to cover Tinsley’s mouth I shake my head.
“We’ll talk about everything later when you’re feeling better,” I whisper.
“Okay,” she agrees.
“Good, now Grigory what did you need to talk about?” I ask, turning Tinsley in my arms and holding her to me.
Looking between the two of us, Grigory sighs. “You cool if I say this in front of him?”
Tinsley stiffens in my arms at his question. “Do we have to talk about it?” she asks quietly.
“Yeah, Angel, we do.” The tension filling the room has me more than curious as to what’s going on. “I need to know where your head is at. From what you said out there I’m betting it’s not like the first time but fuck, if seeing you like this isn’t fuckin’ with my head.”
What the fuck?
First time?
This has happened to her before.
“They didn’t do that to me. But . . . but they did imply the next time they came for me, whether to try and find Cody or after they found him, the–they were going to make sure it was far worse than the beating they gave me.”
Didn’t do what? My gut tightens to the point of pain at what she means.
“They’re dead,” I grind out through clenched teeth.
“Coyote,” Tinsley says weakly as she tilts her head up to look up at me over her shoulder.
“No argument. They not only threatened my son. They killed his mother and have hurt you. Those fuckers are not getting away with causing any more harm to you. And they sure as fuck aren’t getting their grimy hands on Cody.” By the time I finish, I'm yelling the last words.
“Tinsley, either way whether it’s Coyote and the club or me, they are all dead. And I’m guessing me handling it will be more merciful than the club,” Grigory says.
“But . . . you don’t need to kill for me, again,” Tinsley murmurs, tilting her head back to speak to her cousin.
Shaking my head, I turn her in my arm so that Tinsley is facing me. “Doesn’t matter, baby. They threatened more than just you at this point. I won’t allow them to hurt you more than they have. Milley made her choice and in doing so brought you to me. Now it’s my job to protect you and my son. Got me?”
Tinsley seems to be trying to search for something inside me with the way she stares deep within me. All the way to my soul. Finally, she nods her head in understanding. “Okay. Just do me a favor.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
“You all work together, that way I don’t have to worry about anyone getting hurt.” At Tinsley’s words, I can’t help but grin down at her. Go figure she would say something like that.
A normal woman would have demanded that we go to the cops or some shit like leave it be. Better yet, they would have contacted the police at the hospital when Milley left Cody in her care.
No, not Tinsley, she’s unique in every way that I can see thus far. She hadn’t blinked an eye when Grigory talked about killing the men who hurt her. Nor did she tell those motherfuckers where my son was when they beat her.
A lesser woman would have caved after the first slap.
“Yeah, Luce Mia, I’m pretty sure we can do that,” I murmur, lifting a hand to cup the side of her face. “Now how about you sit down, and I’ll fix you a sandwich, while you and Grigory tell me what the hell you’re talking about when you mean the first fuckin’ time.”
Tinsley’s face loses it’s coloring as I help her sit on a stool. Her cousin steps closer to her as I move to the other side of the kitchen. Throughout this entire movement I don’t take my eyes off of Tinsley.
“Do you want me to call someone to do something about your hair for you?” Grigory asks, running a hand through Tinsley’s hair.
Sucking in a breath, Tinsley shakes her head. “I’ll get it straightened out. Thank you though. You have enough on your plate.”
“Why don’t I call Hades? See if his ol’ lady, Emerson, can come up and help you out,” I suggest.
“That’s already taken care off. Emerson is on her way up here.” We all turn our heads to see Victoria standing there with Izzy.
“What the hell, woman?” I snap, narrowing my gaze on the two of them.
“You didn’t think I wasn’t coming here after finding out about Tinsley, did you?” Izzy smirks.
“Fuckin’ A. Iz,