Page 85 of The Monsters Within

“Don’t you fucking dare apologize, Rosie.” Val’s gasp at my use of her real name made me grin like the fucking Cheshire cat.

Torment stepped forward. “This is not productive for anyone.”

“Torment’s right. Val, please go sit with Bane. I will tell you what we know about Amber, and then we can talk about Kytten,” King ordered.

Val didn’t move at first; she just stared at Rose. Once she realized she wouldn’t get her way, she let out a heavy sigh and finally moved. I pulled Rose tighter and whispered in her ear, “You can do this.” She nodded and kissed me.

“Yesterday afternoon, Kytten was talking to her brother in the kitchen. Amber overheard Kytten say that Valhalla was her mother. Without talking to anyone, not me, not Haizley. Not even her brother. She took a club vehicle and left.

“We located the car, which had a tracker, at a bar in Sydney. I sent two prospects to bring her home. Only she wasn’t there. The SUV she used was sitting in the parking lot.”

“Have you checked the cameras?” Bane asked, looking at Sypher and Pippen.

“The bar she went to has no cameras,” Nav explained. “It’s a dive bar. I would venture to guess that was why Amber chose it. She didn’t want us to find her.”

“What are you doing to find her?” Val asked.

“Everything we possibly can. Most of the brothers are out looking for her. Sypher and Nav have been at their computers nonstop trying to locate her through facial recognition.”

Bane slammed his fist on the table. “She could be anywhere. Someone could have her.”

“We have contacts in every town surrounding Diamond Creek. We will find her,” King assured them. “There is another matter we need to discuss.” King looked at Ghost and Jingles. “Please go get the Nyght Nymphs and Mimic.”

“No, not Thorne,” Rose cried.

“Baby, he has to know,” I crooned, my hand on the back of her head. I could feel Val’s eyes burning a hole in me.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because he’s your brother. He needs to know what you’ve been through. I won’t leave you.”

Val was quiet while we waited for the others. Her eyes never left Rose. Concern marred her face, and I wanted to believe she cared. Even loved her the way a mother should. But for a woman who spent her life being abused, and saving women and children from abusers, she had dropped the fucking ball with Rose.

Rose trembled in my arms. She thought this would break her, but I knew she was fucking strong. I continued whispering in her ear, telling her all the things I admired and loved about her.

When Mimic walked in, the old ladies followed him.

“Ladies,” King began.

“Don’t, King. If Kytten will let us, we would like to support her,” Mellie said. She sat down next to me and took Rose’s hand. “We are here for you.” Rose nodded, and the old ladies sat around us.

God, I loved these women. As hard as this would be for her, she needed these women here. They were her family now.

The Nyght Nymphs entered, followed by Blade. When Rose saw him, she said, “You should be with Beck.”

“Beck sent me up. Ellie told her what was going on, and she wanted to be here with you. I had to have Tank threaten to steal the baby to get her to stay put. She sent me instead.”

Rose looked at Ellie and said, “Thank you. All of you.”

Key stuck his head through the church doors and said to King, “Two more Nymphs are here.”

“Did they give you their names?”

“Magyk and Syrena.”

Rose stiffened in my arms. She must have squeezed Mellie’s hand because she turned to look at Rose, a fierce look on her face.

“Show them in.”