Page 136 of The Wrecked One

“Puzzle finally complete. No more missing pieces.” I leaned back to find his dark eyes. “Especially because I have you.”

The side of his lip lifted, hitting me with that sexy, wolfish grin I loved so much. “You’re never getting rid of me.”

“Same,” I said as an Italian officer wrested my attention his way, gesturing for us to head inside while also motioning to our fleet of protection to hang back. “He comes with me, though.” I tugged Oliver’s hand, and the officer waved us both in.

“We’ll be here when you’re ready,” Easton let us know before we went inside.

“They’re waiting for you in my office.” Based on his suit and lack of visible badge, the man who greeted us was more than likely a detective.

His English was flawless, and my Italian was minimal, but I went with a, “Grazie” anyway. From what I’d learned, my parents spoke English as well, which would help make our conversation much smoother. I was determined to learn Italian, though. I couldn’t imagine how different my life would be had I never been taken that day in the park.

The thought had me stopping in my tracks inside the small station.

Oliver brought his mouth near my ear, holding my hand tight inside his as he asked, “You okay?”

Eyes on my sandals, my thoughts racing, I whispered, “My life would be completely different had they not taken me,” I repeated what’d been on my mind. “I wouldn’t want that, though. Because then we’d never have met. I’m feeling . . . conflicted.” I slowly faced him while the detective waited patiently for me.

“Hey.” With his free hand, he cupped my cheek. “Don’t you know I would’ve still found you? You could’ve been anywhere in the world, and I would’ve found you. I’d do anything for you.”

“Fly for me,” I whispered at the memory of his words back in that hotel room on Valentine’s Day. And die for me. Kill for me. And all the things. But I held back those words. “I love you.”

He set his lips to mine, a soft kiss despite the audience. It felt perfectly right.

A sense of calm settled over me. My heart wasn’t galloping anymore, my breathing was steady, and my mind became serene.

When I looked around, I saw a few officers gathered behind the detective, watching us. More than likely not shocked about our PDA, but the fact it wasn’t every day a missing child showed back up, especially thirty years later.

“Now I’m ready,” I told the detective, keeping my hand inside Oliver’s.

The man, who had to be my dad’s age—well, Tony’s age—didn’t move right away, and just stared at me for a few long seconds.

“I’ve been holding off on retirement, but I think I finally can.” His dark brown eyes fixed on mine. “I was a new detective back when you were taken. Held your mother in my arms as she cried. Promised her I’d find you and never stopped looking. And now here you are.” He removed a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes. “These are the days that make all the hard ones worth it.”

Well, hell, now I’m going to cry. He offered me his handkerchief. “Grazie.” A few moments later, he escorted us to his office, and there went my pulse. Flying again. A good nervous. The best possible kind. And when he opened the door, the first person I saw was Adelina, standing there, just inside.

Her eyes locked with mine and the cup she’d been holding crashed to the floor and shattered. She remained staring at me in shock. Because she knew, just like I did. We didn’t need to be identical to feel the truth before us, that we were sisters.

“Mya?” She’d said my name in a way I could actually hear that extra A roll with it from the original spelling.

Still in the doorway, Oliver behind me but holding my hand, all I could do was nod before turning my attention to the two other people there.

My mother placed a trembling hand over her mouth, visibly shaking from head to toe as my father remained fixed behind her equally stunned.

“Hi,” I mouthed, on the verge of collapsing had Oliver not been right behind me.

“Mio Dio.” My mother knocked into a chair on her way to get to me, her sob breaking free. She narrowly avoided the spilled coffee on the floor before crushing me against her.

Oliver let go of my hand so I could hug her back. From the corner of my eye, I saw Adelina remaining a statue as my father joined us in the hug, crying as well.

They kept repeating my name as if this weren’t real.

And is it?

I had to keep asking myself that as my parents held me tight. My mother and I looked even more alike than Adelina and I did. She had a Monica Bellucci thing going on, and I just . . .

When they finally let go of me, I set my blurry eyes on my sister. “Hi,” I said again.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Adelina whispered, her lower lip trembling. She was still frozen in place. No tears. Just wide-eyed disbelief.

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