My blood thundered around my body as I walked out of my uncle’s house with Alana in my arms. The adrenaline was still coursing through me and it would continue to do so until we were safely in Jacob’s car. I glanced behind me to see Jax carrying Lucia into safety. She looked unharmed and I felt a rush of relief. That kid had already been through enough in her young life.
Alana, on the other hand, was covered in blood and had cuts and bruising to her face and body. I’d given her a cursory check over and they all appeared to be superficial, but I’d have a doctor check her out as soon as we got home.
It was the psychological scars that would take the longest to heal though. I knew that. I felt the bile rise in my throat as I recalled what Carlos had said about his men violating her. I wished that I had been able to make them pay the way they deserved to, but there hadn’t been time. I planted a kiss on her head and made a silent promise that I would never let anyone touch her ever again.
Jacob was pulling the car up when another car approached from the distance. I looked across at Jax. I held onto Alana awkwardly with one hand for a moment while I took my gun from its holster. As the car approached, I recognized it as my Uncle Phillipe’s. He was either here to help, or to kill me.
Phillipe jumped out of his car. ‘Alejandro!’ he shouted to me.
‘How did you know we were here?’ I snapped.
He held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. ‘Your father told me. I came to help.’
‘Well, everything is taken care of.’
‘Everything?’ he asked solemnly.
I nodded. ‘What needed to be done, is done.’
He nodded but tears filled his eyes. ‘Maybe now, he will find some peace.’
‘I hope so,’ I said.
‘I’m happy to see you all safe,’ Phillipe said as he started to walk back to his car. ‘I’ll send someone to clean up inside and I’ll meet with you tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow,’ I agreed.
Then Jacob was opening the car doors. Jax placed Lucia in the back seat and slid in beside her. I climbed in through the other door, holding Alana close to me. ‘Do I not get my own seat again?’ she said with a faint smile.
‘No,’ I said as I wrapped an arm around her waist. ‘I’m not letting you go, princess.’
‘Here you go, Boss. For your hand,’ Jacob said as he slid into the drivers seat and tossed me a bandage.
‘Allow me,’ Alana said as she lifted my hand and gently dressed it with the bandage.
‘You still okay, kid?’ I nudged Lucia beside me, who hadn’t said a word since we’d left the house.
‘Um, yeah. I suppose,’ she said as she rubbed a hand over her belly.
‘And your little guy?’
‘I think so. He’s wriggling around now,’ she murmured.
‘As soon as we’re home, I’ll have a doctor check you and the baby over.’
‘Home?’ she mumbled with a faint smile.
Alana finished wrapping my bandage and then she leaned back against my chest, wrapping her arms around my neck. I kept one arm around her waist and I reached for Lucia’s hand with my bandaged one. Her fingers curled around mine and I saw a faint smile on her lips.
‘Yeah, home.’ I said with a sigh as I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes.
