security had to be called and I remember being surprised and freaked out until I realized he didn’t look upset or guilty afterwards. It didn’t even appear that it had been a rash decision, he simply led his wife to the car and then looked back at Blaine and I, who had both been silent.
I was always shocked by his steadfast dedication to her and our family, but something about this had been different. I remember him explaining why he had done what he did and the confidence of his statement, never had me questioning it. Laws and logic don’t apply when you’re defending your home, the people you love, your family. He was right. Even if some people might disagree with it … he was right and I know that now.
“Here.” Blaine offers me an extra shirt as I return to the room. I’m not surprised at all that River managed to find those along with a new dress for Sloane. The motherfucker can be really fucking useful when he needs to be. I change out of my blood splattered shirt and glance toward the spot where I dropped that sack of shit finding that Kaden has tied up his unconscious form again. I arch a brow as he handcuffs him to a pipe along the wall. Good.
“You carry cuffs around with you a lot?” Blaine chuckles, his mind briefly going to the gutter.
“It comes with the job,” Kaden responds with a smirk.
Kaden and Blaine look far happier now and while I feel relieved, I can’t help but want Pierce … gone. So that he’ll never bother her again, that she won’t have to look into the shadows, wondering, always worrying that her ex might be lurking in the dark; ready to strike again. So that she’ll never have to run or hide again. My brow arches as a thought pops into my head about our future family. About how I never want our children to not only see their mother afraid of fucking anything, but also to be scared themselves. I can’t go through this again.
“Royce.” Kaden shakes my shoulder and I grunt looking away from the stupid bastard.
“Sorry,” I sigh.
Kaden gives me a look that lets me know that he doesn’t even need to ask where my brain just was. Probably because it’s the same place for both of them. It isn’t like my brother or I are known for being rational, and none of us seem to be when it comes to protecting Sloane. Ever.
“Are we ready to end this shit?” Blaine asks, running a hand through his messy hair.
“Yeah.” Kaden nods and I see him adjust his gun under his tux. “Let’s fucking do this.”
I’m almost immediately out the door, needing to see my princess, needing to hold her once before all this shit goes down. I need to see that she’s safe. Just to confirm it. Confirm that Pierce hasn’t somehow taken her from us.
And he never fucking will.
Nineteen
Busted
River
I take Sloane away from that cabin, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and feeling her relax into me as soon as the door closes behind us.
I have no doubt that the guys are going to teach that scumbag a lesson or two before Agent Walker gets here to take him into custody. And maybe I should fucking want in, I should feel like beating that psycho into a bloody pulp to repay him for what he did to me and Sloane in that boathouse in Seattle and try my hand at him with a sharp knife.
Don’t get me wrong, the urge is there. Nightmares of what could’ve happened if Kaden hadn’t stormed in still mar my nights. And it’s not even so much about what he could’ve done to me, it’s all about her. My kitten.
I open the door of the bridal suite and usher Sloane in, relieved to find that we’re alone. I look at her in her ruined dress, cupping her jaw and running the pad of my thumb over her bruised cheekbone. Fuck, I hope the guys are making that motherfucker pay for every single bruise, for every time he even thought about putting one of his fingers on Sloane.
She leans on me, placing her head on my chest and you know, I’ve always thought that a physical manifestation of love for a man was the obvious. Blood rushing south and getting my cock rock hard. Well fuck, ok that’s happening too but there’s something else. I feel this warmth spreading in