Page 148 of Heart of a Villain

“Oh…god.” She fell to her knees. “Oh…my…god.”

Adrían came over, crouched, and pulled her into his arms, crushing her to his chest. “I’m sorry I left. I’m sorry I left. I’m so sorry I left. You are okay? Are you okay?”

She barely managed a nod. “I’m…alive.”

“I’m sorry.”

“How did you find me?”

“We tracked your movements from the accident. Yours and,” he looked back, “theirs. You’re okay? You’re sure?”

“Who’s on the rifle?”

“Gage.”

“I’m okay. I just need two things: my sister and for you to never let me go again.”

“I can arrange both. Ready to go?”

“I need to clean up a little bit first. I had three cups of coffee and literally thought I was about to die.”

“You trickled?”

“I trickled.”

Adrían helped her wash up with bottles of water and removed his shirt to drape over her damp body. They started to head out, but then he asked Gage if he had a stethoscope in his medical kit. Gage tossed him the apparatus, and Adrían took her hand to lead her back inside the cabin where Lorenzo lay on the ground.

He slid the earpieces into her ears, crouched again, and set the bell on Lorenzo’s chest. Then, she listened as Lorenzo’s heartbeats faded until there was nothing but a hollow silence.

CHAPTER

FORTY-ONE

Sayeda bounced her leg, but it was no use. With Tiare’s brother and cousin making a racket, it would be next to impossible to get her to calm down. Adrían was in the kitchen, half trying to make a bottle and wrangle Theo and Ty at the same time.

The only one who was remotely quiet was Thandie, who was next to her on the sofa, helping her choose housing plans. She and Adrían had ten final contenders for the house they were planning to build on the plot of land they were planning to purchase in the compound. From the ten, she was hoping to cut it down to at least three. Had Ayesha’s old house been on one level, they wouldn’t have had to deal with any of this at all.

Ari, Julien, Joel, and Ayesha were out on a date night, so they were the lucky pair in charge of the kids. Josiah had gone with Giorgio and Mo to see a movie, and Larke took Aleksi.

“Ty? Theo?” Adrían called. “Close that cabinet door.”

A cabinet door slammed.

Tiny voices giggled in chorus.

Tiare startled and quieted before the crying started up again. Sayeda set her on her stomach across her lap, bounced her thighs, and gently patted her back.

“I really like this one, Auntie Seda,” Thandie said, pointing to a one-story house with a gable-and-flat roof combo and gray stone accents.

Sayeda zoomed in, nodding slowly. “I do, too. It kind of reminds me of this house.”

Adrían’s voice rose above the noise. “I already told you that they wouldn’t have charged us anything for this place. It would have been a nice wedding present.”

“You and Adrían are getting married, Auntie Seda?” Thandie clapped, bouncing on the cushion. “Can I be in the wedding? Am I old enough to be a bridesmaid yet, or do I have to be a flower girl still?”

Ty and Theo screamed plane noises.

Adrían continued trying to yell over them.

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