Page 238 of Inferno

My eyes. Charlotte’s button nose. That pouty lip quivering with heartbreak. A perfect mix of us.

“You’re really my daddy?” she whispers.

“I am, baby. I am.”

I keep her on my lap as we slide into the truck.

“Who is he?” she asks softly, nodding to Conan.

“That’s your Uncle Conan,” I say.

“I’m the fun one,” he adds with a wink.

A faint smile ghosts across her lips. It wrecks me. I nod to my brother and hold her a little tighter.

All I can think about is Charlotte.

She should be sitting here, not me. I don’t give a fuck if this was how it had to go, I hate every part of it.

And I won’t stop until I make this right.

I slide my phone out of my pocket and pull up Charlotte’s tracking device app. My heart sinks when I see the high heartbeat pulsing in the top corner.

But I watch that little red dot moving, and it gives me hope.

We have her, and we will get her back.

Chapter 91

CHARLOTTE

Isabella’s screams echo in my ears.

I feel like a terrible mom. I hope one day she understands. My hand clasps my necklace, knowing I have people watching over me helps.

I’ve come up against Vlad before, and he let me live.

This time, I won’t be so lucky.

But I know he won’t offer me a quick way out. The asshole thrives off feeling powerful. Perhaps because he’s so under his sister’s thumb in their empire, I was there to feed his male ego.

There is a reason he kept me hidden from her. He is scared.

I’ll endure the pain while Declan gets Isabella to safety. I owe them both.

And if I am wrong about Vlad’s motives, I won’t go down without a fight.

I will see my daughter grow up.

I will prove to Declan he can trust me.

And I will end my husband.

He thinks he’s won, but he has no idea how far a mother will go to protect her child.

He crossed his final line by putting my baby in a rigged-up car.

No matter what, Vlad will die today.

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