The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward Page 0,112

minutes later, they left the mansion in all black for him and yoga pants and a red fleece for her.

Stepping out of the vestibule, Rhage put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “We’re going to have a great time.”

“Thanks for doing this. I know you had to switch your shift around.”

“Tohr was happy to take over for me. He’s really interested in killing things right now.”

“Why?”

“Oh, God, too many reasons to count.” Leading her down to the cobblestones and by the winterized fountain, he stopped at the passenger side of the GTO and opened her door. “Madam? Your conveyance.”

After he got her settled, he got in himself and off they went, barreling down the mhis-covered mountainside and shooting off over the winding road that took them to the highway. Safe Place was a good twenty minutes away, but the time passed fast.

Next thing she knew, she was getting out and telling her male she’d be right back.

Mary jogged up the walkway to the front door, put in the code, and then she was in the toasty interior. Heading for the stairs, she—

“I’m here.”

At the sound of Bitty’s voice, she stopped. “Hey. How are you?”

The little girl was dressed in one of her other shifts, that black parka folded on her lap as she sat with a straight back on the living room sofa.

“Did he really come?” Bitty asked as she got to her feet. “Are we really going?”

“We are.”

Bitty went to the closed drapes and pulled them apart. “Oh, he brought his car.”

“Yup, just as he said he would. I think you’ll find that my hellren pretty much always does what he says he’s going to.”

Mary had already told Marissa about the plan, and gotten a resounding approval from the boss, but she wanted to check out properly.

“Can you give me two seconds in my office?”

When the girl nodded, Mary rushed upstairs. Marissa wasn’t at her desk, so Mary headed across the hall to send a quick e-mail to all the staff.

She didn’t get that far. At least, not immediately.

There was a cardboard box on her desk, one that was about the size of a shoe box, just more square instead of rectangular. An envelope was on top of it, although she knew what was inside before reading anything.

The note was short, but kind. Mary read it twice, and then carefully lifted the lid. Inside, there was a simple brass urn.

A trusted nurse of Havers’s had dropped off Bitty’s mother’s ashes at nightfall, because the female had wanted to spare Bitty any return trip to the clinic. It had been a very kind gesture; the sort of thing that made you blink quick and have to take a couple of deep breaths.

Shaking herself back to attention, Mary went around and signed in at her computer, sent the e-mail, and then hustled back downstairs. Bitty was on the sofa once again, waiting patiently, but she had put her coat on.

“Ready?” Mary asked.

As the girl got to her feet once more, Mary decided to wait to talk about the delivery. The child deserved an easy trip out for ice cream—

“Did you see what was on your desk?” Bitty looked up. “The box?”

“Ah … yes. I did.”

“It’s my mother’s ashes.”

“Yes. There was a note.”

Bitty dropped her eyes to the floor. “A nice female brought them. I was down here waiting already, so I took them. I put them up there because I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do.”

“Do you want the urn in your room?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay. You don’t have to decide anything now.”

“I want to save them. You know…”

For your uncle, Mary filled in, in her head.

“For my uncle,” Bitty concluded. “But I wasn’t sure I’d be able to sleep with them upstairs. I mean … it’s her. But not.”

“It’s perfectly all right for you to think about it. And change your mind. They’re safe in my office. I’ll leave them right on my desk. Nothing will happen to them.”

“Okay.”

There was a pause. “Are you ready to go now?”

“Yes, please.”

Mary let out an exhale. “Good. I’m glad. Come on.”

Bitty headed for the door, but then stopped halfway there. “Ms. Luce?”

“Yes?”

Those brown eyes flicked up for a split second and then returned to the floor. “Thank you very much.”

All Mary could do was blink as Bitty kept on going over to the exit.

“You’re very welcome,” Mary said in a husky voice.

Standing next to his car, Rhage found himself tucking in his black shirt under his jacket—or