“Four to six,” Xander and Harper said in unison.
Harper giggled, the sound high and sweet and Logan exchanged a look with Xander, a smile that said this is how they wanted their girl.
“Tell me, how much damage control do we have to do from last night?”That was Quinn for you, always analytical.
Logan winced as Harper’s expression changed from light to intense.
“We need to check with Ares and follow up,” Xander said.
“Excuse me! Alina, Alina!”
Harper’s face became a white sheet. Quinn was on his feet moving to stand at the head of the picnic table. Xander slung his arm around her, holding her tight.
Quinn stood in the man’s way, blocking him from the table. “
Please, I just want to talk to her.”
“It’s the relative who’s been looking for her,” Xander said.
“Kitten, you’re safe.” Logan reached across and grabbed her hands. “The three of us aren’t going to let anything happen to you. I want to hear what the guy has to say.”
Xander nodded in agreement.
Quinn clapped a hand to the guy’s shirt. “Stay away from her, say what you came to say and leave her alone. Are you following her?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, but I needed to tell her. I was trying to save you.”
“Trying to save me?” Harper exclaimed. Then her expression changed a flash of recognition in her eyes. “Nico?”
“Yes!” He moved to reach out to her and Quinn blocked him.
“Stay here,” Quinn warned.
“He’s my cousin,” Harper said. “I haven’t seen him since I was really small.”
“Why did you try to grab her from the apartment building?”
“I wasn’t trying to take her, I was trying to save you. For weeks I saw you, surrounded by these guys. You go in and out of the building no one else can enter, so I couldn’t reach you. I thought you were in a prostitution ring, the one our aunt ran for years.”
Harper wrapped her arms around herself and started to rock on the bench. Xander brought her close to him, whispering in her ear.
“How did you even find me?” She reached across, squeezing Logan’s hand.
“We knew your parents were in Canada. Your mother wanted to keep dancing, but the family said no. We heard she came here and made a dance school anyway. So when I came here for school last year, I started asking about your mother and then I searched for you on the web.”
“The dark web,” Xander spat out.
“Yes, I wasn’t sure if your mother was underground.” Nico looked at Logan “Someone from the web told me if I was looking for a dancer, that they were filmingCanada’s Best Dancerhere soon. So, I watched the theatre. But I couldn’t get through the line to you, and I wasn’t sure it was you at first. And then I saw the first commercial and saw your face.”
“Why come find me now?” Harper asked.
“A lot of time has passed. The family isn’t what it used to be,” Nico said.
“Are they still looking for Harper?” Logan asked.
“No. Nobody is left who remembers her, except me and my mother. My father died in a raid. My mother lives in Oregon. We moved when I was eleven. I’m not sure where our other aunt is, but most of the cousins are in prison back home. The government shut down the family business about seven years ago.”
Harper trembled, unsure how to take this news and wondering if she could believe Nico. But an image of her Aunt Sophia laughing over tea with her mother swam through her mind.
