Page 47 of Wilde In His Arms

He turned and looked at all of them, staring up at him.“First door on the right is the bathroom.”

The little brunette ran down the hall to the door, shut it, and locked it behind her.

He wondered if he’d need a negotiator to get her out again.

The oldest girl helped Toby sit on the couch and prop his arm on a pillow.Then she dashed back into the kitchen, grabbed three water bottles out of the fridge, and brought them back, offering Toby one after she uncapped it.She left one bottle on the table, then opened one for herself.She and Toby drank them down like they’d been in a desert for a week.

The little one came out of the bathroom, promptly sat down next to the oldest girl, and downed half a bottle of water in three seconds flat, too.

Nick was leaning heavily on his good leg and hoping the cavalry arrived soon.Until then, he headed to the bathroom, found a spare bath towel, and wrapped it around his leg, tying it tight.It hurt like a motherfucker, but staunched the flow of blood.

Just as he walked back into the living room, Agent Hayward walked in with a girl of about twelve, with curly honey-blonde hair, freckles over her nose, and haunted blue eyes.Emma.

“You didn’t say anything about being shot in the shoulder,” Hayward accused.

Nick winced when he moved the ripped piece of his shirt out of the way to check out the wound.“Oh, no, Julia stabbed me before Javier shot me three times.”

The kids all looked at him, aghast.

Emma dropped her jaw, then said, “How are you still standing?”

“He’s strong and brave and a survivor,” Toby said, nearly making Nick cry, hearing him repeat his words back to him.

Instead he fist-bumped the kid.“Takes one to know one, right?”Nick looked at each of the kids.“Right?”

They all nodded.

“Now give Agent Hayward all your names so we can locate your parents and get you home.”Suddenly the room began to tip on Nick.He fell into a chair as dark spots danced in his vision, and then everything went black.

He woke up some time later in the back of an ambulance, all the kids inside with him.The paramedic had braced and wrapped Toby’s arm.He sat between Nick’s legs.The other three were on the bench or floor.

The paramedic leaned over him.“They refused to be separated or transported without you.”

Nick had enough brain cells firing to tell the kids, “I’m going to be fine.”

“Promise?”Toby asked.

“It’s a promise.My brother’s on his way and he’s bringing my girlfriend back to me, so I’ve got a lot to live for.Just like you guys did.Your families are going to be so happy to see you.Just like mine is to see me.”

He noticed that the dark-haired little girl turned away and curled up on herself on the tiny bench.After all she’d been through, maybe she just couldn’t hope to see the people she loved.She’d probably been told over and over they didn’t want her.Poor kid.

Nick would make sure they all got back to their families.

The oldest girl held up his phone.“He called.I answered.I hope that’s okay.I told him a little of what happened.He told me to tell you he and Aria love you and Fox and Hawk are flying them home.”

Toby touched his bare knee.For the first time, Nick realized the paramedic must have cut off his pants leg to wrap his thigh.

“A fox and a hawk are going to fly them?”Toby looked confused.

“That’s their names.Fox is marrying my girlfriend’s sister.And Hawk is my cousin.He flies helicopters for a search and rescue team.”

Toby nearly grinned.“That sounds awesome.I want to fly in a helicopter.”

All the kids nodded that they’d like to do that, too.

“I can make it happen,” Nick promised.“But I need you guys to do something.I need you all to talk to the FBI agents about what happened to you.I know it will be hard, but we want to make sure we get the people who hurt you.”

Emma leaned forward.“We’ll talk to you when you’re better.”

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