Page 24 of Savage Redemption

“Puffins? Seals?” I stare across the breakfast table at him, incredulous. “I don’t give a shit about puffins and seals. And I don’t need a holiday.”

“I think you do, just for a while. A month or two. Maybe three… It’ll be good for Erin, too.”

This just gets better and better. Three months stuck on a lump of rock in the North Atlantic with a load of gangsters. I’d rather poke needles in my eyes. “No,” I repeat. “Absolutely not. Don’t you think I’ve had enough of Mafia bosses to last at least one lifetime?”

“Ethan Savage isn’t like that. He’s one of the good guys.”

“How did you arrive at that conclusion? He’s the same as the rest.” I vaguely remember Ethan Savage from my brief stay on Kristian Kaminski’s yacht, just after I was rescued from the cottage on Tenerife. He arrived on his own yacht with all his entourage, to visit Janey, I think. I was somewhat preoccupied at the time and didn’t really spend any time with them before my dad whisked me away and brought me home. True, he seemed respectable enough, but they all do until you scratch the surface. At heart, he’ll be as greedy, self-serving, and violent as the rest, and I need to keep my precious baby away from all of that.

“He’s offered you protection,” my dad argues. “You’ll be safe there, both of you.”

“Protection? What are you talking about? We’re safe here. Aren’t we?” I leave my buttered toast to go cold on my plate and get up to leave. “This conversation is over. I need to see to Erin, she’s probably awake by now.”

I’m only halfway to the door when is next words bring me to an abrupt halt.

“San Antonio is alive. And he’s free. He knows about Erin.”

My knees turn to jelly. I turn, grasping at a chair for support. “What?” I croak. “What did you say?”

“San Antonio is free. And he knows about Erin.”

“But how…? Kaminski told me he was going to kill him. Why would he…?”

My dad gets to his feet and reaches me in three strides. “I’m sorry I had to break it to you like that. I didn’t want to tell you at all, but… Come on, you need to sit down before you fall down.”

I stagger to a chair and sink onto it. “Buthowis he alive? They shot him, I heard the sound.” It’s etched on my brain. “And how did he find out about Erin? Does he… does he know where we live?” I don’t recall ever talking to Adan about my past life, my family, where I came from.

“Bartosz told him.”

“But why? Why would he do that?”

“I don’t entirely understand. Who knows why any of them do anything? But Bartosz phoned me and told me Kaminski decided to release San Antonio?—”

“After all this time? It’s been how long? A year? He was alive all along, a prisoner?” I’m struggling to take this in.

“Yes, I suppose so. Bartosz thought San Antonio might try to snatch Erin. He wanted to protect you, so he arranged with Ethan Savage for you to spend some time there, on Caraksay.”

“Where’s Adan now?”

“I have no idea, but we need to assume he’s going to find his way here eventually.”

“But I don’t get it. Why would he hurt Erin? Or me? Adan was… not like that. He was never violent or cruel, not with me.”

My dad wraps his arm around my shoulders. “We talked about this, princess. Just because he treated you better than the others, doesn’t make him some sort of romantic hero. He’s ruthless, dangerous, just like the rest, and we need to make sure Erin stays well out of his reach. You know I’m right.”

I shake my head. “He wouldn’t. I know him, he?—”

“Listen to me, Rosie. Trust me.” He tips my chin up, so I have to meet his gaze. “I only want what’s best for you. Both of you.”

I blink back tears. “I know, but?—”

“If it helps, Eva’s agreed to come with you.”

“Eva? But what about her work?” Eva has lectures to deliver. Student essays to mark.

“She’s been commissioned to write a paper on natural linguistic programming and data sciences, some research she’s been heading up for the last couple of years. She can write it anywhere, apparently, and there’s no shortage of IT and communications capacity on Caraksay for her to keep in touch with the other boffins. I think she’s quite looking forward to the peace and quiet.”

I don’t even ask what the fuck natural linguistic programming might be, I doubt if my dad knows either.

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