they came to the third floor, Drago called out and entered a room. He had a gun in his hand, holding it discreetly down. A small lamp was lit, and in the corner she saw a woman, a sweet-looking person, holding her daughter but with a gun trained on them.
“You can lower that now, Candice,” he said. Drago tucked his pistol in the back of his pants and stepped forward.
“Fuck. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? Getting her was a piece of cake once you gave me the address. The guards were useless fucks, but I wasn’t going to risk letting her out of my sight.”
“That’s my baby?” Belle asked.
“Yes, and I think she misses you,” Candice said.
Letting go of Drago’s hand, she stepped up to her little girl and laughed. This, for her, was the most joyous occasion of her life, and she would never forget this, not so long as she lived.
****
Safe and secured in one of his many hotels, Drago stared out across the city, knowing he would have to leave his woman and child soon. Ava was a beautiful girl, and he saw her mother in her. She was sweet, and now she was under his protection, and anyone who tried to hurt her, would answer to him.
Running a hand through his hair, he stepped out of the evening’s cold, into the warmth, and closed the door, securing the bolt, and watching as Belle kissed her daughter’s cheek, before blowing a raspberry on her belly.
“I love you. Yes, I do. I love you so much. Mommy has missed you. She loves you.” She lifted her up and held her close, breathing her in. “I’m never, ever letting you out of my sight.”
He chuckled. “I think we’re going to need a nanny to keep an eye on her.”
“I like Candice. Can we hire her?”
“Candice is not available to hire.”
“Is she, like, an assassin or something?”
Drago sighed. “Let’s say when it comes to Candice, she has … many talents.”
“Have you tried them out?”
He detected a hint of jealousy there, and he liked it. Too much. Tilting his head to the side, he watched her, curious about why she wanted to know. “No, I haven’t.”
“Good.” He watched her cringe.
“Are we not used to feeling … jealous?”
“I’m not jealous. I don’t know what you mean.”
“Could have fooled me.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not anything, okay? I’m fine. Perfectly fine. Not a worry at all.”
“You’re lying.”
She kissed Ava.
“Come on, Belle. I know I would kill any man who dared look at you, so I’m guessing you’ve got a protective streak in you.”
“Okay, fine. Fine. You’re right. I’m not happy with the thought of you and … Candice being together. In fact, I don’t like to think of you with any woman, and this is all new for me as well. I’m not used to feeling this way, period.” She released a breath. “Who knew doing all of this would make me feel this way. I’m more confused now than ever.”
“Why?”
She nibbled her lip.
He went to her and stared at Ava. He’d yet to hold the young girl, and seeing as there was no reason to stop him now, he took her into his arms, cradling her close. She wasn’t a newborn, but was still just a toddler. This little child had no hope against the monsters who threatened to take her.
No one would ever get that fucking close again. He’d kill every bastard who even dared.
He’d done what he had to do, played by their rules, but no more. From this day forward, they were going to be playing by his.
Belle was safe, as was Ava, and now he’d get to have some fun as well. Until he ended Donald Ford and Randal Aiello, they’d never stop searching for his new little family. That was not acceptable. Not to Drago.