Page 26 of When Love Found Us
“We’ll figure this out,” I tell her, keeping my voice even. “But first, we need to get you to a doctor. And we’re going to do it my way.”
Her head snaps up, the fire flickering back to life behind her eyes. “You can’t just control me.”
Good. There she is. I like her feisty, and I hope she’s able to find herself once all this settles.
“It’s not controlling, sweetheart.” My voice stays even, firm without pressing too hard. “It’s helping. And I know why you’re fighting me, but believe me—I’m not the bad guy.”
She lets out a breath, short and uneven. “How can I trust you when I just met you?”
“Blind faith,” I answer. “The same way I’m trusting you right now.” I don’t look away, don’t let her escape the truth of what I’m saying. “I’m offering you more than a job, more than a roof—I’m offering protection. And whether you realize it or not, I’m putting myself in danger for you.”
Her throat bobs as she swallows, her fingers tightening in the fabric of her sleeves. She exhales loudly, blinking fast, looking anywhere but at me.
She doesn’t believe it yet.
That she’ll be safe. That this won’t end the way she fears it will. It’s okay, trust takes time.
I’ll show her what I’m capable of. I couldn’t stop what happened to Mom. Couldn’t stop what Dad did to Therese most nights—I was too young, too small, too damn powerless to change any of it. But at some point, I was able to stand up for Ledger and Keir. It didn’t end well for me—I took the hits, bore the bruises—but I did it anyway.
And I’d do it again.
Because after that, I learned something.
I’m not powerless. And this time, I’m not a kid. I know how to fight. I know how to win. If someone comes looking for her, they won’t be the ones walking away from it.
I will.
ChapterTwelve
Atlas
According to my phone,Sanford’s message comes through thirty minutes after I hit send.
In that time, I manage to convince Blythe—she prefers that name—to eat some crackers and drink ginger ale. I’m not sure why I even have some in this place, but at least it was useful.
When I open the text, I’m . . . I wasn’t prepared for the information he gathered about Winston Reginald Worthington IV. The name alone drips with power, old money, and corruption so deep it doesn’t leave trails—it leaves bodies.
It seems like Henrietta Worthington ran from a fucking monster. A monster who has ties to one of the most powerful syndicates in Miami. He has political reach. And the man is legally untouchable. The only way to get rid of him will probably be with a bullet to his head.
My grip tightens around the phone.
I expected a rich bastard with a superiority complex—a controlling husband who thrived on power behind closed doors but could be exposed if you pulled the right thread.
This?
This is a different level of fucked.
Winston isn’t just an abuser with money. He has the connections to make people vanish. He doesn’t operate with threats—he operates with consequences. No wonder Blythe’s scared for her life.
I stare at my phone, my fingers twitching to type out, “How do we get rid of him?”Better yet, something like, “Can we make this happen tonight?”
But that’s not something I can just ask from Sanford or anyone from his circle. During my years working with Sanford and his network, I learned exactly what kind of people they deal with. They might be musicians, but they also work for a high-security intelligence company called The Organization. It operates in a gray area the law can’t touch. Their jobs aren’t about following rules—they’re about controlling threats before they escalate.
I trained with them, worked full-time for a few years before stepping back. Right now, I take a few jobs when they need me, but only if I feel like it’s worth the risk.
So yeah, technically, Sanford’s network could bury Winston. Unfortunately, you can’t make men like Worthington disappear without setting off alarms. You erase someone with that much reach, and you’re not just dealing with the fallout—you’re lighting a match in a gasoline-soaked room.
This isn’t about vengeance. It’s about giving a new life to Blythe and a chance for her child.
