In that instant, he saw what London meant. Sasha had borne everything, made all the decisions…and endured each painful consequence without anyone to take an ounce of the load from her delicate shoulders. Mike would never have wanted her to carry that burden alone. Nick hated her enduring so much hardship and loneliness, especially when he could handle it and had more experience with criminals.
“Thank you, doctor.” Sasha fidgeted nervously. “Is there anything you can give Harper to help her or make her more comfortable for now?”
After a recommendation of acetaminophen and an over-the-counter nasal decongestant, along with rest and vitamins, the doctor tucked her equipment away. “I hope she feels better.”
“We’ll let you know if we need anything else,” Nick assured.
When the doctor shouldered her way past him and out the door, Sasha eased Harper back into bed, clearly fighting tears.
“She’s worse than you thought.” Nick read her distress.
“Yes.”
“You look overwrought. If making decisions feels overwhelming, I’ll tell you what I see as your best course of action. Leave Harper with the Santiagos to recover while you come with me to figure out what proof Mike stashed and where.”
Sasha whipped around to face him, looking horrified. And ready to scream. She puffed up. Color raced to her cheeks as she squared her shoulders for battle.
Instead of screeching the no on the tip of her tongue, she grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him out of the bedroom, away from her daughter. In the hallway, she looked both ways, then tugged him toward the master bedroom—the only place in the house where no one would overhear them.
When she slammed the door and shoved him against it, Nick couldn’t deny that he was impressed—and harder than he wanted to admit.
“Look, I agreed to whore myself, to let you use my body however you want, to protect my daughter. I will not leave her with strangers. If you keep trying to separate her from me, I’ll?—”
Sasha pressed her lips shut, as if realizing she was about to make a threat she couldn’t carry out.
Nick didn’t call her on it. Instead, he softened his voice. “I’ve known the Santiagos for years. They’re solid, I swear.”
“You swear? I don’t trust you, so your opinion means nothing. I won’t do it.”
He didn’t take pleasure in her distress, but he was glad to see her fighting spirit. She’d need it to make the right choice and survive the days ahead.
“Sasha, how will Harper recover if we drag her to hell and back? I’m sure Mike hid his evidence well. Searching every logical spot could take days…weeks. Some places we’ll have to search in the dead of night when they’re dark and deserted. Are you going to leave Harper back at whatever low-grade motel we crash in? Or wake her up, slow down her recovery, and risk our detection to bring her with us?” he challenged.
“I don’t know.” He heard the fear and frustration in her voice. “But I’ll figure it out. I’m all Harper has. All she’s ever known. I can’t abandon her. She’ll be terrified. She’s just a baby.”
“You know Clifford is dangerous or you wouldn’t have come here and agreed to my terms.” He raised a brow at her. “Harper will be safe with the Santiagos. That bastard and his thugs will never connect your daughter to my friends. But if we take her with us and we’re caught, what do you think will happen?”
She looked away, refusing to answer. Fear twisted her face.
“What do you think they’ll do to Harper?” he pressed on.
Sasha closed her eyes and tensed. “Don’t.”
“I’m sorry to be blunt, but you might as well put a bullet in her head yourself. She’s your daughter, so it’s your call.” He shook off her hold and opened the bedroom door. “Let me know what you decide. We’re leaving tonight.”
Chapter Five
The sun sank toward the horizon as Sasha’s dread climbed. She had to make a decision.
She watched Harper on a blanket in the middle of the floor, clutching a new teddy bear under one arm as she scribbled with a fresh box of crayons across a pristine coloring book. At the moment, her daughter played more like a typical kid than she had in…well, ever.
Sasha swallowed and glanced at London on the sofa beside her. “Thank you for bringing Harper some toys. You didn’t have to?—”
“It was our pleasure.” London grinned. “It gives my husbands a glimpse into our future.”
Sasha wondered how and why a woman with a seemingly sweet disposition and an air of innocence had fallen for two brothers. Not that she was judging. Little shocked her anymore. She’d spent years in New Orleans, in the heart of the Quarter, where most anything was not only possible but happened regularly.
Dulce cried in fussy whines and pants. The Santiago brothers passed her back and forth, doing their best with voices and funny faces to make their daughter smile. They loved her madly, and it showed.
