“Who the fuck slapped her?” I bring her thigh up to show him. I’m seeing red. I don’t see Selene or Aris anywhere. Did those fuckers touch my baby and then leave her here? That blood better be theirs.
“Selene did,” Kostas says through a growl, his jaw tightening.
“Please tell me that bitch is alive,” I hiss. “I’m going to fucking kill her.”
Kostas shakes his head. “She’s dead.”
“Did she at least suffer?” I rub my daughter’s thigh while holding her close to my chest. Her crying is already calming down.
“This is her blood,” Kostas tells me. “I made sure that bitch was in pain before I ended her life.”
“And what about Aris?” I glance around, suddenly realizing we’ve only been discussing Selene.
“He wasn’t here,” Adrian says.
“What?” I screech. Zoe jumps in my arms, and I remind myself I need to stay calm. “He can be anywhere.” My gaze flits around us, hating that we’re standing outside. He could be about to pounce.
“We’re going to find him,” Kostas promises. “Right now, we need to get our daughter home.”
Kostas is right. Zoe’s diaper is filled to the brim and leaking. She probably has a diaper rash. Who the hell knows when she was fed last. If that bitch wasn’t already dead, I would torture and kill her my fucking self. Aris better run far because when I get my hands on him, I’m going to make sure he suffers for the both of them.
“We need to find a hotel,” I tell the men as we climb into the SUV. Luckily, when I drove into the front of the building, hoping to create a diversion, the siding was rotted wood and no major damage was done. “We need to get her diapers and clothes and formula. She can’t go two hours like this. I need to give her a bath.”
The heaviness of everything that’s happened is hitting me like a two-ton weight on my chest, and it’s hard to breathe. “We need to get her to a doctor,” I say through a sob. “What if…what if they hurt her?” I’m supposed to put Zoe in her car seat, but I can’t let her out of my arms. She’s clinging to me like a little koala bear.
Kostas tells Adrian to stop at the store, and while he runs in to grab stuff for Zoe, Kostas calls a local hotel and makes a reservation. The entire time, Zoe’s tiny, chubby arms are wrapped around me with her face snuggled into my chest.
Oh, God, I finally have her back in my arms.
My heart is racing.
I need to get her as far away as possible. To somewhere safe.
What if Aris is following us? Waiting to make his move. What if this is all a trap?
I’m so tired, and all I want to do is snuggle up with my baby, but I need to make sure she’s safe.
As I watch her, I notice she’s fighting sleep. She’s probably too scared. Whatever those pieces of shit did to her has my baby too scared to let herself go to sleep.
When we arrive at the hotel, Adrian checks us in and then both men flank me as we ride the elevator to the top floor. Only my husband would book the Presidential suite when we’re only going to be here for a couple hours.
Adrian remains outside, while Kostas and I head inside. While I give Zoe a bath, checking to make sure there’s nothing visibly wrong with her, Kostas rinses off as well. Adrian must’ve gotten him clothes because when he gets out, he’s in a plain white T-shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants.
Once they’re both cleaned up, I sit on the couch with Zoe while Kostas makes her a bottle. I hold her close and take in her sweet baby scent, thankful to have her back in my arms.
Her eyes are almost closed at this point, most likely exhausted from everything she’s been through, but she’s still fighting to stay awake.
My strong fighter. Just like her daddy.
The second the bottle touches her lips, she sucks it down. Her eyes begin to droop, and her stiff body loosens in my arms.
“She was so hungry,” I mumble, trying hard to stay strong for my daughter, but inside I’m a mess.
Something worse could’ve happened to her.
We could’ve lost her.
“She’s a baby,” Kostas says. “She’ll soon forget what they did to her.” He runs his fingers through her head of soft dark curls.
“I’ll never forget,” I tell him.
And I won’t.
Not until the day I die.
Every thought in my being is fueled by the urge to hunt Aris down and punish him for this.
For putting my baby in harm’s way.
One day we’re going to find him, and when we do. I will make him pay.
“As soon as we get home, we’re going to get shit organized and find Aris,” Kostas promises. His words hit me. Home. The hotel. The villa where Zoe was taken. The thought of bringing her back there has my heart racing.
“I can’t go back there,” I blurt out, and Kostas’s eyes widen. “I know it’s your home, but…”
“Our home,” Kostas growls out without letting me finish.
“Kostas…”
“If the next words out of your mouth are to tell me you’re leaving me, so help me fucking God.” Kostas stands, towering over me. Zoe’s bottle is empty and she’s sleeping soundly in my arms. “You’re my fucking wife, and that’s our daughter, and if you think I’m going to let you leave me, you better think twice,” Kostas chokes out. “I know I fucked up, Talia. Her getting taken is on me.” He pounds his fist against his chest, and his eyes bore into mine. “But you aren’t fucking leaving me. Ever.”
“Kostas, that’s not what I was going to say.” I consider laying Zoe down, but I can’t do it. So instead I stand, still holding her, and walk over to him. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
Kostas’s shoulders drop slightly in relief. “Tell me what you need, zoí mou.”
“A place where we’ll feel safe. A home where Aris hasn’t touched and soiled. Maybe one with a pool, so I can take Zoe swimming. But it needs to be secure so nobody gets to us.” I just need a damn break. A moment to be at peace with my family without living in fear. It can be months or years before we find Aris, and the hotel no longer feels like my safe place since it’s where he stole our daughter. There’s no way I’m going to be able to sleep at night, knowing that’s where she was taken from.
“I’ll handle it,” Kostas assures me, already pulling his phone out. “Why don’t you and Zoe go lie down and rest and once she wakes up, we’ll head out.”
Before I head to the room, I step closer to Kostas, and with Zoe sleeping between us, give him a soft kiss. “I don’t blame you for any of this. Never think that. I blame Aris and Selene.”
Kostas nods once, but I can tell by the way his eyes flinch slightly, he’ll always in some way blame himself for not keeping Zoe safe. And I get it, because I’ll always blame myself as well.
When we pull up to the house—no, house isn’t the right word, more like castle—Kostas gets out and unbuckles Zoe. She’s awake now and goes willingly with him. Unlike where Aris kept us, this place is backed up to the beach. I can smell the salt and hear the waves. My heart already feels steadier. My body already feeling lighter.