Page 86 of Savage Redemption

“Sure, Doctor. I get it.” I smile brightly.

Her expression suggests she doesn’t believe a word of it, but she grunts and leaves me to my own devices.

I wait just long enough to see her marching across the forecourt on her way back to her domain, then I make my escape. The apartment occupied by Rosie and her family is two floors above me. I struggle with the stairs, it’s been a while since I had to exert myself, but I make it up both flights and head along the corridor to knock on their door. I pause, my hand raised. The sound of music drifts from somewhere inside the apartment. Not usually my thing, but it sounds good. Very good. I listen for a moment or two, then I knock.

“Come in.” The voice calling out isn’t Rosie. Eva, I assume.

I turn the handle and push the door open.

“Ah. Mr San Antonio. I was expecting you. Do come in.” She smiles at me from behind her laptop.

“I was hoping to see Rosie. Is she here?”

Eva nods towards a closed door. “Erin wouldn’t settle. Rosie is trying to get her to sleep. Music sometimes does the trick. She’s especially partial to a bit of Beethoven.”

“Can I?” I gesture towards the door.

“Of course. They’ll both be delighted to see you and looking so well after your ordeal.”

Rosie has been to visit me at the clinic every day, much to her father’s disgust, I gather, but she doesn’t know I’ve beendischarged. It all happened very suddenly. I crack the door open and peer inside.

I can see Erin sitting up in her cot. She doesn’t seem to me like a child with the slightest intention of going to sleep anytime soon. The music is louder, now. Violin, unless I’m mistaken, and coming from the corner of the room out of my sight. It’s really rather good, even to my untrained ear.

Erin catches sight of me and lets out a startled squeal. I need to remember; she doesn’t know me very well yet.

“Hush, sweetheart,” I murmur, stepping forward. “It’s all right, I’ve come to see you and Mummy.”

“Mummy.” She repeats the word, clearly knows what that means. She stands up in the cot and starts to climb out.

“Whoa, you’ll hurt yourself.” I dart forward to catch her, and she wraps herself around my arm like a koala. “Hey, sweetheart.” I stroke her nut-brown curls and drink in the wholesome, fresh fragrance of baby girl.

Mybaby girl.

“You wanting to say hello to your daddy, eh?” I hug her little body to mine. “Well, I’m pleased to see you, too.”

She bestows a toothy grin on me and proceeds to occupy herself exploring the cuff on my borrowed shirt. It’s one of Ethan’s, I think, to replace my own which was bloodstained beyond saving.

“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in the hospital.” My ‘new daddy reverie’ is disturbed by Rosie’s indignant tone.

I swing around to face her. “I was slung out to make room for young Andrej.”

“But are you well enough? I mean?—”

“I’m fine. Really.” I balance Erin on one arm and beckon with the other. “Come here, you.”

She advances, and for the first time I notice the violin dangling from her left hand, the bow in the right. “Hey, was that you playing?”

She nods. “I’m a bit rusty…”

“Didn’t sound like it to me. You’re good. Really good.”

“Not as good as Eva, but I’m okay. I got out of practice, not playing for a couple of years.”

I can’t hide my lip quirk. “I guess. You could play professionally.”

She shrugs. “I tried that. I was doing a gig in a pub when I was abducted.”

I drop a kiss on her mouth. “I never knew that. Would you tell me the story someday?”

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