The other night, it wasn't a lie when I told Seraphine if another man ever touched or hurt her again, I'd kill them because I would. She has all the PTSD symptoms I'd been trained to spot on an abused person, and I'm livid at seeing what she endured for so many years at her husband's hands. She has nightmares, is easily startled, is always on guard, is irritated with everything, has outbursts, is always on edge and emotional, has difficulty socializing, and continues isolating herself. It's also been a chore trying to get her to eat.

Victims of abuse also always lose interest in doing the things they love. That's why I wanted to get her out of the house and take her places where she could get back into the world of what she enjoyed doing—photography. I wanted her to see that she could do those things again without anyone telling her she couldn't.

When she and I were together, she was the sweetest girl I ever knew. Everyone loved her. Her heart was bigger than the world, and no ounce of hate was in her bones. She put others before her own wants and needs and was always kind, caring, and giving.

Now, everything about her is broken, and I hate seeing her this way. I know that sweet girl I fell in love with over sixteen years ago is still there. I just need to work on bringing her back to who she was when I left almost thirteen years ago. And I will do everything I can to bring her back to the same loving woman I once knew her as and loved.

I felt terrible about the bridge incident. Had I known Seraphine feared driving on them, I wouldn't have taken her to that Island. I only wanted her to see and experience the sunset capital of Alabama because of her love for sunsets.

I felt that getting her out of the house the other night without a fight was progress.

So, I thought.

She hasn't been out of her room since I brought her home three nights ago, and she hasn't eaten. So, since I don't have Everly this weekend, I'll work hard with Seraphine to get her out of isolation, get her to eat, take pictures, and make her feel free again.

"Seraphine, can I come in?" I asked, knocking on her bedroom door. "S'il vous plaît?" I begged when she didn't answer. When she still didn't answer, I continued knocking. "If you ignore me, I'll open the door and enter whether you're dressed or not."

Concern immediately rushed through me, and my stomach twisted when she still didn't answer me. I know there's a possibility she could be sleeping or in the shower. And I didn't want to violate her privacy if I entered the room and she was naked. But how her mentality has been, and from the things Marla confessed to me about the disturbing thoughts Seraphine had mentioned, I wasn't going to take any chances of her letting Chadwick's demons take over her mind and win.

I slowly opened the door. "Seraphine, please. Talk to me," I begged, hoping she was dressed.

She's not showering, sleeping, naked, or deceased. She's curled into a ball on the bed, her arms covering her head, and she's crying.

I sat beside her. She may not like what I was about to do, but she obviously needed soothing. The second my hand touched her back, and I started gently rubbing, she flinched and then froze.

"Seraphine, I'm here for you. Talk to me. Tell me what's going on. Please let me help you," I pleaded. She continued to weep. So, to see if I could get a response or laugh from her, I asked, "Do you need to hit something? Because if you do, you're more than welcome to hit me. I deserve it, anyway."

Her body relaxed, but she continued to weep.

Finally, just as I was about to pull her to me, she mumbled, "I just want this to be over. I want to return to the life I used to have."

"And you will. Marla's working on it as fast as she can. But I won't lie. It'll take time."

"I need to see my family," she wept, choking on her tears. "My dad... my dad," she stuttered, "he isn't doing too well. And I want to see him before something terrible happens."

Marla mentioned her dad had a heart attack a few weeks ago. And Chadwick refused to let her fly to France to see him the night of his heart attack—locking her in a room instead for two weeks to keep her from going anywhere.

I dragged my fingers through my hair. Seraphine needs to see him. She needs to visit him. I have to make that happen, but first, I better call Marla to find out Seraphine's risk status.

"I'll call Marla to see what we can do. I have vacation time saved. If I can get you cleared to visit your father, we'll leave tonight, but we'll only be able to be there for a few days."

Her arms lowered from her head, and she turned to face me. "What?" she breathed.

My heart broke for her. Her eyes were swollen and red like she'd been crying since we left Dauphin Island a few nights ago, which would explain why she hadn't left the room.

"If Marla gives me her okay, I'll accompany you to France to visit your family."

"You will?" she cried, wiping the tears from her face.

"I can't promise you anything. But if that's what it'll take to put a smile back on your gorgeous face, then yes. I'll fly you there tonight. With the government's okay, of course. I'll also have to contact the U.S. Marshall you were assigned to and get the okay from him."

She pushed herself up and flew into my arms, shaking as she hugged me. "Thank you, Declan... Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me yet. We've got two people to give us the go-ahead first. Then I have to let my boss know I'm taking a few days off. He knows the situation, so that shouldn't be a problem. Your risk status is what will be the holdup."

She nodded against my shoulder. "I understand." She claims that, but I don't think she does. If I'm told she cannot leave the States, I fear she'll lose it.

"I promise I'll do my best to make something happen so you can see your family."

"Thank you," she whispered.

I leaned back and tipped her chin for her to look at me.

God, she's beautiful. Even more than when we were together.

"While I'm making phone calls and working on getting you clearance to leave, you should soak in the tub to relax your muscles. I'm sure they're tight from crying and lying around all day and night. You should also lay a cold rag over your eyes to help reduce the swelling."

"Okay," she whispered.

I leaned forward and kissed her forehead, leaving my lips there longer than needed. I wanted her to know I was trying and cared more than she thought I did.

I also need to get her to perceive she can trust me. That's number one.

Baby steps...

My lips left her forehead, and I suggested, "If you'd rather soak in the jacuzzi to help relax you, you're more than welcome to use it. But it's in my room. So if that's what you'd rather do, I promise to stay out of the room until you're done."

"I'd like that." I'd rather relax in a jacuzzi than a bathtub myself, and Seraphine definitely needs that kind of pampering—even though I'd love to be the one to coddle and cosset her.

"How about you grab your things, and then I'll show you how it works?"

She left my lap, and as she rounded up her things, she asked, "Declan?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I have a drink while relaxing in the jacuzzi? I could use something to help relax my overactive nerves."

I remember her favorite drink being a Long Island Iced Tea, but I'm unsure if I have everything to make her one. I do, however, have wine, bourbon, scotch, and rum.

"What would you like?"

"What do you have?"

"I'd have to look and see," I responded, then listed off what I knew I had.

"I need something strong. So, surprise me."

Something strong...

I searched my liquor cabinet for everything to make Seraphine a Long Island, and I was surprised to see I had it all. It makes me wonder where the Triple Sec came from since I don't drink it or make any drinks with it.

Then it hit me. Marla. Whenever she visited or came here for work, Long Islands were what she'd make herself. And I'll bet my next paycheck, that was Marla's way of telling me she was in contact with Seraphine. I'm sure she hoped that my seeing her drinking them would remind me of the girl I'd been head over heels for since I met her when I returned home from Iraq to attend my mother's funeral. She was the waitress serving our family that night at the celebration of my mother's life.

I returned to Seraphine's room and stood at the doorway, asking, "Ready to relax and enter a world of heaven?"

"I'm ready," she quietly said. When I lifted the drink and showed her what I had made, her eyes lit up, and a hint of a smile played on her lips. "Is that what I think it is?"

Toying with her, I shrugged a shoulder. "I'm not sure what you'd think it would be," I responded, trying not to smile.

She grabbed her clothes off the bed and headed toward me. Her eyes stayed on the drink while her hand extended toward the glass. "Is it a Long Island?"

I'd love to return to teasing her again, but I can't mess with her. Not until her mindset is in a better place. "It is."

"You remembered," she whispered, taking the drink from me. I haven't had one of these since you and I were together. Well, that's a lie. I had one with Marla the night she took me shopping and for dinner."

That surprised me. Seraphine was always a sucker for Long Islands. "Why's that?"

"Because. I was only allowed to drink wine or champagne. Chadwick felt if I drank a Long Island, I'd become a puddle and embarrass him. He always said he had a reputation to uphold."

Fucking asshole.

"Well, you can have all the Long Islands you want while staying here. And if you turn into a puddle?" I shrugged. "So what? Everyone needs to let loose once in a while, and you definitely deserve to let loose," I advocated.

I'm not encouraging her to get drunk by any means; I feel she deserves to let loose after all she's been through.

It's what I'd do.

***

"Hey, Dax. How's everything going with you and Xena?" Marla answered cheerfully, as always, whenever I called. Except she calls me Declan. Not Dax. And she called Seraphine by the pseudonym name she'd given her. Which means she's with Chadwick or someone he hired to find our girl.

"It's going. She's an emotional train wreck, but it's going like I figured it would," I admitted, closing the door to my office. "I'm sure you're busy, so I'll make this quick. I'm calling because I'm curious about our girl's safety risk."

"What's up?"

"Can you talk, or are you around him?"

Marla excused herself, and after a moment, she said, "I can talk, but it has to be quick." Then she whispered, "Caleb and I are discussing Sara's whereabouts with him."

My heart slowed. "He knows where she is?"

"No. But he has people looking for her, and you're on his list." Just like Seraphine figured I'd be. "He's got men in France, some in New York, and other states—places he knew she always wanted to visit."

He's got men in France. Great. Just fucking great. I should've known that would've been one of the first places he'd look since her father had a heart attack and he wouldn't allow her to visit him.

"So taking Xena to France for a few days is out of the question?" She'll be shattered if that's the case. And if it is, I'll have to go with Plan B— having her parents fly here.

"No. It wouldn't be wise to bring her there. However, her parents are no longer in France. We moved her parents to a witness protection home in Switzerland yesterday run by one of the federal police officers in Switzerland. So, I won't clear her to visit France, but I'd clear her to fly into Switzerland—as long as you're with her the entire time. But I'll also have to double-check with the authorities there to ensure you and her will be welcome to visit."

"I'd be with her the entire time. Marla, this is something she needs to do. She's going backward, not forward. Xena not seeing who she needs to see is causing her emotions to worsen. She locked herself in her room for the last three days, refusing to eat or drink, socialize or do anything to enjoy her freedom."

"Jesus," Marla breathed.

"She's an emotional wreck, Marla. This isn't the same strong woman I dated for four and a half years. Or even the fearless woman I was engaged to for a year. And I feel terrible. This is my fault, and you know it."

"It's not your fault. It's mine. And I'm doing everything I can to fix this. Give me about an hour. I'll see how I can get her cleared to see her parents."

"Thanks, Marla."

***

Seraphine got the thumbs up to see her parents. Finally, she looked happy for the first time since she entered my care. And she's been sporting a massive smile since we were picked up by the government officials Marla and I have worked underneath for the last eighteen years.

The U.S. Marshal she was assigned to was also in the vehicle with us, explaining the dos and don'ts while traveling and visiting with her family. And the importance of her staying by my side everywhere we go while roaming Switzerland, agreeing to everything he explained.

Our private off-the-radar government jet, which Marla set up for us, included a flight attendant, an armed undercover officer, and a couple of agents accompanying us in Switzerland. This was the only way Seraphine would be cleared to travel outside the U.S.

Since agents surrounded us on the aircraft, and I wanted to talk privately with Seraphine, I moved to the seat beside her. I began talking to her in French with my eyes on the agents.

"How are you doing? Excited?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips before she responded in French, "I'm very excited. Thank you for making this happen."

I'd do anything for you...

I nudged her with my shoulder. "You're welcome. I'll do anything to get that beautiful smile I always loved reappearing on your face."

The slight smile that danced on her lips made me want to lean forward and slide my lips along them to encourage an even wider smile. But I won't. It'll just make me want to kiss her, undress her, and pleasure her pussy with my tongue—fucking her right after. Or, in better terms, make love to her.

As much as I'd love to do that with her, I can't—she's still fragile and doesn't trust me yet.

I don't blame her for not trusting me after how she lived the last twelve-plus years and how I left, leaving her to wonder what happened, especially after she gave me something special that night: her virginity.

A heavy sigh moved past my lips as I dragged my fingers through my hair, thinking about repairing the damage I'd caused and getting her to like me again.

I eyed the agents murmuring amongst themselves, wondering what they were discussing and if it had to do with Seraphine or another case they were working on. I quietly listened for a moment, and when I heard them talking about another case, my eyes returned to the girl I wished was still mine, and in French, I asked, "Besides your parents, is there anything else you'd like to see during our three-day visit?"

She shrugged, quietly saying, "I don't know. I've been to Switzerland so many times. I'd rather just spend time with my family the entire time we're there." She looked at the agents ahead of us, asking, "Are they going to be everywhere we are?"

I nodded. "Unfortunately. However, they're only our chauffeurs and will stay outside or in the vehicle wherever we are. You'll still have privacy while visiting your parents."

She frowned and murmured under her breath, "I'm never going to live a normal life ever again. Am I?"

"You will," I fortified. Her eyes flickered to mine, surprised I heard what she murmured. So, I shrugged. "Well, you will. It'll take some time, but you'll be free as a bird when this is all over. Marla seems to think that since you're missing and Chadwick's losing his mind because of it, he'll make a mistake that'll get caught with what they've been investigating him for."

And he will make a mistake. They always do, especially when someone has what they want.

***

After arriving in Switzerland, we brought our luggage to the secluded luxury chalet I rented on the elevated mountainside in Veysonnaz in the Four Valleys in Switzerland.

The place is so discreet that it can only be accessed by a private road. The best part is that it offers the perfect relaxation Seraphine needs, even though it probably wouldn't matter since we'll be with her parents and sisters pretty much the entire time.

After seeing the property in person, I realize it's the perfect idyllic hidden retreat—a place I wish the circumstances were different—a place I would've loved to have taken Seraphine for a romantic getaway, showing my love for her.

Again, it is what it is. If we're meant to be, we'll be. I just need to be patient while showing Seraphine I'm still the same guy she fell in love with all those years ago. And I need to be patient for the feelings she used to feel for me to return—if they're still there, buried deep in her heart. If I'm lucky, they'll return, and we'll return to being the happy couple we once were.

Once Seraphine finished freshening up and looking around, we headed to visit with her family at an isolated mountain house in the Swiss Alps—just as private and secluded as where we'll be staying. The house is surrounded by some of the world's most beautiful scenery.

When we entered the home, Seraphine immediately got happy. Her eyes were tearful when she saw her parents and sisters sitting at a table eating their lunch, which made my heart swell.

"Je ne peux pas croire que tu es là!" her mother cried, tears falling from her eyes when Seraphine ran to her. ("I can't believe you're here!")

Because everyone's safety is important, her family wasn't notified we'd be visiting. So, this reunion is bittersweet, and I'm glad I got to see it.

"Je n'arrive pas à y croire non plus," Seraphine happily cried. "Et nous pouvons remercier Declan d'être ici. C'est lui qui a tout mis en place. Mais le plus triste de ma visite, c'est que nous ne sommes ici que pour trois jours." ("I can't believe it either,")

"Donc, nous allons en tirer le meilleur parti," her mother cheered, pulling her daughter back to her for another hug. Her mother's eyes turned to me, a smile following, as she said, "Declan, c'est un plaisir de vous revoir. Merci d'avoir ramené notre fille nous rendre visite. Vous n'avez aucune idée de ce que cela signifie pour moi. Eh bien, à nous tous." ("And we can thank Declan for my being here. He's the one who got this all setup. But the saddest part about my visit is, we're only here for three days."

Oh, I know exactly how much this means to you. I'm just glad I could make this happen.

I returned the smile and nodded, acknowledging her gratefulness. "De rien. C'est un plaisir de vous revoir tous aussi." ("You're welcome. It's nice to see you all again as well.")

The women approached me, pulling me in for a group hug. And it felt good to feel their embrace again. If only the circumstances were different.

Seraphine's family had always been friendly to me. Still, because of what happened between her and me and how my leaving pushed her into the arms of an evildoer, I'm surprised they're all being good-natured and pleasant with me.

Wanting to give Seraphine the privacy she needed with her family, and because I told Marla I'd get ahold of her when we got here, I stepped outside to call her.

Thankfully, I called when I did because she warned me Chadwick hired more men and had them searching Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Which means no sightseeing or visiting historical places I'd never been to.

"We just got word that some of Chadwick's men are in the area, and they're going door to door, barging in and searching. So we need to get Seraphine the fuck out of here," Noah, one of the agents, warned, a worried look in his eye. Then he snapped, "Now..."

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!!🤞🤞

Translations:

"I can't believe you're here!" ("Je ne peux pas croire que tu es là!")

"I can't believe it either," ("Je n'arrive pas à y croire non plus,")

"And we can thank Declan for my being here. He's the one who got this all setup. But the saddest part about my visit is, we're only here for three days." ("Et nous pouvons remercier Declan d'être ici. C'est lui qui a tout mis en place. Mais le plus triste de ma visite, c'est que nous ne sommes ici que pour trois hours.")

"So, we'll make the best of it," ("Donc, nous allons en tirer le meilleur parti,")

"Declan, it's nice to see you again. Thank you for bringing our daughter back to visit. You have no idea how much this means to me. Well, to all of us." ("Declan, c'est un plaisir de vous revoir. Merci d'avoir ramené notre fille nous rendre visite. Vous n'avez aucune idée de ce que cela signifie pour moi. Eh bien, à nous tous.")

"You're welcome. It's nice to see you all again as well." ("De rien. C'est un plaisir de vous revoir tous aussi.")