Page 72 of Lost & Found

Kinsley wasn’t going to let go.

“Nik,” I called, laughing despite myself.

“No, you can’t go,” Kinsley exclaimed, doubling down on her grip. “What if you need me?”

“That’s what phones are for, baby girl. Come on, let her go,” Nik coaxed.

She shook her head violently, her fingers digging into my sides. “No, she can’t go. I’m not ready. It’s too far away, farther than France, by thousands upon thousands of miles.”

Nik exhaled through his nose, patience firmly intact. He pried her fingers away from me one by one, untangling her like a stubborn vine. With a resigned sigh, he hooked an arm around her waist and lifted her clean off the floor.

She shrieked as he tossed her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing. Her thick brown hair spilled down his back in waves.

“Put me down right now,” she demanded, pounding her fists against him.

A sharp crack echoed through the room as his palm landed squarely on her backside. A distinctly Kinsley-sized yelp followed.

He winked at us. “Have fun, you two. Check in daily, or else.”

“Or else, what?” Pasha called after him.

“I’ll send my grandfather to find you. He’ll kidnap you and bring you straight back to me,” Kinsley yelled from over Nik’s shoulder as they disappeared down the hall.

A door slammed somewhere in the distance. Silence settled. With Kinsley no longer squeezing the life out of me, I dragged in a steadying breath.

“You ready?” Pasha asked.

I took one last look around my room. The bed was made. PF was curled up at the foot of the bed. The faint smell of my candles lingered in the air. I was as ready as I was ever going to be. I reached for my suitcase.

“Let me,” he said, already taking it from my hand before I could argue.

We stepped into the hall together. The house felt strangely awake for how early it was. Morning light filtered through the tall windows, stretching long shadows across the hardwood. Somewhere downstairs, I could hear Marcel.

We took the stairs. The rhythm of our footsteps echoed, each step bringing the reality of departure closer. At the bottom, Victoria appeared with a travel mug in hand.

“For the road. You know how you get if you don’t have your tea,” she said, pressing it into mine before pulling me in for a hug. “Call when you land.”

“I will.”

Marcel came into the hall and clasped Pasha’s shoulder in a quiet exchange that needed no words. The front door opened. Cool morning air brushed across my skin. The sky was pale blue, just beginning to warm with sunlight.

Marcus pulled up as if on cue. The engine purred. The trunk popped open. I paused on the threshold. For a second, the house felt less like walls and more like a living thing. The people inside had stitched me back together more times than I could count.

“Bella,” Pasha called.

I nodded and stepped forward. The suitcases were tucked away, and the door was open. I slid in and Pasha joined Marcus up front. He hated sitting in the back when he drove. Said it was pretentious.

Borrowing just a tiny sliver of Kinsley’s dramatics, I watched the house grow smaller as we drove down the long driveway. It didn’t feel like leaving forever. But it did feel like something big was waiting for me.

“I didn’t think we were ever gonna get out of there,” Pasha joked.

We had an extremely long set of flights ahead of us. Two layovers and a destination arrival time of almost 10 p.m. I stole a glance at Marcus and noted the subtle crease of concern on his face.

“Same,” I said, wanting to fill the space with something other than more concern for my well-being. These men were insufferable at times. The girls, I could understand.

“Surprised Sebastian wasn’t hovering.” Marcus grinned, finally letting his face relax.

“That’s because he got drunk last night and is sleeping off what I can only guess will be a massive hangover.”