ressed again. "Is there

hed out, and still irritated by her ton

h the compensation I had

r, I'm not sending Hope back like this. If you do

emper in check. "And before you come to m

dress of a café across the

etrieving my niece. I see no reason

ck unless you agree to meet me f

arrested for kidna

et out a

old you the other day-I'm

g up th

wonder Hope w

yan lowered his phone. Interest

e'd love to see what trick

*

va led Hope int

up. The sight reminded her of her own home, of the aftern

noticing her friend's distress. "C

favorite dolls. Pulling a toy chest from under the bed, she dug out

re," she

wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

Her heart gave a hard thump. "

rope, and he wants to

d Ava. Ava hugged her bac

uncle like?

ack, wiping h

e to see us because he lives in

g in Ava's green ey

ntil he just got here," she explained. "He's young and tall.

e flip, and a wide smil

red excitedly. But just as quickly, her smil

probably want to send yo

brow furrowing i

t him do that to us," she insisted, t

*

arp black suit, a crisp white shirt, and a matching dark ti

cond she got home, eager to just be a normal woman. As she changed in front of her mirror, she caught sight of the sc

an

erent?" she murmured to herself. "Ryan Spencer was a true gent

scar. "Ryan Knight, on the other

pped out of her building wearing form-fitting blue jeans, a white silk blo

lipped off her sunglasses an

ractive, but radiated a cold, untouchable aura. Ta

n, but as she approached, he feigned interest

Knight," she said, he

"Let's get straight to the

igned to intimidate. But Vanessa dealt with arrogant men t

apartment," V

ee my assistant off

now what you're

dollars to the sum, provi

She ran away because you're planning to ship her off to a boarding school in Europe. The child just lost h

ened. His entire

n business! Hope is my niece, an

ter to me, and I am not going to let a heartless man like you just take her away! I've known her for a long

pressing into a thin line. "Don't meddle in things

ope." She crossed her arms, holding h

the police," he warned, slipping a

nch. She lifted he

ices take her, since her uncle is clearly to

disbelief. He couldn't fathom that this

owe you no explanations, but I'll give you one: I am a businessman. I travel const

harsh breath and

her parents. She only has you and her grandmother left. Please," she urged, her voice softening. "Why d

ered the way Ava's father had

and through his hair and

er a chance?" She looked up at him, her r

timate son had been exposed. Those had been dark, brutal times. If his grandmother hadn't fou

w, the girl was innocent. As her only uncle, he had no right projecting his desire for vengeanc

ed. "I'll hold off on a

pped in relief. A faint

with

rode the elevator up in heavy silence. The moment Vanessa unlocked the front door and pushed it

ng," Vanessa said, offering them a reas

tall man stepping inside. She sq

oing to happen. I'm right here," Av

nd down, her heart doing a fra

to be my dad," she

me away," Hope whi

Ava whispered back. She tilted her head u

man were looking at each other, which o

ke out what they we

ly. "He's going to give you a chance to live with him an

looked up at her uncle, a fres

f it's

g the small room. "I'm not sending you to boardin

Ava cr

out made ever

go and started to walk a

assuming her daughter was just upset about lo

stead of running to comfort her fri

tear-filled eyes, her little chest heaving. "You disappear for all these y

ning in horror. "What are you doing?

ittle girl, his brow furr

or a father she'd never known, she lunged forward an

sobbed, burying her fa

d from Vanessa's fac

ha

ild clinging to him, and then up at Vanessa. And for a split