Custom Built (Fast & Fury #1) - Chantal Fernando Page 0,74

catching, as the reality of the situation hits me at full force.

I almost lost my daughter today.

And it wasn’t because of the Knights, or my drug king uncle. It was because of me.

Crow holds on to me by one arm and pulls me to the car. “Are you okay? You’re both safe now.”

“I will be. My car is in the garage,” I say, and he nods. “What are they going to do with them?”

“I don’t know,” he replies, buckling us both in the car. He grabs my face and looks into my eyes. “I fucking love you. They’re lucky that you’re okay, because if not...”

“I love you too. I knew you’d come for me.”

“I’ll always come for you.”

“What’s going to happen to the boy?” I ask.

“Don’t worry, Bronte, we will sort it,” he promises, getting in the front seat, and driving us away.

Relief fills me.

Crow would have made it inside before Anne got to me, but even if he didn’t, I would have gotten out of there anyway. That guy would have opened the door and I would have run for my life, gone next door, done anything I had to to make sure my daughter was safe.

The other men stay behind, and I don’t know exactly what they do, but Anne gets arrested. Her boyfriend, Smith, does too. Crow tells me that by pinpointing Smith as the weak link and using that, I saved myself and Quinn.

“You used your intelligence to make him an ally and to save yourself and our daughter. You bought yourself the time that you needed. Sometimes the heroes aren’t the ones with the big muscles and guns, babe. Sometimes they are the ones with brains and courage.”

God, I love this man.

Temper drives my car home, and the first thing I do when I get there is take a shower and cry.

I don’t know what I would have done if I lost my daughter. Without her, I wouldn’t even want to be in this world, and just the pressure and responsibility of being the one to protect her... If I’d made a wrong move, she could have died and that would have been on me.

It’s heavy.

“I’m never leaving the house again,” I tell Crow when I resurface. “Or maybe you should get me a few bodyguards to follow me and Quinn around. Also, I would like a few trained dogs—maybe some German shepherds?”

“Come here,” he murmurs, wrapping me in his arms. “I’ve never been as scared in my life as I was today. My God, Bronte. If I had lost you both, that would have been my whole fucking world destroyed. You can have anything you want, I’m just happy that you’re here, unhurt. I can’t believe this happened. It just goes to show we need to always be careful, not only when there is some drama going on, but always. I think the dogs and guards are a good idea, or even if one of the brothers comes with you whenever you’re going out alone. I’m not letting this happen again. I’m not going to lose either of you.”

I start crying again, and this time, he cries with me.

Out of everything I’ve been through, this has been the worst. I don’t care what life has to throw at me, but bring my baby into the picture and it takes it to a different level.

Having a child is like having your heart outside of your body, and it makes you vulnerable, both weaker and stronger.

Nothing ever fully prepares you for that.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I don’t go anywhere by myself for the next week, and I know I’m being ridiculous, but I’m being cautious. While I still can’t believe something like this happened to me, I know I did everything I could to protect my daughter. I’d do it all again. But that doesn’t mean I want to leave my house.

“Come on, we’re going out for a drink,” Cam demands when she comes over, sick of my shit. “Now.”

There’s determination in those blue eyes, and I know she’s not going to give up.

“I don’t want to go out for a drink. Who is going to watch Quinn? Crow is—”

“On his way home right now and he’s going to be with her. Come on, Bronte, let loose a little. Get your ass in the shower and put some makeup on. We’re going back to Kamikaze for more margaritas,” she says, doing a little shimmy dance move. “And we’re going to do a dirty grind on the dance floor. You