Page 20 of Stay Little Fighter

“Not sending Ry?”

I shake my head as I meet the golden eyes in question. “No, he’ll stay at the cabin with Sebastian. Leaving him unprotected might be what they want, and I refuse to compromise our only bargaining chip.”

“And you know he’ll slaughter anyone that stands between him and your girl.”

“And that.” I chuckle, but I haven’t felt an ounce of humor since I realized they were gone.

“The team is on their way to your location. I’ll reroute them and send you the coordinates.”

“Thanks, Cor.”

“And boss? We’ll get your girl back.”

I end the call, my heart aching for the only woman I’ve ever loved.

I just have to hope we’re not too late.

CHAPTER TWELVE

DAMON

THEN

TEN YEARS AGO

Things have been tense around the compound the last month.

Between Dad barking at anyone who so much as mentions the Weavers and my brother pining over his lost love, it’s been hard to get anything done.

But it won’t last forever.

I’ve done my best to keep Ronan off Chloe’s trail, but doing that while also ensuring I don’t know where she is is more difficult than I would like to admit.

All that matters is that she’s safe and can start a new life far away from the family that took everything from her.

My eyes slip closed as soon as I step into the afternoon sun.

I’ve been working so hard to keep everything on track that I haven’t taken the time to take a walk in Mom’s garden in weeks. This is one of the only ways I can ground myself, being close to the only two women to ever hold a place in my heart.

When we were kids, Chloe and I used to spend hours out here, running between the rose bushes, cutting ourselves on the thorns and doing our best to hide the evidence from our parents. And then there’s Mom, who never lost her kindness, even in a world of snakes.

Part of me is glad she’s not here to see how far we’ve fallen. How heartless I’ve become. How ruthless Dad is. How Ronan lost his soul the day Chloe got out.

But I miss her.

I miss her quiet strength. The way she always knew exactly what to say when we needed reassurance. And how she loved even in the face of such darkness.

The dense grass sinks beneath my shoes as I walk further into the garden that has a team of gardeners to ensure it remains lush and beautiful all year round, regardless of whether it’s rose season or not.

In truth, it’s the only way I know my father hasn’t completely lost his humanity.

Vibrations in my pocket remind me that although this is the first time I’ve taken to myself in weeks, I’ll never be truly off the clock.

I fish my phone out of the pocket of my sweats and pinch the bridge of my nose when I find Mikayla’s name across the screen.

I’ll admit I’ve been avoiding her, but after Chloe escaped, I’ve needed some time to process my feelings toward the only girl I’ve ever cared for.

She was never meant to mine, but my heart can’t accept that when the organ beats for her.