Celina“Hey, baby, you can open your eyes,” I whisper against her ear. I’m holding her against my chest with the rag doll between us. She’s so still. My head is tipped down and my neck is pulled to an odd angle so I can see her eyes. Alex is sitting next to me with Rack driving. Finally her little eyelids peek open. “I’m your Aunt Celina,” I tell her softly. “We’re taking a short drive and when we get you home, I’ll change you into something dry and you can eat. Would you like that?”She doesn’t answer. Her eyes are glued on Alex and when he turns and looks at her, she closes them again. Alex gives me a tight smile. Her condition is worse than when I saw her the first time. Her clothes are beyond soiled and she reeks of urine. The injustice of what this poor baby has lived through is more than enough to break my heart. She’s nothing but skin and bones in my arms.It’s only about an hour before I see the gates of Moon’s home, but it seems like a lifetime. I actually wish I was taking h

AlexAfter Carlo leaves and while Celina gives Kiley a bath, I fill Moon in on the details of retrieving the child. I’m wound up and anger pulses through my veins as I pace. I’ve never considered children. They don’t belong in our world. That doesn’t mean I don’t want vengeance on the men who did this. Hell, her mother is just as responsible. I hope the bitch dies before I get my hands on her.“We cannot change the past, my friend,” Moon says quietly.I turn and stare at him. Hell. He’s right. My demons are wrapped up in this child. I see the images of my sister, her children, keeping them safe, and the atrocities I saw when we went after the Mexican cartel that killed Moon’s parents. It never ends and all we can do is move forward and protect as many people as we can. Money allows that. It doesn’t matter where the money comes from as long as we keep the shit from our backyard and help those who need us for protection.I inhale and shake my head slightly. “Dax kept his word. It’s wron

AlexThe women enter the gym. With the loud music, I don’t actually see them, but I know that Celina is standing there as surely as I know the sun will set today. She’s a vibe beneath my skin and the closer she is the more intensely I feel her. I keep lifting the set I’m currently working on and hear Madison whistle. I have no doubt it’s intended for her husband. I glance over and sure enough she’s not looking my way, but Celina is. Crazy, hot need simmers in her eyes. She’s so easy to read. I don’t think she would mind if I stood up and rubbed my sweaty body all over her. Of course my cock hardens at the thought and I have a feeling this workout is about to be cut short.Madison walks closer to Moon. “Gabriella is the child whisperer as well as the food Goddess. We decided that the mental abuse being thrown at us in her territory was too much to handle, so we came looking for some eye candy,” she informs her husband. Moon grabs his wife and does exactly what I want to do to Celina. “

AlexWe shower in cool water as I slide soapy fingers over Celina’s curves. She’s facing away from me with her shoulder leaning against the wall of the shower. Whereas she was content a few minutes ago, she’s troubled now. I feel her tension as my hands glide across her skin. “Tell me what you’re thinking, mi corazón.”She doesn’t make a sound, but after a few moments, I see the tremble in her shoulders and turn her so I can see her face. The pain I see in her eyes has me pulling her against my chest. I run my fingers over her wet hair as she cries. She’s been so strong and this shouldn’t surprise me. It guts me. I don’t want her tears and would do anything in my power to stop them. She mumbles something against my chest and I move her slightly away. She looks at me with pure desolation.“I don’t know how to be a mother,” comes out between more sobs.“Oh, baby,” I say as I pull her against me again. What do I say? I haven’t the slightest idea how to be a father.“She needs so much and

AlexAll I can do is be thankful that Gabriella takes over with Kiley. When Gabriella walked into the kitchen, I was doing my best to wipe juice off Kiley’s face and fingers. In Spanish Gabriella let me know exactly what I was doing wrong. Apparently I needed more water on the paper towel that is now stuck to the child’s fingers. I made my escape as soon as possible.Then, things went from bad to worse. I received a call from the men I sent to Antigua. Manuel is dead and Danita nowhere to be found. I have Cal using his computer skills and checking airline manifests. Thankfully, the flights out of Antigua are limited to only a handful of airlines. Of course, there’s always the ocean. That escape route will be harder to track. Danita isn’t stupid, so I expect none of this to be easy.With Kiley in Gabriella’s capable hands, I drive to Manuel’s wife and inform her of his death. They’d been married for ten years and don’t have any children. Giving her the news is bad enough and I shouldn’