𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐌𝐲 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧

/52./

TIANA

I was doing everything in my power to stay in control but I was slipping.

Cartron was keeping Carter and me close and we both knew that one wrong move could cost us Cariana.

As he led us towards double doors, ignoring the gunfire that was happening at a distance against Carter and Cartron's men.

Risking a glance back at Carter who was walking behind us due to Cartron's orders, he looks at me for a brief moment before subtly moving his head forward.

Doing what he wanted, I turned back around and focused on our daughter.

Thankful that she was asleep and didn't have to witness any more madness, I think of how to get her back near me.

My heart aches to have her back in my arms, fearing that Cartron would do anything to make us cooperative.

He needs her and I knew he wouldn't kill her but it doesn't mean he wouldn't do harmful things to her.

I still knew little about Cartron but I knew from Carter, Mrs. Masò, and Camille that he wasn't one to test patience.

"Down here," Carton murmurs, stepping down a long dark hall.

The man that had a hold on me, jerks me to follow. His grip becomes painful which causes me to wince.

"Careful," Carter voices. The warning in his tone was unmistakable.

Turning down a dark like hall, Cartron motions two men forward before him to check if everything was clear. Moments later, they came back saying it was clear. Watching carefully, I see Cartron's lips move, murmuring something in Italian.

Without warning, my body is shoved forward and I stumble on my feet, landing on my knees in front of Cartron. The second I look up, my heart thuds at the cold steel pointing down at me.

He held my daughter in one hand and the gun in the other. Ignoring Carter's hating words, I knew what Cartron was going to do.

This would be it.

Only if I give up here and now and I was not.

Cariana deserved much more than what was happening around her. I wasn't going to stop fighting until I knew that my baby girl was safe and out of harm's way. No matter what I had to do or give up. Now that she is here, Carter and I both know that her life will always come first.

Once Cartron has taken care of just about anyone that cares for Cariana, no one would be left to shield her from his evilness.

"Don't worry," he huffs. "I'll make she is well protected."

"And when she asks for her mother? Her father?"

"I can make up any story," Cartron smilies. "How about a car accident? No, it's used a lot..." he continues to torment me while I stare at his waistband.

There was another gun.

The man to my right was growing fidgety and I had a feeling that it had a lot to do with how close Carter was getting towards us despite the hold the other men had on him. With Cartron lost in his mind as he tries to figure out what he is going to tell Cariana once she's reached the age, I side-eye Carter.