CAMILLA’S POV.
This little safe house sat at the corner of the town, at a location no one would ever think it would be.
I was still out of breath, owing to all that had just happened: screeching tires, shots fired, the near escape.
I said nothing but sat trying to put myself together, with each breath feeling like a jagged cut.
He guided me inside, his hand clamped tight over mine.
I hadn’t let him go since he’d dragged me out of that car.
Down the hall, he took me into a room at the end.
My heart raced once more, this time for a whole different reason.
“Jasper’s in here,” Dante murmured, turning the handle.
I swallowed the lump as the knot of nerves twisted within my stomach.
My legs quivered, shaking, as I stepped inside.
And there, in the crib, my baby boy was fast asleep, serene as ever.
With every breath he took, his little chest arched up and then descended.
The weight of it all pricked the corners of my eyes with tears: he was safe; Dante had saved him.
I ran to him, taking Jasper into my arms, and the tears I fought so hard to hold at bay finally fell.
“Jasper, my sweet boy,” I whispered with a tight hold on him.
The relief running through me was just about too much to bear.
I pressed my lips against his forehead, the skin warm against mine.
“I thought. I thought I’d never see him again.”
You don’t have to worry about that any more,” Dante said from behind me.
He had that serious tone going on, calm, but firm, assured in the fact that he got this one.
“I sent my men in earlier. I wasn’t going to leave him behind.”
I turned to him, the overwhelming surge of gratitude and guilt choking me.
“I don’t know how to thank you… I-”
My voice broke.
“I almost lost him. I almost lost everything.”
“You didn’t,” Dante returned, his dark eyes holding mine.
His words had wrung my heart, but a part of me was so leery.
“But for how long?” I worked at keeping the panic rising in my chest.
“Tom… my father… they won’t stop. You know that, right? They’ll come for me. They’ll come for Jasper.”
Dante’s jaw went tight.
“Let them try.”
I wanted to believe him.
God, how I wanted to.
But I knew what kind of people we were dealing with.
I knew how ruthless they could be.
Tom being left at the altar?
That alone would have made him furious.
But that I ran, that I defied my father’s plans for his own benefit.
John would never forgive me.
I knew what he was capable of when crossed.
“They’ll kill me, Dante. And if they find Jasper—” My voice cracked my throat.
“They’ll take him away.”
Dante reached for me; his hand touched my cheek as he brushed away a rebellious tear.
“Nobody is going to take him away from you, Camilla.
Nobody.
I will protect you both.
Tom and John… they’ll have to cross over me first.
I wanted to believe him, to let the conviction in his voice melt over me.
But all the events of my past life, my father’s threats and evil side, the danger ahead would only not quit nipping at my brain.
“I have seen what they can do,” I whispered.
“You don’t know them as well as I do.” This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Dante’s eyes went cold.
“I dealt with men like them before. Believe me, they’re far from invincible.”
I shifted Jasper in my arms, looking down at him as he yawned in his sleep.
How could something so innocent, so pure get dragged into such a nightmare?
In an attempt to lighten the mood.
Dante chuckled low in his throat, his eyes dropping to Jasper.
“He looks exactly like me, don’t you think?”
I blinked, taken aback by the sudden turn in the conversation.
“What?” I asked half, laughing despite myself.
“Cute little man,” Dante sneered, crossing his arms over his chest.
“He’s got my looks for sure.”
My snorting was unstoppable.
“You’re delusional.”
Leaning in a bit closer, grinning, he whispered to Jasper, “Your mom’s just jealous, buddy because we are the ones with the looks and it’s two against one.”
Jasper smiled in his sleep, and I stared, for a moment bereft of words.
“How… how did you do that?” I half-laughed, half-gasped, and turned to Dante.
“Did he just smile?”
Dante straightened, ridiculously smug.
“See? He knows.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I muttered, shaking my head, but for the first time in days, I felt something other than fear.
A small flicker of warmth, of lightness.
But that didn’t last.
Dante’s phone buzzed in his hand, but from his expression, I knew the news wasn’t good.
His face started darkening, his eyes narrowing as he read the message.
He looked up at me and then at Jasper, still wrapped in my arms.
I would have turned around, demanding to know what was going on, but before I got the chance.
There came a knock.