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“Will you come home with us, Irene?” I asked in a gentle voice. “We’ll take care of that nasty wound and clean you up. How about some food too?”
Irene swiped at the tears clinging to her lashes and seemed to consider my offer. “Yes,” she said after giving the matter a whole minute’s thought.
“Good,” I said. “First, we’ll go home and take care of you. After that, we’ll call your uncle and let him know you’re safe. How about that?”
Irene gave a nod.
I got to my feet and extended my hand toward her.
She slowly stood up and dusted her dress but it didn’t make much difference. Dry leaves and dirt stuck to the mud-soaked fabric.
“Here, honey, you look cold.” Shirking off my jacket, I draped it over her small shoulders.
Caleb bent down and scooped her up in his arms. “Let’s get out of here,” he said in a rough whisper. “It’d be bad if someone spotted us near this scene.”
Together, we smuggled Irene out of the woods.
A large truck zoomed past us as we hurried toward our car.
My heart pounded heavily in my chest. I wasn’t sure what we were doing was even legal but what mattered at the moment was to take care of the child we found abandoned in the woods.
It was pure chance we came across Irene. I’d have helped her the same way even if she wasn’t related to Nick Civella. The only difference was that life was finally rewarding me for doing a good deed.
Reaching the car, Caleb got into the driver’s seat while I huddled in the backseat with Irene.
“Let’s go home,” I told him.
He turned the car around and changed lanes, speeding in the direction of Silverlake City. Irene leaned against me and held onto my hand tightly. Wrapping my arm around her, I pulled her closer.
32
Camilla
It was dark by the time we reached home. Caleb climbed out of the car and opened the passenger-side door.
“She’s sleeping,” Caleb mused, looking down at Irene’s calm, serene face. He scooped her in his arms and took her out of the car.
“She fell asleep a long time back,” I said, climbing out. “Poor baby must be exhausted after the day she’s had.”
He scoffed. “Tell that to the men who bled to their death.”
“They assaulted her nanny and kidnapped her,” I hissed. “If you ask me, they kind of deserved it.”
“Still, do you want a murderer in our home?”
“Don’t utter that word in front of her,” I hissed.
A soft moan sounded between us. We both fell silent immediately as Irene stirred.
“Hey, sweetie,” I said gently. “Are you awake now?”
Irene blinked her eyes sleepily. When she realized we were no longer in the car, she straightened a little in Caleb’s arms and looked toward the manor.
“We’re home,” said Caleb. “Want to go in?”
Irene put her arms around his neck and gave a nod.
“Let’s bring her to my room,” I said as we walked through the open front doors. “She needs a bath and a Band-Aid on that cut on her forehead.”
