Chapter Sixty Eight

He held her tightly against his chest and kissed the top of her head, and Franco realized Luca loved her deeply and he turned away he would never tell a soul it was not him who had to carry that burden. Romero raced out of the office meeting them at the foot of the stairs,

‘Tash, Tash, Oh God baby girl, did they hurt you?’

Franco brought a blanket he had found in another bedroom and handed it to Romero, he wrapped it around Tash as he took her from Luca,

‘Tash, please baby girl, open your eyes, please’

She stirred cocooned in the blanket her shivering was not so violent and her big eyes opened and locked onto his,

‘You came’

She whispered and then her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she lost consciousness,

‘Tash, Tash, stay with me, baby girl’

He ran out of the compound and into the yard heading straight for the helicopter landing near the gates, Franco had sent for it the minute he had seen the state Natasha was in. At the hospital Romero was reluctant to be parted from her