Page 90 of Untamed Protector

“Just as Anita expected, Vargas’s world crumbled faster than a sandcastle in a hurricane. The second he got caught, his shady cronies panicked. He was attacked multiple times and moved from one location to another. Finally, during a transfer, he escaped.”

“No way! Are we going to go through this nightmare again? What if he’ll come back for revenge?” Lexi says.

“But that’s just the official story,” Damien rushes to reassure Lexi. “They’ve got Vargas stashed away somewhere, singing like a canary. Information for a lighter sentence for Anita, a cushy prison stay—a whole package. But don’t lose any sleep over it. Vargas is done. He’ll be in prison, isolated, for a while. I’m sure he’s never coming back here. His information has led to many arrests and helped take down a few trafficking rings. He has a target on his back now, so I don’t think he’ll ever show his face again.”

“I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to get upset,” I explain to Lexi.

“Weirdly, I feel sorry for Anita. I know what it’s like to have a sad childhood,” she says.

“Don’t be. You don’t know the rest of it,” Damien adds.

I glare at him, trying to make him stop. If he says what I think he’s about to, it’ll have a huge impact on Lexi.

“We found the ship. The one they planned to load the container with you and the car onto. The instructions were clear: they were going to sell the car, dump Lucas in some port, and you…”

“Damn it, Damien, do you have to?” I snap.

“Gabriel, I want to know,” Lexi replies, her eyes flashing with determination.

“You wouldn’t have made it out alive,” Damien murmurs, shooting me an apologetic look.

I pull her into my arms and kiss her hair. “It’s over, baby. It’s really over. I don’t want you to think about it anymore. That’s why I didn’t tell you about Peter, either.”

“Is Peter okay?”

“Okay isn’t the word I would use right now. He put the company up for sale. With Anita locked up and Lucas in rehab, he’s not really in the right headspace for business anymore.”

“A part of me feels sorry for him and for Lucas, too, but I need to put this behind me. Dad was right—seeking revenge isn’t going to make me sleep any better at night. They’ll face the consequences, but that’s no longer my mission. I don’t want to waste any more time or energy on them. It’s over.”

She clutches me tighter, seeking comfort. I lean down and press a quick kiss on her lips, whispering, “Don’t worry, babe. I’m here for you, whatever you need.”

“So, how’s the job search going?” Damien asks, shifting the subject.

“Um, I’ve got a few options, but I’m still exploring. For now, I’m planning to go back to university when school starts again.”

“And could you squeeze in a part-time with my agency? My bosses were super impressed with how you cracked the smuggling ring case in the port. So, they want to offer you a consulting gig. It pays well and leaves you plenty of time for school. Plus, who knows, maybe it’ll spark an interest in law or sociology. We could definitely use someone with your talent on the team.”

“You see? I told you,” I blurt out, flashing Lexi a triumphant smile. “She didn’t believe me when I said we needed her to work with the Protectors.”

“I’ll think about it, Damien. Thanks. I appreciate it,” Lexi says, leaning in and squeezing me tighter.

With a nod, Damien heads outside to hang with the girls. He seems to light up a little brighter whenever Alice is around.

Dominic levels a stare at Lexi and me, then lets his gaze sweep across the room before meeting mine, with a knowing smirk spread across his face. “You know what’s missing, right?”

Of course, I do. There’s one last chapter I haven’t resolved yet.

“Do you feel like going out?” I nudge Lexi with a smile, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I’m sure these guys can handle the leftovers by themselves.”

“Do you mean out shopping?” she says.

“No. We’re going to see Iris.”

Dominic flashes me a reassuring grin and nods. “We’ll hold down the fort until you two lovebirds get back. And Damien’s on puppy duty,” he says, nudging his head towards the snoozing Duke.

***

Before we left, I called Iris’s grandma to tell her we were coming.

---