“I love you, too, sweetheart.”
It’s the sound of the woman clearing her throat that brings me back. Amber’s standing there, smiling. “Hiya.”
“Amber!” I release Dexter and hug her. “Why are you guys here?”
“When my business partner calls asking for help,” Garrett drawls, “especially when I know a very lucrative real estate deal is being held up because his girl disappeared,again, I’m going to help.” He smiles. “I’m getting you a locking collar, leash, and trackable GPS ear tag for him to put on you for your wedding present.”
I laugh. “Thanks. Sorry about this. This one was…” A wave of dizziness sweeps over me, and I stagger. Zuzu and Dexter catch me.
“Love?” Dexter asks.
“I-I’m okay, I…”
* * *
Dexter
When Eilidh’seyes roll back in her head, I scoop her into my arms before she can hit the ground. She goes completely limp in my arms and I’ve never felt so helpless in my very long life.
Except one other time.
Fates,pleasedon’t let this be like that. It would utterly destroy me.
The strange man I assume is her father, Parxon, gently pats her cheeks. “She’s all right. She’s not used to doing this, and it takes a lot out of her. Especially bringing through three people with a damaged ring. Let’s get her back to the house.”
“First of all,” Zuzu says, and he works the ring off my left hand and hands it to Parxon. “Youhold on tothat.”
He slips it onto his finger. “Good idea.”
Then Zuzu removes the ring from Eilidh’s finger and puts it on his own.
We race through the night, Garrett carrying Amber on his back, and quickly make it back to…
Well, a house that looks…different. Just as Eilidh said. It reminds me of a fusion of the Spanish-influenced adobe-style buildings I’ve seen in Tucson, and concrete-block ranch-style houses very common in Florida. Except it’s two-story.
It’s also large and rambling, and the grounds and house look neat and well-maintained, so I suppose that indicates wealth.
We’re hustled inside, where Zuzu securely bolts the door behind us.
“Take her upstairs to her room,” Parxon says to Zuzu, who leads the way. “I’ll be right there.” He indicates for Garrett and Amber to follow him, and I assume they’re adult enough to handle their own introductions.
This is a child’s bedroom, but with a very large bed. I gently lay her in it, terrified because she’s still so deeply unconscious.
“Are you sure she’s all right?”
Zuzu smiles. “Yes. She fainted last night after trying to contact you. She’s fine. Parxon used to faint all the time when he was young, before he learned how to master it. So did I.”
“You can use the rings?”
“Mostly. Better with his ring than this one, obviously.”
Parxon appears in the doorway. “I settled them in the living room, for now. How is she?” He steps inside, his gaze on her.
“She’s fine,” Zuzu says. “Exhausted and sleeping.”
Then Parxon’s attention turns to me. “You must be her man, Dexter.”
We can hammer out the finer points of that later. “I must.” I have to force my attention away from not just Eilidh, but also Zuzu. I cannot get over how much he reminds me of Robert. Now that I’ve been safely reunited with Eilidh, my mind can process that fact.
