Page 79 of Knot a Thief

She’s smiling, chatting easily with Silas. And there, holding her hand, is a little girl, around three years old.

The sight is like a punch to the gut. She looks happy. Comfortable. Like she belongs there.

No. I shake my head, refusing to believe it. Ava is smarter than that. She’s playing them, luring them into a false sense of security. She has to be.

I rush back to the listening device, fumbling with the controls in my haste to hear more. But by the time I get it working again, they’ve moved out of range. All I hear is the distant crash of waves against the shore.

Frustration and determination war within me as I watch the sun sink towards the horizon. I won’t give up on her.

I can’t.

When the moon casts a silvery line through the still night water, I quietly lower a small dinghy from the back of the boat.

I dip the rear engine into the water and turn it onto the lowest, quietest speed.

The small vessel barely makes a splash as I travel in the dark towards the island, adrenaline coursing through my veins, and my heart beating unhealthily fast.

As I reach the first hiding spot, the one we used before, I carefully tuck a set of scuba gear into the crevice, making sure it’s well-hidden but accessible. Then I move to the second location, repeating the process.

As I power back to the boat, I cast one last look at the island. Somewhere in there is Ava, my Ava. And no matter what it takes, I’m going to bring her home.

Chapter 23

Ava

I’m pregnant.

The realization hits me anew each morning, a weight that settles heavy in my chest. I gained my freedom in the house, but lost it at the same time.

I never wanted a baby. I know that’s unheard of for omegas, but I never wanted to bring another omega into this world. My life has been tarred with anguish and fear, and I never wanted that for my own.

But as I watch Lily coloring at the small table near the window, her little tongue poking out in concentration, I feel a conflicting surge of emotions. There’s a warmth, an instinctive pull towards this child that I can’t deny. But it’s tainted by the bitterness of my situation, the anger at having this choice taken from me.

“That’s a really pretty picture,” I tell Lily, forcing a smile onto my face.

I’m so happy Silas relented. He didn't do it for me. That I’m sure of.

He seems like a decent dad, and that’s something I’m thankful for, because if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t consider Lily’s needs.

Lily turns and gives me the most precious smile, her blue eyes lighting up with pure joy. “It’s for you, Ava!” she exclaims, holding up the paper covered in a riot of colors.

Instinctively, my hand caresses my stomach.

Will my child smile like that?

Will they have that same innocence, that untainted happiness?

Or will they be born into a world of manipulation and control, because that is only what Max knows?

I kneel beside Lily, taking the picture from her small hands. “Thank you, sweetie. It’s beautiful.”

She beams at me, then turns back to her coloring, humming to herself. I watch her, a lump forming in my throat.

In another life, in another world, I might have wanted this. A child to love, to protect, to shower with affection.

But not like this. Not here. Not with him.

I blink back tears, determined not to let Lily see my distress. She’s innocent in all of this, a bright spot in the darkness of my captivity. I won’t taint that for her.

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