Page 82 of Savage Thief

“I haven’t seen her in six months,” I say with my heart in my throat. “Going to her risked way too much and once I started feeling Sean’s interest in me as his wife, I stayed away until I could figure out a way to break free. And here we are. I don’t even know if she will remember me. I’ve been gone too long for a tiny three-year-old.”

There’s no stopping the tears once they start. Nova is in front of me and wrapping me in her arms before the first ones have time to hit the floor.

“It’s okay. You’re not alone. There’s no way anyone could forget you. You did what you had to do.”

I give her a watery smile. “Thank you for that.”

I risk a look at Hark, knowing I haven’t gotten to the hardest part yet.

Hark’s eyes have been pinned to the spot over my cesarean scar since I started talking. His hair, messy from the fight, has slipped from its knot and hangs over his shoulders. It does a good job of throwing his expression into a deep shadow. I can only see half his face and that half screams pain and hurt.

The room narrows to just me and him. Everyone else is there, only my focus is entirely on Hark.

“And Hark.” I wait until his gaze roams up my torso to meet mine. “That night. In your bungalow. We did more than just make love. We made a baby. My child is your child.”

Seconds tick by before my words hit home.

Dark brows pull over darker eyes. “Mine?” His voice is rough, thick, and heavy with emotions he probably has no idea how to channel.

“Where is she right now?”

That’s Ares. I know what he is doing. He wants to give his club brother a moment to process the bomb I just exploded over his head.

“With Sadie in the city.”

“Is she safe?”

The question gives me goosebumps. “I hope. I called her but didn’t get an answer so I had to send a text. I told her to be ready to move in twenty-four hours.” I check the clock. “That was only a few hours ago.”

“Take my phone. Call her again, please. Tell her we have men on their way to her location right now to pick her and your child up. That’s okay with you?”

“My God, yes. Yes! You would do that for me?”

“You’re family.”

The relief that fills me is only short-lived. I know that because once Hark is past his shock he’s going to be royally pissed I lied all this time to him.

Ares takes Hark’s face in his hands and presses his forehead to his. It’s an intimate moment between brothers and almost feels like witnessing a sacred moment of bonding.

“Blood protects blood,” Ares says with his hand cupping Hark’s neck.

Hark nods and clasps his brother in a hug. A real one this time that has me wanting to cry all over again. I’m truly not alone in this and I know I’ll have to atone for my father’s wrongdoings, but right now my focus is on my child. Get her safe and deal with all the fallout later.

“You two should talk. I’ll let you know when the men are ready to move. But be fast. Those men are only the first wave. When they don’t turn up, more will come looking.” Ares holds a hand out to Nova and everyone leaves me with Hark.

When it’s just us, those dark shocked eyes laser in on me and I back up until I have nowhere to go. With a large sofa at my back and a growling dragon prowling toward me I have limited options.

He jerks his chin toward the phone in my hand. “Call her. We can talk about your lies after our daughter is safe.”

That doesn’t sound promising at all.

I flick on the screen, but the lock code option pops up.

“Take mine.” Hark slips his phone from his pocket and passes it over. “Code: twelve twenty-five.”

My thumb hovers over the number two. I want to feel mushy, but my inner voice tells me to suck up the sappy crap and can it. So I settle for the middle of the road. “My birthday,” I murmur, and I don’t hold back the surprise in my voice.

His jaw tenses. Releases. It goes on like that until he picks his next words. “I never forgot you, Asena. I never wanted to stay away. But my past is too dark for someone with so much light in them. It’s why I am at war with tying you to me and cutting you free.”

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