Her Only Protector by Lisa Mondello Read Free Book Online

to be so harsh. Gil looked as surprised as she felt at her outburst, but she didn’t care. She was entitled to be sharp with him—what she’d gone through today was nothing short of a nightmare. Lucia, an innocent woman who’d vowed to help, was dead. And it was Sonny’s fault. The reason Lucia had put her life in danger was because Sonny had asked her to.
    â€œYou mentioned the baby was your niece.”
    She closed her eyes. “Yes.”
    Gil looked down at the baby. “Cash’s?”
    The way he was probing, they’d find out soon enough. She nodded.
    Gil glanced at Marco. “Did you know about this?”
    Marco shook his head. “Nothing about a baby came up in my research.” He was rummaging through paperwork on his makeshift desk at the table. “No wife. Not even a girlfriend as far as I could tell.”
    They were all looking at her now, questions silently blasting at her from their accusing stares.
    â€œWhy isn’t there a record of this baby?”
    Sonny couldn’t help the smug grin that sprang to her face. “I thought you knew everything.”
    â€œI know Cash Montgomery is a drug dealer and he jumped bail. That’s all I need to know.”
    Irritation coiled inside her. “If that’s the case, then you don’t need me at all. If you’ll show me my room, I’d like to make a list for Cooper and then give the baby a bath.”
    She turned to leave, but Cooper caught her arm. “How is it that you came down to Colombia alone and now you have your brother’s baby in tow?” At a glance from Gil, Cooper released her. “If something is going on, if you’re afraid, we can help,” she said, more gently.
    â€œHelp who? Is that what you think you’re doing? You people truly have no idea what you’ve done today,” she said, repeating what she’d already said to Gil for Marco’s and Cooper’s benefit. “None at all.”
    â€œHow’d you get the baby, Sonny? You need to come clean and tell us,” Cooper said.
    â€œNot now. Ellie needs me.”
    Â 
    There were two beds in the room they’d given Sonny. Both were big and covered with soft pillows and bedding. After her outburst in the living room, she was totally drained. But she couldn’t sleep until she tended to the baby. And she wasn’t ready to let her guard down, anyway. She still had no idea if she could trust these people.
    Ellie’s last bottle was long gone, drained in the car on the drive to the villa. She didn’t need to feel the heaviness of the baby’s diaper to know she needed a change. The scent was enough to let her know.
    Pushing the pillows aside and placing a towel on the bed, she lay the sleeping baby down and began to undress her, hoping she could change the diaper without waking her. As she searched her bag for a clean diaper, tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall.
    She was still in Colombia. She’d failed, and Lucia was dead. How was she going to explain this to her father? That is, if she even had the chance to talk to him. Somehow she had to get word to him.
    Right about now, Dylan was risking his life to get to Cash. Somehow. She didn’t know the details. They’d all agreed Sonny was better off not knowing so they could each focus on their specific mission. But the truth was that they didn’t want her to know any details in case she got caught.
    Well, she’d been caught, in a manner of speaking. By the grace of God, Cash would make it safely home, but what about her and Ellie?
    Dear Lord, help me get my niece back to safety. I know I’ve been asking for a lot these days but…
    She wiped a tear off her cheek with the back of her hand. She knew without a doubt that if it was God’s will, she’d make it home. Dylan had always said that some burdens were heavier to bear than others. The Lord wouldn’t give her anything more than she