Page 165 of Safe and Sound

“I’m your cousin, Ares.”

“You is?”

“That’s my puppy. You want to see her?”

“Mm, hmm!”

“Piper, no!” Dare shouted from far away.

My cousin opened his arms, and I jumped into them.

He pwessed someth’ hard against my head. “Ow! Dat hurts!”

“Shh, be a good girl, and you can have my puppy.”

I forgot all about that thing hurtin’ me.“I can.”

“PIPER!” Dare screamed.

And then the man started runnin’.

But the puppy doesn’t come with us.

And Mommy and Dare gets far away.

And I starts to cwy.

Chapter Forty-Three: Dare

Throughout Nick’s wake and funeral, I’d kept right by Ava’s side. Although I’d grieved for Shannon and then my cousin, Rian, who was like my brother, I didn’t know how to reach Ava’s depth of suffering. Nick had been closer than her brothers. He had been there for her when I couldn’t.

His loss would have been overwhelming enough, but when you piled on finding out the truth about her parents and the conflict with Christos, I was amazed she was still standing. But Ava was fierce as hell. Her steadfast strength reminded me of Maeve.

As the graveside service finished, mourners continued coming up to the family. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Piper began back slowly away from the tent. Just as I wasabout to call her name, a man patted my back. “I’m so very sorry for your loss.”

My gaze flickered over to him. “Thank you,” I replied.

He nodded and moved on to talk to Ava. When I glanced back at Piper, she was running towards the woods. “Piper!”

Pulling away from the crowd, I broke into a sprint. I see a black and white colored puppy that she’s chasing. “Piper, come back!” I called.

At the line of trees, a man stepped out into her path. The sight of a gun in his hands causes my heart to shudder to a stop in my chest. To my horror, she jumped into his willing arms. “PIPER!”

And with my daughter in his arms, the man turned and began to run.

As I crashed into the woods, voices came from behind me. My brothers and our bodyguards. I didn’t stop when they called my name. I just kept pushing on.

After climbing a hill, the treeline melted into a field. A helicopter sat in the middle of it, the whirling blades rippled our clothes and hair. When Niall and Thomas reached my side, they had their weapons drawn. “Don’t fucking shoot. He’s got a gun on Piper’s head.”

When Ava appeared at my side, the man crooked his finger at her. “I’ll trade. You for her!” he shouted over the roar of the blades.

When Ava started for the helicopter, I grabbed her arm. As she slung me away, I demanded. “What are you doing?”

“I have to save her.”

“We’ll save hertogether.But not like this.”

She shook her head. “I love you, Dare, but Piper is my heart beating outside my body. If he wants me, then I go.”

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