Page 29 of Saving His Sunshine

Tears clog my throat as I throw the blankets off and scramble to my feet, my mind a roar of confused noise.

Alessandro grabs me, dragging me into his arms. His arms close around me, and for just a moment, the chaos falls silent. “It’s going to be okay, angel. I promise you; I’ll make it okay.”

I think he means that, but I don’t know how he plans to accomplish it when everything I own is tied up in the bakery. Literally everything.

Half an hour later, we pull up outside the bakery, and I just want to cry. Dillon’s cruiser and two others block the street out front, but not even they hide the devastation just beyond. The front windows are smashed, and police tape stretches across the entryway.

Alessandro barely has his truck in park before I jump out, my heart in my throat.

“Heidi, wait!” he shouts after me, but I can’t wait. This is my future, my livelihood…everything I’ve worked for since the minute I graduated high school.

I rush toward the doors of the bakery…only to run straight into Easton Jericho, the new detective Dillon hired. He just moved here after he was shot in Dallas. He’s good friends with Colter. He grabs me, his arms closing around me.

“Let me go!” I cry.

“Easy, Heidi,” he says, his voice gentle. “Easy, sweetheart.”

“My bakery.” My voice cracks when I see the devastation waiting for me over his shoulder. Everything is ruined. The tables and chairs are overturned and broken. The custom countertop that Xavier, Bronx, and Colter spent half the afternoon installing has been smashed in half. The display casesare broken. The sight makes me want to drop to my knees in despair.

"I'm sorry, Heidi," Easton says, reluctantly releasing me. "They went through everything."

Alessandro is by my side in an instant, gripping my hand tightly. He tries to pull me into his arms again, but I shake him off. I need to see this for myself.

I step inside the bakery, steeling myself against the destruction. The smell of fresh paint still hangs heavy in the air. It's a harsh reminder of what this place was supposed to be…and what it is right now.

Tears blur my vision, slipping down my cheeks as I survey what's left ofSassy & Sweet. Years of sweat, tears...dreams—all reduced to rubble in just one night.

Alessandro steps up behind me, wrapping his arm around my waist, pulling me into him. This time, I let him, too cold and numb to do anything else. He wraps his arms around me, burying my face in his chest as I cry. His body is tense around mine, his breathing ragged, as if my pain is his.

“I’m so damn sorry, Sunshine,” he rasps against my ear. “So damn sorry.”

“It’s all ruined,” I whisper, my voice cracking. “They destroyed everything, Alessandro.”

A growl vibrates in his chest. “I know, baby. I know. But I promise you, I’m going to find out who did it. They won’t get away with it.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I mumble. Not anymore. There’s no way I can afford to replace everything before the grand opening. Even if insurance pays for everything, it’ll be weeks, maybe months, before that happens. By then, I’ll be out of money.

The sound of boots crunching over glass behind me pulls me from Alessandro’s arms. I can’t cry right now. I can fall apart later when I’m alone.

I take a deep breath, swiping at my eyes.

“Sunshine,” Alessandro murmurs, concern etched across his handsome face as he takes a step toward me.

I quickly shake my head, throwing a hand up to forestall him. “Please don’t,” I whisper. “I can’t. Not right now.”

His gaze flits across my face. I’m not sure what he sees there, but his expression softens with understanding. “I’ll be right here beside you, angel,” he says quietly. “For as long as you need me. And as soon as we’re out of here, I’ll be here to hold you.”

“Thank you.” I swallow hard, fighting down the lump rising in my throat. I don’t deserve him. I really don’t. But I’m not giving him up now.

I take a breath and reluctantly turn to face Dillon, who waits a few feet away, trying to give me a minute.

His dark eyes scan across my face, his expression gentle. “You okay, sweetheart?” he asks, crossing toward us.

I quickly shake my head, and his eyes darken with irritation. Dillon is a good man and a great Sheriff. He cares about the people in this town and what happens to them. Even if we weren’t almost related, he’d still be here, treating me the same way. That’s just who he is.

“Who…” I lick my lips, my gaze darting around the bakery again. “Who did this?” I ask, hating how small my voice sounds. Hating everything about this.

“I was hoping you could tell us that,” Dillon says. “Alessandro told me that you’ve been getting some notes indicating that someone doesn’t want you opening the bakery.”

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