Epilogue
Isaac eyed the pile of gifts on the table as he placed the brightly wrapped box on it. “How many gifts can a two-year-old possibly need?”
Marie laughed and punched him lightly on the arm. “That and more.”
“More?” he questioned. “Guess it’s a good thing Angelo and Teresa have a large house, because they need to store all this stuff.”
“Stop being a grumbly uncle. As I recall, I had to limit you to getting Angelica three things, not the six you wanted. Besides, I know how much you love her as well as Oscar. And when the twins come, you’ll love them as much as well.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” When they’d gone shopping, something he never imagined he’d do when he returned back to Los Angeles all those months ago, he’d been unable to resist so many cute things for the little girl.
“Come on, let’s go see the party girl and everyone else.” Marie grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the group of people who’d become so important to him.
A found family, one he didn’t think he deserved, but who’d welcomed him without judgment.
He touched his stomach, where the scar from his bullet wound sat.
Viktor was still on the loose, but Cass had scoured the dark web to see if there was any mention of any of Isaac’s aliases.
There had been none, and for the moment, he believed that he was safe, but until Viktor was caught, there was always the risk that he could strike again.
Julian and the FBI taskforce he worked on had put Viktor in the top ten of people to watch, and that could be another reason why he was laying low.
He wouldn’t stop trafficking, but with the information he’d given to Isaac while he’d been held, they were monitoring the companies that supply the driverless vehicle rideshares to make sure that their occupants were safe.
The companies were also putting in protocols to make sure what almost happened to Marie wouldn’t happen to anyone else.
Nothing was full proof though, so they would monitor it while they did their other jobs.
“Good to see you. Thanks for coming,” Angelo slapped Isaac on the back.
“Wouldn’t miss it. Now where is the birthday girl?”
“Uncy Iac!” He had two seconds to brace before the little girl slammed into his legs.
“Hey there, princess. How are you?” He lifted her and held her tight, her little chubby arms almost strangling him, she was hugging him so tight.
“Bifday!”
“Yes it is.” He laughed when she smacked her lips against his cheek. Over Angelica’s shoulder, he spied Marie watching him. So much love filled him knowing this woman loved him. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her, but he wasn’t taking the life they had together for granted.
Both of them wanted children, but they knew that having one of their own might be unlikely given their ages.
They’d come to terms with that, and while they were trying, they were also looking at other avenues like fostering or adopting.
There were plenty of kids out there who needed love, and they had so much to give.
Given how they’d ended up together, both he and Marie believed that what would be would be, and when it was supposed to happen for them it would. In the meantime they were enjoying living together, and Marie was loving her job. They weren’t married yet, but he planned on proposing soon.
Life was pretty good.
He put Angelica down so she could go play with Oscar and some of the other kids that were here. Everyone from Alliez was there, and the big bad former special forces operatives should’ve looked out of place, but they didn’t.
His gaze connected with Cass’s, a huge smile lit her up. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have this moment. Any lingering regret he had for what he’d done to her lifted away. They’d both found the lives they were supposed to have, she gave him a nod and then made her way over to her own husband.
“You good?” Marie asked as she came up and slid her arm around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder.
“Always. I love you.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“Love you more.”
He didn’t think it was possible, but he’d give it to her, for today. Tomorrow he’d tell her he loved her more.
“This is a mistake. This is a mistake.” Steffanie Price’s skin itched and anxiety clawed up her spine like a spider.
The large group of people laughing and having fun at the two-year-old’s birthday were all harmless, she knew that, but after her kidnapping, any type of gathering was too much for her to handle.
It had been over two years since she and Cynthia were snatched off the street corner. Cynthia was doing much better than her. She couldn’t seem to get over it, no matter how much counseling she’d had. Leaving her house was becoming more and more of a chore, but she made herself at least try.
This group, though, was too much. It brought everything back to her. These people were the ones who saved her. Had seen her at her absolute worst. She should never have accepted Teresa’s invitation to come. She should have said thank you but no.
Steffanie scratched at her arms, her nails filed to sharp points so that she was almost digging into her flesh. Pain sometimes helped ground her, but not this time. It wasn’t doing anything. The panic was consuming her to the point her vision was blurring.
I have to get out of here.
I have to leave.
I’m not safe.
The words shouted in her mind, and she turned and rushed away, not seeing where she was going. The need to escape, the driving force.
She slammed into something hard, and when arms closed around her, she screamed.
She was being taken again. Those people had found her again.
“Let me go! Let me go!” Steffanie twisted and turned to get out of their hold.
She’d taken some self-defense classes, but everything she learned was forgotten.
Immediately she was released, but she still didn’t feel free. She still felt the phantom arms around her. The ones that dragged her to a dark room where the life she’d known had been ripped from her.
“You’re safe, Steff. No one is coming for you. You’re safe.” The deep voice kept repeating the words over and over, but she didn’t believe them. How could she?
She was never going to be safe again.