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His voice booms loud and clear. "You are surrounded by my men. Release Starla. I repeat, you are surrounded by my men. Release her and give yourselves up to the police. We know who you are and what you've done. The only chance for mercy now is if you do what I tell you to."
"You won't get away with this," Seth seethes like a comic book villain.
I imagine him running on his little hamster wheel, running and running and running, getting nowhere and disturbing no one.
Sergio shows me Seth’s screen. My heart soars. It's Sal, Gino, Timeo, even Ricco. I see Mario, and a woman I don't know, and so many people my heart beats faster. Sergio’s brought his crew to rescue my sister.
Can you love someone who isn't yours? Because I love this man.
“They’ve located the building where your sister is. Come with me to go to her now."
“Do they have her?”
“Not yet.”
Starla. We’ve come to get Starla.
Seth is going to jail, and Starla will be okay.
My heart still aches, but now… there’s hope again.
* * *
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Eden
We drive in silence.When we're almost there, Sergio says, quietly, "We have to talk soon. There's a lot of explaining that needs to happen. But let’s focus on getting Starla first."
I nod, and for this brief little moment in time, I'm so happy he's here, that he can take the next step with me.
It's exhausting always deciding the next step yourself.
"Where are we going?"
“When Seth located you, he and his associates suspected that you were working with us. They had you followed. They evacuated everybody from the compound where they were because they knew we were coming. Not sure where they all are, but the ones that matter are here.”
"So they're not at the compound anymore? Wow."
He shakes his head. “No, babe.”
God, I don't want him to call me that. I don't want any tenderness from him right now. I am barely holding myself together and tenderness from him might completely undo me.
"They planned on using your sister as bait. They knew that if they got you, no one else could leave. They aren't who you think they are, Eden."
Is anybody?
I want to believe him so badly that I almost want to deny what's right in front of my eyes. But I'll wait. I could rush in, and I could make a decision right now. I could decide to be quick to judge, but that won't get me anywhere. I draw in a breath and square my shoulders.
"Let's get Starla."
We drive in silence down a long, winding road, and I wish that I wasn't so scared. My knees practically knock together, thinking about facing whoever is holding her captive.
At least this time, I won’t have to face them alone.
Seth is going to jail. I don't know how, or why, or what's going to hold him there. I may need to testify. But he can’t take me with him again.
Never again.
