hadn’t expected the guy to do anything about it. “Yeah, well, he is. And I intend to be there.” He could call Kurt. They had other people who could provide protection detail for Alexa. Like Jason Chin, former college wide receiver, former Combat Rescue Officer—a PJ who was also an officer—former underwear model. Seriously, the guy should have come with a warning label.
Women loved that half-Korean, half-black son of a bitch.
The thought of Jason getting close to Alexa rankled, and Dan hated himself for it. But there had to be another way. “You’re dad’s a goddamned billionaire, surely he could have pulled some strings to help you get Flore out of here sooner.”
She shook her head and sighed. “Maybe, but I didn’t want his help. And I didn’t want to cheat the system like that. Children are traded and sold like commodities all the time in poor and struggling countries like this one. Sometimes they’re not even orphans. Of the eight kids at the children’s home where Flore lives, she’s the only one without a family.”
Her voice was charged with anger as she met his gaze, her face flushed and beautiful. “Corrupt governments look the other way while these adoption agencies stoop to emotional blackmail, kidnapping, and payoffs to collect children, all the while patting themselves on the back for getting the kids into ‘good Christian homes.’ As if that makes it okay. If I bend the rules, how am I any better?”
Well, shit. He’d heard about adoption scams in Haiti. Overburdened parents sold one child to feed the rest after some slick agent convinced them their child would be better off in America where the adopting parents often had no idea the child’s biological parents were still alive.
“I get it,” he said. “I even admire your conviction, but that’s not what you’d be doing. You said she’s actually an orphan, and you’d be ensuring your safety and hers.”
“I know .” She made a frustrated gesture with her hand. “But part of the process is the search for extended family. I can’t deny her that. If I took her home and then found out she had family here, I’d be devastated. And I wouldn’t want to put her through that kind of pain.”
“Does Flore know you plan to adopt her?” he asked, awed by her determination to protect the girl’s best interests.
Alexa nodded. “She’s nine. Old enough to understand, but young enough to be confused about it too.” Her face brightened. “But you should see her, Dan. She’s so smart, and tough too. Life has not been good to her, but she’s not bitter about it. She’s always flashing her beautiful smile…” She spread her fingers and addressed her palms. “I wish I knew her secret.”
What did Alexa have to be bitter about?
Not that rich kids couldn’t suffer. He’d seen plenty of messed-up families during his summers working at the country club back home in Albuquerque. But Alexa had never shared much of her family history with him. Of course, now he knew why.
And it wasn’t important. What mattered was finding a compromise that would keep Alexa and Flore safe. He could pull a team together to search for the girl if need be, but for all he knew, she was unharmed, still at the orphanage.
“Okay, I’ll table the discussion about leaving for now. Since we can’t just make a phone call”—the baggie protecting his satellite phone had leaked—“what’s the quickest, safest way to get intel on Flore?”
She studied him for a minute. “Hygiea HQ is in Haiti. I assume they know about the attack, since my dad got a ransom note.”
“Not necessarily. Frederick emailed your dad directly.”
“Oh. Then we have to go to Terre Verte.” She covered her mouth and her eyes widened. “What if they just left Garfield there?”
Shit . “We’ll go, but you realize that’s the first place the rebels would look for you. If I were Frederick, I’d leave a lookout near the clinic in case you returned.”
“Don’t you
Women loved that half-Korean, half-black son of a bitch.
The thought of Jason getting close to Alexa rankled, and Dan hated himself for it. But there had to be another way. “You’re dad’s a goddamned billionaire, surely he could have pulled some strings to help you get Flore out of here sooner.”
She shook her head and sighed. “Maybe, but I didn’t want his help. And I didn’t want to cheat the system like that. Children are traded and sold like commodities all the time in poor and struggling countries like this one. Sometimes they’re not even orphans. Of the eight kids at the children’s home where Flore lives, she’s the only one without a family.”
Her voice was charged with anger as she met his gaze, her face flushed and beautiful. “Corrupt governments look the other way while these adoption agencies stoop to emotional blackmail, kidnapping, and payoffs to collect children, all the while patting themselves on the back for getting the kids into ‘good Christian homes.’ As if that makes it okay. If I bend the rules, how am I any better?”
Well, shit. He’d heard about adoption scams in Haiti. Overburdened parents sold one child to feed the rest after some slick agent convinced them their child would be better off in America where the adopting parents often had no idea the child’s biological parents were still alive.
“I get it,” he said. “I even admire your conviction, but that’s not what you’d be doing. You said she’s actually an orphan, and you’d be ensuring your safety and hers.”
“I know .” She made a frustrated gesture with her hand. “But part of the process is the search for extended family. I can’t deny her that. If I took her home and then found out she had family here, I’d be devastated. And I wouldn’t want to put her through that kind of pain.”
“Does Flore know you plan to adopt her?” he asked, awed by her determination to protect the girl’s best interests.
Alexa nodded. “She’s nine. Old enough to understand, but young enough to be confused about it too.” Her face brightened. “But you should see her, Dan. She’s so smart, and tough too. Life has not been good to her, but she’s not bitter about it. She’s always flashing her beautiful smile…” She spread her fingers and addressed her palms. “I wish I knew her secret.”
What did Alexa have to be bitter about?
Not that rich kids couldn’t suffer. He’d seen plenty of messed-up families during his summers working at the country club back home in Albuquerque. But Alexa had never shared much of her family history with him. Of course, now he knew why.
And it wasn’t important. What mattered was finding a compromise that would keep Alexa and Flore safe. He could pull a team together to search for the girl if need be, but for all he knew, she was unharmed, still at the orphanage.
“Okay, I’ll table the discussion about leaving for now. Since we can’t just make a phone call”—the baggie protecting his satellite phone had leaked—“what’s the quickest, safest way to get intel on Flore?”
She studied him for a minute. “Hygiea HQ is in Haiti. I assume they know about the attack, since my dad got a ransom note.”
“Not necessarily. Frederick emailed your dad directly.”
“Oh. Then we have to go to Terre Verte.” She covered her mouth and her eyes widened. “What if they just left Garfield there?”
Shit . “We’ll go, but you realize that’s the first place the rebels would look for you. If I were Frederick, I’d leave a lookout near the clinic in case you returned.”
“Don’t you
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