Electrified(111)

She could never give up Sienna totally. Sienna had given her what she was about to receive. A new family.

Her Las Vegas family thought she was beautiful inside and out, thought she was sweet and funny. They loved spending time with her. They didn’t yell or hit, only supported her unconditionally.

She would never desert them or what they grew together. Carson would have to understand. She needed these people to survive.

Her parents obviously didn’t get the ugliness she ran from and wanted to tear her away from the beauty she made instead. Lila knew she’d never reunite with them as long as she lived. It used to hurt when she thought about them over the years, but now she realized she’d believed what she wanted to about them. They weren’t the caring individuals Lila thought them to be from when she was a young girl. Her parents had an agenda to move up in their narrow world, and Lila was a pawn in their plan.

Lila had too much making up for lost time to do to burden herself with trying to figure it all out.

Her new family—Asher, Mike, Penelope, Petal, and Sydney—were on a private plane to New York to be with her, whether she was Lila or Sienna. Even Petey, who she heard stayed behind to watch the club, was closer to her than her mom and dad. She knew her new family loved her, and wanted to do whatever necessary while she healed from the kidnapping and attack. She didn’t need Carson to tell her that, but he did.

Their affection and Carson’s reassurance was more than her own parents offered her. Ever.

Carson hadn’t left her side. She wanted to let herself believe what he said in the car. He loved her. It wasn’t a fairy tale, but it was more than she ever expected.

Was it true? Could she allow herself to have it? To take the sweetness in front of her?



AFTER SHOWERING and resting for a couple of hours, Lila woke to find her friends waiting in the hotel suite. They ordered a late dinner to be delivered up to the suite, and while they ate, she told them the entire story about what happened to her before coming to Vegas, revealing details she’d never told anyone. They cried right alongside Lila over how she was battered and bruised, yet brave enough to climb through that window, get on a bus, and find them.

It was because of this family that Lila began the healing process she never quite started years before.

She needed to stop thinking about the what-ifs and should’ves, and start believing in a good life, Asher told her over and over again while tucking her into his side on the couch, stealing her away from Carson.

They were a motley group, all with their own skeletons in the closet, but together they were surviving, and that was what Lila needed. As a whole, the group decided to call her Lila in private. It was such a pretty name, a survivor’s name. But when she finally made it back to Vegas—and she was going to get back there, they weren’t taking no for an answer—she’d always be Sienna at the Tunnel.

She could be Lila with those who really knew her, and Sienna for her fans. Carson, despite being her biggest fan, was also the one who knew her best. To him, she became “Li” all the time.

During those first days in New York after her rescue, Carson held her, promised her everything would work out, and waited patiently for her to make sense of her future and what felt right. He didn’t push for her to say she loved him, but he made sure she knew he loved her without any reservation.

She went to sleep each night wrapped in Carson’s warmth. They didn’t make love. She wasn’t ready after what she’d been subjected to in the warehouse, and she wanted to get her mind in the right place so she could be completely attentive to Carson. He told her he understood and allowed her to keep control, but she relished in holding and kissing him without any secrets between them.

Lila made peace with her brothers. All three of them came to see her at the hotel and visited. Carson remained in the background, just in case Lila changed her mind or became uncomfortable. They all blamed themselves for not seeing any warning signs or stepping in when Lila needed them most, or when her parents chose the Finders over her. Her oldest brother, Daniel, seemed especially burdened by guilt over their part.

But Lila wouldn’t allow them to take on any of the burden. They were good men, and never doubted her parents would want anything but the best for Lila. Unfortunately, they had been wrong.

After all the emotions and reunion  s had run their course, Lila had to help the Bureau tie up loose ends surrounding the case.

Carson sat by her side the whole time she was debriefed by the FBI. He didn’t patronize or coddle her, but let her reveal the nasty truth about her life seven years ago, the details of her escape back then, and everything else all the way up to her abduction. She knew none of it was easy for Carson to hear, but she needed to control the information and make sure this time everyone knew the truth.