❝𝒎𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒑𝒆𝒊𝒔.❞
(you're missing from me.)
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𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔
Iva Laurent lost her parents when she was eight. Sold to the black market by her only relative left on this earth, she was l...
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LONDON February Location: Iva's Apartment
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I stood from the couch and walked into the balcony, leaving the door opened so that the warmth from the inside could be felt. Apprehensively, I swiped to pick the call up and moved the phone close to my ear. I greeted, "Hello. This is Iva Laurent."
"Iva!" A child's voice rang through the speakers and I stunned. Her greeting was vibrant and lilting for me to recognise her immediately.
"Thea?" I checked, even when I knew my guess would most probably be right. "How did you get my number?"
"Daddy gave it to Thea!" she replied cheerily, honeying her tone as she requested, "Can Thea ask for a teeny weeny favour please?"
"A favour?" I asked, curious about the mischief this little imp hid under her sleeves. But I agreed to hear her out anyway, "Sure, tell me about it, sweetheart."
"Could you please fetch Thea from school?" she requested sweetly.
"Why didn't you call your dad or Marianne?" I went from surprised to confused.
"Pretty please?" she pleaded.
"Don't learn bad habits from your dad!" I laughed, remembering that this was exactly how my encounter with Jax began months ago. The little girl replied with a playful titter before I added, "Well, since you asked so nicely, I shall fetch you from school. Could you get your teacher to send me the address?"
"Thea already told Marianne about it but don't tell Daddy!"
"Why not?"
"Daddy wouldn't allow it." The child's voice faltered and I understood her dejection. Even when Jax wanted to let her lead a perfectly normal life, there were heavy prices tied to it and keeping her as far away from the sight of others was one.
Sighing, I said, "Sweetheart, it's not okay to keep this from your dad. I'm going to give him a call and I would ask him nicely alright?"
"Thea will wait for you. You have to come and fetch Thea okay?"
"Yes, sweetheart, I'll be there," I smiled.
The child smacked a kiss before hanging up the call and a wide smile broke as I chuckled quietly at this adorable child. Facing my phone once again, I scrolled to find Jax's name and tapped on the call button on the screen. The ring went through for a few moments before he picked up the phone.
"Iva." Jax's voice was deep and resonant even through the speakers and at the sound of it, I felt a wave of heat rippling beneath my skin as my mind recalled how this voice tantalised me the night before. When I didn't say a word, he asked, "Is there something wrong, sweetness?"
