“How do you keep it hidden from Claire?”
“I’ve gone through great lengths to make it impossible to trace any of my assets. Everything is under an alias and doesn’t tie back to me in any way. There’s also an incredible amount of security, and it’s a no-fly zone for aircraft. This is the safest place anyone could be, I’ve made sure of that.”
I shake my head, at a loss for words. I remember him saying before that he offers a home to those who didn’t have one, but seeing it just cements how incredible Zade truly is. Aside from his psychotic tendencies, he’s doing something that no one has done before.
“Come on, baby. There are a couple of people I want you to meet.”
I frown, unsure of who that could be, but follow him out of the car anyway. As we’re walking down a path, we see Ruby heading toward us, a group of children running behind her, giggling as they try to keep up. When she spots us, she screams in excitement, quickening her footsteps.
“Oh my goodness, Addie baby, you look so beautiful!” she coos loudly. She immediately embraces me in a warm hug when she’s close enough, and for a moment, I’m too stunned to react. Eventually, I wrap my arms around her, and embarrassingly enough, I feel a little like crying.
She pulls away, crooning over me some more.
“Are you coming here to stay, sweetie?”
“Oh no, he was just showing me the place,” I answer.
“Well, you’ll have to come visit more often. These little kiddos are good for the soul.”
I smile, peering down at the three little girls and one boy standing in a circle and babbling to each other. I think I believe her. They’re adorable, and I can see how a place like this would be comforting.
“I think I will,” I say softly.
Ruby lets us pass after that, and Zade directs me inside the greenhouse.
I pause, losing my breath as I take it all in.
Mist clings to the air, coating the plant life with dew, while bright pops of color break up the never ending green.
It can only be described as a contained jungle, sans the wild animals. Though I almost retract that statement when two little boys go zipping past me, laughing wildly with huge turnips in their little fists. A woman chases after them, pleading with them to stop running.
Zade grabs my hand and leads me to where two young women dig at the soil, planting seeds.
“Katerina Sanchez,” Zade calls out quietly, and my heart stops when one girl’s head turns to the side, a familiar face staring back at me, though feminine and younger, and one eye is permanently closed.
“Oh my God,” I whisper, paralyzed as the girl’s brows knit, confused on who we are.
“Yeah?” she says cautiously.
Zade grins. “My name is Zade. I haven’t gotten the chance to introduce myself yet, but I—” He abruptly cuts off when the girl rips off her gloves and then proceeds to nearly tackle him into a hug. While surprised, he recovers quickly and wraps his long arms around her, gently patting her back.
“You’re the one responsible for getting me out,” she says into his chest, her words muffled. “Thank you. So much.”
He chuckles. “I think you should be thanking the woman standing behind you. She’s the one who told me to help you.”
Without hesitation, the girl turns to me and embraces me in a hug next, squeezing tighter than I expected. Try as I might to hold in the tears, I can’t. They break loose, and a whimper escapes as I hold her tightly.
“Was it Rio?” she asks softly, her voice watery from her own tears.
“Yes,” I rasp. She pulls back enough to get a good look at my face, her dark brown eye tracing over my features.
“How did you know him?”
I glance at Zade, but he doesn’t seem bothered by the conversation, even though he wants to murder her brother.
“He—he was in the house I was in when I was kidnapped.” I clear my throat. “He took care of me and helped me get out.”
Her lip trembles. “He’s not a very good person,” she says, and I’m so surprised, I laugh. “But he’s not a good person because he’s such a great brother. He’s sacrificed a lot for me.”
I nod, wiping my cheeks, although it’s useless when a few more tears slip free.
“I don’t think people are black and white, Katerina, but I do know that his love for you is.”
She smiles and nods, accepting that easily.
“They took my eye because he tried to escape from Francesca. I was ten years old, our parents had just died the year before, and he was trapped with that evil woman. He never forgave himself, and even though I haven’t seen him since, I know he’s done everything that’s been asked of him so I wouldn’t get hurt.”