Page 74 of Love Over Time

“Thanks.” I nodded, and he took off. Turning to Mom, I held her hand in mine. “Mom. Stay with me.” My voice quavered.

Her eyes flew open. “It wasn’t a dream. You’re really here.” She cradled her left arm, licking her lips. “I feel so tired, Henry.”

A slow vertigo washed over me.Please stay with me, Mom.“You’ve lost a lot of blood, but we’re getting help. Come on.”

“I can walk. Don’t bother.” She gave me a weak push.

If she could see herself, she’d understand why she felt so drained. I hooked my arms under her legs and shoulders to pick her up. A small wince escaped her lips as she rested her head on my chest and went limp in my arms.

“I’m sorry, but we need to get you out of here.”

“I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” She smiled up at me.

“It will be.” I carried her out the door, where a couple of paramedics rushed to our side. Numb, I watched as they took her from me, placed her on a rolling bed, and rushed her to the back of the ambulance.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

If I Had You

Nikki

I stood in the back of the tunnel, where the light didn’t reach while Henry strode out the front door with Tessa in his arms. A sharp pain hit me square in the chest. Why did it feel as if he were walking out on me, leaving me all over again as he’d done under the mesquite tree?

Bracing my hands on my knees, I dry heaved, tasting the musk in the air in the back of my throat. The taste made my stomach muscles constrict even more. I’d never felt this kind of panic, the kind that made me want to jump out of my own skin. I’d been afraid for me and Tessa. But most of all, I’d been scared out of my mind for Henry.

For a very long minute, I’d thought for sure he’d kill his uncle. Yeah, I’d been prepared to do the same when Tessa and I were trapped in the tunnel and Francesca was the only thing between us and freedom. But Henry had so much rage inside him. It scared the shit out of me.

“Please help my wife. She’s injured,” Jonathan said to one of the cops.

Every time that asshole spoke, the urge to stab something flooded my senses. Out in the foyer, cops were still bringing in security guards for questioning or God knew what else. The crowded room made my head spin, and I couldn’t focus on anyone or anything. Why were they not dragging the real criminals out of here? Because they were Cavaliers?

“No.” I raised my voice and stepped into the light, effectively making the cop stop in his tracks. “Neither of you is leaving this place until you explain to everyone here why Tessa and I were kidnapped.”

Francesca snorted. “What are you talking about?Youcame into our home and attacked us. Officer, arrest her.” She pointed a bony finger at me.

I should’ve known she’d try something like this. I stomped over to Jonathan, his face a bloody pulp as he sat against the wall next to his wife. He flinched, covering his head with his arms. After the glorious beating he took from Henry, I couldn’t blame him.

“Phone.” I wiggled my fingers in front of his face.

His gaze darted to Francesca, but then he conceded and fished his device out of the pocket of his dress pants and unlocked it for me. I dialed Dom’s number and waited.

“Dom here,” he barked. In the background I could hear papers shuffling. I glanced at the screen and checked the time. It was four in the morning. Did Dom ever sleep?

“Hello, darling. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“Hey, doll. Not at all. What do you need?”

“Well. I have some really bad people here trying to get away with murder. Any thoughts?”

His chuckle echoed as if he’d switched us to speakerphone. “You didn’t leave him after all. Did you?”

“No. Did you talk to Henry?”

“You can say that, yeah. He brought me a very interesting recording.”

I pressed a hand to my forehead. The lack of sleep and Francesca’s death threat hanging over my head all night had compounded into one massive hangover, minus the stiff drink. But I didn’t care. The nightmare was finally over. Henry had done the right thing. He’d reached out to Dom and given him the recording. Lisa was coming home. “When will Lisa get out?”

“One thing at a time, doll. Where are these bad guys you called me about?”

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