Page 115 of Kept

Enzo taps his hand on his knee, the only outward sign of his anxiety. “Obviously.”

He looks to me for confirmation. When I hesitate, he swears. “Fuck, Mav, this is not the time for you to benoble.”

“It’s her choice,” I say hoarsely. “It has to be her choice.”

He shakes his head. “She makes me want a future,” he says, his voice gruff. “I never bothered looking forward until we found her, Maverick. And now I can see it. It’s right fucking there. I’m not letting her go anywhere.”

“I agree,” Enzo chips in, and my eyes close. I can’t do this now.

Picking up the phone, I hit Emerson’s number and press the phone to my ear.

This is the job. This has always been the job.

We bring them home.

Even if it rips us apart.

“Emerson,” I say hoarsely, when he picks up the phone. “I think we’ve found her.”

44 - Zella

Steamrisesingentlecurls above the hot water, but I barely feel it.

Huddled over, arms wrapped around my knees, I press my face into my damp skin and focus on breathing deeply, the way Enzo showed me.

It takes a while for my head to stop spinning.

Aria Cooper.

It doesn’t feel like my name. I don’t feel like I have any connection at all to the little girl in the paintings, any connection to the woman with the vibrant smile and love shining in her eyes, her arms wrapped around a child that might be me.

Maybe it’s all a coincidence.

Or maybe Ethan saved me from the fire and kept me safe.

But why would he do that?

I know it doesn’t make sense, that I’m grasping, but the alternative isn’t something I can face.

Three lives destroyed.

A lifetime of captivity.

But… afamily.A father.

I wouldn’t be alone.

The thoughts threaten to boil over, and I lunge out of the bath, sending water slopping over the sides as my hair slaps wetly against the floor. Tugging on a robe, I move with hurried steps, yanking open my bedroom door and running down to Maverick’s room. The door opens before I even raise a hand, and he looks down at me. His blue eyes look like a storm, turbulence swirling. “Zella.”

I push past him, my breathing heavy as I turn. My throat feels tight. “Did you tell him?”

“I did,” Maverick says heavily. He comes to stand in front of me, and I crane my head to look up at his face. “He wanted to come straight away.”

My flinch surprises us both.

“Sorry,” I say, clearing my throat. “What did you say?”

“I said no.” I don’t pull away when he takes my hand, drawing me over to the bed that nearly swallows me when I sink into it. “Here.”

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