Page 79 of Vengeful Union

“Well, thanks,” she quips.

I can’t hold in my giggles. God, this family is a riot. I wince as sharp pain rips through my ribs. Damn it. It hurts when I laugh.

Callie nods in sympathy. “It’s going to take a while for your ribs to heal. Sneezing is the worst,” she tells me, and I shudder as I remember the first time I sneezed after waking up from surgery. The pain was unbearable.

“Don’t fucking remind me,” Denis growls, his eyes flashing with anger.

Callie was beaten while pregnant with her twins because Denis’ ex-wife hated that he was moving on. Thankfully, the woman is dead, and she can’t hurt Callie again.

“What did you want to talk to us about?” Danny asks.

Granda Henry sits on the armchair and looks around the room at everyone.

“I got word from someone on the inside of the prison Jade’s in.”

The room fills with silence that has a deadly undercurrent.

“She’s being beaten by the guards, and I had to leave to go visit her. But it’s worse than that—the guards, they’ve…” The anger and sorrow in his eyes makes my gut clench.

“Raped her,” I whisper, and he nods.

Finn’s body tenses around me. I know he and Jade are extremely close. He hates that she’s in prison as it is, now this. He’s going to go on the warpath.

“I’ve spoken at length with Jade. She assures me she’s fine. She’s also asked that none of you go after the men who have done this to her,” Granda Henry explains.

“Are you fucking shitting me?” Finn growls.

“No fucking way,” Denis snaps.

“Don’t you think there may be a reason as to why she’s asked that?” I say, hoping to defuse the anger that’s clogging the air.

“Jade will deal with them all when she’s out. That’s why she’s asked. She knows you’ll all want to help, and she’s okay with that. She wants Finn and Melissa to gather as much information as possible on them. I’ve given Hayden his assignment that she wants him to do. Killian is staying with Edwina and Liam for the time being.”

No doubt ready to jump in if Jade wants them gone.

“She has another three years inside. She’s going to be okay,” he tells them.

But I’m not so sure she will be. He can’t guarantee that.

“I’m going to kill them,” Finn growls.

I turn slightly. “You will,” I promise him. “But you have to realize that Jade has had decisions and things taken from her while she’s been inside. She’s asking you, her family, for this. Don’t let her down.”

“Don’t betray her trust or take something else from her,” Melissa says, her voice filled with anger.

“Fuck.” His whisper is tortured.

“Organize a visit,” I tell him, knowing that if he sees her, it will help him.

“Okay, baby.” He wraps his arms around me and holds on tight.

I hate this for him. Just when one thing settles, something else comes along.

I just pray that Jade will be okay.

Epilogue

Finn