Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“That was so scary,” Celeste said, shaking her head. “I think I would have been frozen with fear.”
“Not if your Daddy was ordering you to take his hand,” Zara pointed out.
“You’re right. That and the bad guys were coming in the door. How fast was your heart pounding?” Sadie asked.
“Like it was going to jump out of my chest,” Zara admitted.
“Are they gone?” Celeste asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe?” Zara said before she felt her shoulders slump. “Probably not. They never seem to go away. I’ve even thought of having some kind of surgery. Maybe a scar would make them leave me alone.”
“You don’t even want to think about something like that. Our Daddies are going to protect you. Your Daddy won’t let anything happen to you,” Sadie assured her.
“I know, but I don’t want anything to happen to him either,” Zara said, her eyes filling with tears.
Instantly, Sadie and Celeste swarmed closer to hug her between them. Zara stood between the best friends she’d ever had and hugged them back fiercely. Thank goodness for whatever had brought her here.
An image of her parents flashed into her brain. She was so far away. Would she ever see them again?
“Zara?”
At the sound of Kestrel’s voice, she blinked away the moisture from her eyes. “Yes, Daddy. The Littles were just comforting me.”
“I’m glad your friends are supporting you. I’m sorry to interrupt, but Magnus is working on something important for us. Come with me to the computer area.”
“Really? Is he tracking down the bad guys?” Zara asked. She gave her friends one last squeeze before wiggling out of the middle of the hug fest.
“He is, but this isn’t related to that,” Kestrel shared. He wrapped his arm around her as Zara joined him and steered her out of the area by the lab.
As they approached Magnus’s station, she heard his voice loud and clear. “Mr. Flores, please hold on. I promise you this is no hoax. Your daughter is here.”
Zara ran at the sound of the Mexican accent that answered.
“Papá? Mamá?” she called as she skidded to a stop in front of one of Magnus’s large display screens. Tears streamed down her face at the sight of her parents’ concerned expressions. She interlaced her fingers with Kestrel’s when he wrapped his arm around her waist. Leaning against his body, she relied on his support.
“Mija!” her mother greeted her. “Don’t cry, my love. You will make us all cry. Are you unhappy?”
Dashing away her tears, Zara immediately shook her head and assured her, “No. I’m happy here.”
“I’m glad, mija. Who is this man next to you? And are you safe there?” her father asked, his expression darkening.
“My name is Kestrel Galison, Mr. Flores. I am one of the team Mr. Kingsley entrusted with your daughter’s safety.” He tugged Zara closer and added, “I love Zara and will protect her with my life.”
“You love my daughter?” Zara’s mother repeated, looking shocked.
“I do.”
“I love him, too, Mamá,” Zara rushed to assure her parents.
“Zara…” her father said hesitantly. She could read his mind. He didn’t think she’d been gone long enough to have true, strong emotions about this man.
“I assure you, sir, that our feelings are solid and long-term. I contacted you today on this secured line, so that you could talk to your daughter, and we could update you on her status here.”
Zara nodded. “I’m working in a secure lab for Celeste Blanke. She’s the research scientist who was on the news for making a huge breakthrough on how cancer will be treated,” Zara told her parents.
“That’s exciting, Zara, but are you safe?” her father refocused the conversation.
“We foiled an attack last night, Mr. Flores. Unfortunately, traffickers appear to have attempted to target her here as well. We guess that they must have seen her during Zara’s trip to Danger Bluff.”
“Baldwin assured me she would be safe there,” Mr. Flores asserted.
“I am safe here, Papá. There was a storm that knocked out the electricity. Some bad guys took advantage of the situation. D—Kestrel saved me,” Zara told him quickly. “All the guys worked together to keep me safe.”
“Are you happy there, Zara? More protected there than here? Maybe we made a mistake. Maybe you should come home,” her mother suggested, focusing on her daughter.
“I’m staying with Kestrel. He won’t let anyone hurt me. None of the team will.”
“You’ll keep her from harm?” Mr. Flores asked, pinning Kestrel in place with a steely-eyed look.
“I will,” Kestrel promised without hesitation.
At Magnus’s signal, he added, “I’m afraid we can’t protect the line any longer, Mr. and Mrs. Flores. We’ll have to say goodbye.”
“Call again! I love you,” Mrs. Flores said quickly.
Magnus severed the connection. “It’s good. No one was able to piggyback on the call. I’ll stay alert, but I’m confident we’re fine.”
Zara turned and threw herself into Kestrel’s arms. Tears rolled down her face once again. “Thank you, Magnus. I was so glad to see them.”