Page 19 of Freeing Denver

He releases me, and Ranger kisses my cheek. “Sorry I’m late, wife.”

I hide the stiffening of my spine. “Did you have to show up like the men in fucking black?”

He chuckles. “These are our last photos together. I want to look good for my adoring wife.” He shifts Alistair aside and puts an arm around my waist to guide us to the front of the church. If I didn’t hate them both, I’d enjoy watching Alistair being put in his place.

I keep my head held high, the picture of a woman in control, but my mind wanders.

To Colt.

He was brought home yesterday, and so was Ronan. Two nurses live with us now, too. The hospital beds and machines are now a constant presence in the house, and while I hate the sounds and antiseptic smell, at least I could cuddle Colt until I fell asleep, and he’ll be there waiting for me when this awful day is over.

Sebastian oversaw the move from the hospital to the brownstone. While we haven’t discussed Ethan, he’s still visited to check my injuries and promised to drop by when he can tocheck on Colt and Ronan, too. It’s a relief to have someone else I trust watching over them both.

“Denver.” Alexei Volkov’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I rise to greet him. He kisses my cheek. “How are you?”

“As good as can be expected.”

“Terrible news about Vince Jr.,” he says, grinning broadly. “What a tragic loss.”

I tut. “Alexei, don’t be cruel. And have a little class. It’s a funeral.”

“A celebration of life,” Alexei says, eyeing Ranger with disdain. Ranger appears to be holding back a growl, his jaw ticking. “And I, for one, will celebrate Vince’s death. Dante is a lot more fun.”

“Dante Capelli is taking over?” Ranger says, looking down at me. “Who decided that?”

I shrug, then immediately regret it, pain lancing through me.

Ranger frowns. “Have you taken anything for that?”

“I’m fine,” I say. “Alexei, it was nice to see you.”

The head of the Bratva snorts. “That’s me dismissed, is it? It’s a good job I like you, Deluxe.” He heads away and I take a breath, nausea washing through me from the deep throb up my arm.

Andrzej Nowak spends a few minutes speaking to Helena, and then shows far more interest in Ranger than Alexei did, the two talking while I zone out.

“You being here has been a little like having Cara back.”

“Is it my sass? It’s my sass, isn’t it?”

“Yes … I’ll always regret not fighting harder for you.”

My final conversation with Finn has tears filling my eyes, and I should hold them back. I’m supposed to be strong, but I had such a short time with him. If Ranger hadn’t interfered, Finn would have been the one to look after me when my father died.

How different would my life have been?

Someone brushes away my tears, but more fall as Helena cups my face. Her own eyes are shining. “Will you sit with me?” I nod wordlessly, and she takes my hand, guiding me away from Alistair and Ranger, the latter looking less than amused. I ignore him and sit between Helena and Colt’s mom, letting tears fall as mass begins and words are spoken for a good man.

The moment is interrupted by the church door opening, sunlight spilling into the cool space. Heads turn, murmurs shifting through the crowd as a man stands in the doorway. A tailored suit hugs his willowy frame, and he waves off the security who entered with him. He has a thick head of gray hair and sweeps his boney fingers through it before finally looking at me. He’s older, in his sixties, hollow cheeks pushed into an oily smile.

“Please,” he croaks. “Continue.”

My gaze shoots to Ranger, and he mouths a single word that has a shiver crawling up my spine and across my hairline.

“Spider.”

Alistair is already out of his seat and making his way to the far side of the church, likely notifying security, because Spider hasn’t been seen in months. And he’s right fucking here. The man who took Marnie, who tried to take me.

Ranger leans forward. “You do not go anywhere alone,” he whispers, and Helena takes my hand. “Not for a single fucking second.”