The Final Storm

05. Finally Found!

It took three more days of searching for us to finally give up.

"I quit!" I stumbled into our hotel suite after another exhausting day of looking all over the city, and slumped face-forward onto the bed. "I surrender! Heck, I thought my male disguise was good, but heck, Adaira's must be mind-bogglingly amazing if we still haven't found any trace of her after everything we've done!"

"I must admit, I underestimated my sister." Beside me, the mattress dipped, and I felt Mr Rikkard Ambrose's comforting hand settle on my shoulder.

Rolling around, I frowned up at him. "How could her disguise be so perfect that nobody can see through it? How can you disguise a bloody peacock vest? It's incredible!"

"Indeed." A muscle in Mr Ambrose's cheek twitched. "I must admit I am...I am..."

His jaw worked, but no more sound came out.

I couldn't help but grin. "...impressed? But at the same time, you want to throttle the little brat?"

That muscle in his cheek twitched again. "Quite."

"So...what do we do now, Mr Ambrose, Sir?"

"The only thing we can do." Glancing over at the crib beside the bed, he reached out and gently stroked the cheek of the sleeping Berty. "If my experience as a bank owner has told me one thing, it is that you protect what is precious to you."

Your experience as a bank owner? Of course, Sir, I'm sure that's why you feel like that. No other reason whatsoever.

But I didn't say those words out loud.

"And what is the only thing we can do?" I asked, softly. "Because honestly, I can't see any way."

"Simple. We go to India and search for her ourselves."

I stiffened. Eyes widening, they flicked over to his. "You mean...to find your sister, we will do the one thing we both agreed was egregiously stupid and suicidally dangerous?"

He glanced down at Berty again. "She's family."

Those words were the only answer, and they made my heart melt. Pushing myself up, I grabbed a hold of him by the short hairs and dragged him into a fierce kiss.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I might also still hold some not inconsiderable affection for you, Mrs Ambrose."

I smirked. "Even after I infected your sister with my crossdressing ways?"

"Even then."

"Glad to hear it. Well, then...I suppose our next step is to book passage to India?"

"Indeed."

"I'll pack my things. Though..." Instantly, my gaze hardened and bored into his. "One thing had better be clear, Mister. We are not taking Berty into a warzone."

He stiffened. "No. No, we are not."

The look in his eyes was cold. Hard. Uncompromising. It lifted a big weight off my heart.

"But then what are we going to do? We can't just go off gallivanting on an adventure like we used to. We're married and have a child now, and we can't leave him here. Unless..." My eyes strayed to the silent figure of Karim in the corner.

Karim, with the trained senses of an experienced bodyguard, immediately sensed the deadly danger. Putting a hand on his sabre hilt in preparation for self-defence, he levelled a glare at me.

"I am not going to be a nanny."

"Aww." I put on my best helpless damsel face. "Not even for me? Really?"