Page 115 of Mob Princess

She came to learn things she knew none of us would get from Lucy because our means to coerce her weren’t the same. She knew none of us would inflict pain on Lucy, but she also knew Lucy had a threshold for pain that wouldn’t make her easy to persuade. The gun surely helped, but Lina’s intelligence made Lucy talk.

“Little one, my heart stopped when I found out you were gone.”

“Like mine did when I found out someone took you.”

“I couldn’t get to you fast enough.”

“And I couldn’t find out how to end this fast enough. I didn’t run from you. You know that, right?”

“I do. You couldn’t have known I got free before you left my parents’.”

“I didn’t. If I’d known you were on the way, I would have stayed. But I don’t regret coming here.”

“I know. But fecking hell. I’m glad to hold you.”

“Daddy, I knew everything was going to be all right when you arrived. I don’t know how, but the moment I heard a hand on the doorknob, I knew it was you. Your cologne isn’t that strong, but I recognized it when the door opened. I knew I had more I needed to get out of her, but knowing you were safe and here—I wanted to shoot her and fling myself at you.”

“Fling?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“My arms will always be open and ready for that, cailín.”

I slide my arm beneath her arse, so my free hand can touch every part of her I can reach. She watches me as her hands run over my face, hair, shoulders, chest, arms, and upper back. These aren’t quite loving caresses even though she’s gentle.

“I’m not hurt, little one.”

“I’d see bandages if it was bad enough. But did they do anything else?”

“No. I woke up in a school gym in the Bronx. I had a needle in my arm, but I’m pretty certain it was just sedatives to knock me out. I think they dosed me more than once and expected to do it again.”

“How’d you get free?”

“Slowly. I hobbled my way to the door with the plastic chair bound to my legs. Scraped the zip ties on the bricks until they snapped, then got rid of the Duct tape at my ankles. I recognized where I was, so I headed to a liquor store I know.”

“You don’t have your watch or your belt.”

“I know. The guy who took me knew to get rid of them. I don’t know if he took both because he wasn’t sure if my tracker was in my belt or watch, or he knew about the watch and didn’t want to leave the belt as a weapon.”

“Was it this Mikhail guy? Did your family find him?”

“I did. He was at the liquor store. Turns out the owner helped him get into the school after Lucy helped him get into the club.”

“He’s dead.”

It’s not a question, so I don’t need to answer.

She rests her head on my shoulder as she kisses my neck. I tighten my arms around her. Our need resurfaces, and we’re back to kissing. God, how I want to be inside her. How I want to hear her moan my name as I make her come. It’s almost like that’s the only way I’ll truly believe she’s all right. When I can feel my body inside hers. When I’m part of her.

“Are they going to assume we’re having sex?”

“Maybe?”

“Then can we? I need you closer. I need to know you’re truly okay. I need to give you control over me while everything else feels completely out of control.”

“I want to take care of you, Lina. Always. Whatever you need. And you understand me. What’s going on outside this room isn’t under my control yet, and it’s silently driving me crazy. You get that. I can breathe for a moment if I can be in charge.”

“I need you inside me, Sean. And I need you to decide how.”

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