Chapter 5 - DAWN OVER THE LAKE
Vanessa stood in the doorway of the bedroom, clutching a silk robe tightly around her waist, her hair a wild tangle. She looked from Julian to the trembling child in his arms, her expression shifting from sleep-addled confusion to sheer, unadulterated panic.
"Julian?" she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "How... how are you here? The federal agents said—"
Julian didn't take a step toward her. He simply turned his head, his cold gray eyes locking onto hers with a look so devoid of humanity that Vanessa instinctively stepped backward into the hallway.
"Marcus!" Julian called out.
From the shadows of the hallway, Marcus stepped forward, flanked by two armed security operatives.
"Boss?"
"Escort Ms. Vance and Mr. Pike to the basement," Julian ordered smoothly, adjusting Mia more comfortably against his chest as the little girl buried her face deeper into his neck, refusing to look at Vanessa. "Make sure they are comfortably seated before federal marshal Vance arrives to pick them up on charges of grand larceny, kidnapping conspiracy, and corporate fraud."
"Gladly," Marcus grinned grimly.
"And Marcus?"
"Yes, boss?"
"Cancel the charity brunch. We’re moving."
"Where to, sir?"
Julian looked down at Mia. The little girl had finally stopped crying. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion, her breathing growing slow and steady against his heart.
"Somewhere warm," Julian said softly, turning away from the bedroom door toward the private elevator that led down to the underground garage. "Somewhere with a door that locks."
By sunrise, The North Star was airborne again, cutting through the breaking clouds above Lake Michigan as the first rays of golden autumn sunlight kissed the skyline of Chicago.
Inside the private cabin, Mia was fast asleep on a plush leather sofa, wrapped in Julian’s heavy coat, her thumb tucked safely into her mouth.
Julian sat on the edge of the sofa beside her, a cup of untouched black coffee in his hand, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. The billionaire empire he had built was battered, his name was currently making headlines across every major news network in the country, and legal battles awaited him on a dozen fronts.
He didn't care about any of it.
He reached out, his massive, calloused hand gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from her forehead.
Mia shifted slightly in her sleep, her tiny fingers twitching until they brushed against his ring finger, holding onto him with the blind, absolute certainty only a child possesses.
Julian smiled—a rare, genuine, fierce smile that reached all the way to his eyes.
May you like
The storm outside was gone. The world was quiet.
And she was safe.
