Page 197 of Inferno

“She’s perfect, Declan. Bright as a button. Loves to fight and draw. And stories. She loves me telling her stories.”

Rubbing my thumb on the back of her hand, I bite back the tears.

“She looks just like you. Those eyes. Every time I look at her, I see you.”

Letting out a hiss, I can’t help but scoot forward and wrap my arms around her.

“I’m not there to protect her, Declan. I need to go home.”

The thought of my baby girl being in that house with that monster makes my skin crawl.

“No, baby. That’s not how this happens. Not anymore.”

This changes everything and nothing.

Charlotte was destined to be part of my life. Now that just cements it.

“That is not your home and never should have been. You belong here, with me.”

“Not without Isabella.”

God, that knife in my chest twists.

“I’m a dad,” I whisper, resting my head on top of hers.

I hope I can be half the man my father was for her.

Starting now.

“Let me get her back, Declan.”

That fire in her voice returns, and I pull back, cupping her beautiful face in my hands.

“How I see it is we have two options. One, we keep inflicting the hurt on each other. Or, we flip the script. We take our suffering and use it to go after the people who did this to us.”

I will raise hell for this.

For everything they’ve done to her.

For keeping me from my daughter.

“There’s no way we can win. We won’t last a day in Russia. They’re powerful, Declan.”

The fear returns. For someone so fierce, they’ve broken her—yet created the most powerful woman I’ve ever met.

“Sweetheart, who do you think you’re talking to here?”

I arch my brow.

“I don’t run this empire by being weak, Charlotte. I’ve made some very powerful allies. We’re ready.”

Tearing down the Bowens can wait. This is far more important.

“That comes with a price, Declan. A big one.”

“Are you ready to sell what’s left of our souls to Mr. Volkov?”

Her eyes go wide, and a familiarity washes over her face.

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