Page 76 of Hendrix

Anna had even recruited the other women onto her side. I’d always got along well with Carrie and Cece, and over the last few years, I’d even cultivated a decent friendship with Freya.

To suddenly have them not talking to me was a blow, and all because of one tiny little kidnapping. I mean, it wasn’t as if I’d locked Anna in a dungeon and fed her gruel. She’d had the best food to eat and the finest sheets to sleep on, unlike me, who’d had to move into another fucking room because my woman threatened to shave my eyebrows off in my sleep if I dared to lay my head next to hers.

Not the loving reunion I’d expected.

Still, I wasn’t gonna give up at the first hurdle.

Bones had relayed that he wasn’t comfortable with Anna flying for at least a couple of weeks. Daisy hadn’t done any lasting damage, but my woman was still getting stomach pains. Bones wanted her to be close so he could examine her if needed and be on hand to carry out more scans. Ever since I saw the nipper on the sonogram, I’d felt a sense of protectiveness that was fierce, so the thought of anything happening to Anna or the baby made me feel sick.

Plus, there’d been another development, one that was important to broach with my woman, that was if she ever spoke to me again.

“Colt’s here,” Blade told me. “You gonna talk to Anna?”

I drained my beer bottle and slammed it on the countertop.

“Good luck,” Gambit called out as I slipped from my stool and made my way toward Anna’s table, nodding at Colt as he fell into step beside me.

“You got the papers?” I asked him.

He held up a folder. “All in here. Anna’s statement is on file. The Lis family has been informed she left Antoni before the murders were carried out and that she wasn’t even in the same state. Their lawyer insists the cousin wants to make sure she’s okay. I’ve told them Antoni beat her, and she’s recuperating somewhere safe, but they won’t back down.”

Anna looked up, and our eyes locked. Hers narrowed, maybe because she could see the seriousness of my expression, but for the first time in days, she didn’t give me a disdainful glare and look away.

At least it was progress, right?

We approached the table, and Colt leaned down to kiss the top of Freya’s head. “Babe, can you give us a minute? We gotta speak to Anna.”

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “What’s wrong?”

I looked between the women. Anna’s face had paled and she looked at Freya nervously. “It’s okay,” I told Colt. “She can stay.”

Colt took the seat next to his ol’ lady while I dropped down onto the chair beside Anna. “Adrian Lis is looking for you.” He opened the file and took out a series of photographs of the man in question. “Do you know him?”

All color drained from her face. “Yes, I know Adrian. Does he know where I am?”

I took her hand in mine and squeezed. “Nobody’s gonna get to you, Anna. Stop worrying.”

Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. “Adrian’s the top dog of the family. Filip was small time compared to him. Adrian runs North America, and from what I’ve heard, he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. He’s got the men, the money, and the resources to hunt me down.”

“Why would he hunt you down?” Colt asked.

“Because that’s what he does,” she bit back. “He’s ruthless. If he suspects I had anything to do with what happened to Toni and Leon, I’m in trouble.” Her eyes shifted back to me. “We all are. Even Toni was scared of him and tried to lessen our contact as much as possible. You need to tell me exactly what he said.”

Colt leaned back casually in his chair, studying Anna. “He says he’s worried. I told him you left Philly after a fight with your husband got physical. I relayed the pregnancy’s been hard on you, and with your husband’s death, it’s all been a huge shock, and you’re resting.”

“Right,” she breathed, running tremoring fingers through her hair.

I leaned toward her. “Babe. You’re surrounded by some of the most talented ex-military men in the world. The same men that governments would move mountains to have on their payroll. You’ve got jetfighters, snipers, arms experts, ninjas, and bomb makers at your back, and that’s just the officers. Nobody’s gonna get to you or the baby.”

She thought about my words for a moment, her lips pursing. “I guess it means I can’t go home.”

“No,” I agreed. “But I wouldn’t let you go anyway. I didn’t come for you only to let you go again. We need to work this out, baby. We’re three years late.”

Tears filled her eyes. “Oh God. Stop making me cry. I’m like a damned faucet.”

“Will you talk to me, please?” I begged.

Colt stood and tugged Freya up with him. “Come on, Princess. Let’s get a drink.”

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