Page 106 of Toxic Revenge: Part Two

But, no. He was perfectly in control of his actions. Always had been. He was just fueled by greed and didn’t have a paternal bone in his fucking body.

“They’re not going to stop until we’re dead and they’re ready to use Talia for whatever they need her for.” West broke the silence.

“Then we can’t stop either. I’m going to find that son of a bitch and make him wish he’d never met Talia.”

“What about Grave?”

I gripped the phone firmly, shoving it into my pocket. There was only one thing to do about Pops, and it made my chest tighten despite the chasm between us.

“If he wants to get in the way, then we kill him.”

“You sure?” West asked.

“Yes, I’m fucking sure,” I snapped. “It’s not like I want to kill my own father, but he’s made it really goddamn clear which side he’s on, and it’s not ours.”

“Got it. Just…” West hesitated, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck awkwardly. “If it comes down to that, let me take the shot. OK?”

Fuck, he could tell how conflicted I was. I wanted to brush it off and insist I was fine, but I wasn’t. Would my finger freeze on the trigger?

I brushed my thumb over my knuckles, the numbers staring back at me like they always did. I was a survivor, but maybe I didn’t need to be the one to kill my tormentor.

That’s what friends were for, after all.

“You take the shot,” I agreed. “Thanks, West.”

“Anytime.”

Clearing my throat to dispel the emotion tightening it, I stood up and started to pace. “We didn’t learn shit from him, which isn’t what I was hoping for. Only that?—”

The door to Talia’s bedroom flew open, slamming against the wall. I reached my hand down to my waistband on instinct, grabbing for a gun I didn’t have, before the familiar scents of autumn leaves and cranberry and roses washed over me.

Conrad stood in the doorway, angrier than I’d ever seen him, a rattled-looking Talia carried in his arms.

“That bastard called her.”

Chapter

Thirty-Six

TALIA

Mercer and West rushed over the second Conrad slammed open my bedroom door. West lifted me from Conrad’s arms, carrying me over to my bed and sitting down with me on his lap. My other two mates sat on the edge of the bed, surrounding me in warmth and comforting scents.

“He taunted her,” Conrad growled, his fists clenched.

“But he’s not here now, so none of his words matter.” Mercer cupped my chin as he spoke, staring into my eyes.

My watery gaze met his, and I managed a small smile. Sandalwood and brown sugar soothed the gaping hole Benjamin’s bond left behind.

“Mercer, he knew we were here. At the Alfieri Estate. On a garden path. There’s someone here who’s working for him,” Conrad said.

Closing his eyes, Mercer took a few deep breaths. I followed his example and did the same. Each inhale helped.

West’s stuttering purr at my back helped too, and his wool and smoke scent. I had my mates to help me through this. I wasn’t alone.

“We’ll deal with that later,” Mercer muttered. “No one can get to her while we’re with her. Talia is all that matters right now.”

My cheeks flushed. The amount of devotion they had for me was like nothing I’d ever dared to hope for. “I’m fine,” I whispered.