Page 16 of A Twisted Gift

“Yes.” My forehead touches hers. “I can’t believe I’ve finally found you.” It doesn’t matter if I’ve seen her every night for the past two weeks. This is the first timeshe’sseenme. “Rose,” I whisper, not hiding the reverence in my voice. “I’m never letting your father hurt you again.”

“But how?” she whispers. “Ivan is going to take me away.”

“No. I promised myself all those years ago that I’d save you. That I’d do everything I could to get you away from your father. I’m sorry it took me so long, Rose, but I’m here now.”

“My real name is Raina.” Her voice is soft, almost amused.

I heard Charles say it during the auction, but I barely noticed. I was too focused on her and wishing I’d gotten her out of here sooner.

“Raina,” I say, testing it out on my tongue, liking the way it feels.

“I don’t understand how you’re here. After all this time…”

“I’ll explain everything, but right now, I need you to come with me.”

“Come with you?” she asks, bewildered. “But what about Ivan?”

“Do you want to leave with him? With any of the men who bid on you tonight?” I say it more harshly than I mean to, my need to get her out of here too strong.

Tears fill her eyes. “No.”

Shit.I don’t want to force her to dwell on what happened this evening, but I need her to understand how serious I am. I’ll get her out of here safely, or I’ll die trying.

Pulling away, I take her hands in mine. As I kiss her knuckles tenderly, my eyes lock on hers. “I know you’re scared, but I’m not leaving you here. I can’t lie to you, Raina. The future holds a lot of unknowns. But I promise you this. I’ll always keep you safe, and I’ll never let any man hurt you ever again.”

Hope flickers over her features, not replacing her wariness but softening it. “You’d do that for me?”

If only she knew.

“Yes.”

“What if we get caught? Father caught us yesterday.”

I wonder who the other part of thatusis, but only for a moment. This isn’t the time. “As long as you do exactly as I say, we won’t get caught.”

Her gaze drops to my chest as she weighs the options in her mind. “All right. I’ll come with you.”

With that, I help her into Adeline’s coat, tucking her hair inside. I wrap her up in her scarf, covering the lower half of Raina’s face. It’s windy enough outside that no one should second guess it, and it disguises her the best I can.

“Boots?” I ask.

She grabs them from her closet, and I help her get them on. I’m tugging her toward the door when she stops.

“Oh! Wait.” She turns back to her bed, kneeling and lifting the blankets. There, stuffed under the mattress, is a book. She pulls it out, the black leather cover shining in the light before she slips it into her coat. “Now I’m ready.”

“Keep your head down, and let me do the talking, all right?”

“All right,” she whispers.

Sneaking downstairs isn’t too difficult. Most of the staff is busy with the party, so we’re able to slip back into the main part of the house undetected. When we near the front door, I have Raina loop her arm through mine, double-checking that the scarf is still covering her face.

I nod to the butler, who opens the door for us. The air is frigid, and Raina leans into me, searching for warmth. I put my arm around her and keep her tucked into my side. No one will ever take her from me now.

“I’ve never been in a car before,” Raina whispers as I open the passenger door for her, and I swear I hear a hint of delight in her voice.

“You’ll need to wear your seatbelt.”

I pull it across her body, catching a whiff of cinnamon and cloves. My heart aches as I buckle her in, remembering the mulled cider my mom made every Christmas. Even though I met Raina in the late summer, I had plans to sneak some to her in the winter so she could try it. But Charles ripped her away from me before I had the chance.

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