Why do I feel a surge of protectiveness over her now that we're safe and I can give her to someone who's known her for longer than the thirty minutes or so we've been acquainted for?
I transfer Mabel carefully to Rove and take a step back, running a hand through my newly lightened hair.
"You look like you could use a beer," Leo says as Rove's eyes scan astill-sleeping Mabel.
I press my now-empty hand to my now-empty chest. "Got anything stronger?"
3
27 days later…
Vaughn
"Oh, my baby. My beautiful baby. I've missed you so much." Tears flood down my cheeks, spilling all over my precious Mabel, but she doesn't seem to mind, smiling up at me innocently with her mother's emerald-flecked green eyes.
"We're so glad you're safe," Leo says, handing me a tissue.
"Thanks." I take it from him but keep my gaze focused on Mabel. She's the sole reason I'm here and not in Sydney, exacting revenge on the psychopath who killed her mother and tried to finish us off, too.
"We were so worried," Rove adds, sitting next to Leo on the sofa in the living room quarters of their boat.
Leo and Rove are honorable men who have been nothing but good to me since I showed up at the marina a little over three months ago in search of a job, accommodation, and a safe, new life for me and Mabel. I haven't told them a lot, just enoughto satisfy their natural curiosity, as well as a contingency plan should the worst happen.
The worst did just happen, but I survived.
Barely.
Leaving Mabel with a complete stranger in the middle of nowhere was the single hardest decision I've ever made in my life. But it was the right one. The one that had higher odds of her surviving and making it to her first birthday.
I ran for hours after that, heading further west into the hinterland, where the rows of sugar cane dissolve into a wild expanse of rainforest. I hitchhiked to a remote mountain town where I based myself until this blew over, until I received confirmation Davi and his men had left the area and retreated back down south.
I answer all of Leo and Rove's questions as best I can without divulging anything that could jeopardize their safety, so it's mainly retreading over familiar territory.
Yes, it was the Brick Syndicate.
No, they didn't hurt me.
I stayed at the backup cabin.
What will I do next?…
That one stumps me.
I want to stay here. In spite of what just happened, I still believe this is the safest place for Mabel to grow up. We got sighted by Davi's men because I made a reckless mistake, one I never intend on repeating. We left the safety of this sanctuary.
Privacy is of paramount importance to both Leo and Rove, not to mention the somewhat odd and reclusive liveaboards who have made this hidden gem tucked between the sea and the rainforest their home. Despite being surrounded by super touristy coastal towns, this stretch is relatively quiet due to it being a far distance off the main highway. The marina ismonitored by CCTV cameras throughout the property so it's as safe as I can hope for.
"The man," I say, cutting Rove off mid-question. "The man who brought Mabel here. Who was he?"
"You lucked out, man," Leo says, his American drawl sharpening the edges of his words. "Did you happen to see the massive superyacht parked at the end of the pier?"
"No," I answer.
I didn't pay attention to anything. The sunset. The colors in the sky. The boats bobbing in the water. All I cared about was getting back to Mabel.
"Well, that's his superyacht," Rove supplies.
"He's still here?"
