Page 10 of Zin and Celeste: A Fortis Family Christmas

Chapter 5

They were havingfun looking around the resort shops. It was mostly gift type knickknacks, but she’d had picked up some bibs for the baby and some scented candles for the house. The plan was to go onto the spa after some lunch and get pampered. Roz was in good form today and seemed to be looking forward to Christmas Eve with her family.

Celeste looped her arm through her sisters-in-law as they stopped at a handmade jewellery stand. “You going to let Katarina get her ears pierced?”

Roz tipped her head to Celeste, pursing her lips. The child had been nagging her all summer, but so far Roz had resisted. Celeste understood her reluctance but didn’t necessarily agree with it. “You think I should let her get them done?”

Celeste lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “I just think that wanting them done is part of growing up and most the girls her age have their ears pierced.”

Roz looked over at her adopted daughters, and Celeste followed her sightline. “I just want them to have a normal childhood.”

Celeste could hear the love and longing in Roz’s voice, and her heart ached for what the woman had been through. Losing her childhood so young and being forced to do the things she had to survive wasn’t easy. “I know you do, and you’re a wonderful mum to those girls, and you’ll be to this little one too, but I think her wanting to grow up a little is natural. I get wanting to protect her, but you also need to let her express herself.”

Roz spun to look at her with a small smile. “When did you get so wise?”

Celeste laughed, her belly shaking as she did and the ache that had been plaguing her all morning eased slightly with the movement. “The day I decided I needed a gorgeous Russian and his annoying sister in my life.”

Roz poked out her tongue, but they were soon buying a pair of the tiny silver butterfly earrings for Katarina as a last-minute Christmas present.

It was as she was paying that her vision began to blur along the edges, and she had the most overriding sensation that something was wrong with Zin. Her legs gave way, and she screamed in pain as she fell against Roz, her mind only seeing the man she loved as he fell down the mountain, his body no match for the momentum before landing with a sickening thud.

“Jesus, Celeste, what happened? Is it the baby?”

Celeste looked up into Roz’s terrified eyes and could only manage one word. “Zin!”

Her only thought was the man she loved as she gripped Roz’s hand in a death hold as Lizzie rushed to her.

“What happened?”

“I have no fucking clue. One minute we were chatting, the next she screamed in pain, fell to her knees, and called for Zin.”

Celeste could tell she was frightening her family and friends and fought to pull herself together. “Something is wrong with Zin, I felt it.” She let Lizzie and Roz help her to her feet as she waved off the attention of the shop staff.

“What? How? I thought you needed to touch someone to see shit?”

“I have his shirt on. He wore it yesterday.” Celeste was a little steadier on her feet now as they made their way to the door where Roz had sent to the girls to wait for them. Celeste smiled at the girls who looked worried for her and cupped Natalia’s cheek to reassure the child she was okay. “I’m okay. Just a twinge but I need to rest for a little bit back at the cabin. Is that okay?”

“Yes, Aunt Celeste.”

God, she loved these girls, and later she would be grateful for how well they behaved but right this moment she needed to know her man was okay. This was the dark weight that had been hovering over her the last few days. It was why she felt compelled to wear his shirt and feel close to him.

Turning she caught Lizzie’s hand. “Call Smithy tell him to find Zack. Zin and the others are in trouble.”

Lizzie didn’t ask her loads of questions; she just did as she was asked as they walked back to the buggy they had hired so they wouldn’t have to walk too far.

As they climbed in, Lizzie nodded. “They just had an alert from the watches.”

Celeste felt Roz squeeze her hand in fear, the tough woman showing no outward emotion but allowing Celeste to see her worry. Celeste never doubted Roz’s love for Kanan. That her brother was out there too put these two women in a unique and unenviable position.

“They’ll be okay.”

Celeste had to believe that was true because anything else was unthinkable and she refused to go there. Roz just nodded as Lizzie drove back the cabin they were all sharing. It was on the edge of the resort and offered them privacy and protection—two things they all valued in this group.

Smithy, Zack, Jace, and Daniel were already waiting for them at the door when they arrived. Smithy was beside Lizzie in a second as Zack and the others moved towards them. Celeste felt nausea in her belly at the look on her boss’s face. She held up a hand to ward off whatever he was about to say to her, barely noticing as Ava ushered the girls inside. “No.”

Zack gripped her arms firmly as the remaining two men surrounded her and Roz, showing their staunch backing. “They’re alive.”

Roz let out a sob as Celeste felt her legs give way as Zack took her weight, Jace putting a gentle arm around her back to guide her inside and to a chair as Daniel stayed close to Roz. Someone handed her a glass of water, and she felt Lauren sit down between her and Roz, she knew it was so she could monitor them with her healing gift.