Page 74 of Ruthless Salvation
“A while back, not long after I came to the city, a check I’d sent didn’t get cashed. I was so worried that I took a quick trip down to check on her. I verified that she’d been in the hospital but had since been released. I never made contact with her, though I did park my rental across from her house and peek in her windows one night.”
“He could have traced the rental plates back to New York,” Keir deduced.
“Led the guy right fucking to us,” Oran said menacingly.
“If that was the case, he would have taken her ages ago,” I pointed out angrily. “The rental agency would have led him right to her.”
“Not exactly,” Storm cut in. “I used an ID someone left at the club to rent the car. He could have traced the car to New York, but no farther than that.”
One of the more distant cousins stood, hands on his hips. “Why the fuck does this even have to involve us? He wants her, he can have her.”
“That’s what I’m sayin’.” Another voice chimed in.
I rocketed to my feet. “That’s not happening, so wipe the thought from your fuckin’ minds.” I’d hardly finished barking the angry words when Storm jumped up, slapped a hand over her mouth, then ran through a doorway into a dark closet.
The sounds of her vomiting echoed in the air around us.
I’d never been so goddamn furious with my own family. I had to clench my fists to keep from slamming one into someone’s face. Jaw flexed tight, eyes spitting fire, I made a sweep of the room with my violent stare.
“That woman is going to be mywife, so I expect you to fucking treat her accordingly. Is that understood?” The snarled words had everyone’s attention. Those who had stood sat back down with their hands raised in surrender.
My point made, I swiftly strode from the room to check on Storm. She hadn’t made it far. I found her just past the doorway on her hands and knees, one hand attempting to hold back her hair. The smell of vomit on the concrete floor filled the air, but I didn’t give a shit.
“Let me help, sweet girl,” I murmured, gently scooping her hair into my hands and rubbing her back. “No one’s sending you back to him. You’re safe.”
Her body shook with silent sobs. “I’m so sorry, Torin. I’m so sorry.”
“I know you are. And I’m sorry, too. But we’re gonna get through this, you hear me?”
She wiped her face with the back of one hand and lifted her warm brown eyes to mine. Storm nodded, giving me a look filled with such gratitude and hope that I felt like I could have toppled a fucking mountain.
“You good to go back out and finish this shit?”
“Yeah.”
I helped her to her feet and led her back into the room. A chorus of hushed murmurs instantly quieted, but I kept a steely gaze on my family in case anyone forgot themselves. Before taking my own seat, I scanned the room for the lowest-ranking family member. “Aidan, go track down a bottle of water.”
The kid didn’t hesitate.
“Alright,” I said, addressing the room. “Now that we’re all focused on how to proceed rather than dwelling on the past, let’s talk action.”
Uncle Jimmy was the first to speak. “Tor, I know you want to go on the offensive, but is there any chance the Russian would walk away when he learns she’s under our protection?”
I knew he thought he was being reasonable, but it pissed me off.
Heads nodded, and murmurs resumed.
“The guy’s a psychopath,” I argued. “He’s not going to see reason, especially where Stormy is involved.”
“I get that, but we’re no worse off for trying, right?”
Three others piped up, demanding we give diplomacy a try.
“I’d say we have a duty to the rest of the family not to launch an attack,” one of the older cousins pointed out. He was a more distant relative but held more clout than the others. “Moving on this guy without cause would be an act of war. Who knows where things go from there. I’d say we need to make sure there’s no other alternative.”
“We don’t even have a way to communicate with the man,” I pointed out in a clipped tone.
Had they not heard me when I told them Storm was about to be my wife? Did they not see her bruised and swollen face? Would they want to talk it out if their wives were at risk? Fuck no.