Page 27 of The Perfect Escape
Davian
I couldn’t even fathom Giles Curtis and Louise Braxton being in George Town. More than that, how the hell did they know where I had taken Reyna? Patton and the rest ofThe Societyassured me Reyna would be safe, and our destination wouldn’t be disclosed to anyone, no matter what the cost. I should never have underestimated Giles Curtis or the resources available to him.
Losing sight of Curtis was a mistake, but unfortunately for him, once he and Louise landed, my men were there to greet them before they set foot on the ground. So, here I was, entertaining the two people I trusted less than Salko. I hope sending Mika to get Reyna wasn’t something I would regret later. I told Reyna that her biological parents were alive, but only because I thought I would have time before introducing her to them.
Reyna had been through so much. The last thing she needed was to be saddled with another hardship once she found out the truth about her father. There was no way I could let that happen. For that reason alone, before I reunited Reyna with her parents, it was my obligation to protect the woman I cared about. I only had a few minutes before Curtis and Louise would arrive.
Pouring myself a drink, I went through the steps of how I wanted this reunion to go. Unlike me, my father felt telling Reyna the truth would be a big mistake. On this, I wasn’t sure he was right. I couldn’t control what Curtis and Louise would say to Reyna. All I could do was try to steer the conversation away from his employment under Salko and the unspeakable things he did.
I set my disgust for the man aside when I heard a knock at the door to my study. Downing the rest of my drink, there was only one person I wanted to see on the other side of the door, and that was Reyna. When I opened the door, everything, even the circumstance that brought her to me, vanished. My focus was on her and how beautiful she was.
“Is it true?” Her arms crossed at her chest, showcasing her unrestrained personality that I loved so much.
“Come and sit down, and I will answer your question.” This conversation deserved my attention, and standing in the doorway was not the place.
I was thankful that Reyna didn’t argue and moved away from the door as I gestured for her to take a seat on the couch. Once she was comfortable, I took a seat across from her. There was a reason for the distance I kept between us. I couldn’t allow how I felt about her father to cloud her impression of him. She had to decide for herself whether she wanted him to be a part of her life. It was up to Curtis to tell his daughter the truth about his relationship with the man who kept her captive for over three weeks—abusing and demeaning her in any way he deemed fit.
Telling her what needed to be said, I had to choose my words of explanation wisely, which meant holding back the truth. “Your mother and father are in George Town. How they found us is a concern, but I want to make sure you are ready to face them. I don’t want to subject you to more than you can handle.”
“What I can handle? Are you kidding me?” Her brows narrowed as her eyes set on me. “With everything I have been through, I am more than capable of meeting my parents, unless there is something you aren’t telling me.”
There it was. That damned elephant. “I’m just concerned for you, princess.” Moving from the chair across from her, I took a seat beside her. “You are a strong woman. Not for once did I ever doubt you wouldn’t be able to handle meeting your parents. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up.”
The reason was lame, but there was nothing else I could come up with. Hopefully, I wouldn’t be the one to tell her the rest. Her father owed her the truth. Taking her in my arms, I felt her breath against my cheek. “Do you think they will like me?”
It was a silly question. She was their daughter. How could they do less than love her? “I have every confidence that they will love you, princess. The same way that I do.”
Reyna pulled away from my grasp and focused her eyes on mine. “What did you just say?”
“I said they will love you.”
“No, after.” Her eyes softened, and I realized what I just unknowingly confessed.
“I said, I love you, princess.” It was the truth. From the moment I saw her, I fell in love with her.How could I ever give her soul to the devil?
Tears filled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “I love you too, Davian.”
“Then why the tears?” If I could, I would have taken every one of them.
“Because there is something you need to know, and I’m afraid to tell you.”
I didn’t know what she could possibly tell me that I didn’t already know. Loosening my hold on her, I put enough distance between us so I could see her face. “What is it, princess?”
Our conversation was cut short when Mika appeared just inside the doorway, which took my attention away from Reyna. “Excuse me, Davi, but your father, Mr. Curtis, and Ms. Braxton, are waiting for you in the living room.”
Mika couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time. “Direct them here.”
Mika nodded her head with a smile and left the study. Looking at Reyna, I took her hands in mine. “Are you ready?”
With a slight nod, she looked toward the door. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
My father was the first to walk through the door, with Curtis and Louise close behind. My eyes were only on Curtis. There was something different about him. It had been nearly three weeks since I had seen him. He was thinner, and his eyes were bloodshot, lacking the cockiness he held when I first met him. He appeared exhausted and extremely nervous.
The placement of Reyna’s eyes shifted to her father when I turned my attention to her. Releasing my hands, she slowly moved toward the door where Curtis and her mom were still standing. As I looked between them, the resemblance between the three of them was uncanny. Even though Reyna had her mother’s eyes and hair color, there was no doubt that Giles Curtis was her father.
I was insensitive to their reunion, but there were a few things that needed to be said. In particular, to Giles Curtis. Reyna’s reunion with her father would need to wait. “Curtis, can I have a word with you outside?”
As though he knew what was about to occur, he stepped past my father and followed me to the sliding doors that led to the back patio. Three sets of eyes were on us as I waited for him to step outside the patio door.
