Page 11 of Seeking Salvation

Thoughts of her pulse hammering beneath his fingers as he made her scream his name had him almost miss her next words.

“She was murdered.”

His stare shot to her face and ice slid through his veins. “Murdered?”

Maya shrugged. “The police say it was suicide but I know my sister and she did not kill herself.”

He understood how hard it was for families to accept the suicide of a loved one. So many emotions came with the action of taking one’s own life, at least for the families. Yet her reaction made him want to know more. If Rose was killed and Tyrique was his son, the child could be in danger and it was Titan’s job to protect him and his aunt and avenge the mother he’d never know.

“You don’t believe me?”

Maya looked at him with so much disappointment he wanted torest his head on her lap and promise her he would fix everything, but he didn’t.“I do, but I also know how hard it is to accept suicide from someone you love.”

Maya pushed to stand, leaving him at eye level with her pussy, but instead of staying there and savouring the moment, he stood and faced her anger and indignation.

“This was clearly a mistake. Just give me Tyrique and I’ll leave you in peace to go on with your life.”

As she moved to shove past him, he snatched her wrist and pulled her closer. Her breasts slammed against his chest and he felt her hard nipples rub against him as her breath heaved in and out in anger, and maybe something else. Something more visceral.

“Not so fast. I didn’t say I don’t believe you, I said it’s hard. You left Tyrique with me for a reason, and I want to know what that reason is.”

Maya glared at him as she wrenched her arm away. “I don’t owe you anything.”

“Maybe not, but I’m asking nicely. Tell me why you left Tyrique and why you think Rose was murdered. Maybe I can help.”

Maya gave a short unamused laugh. “These people are dangerous. You can’t help me, nobody can.”

The hair lifted on the back of his neck at her words. “Dangerous how?”

Maya shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Just take me to Tyrique and I’ll get out of your hair.”

If she thought for one second he was going to let her walk away after that bombshell and with his son in tow, she had another thing coming. “You don’t know me, Maya, so I’m going to let that insult go, but if you think for one second I’m going to let you face this alone and with my son, then you’re in for a shock.”

“You don’t get it. These people, they don’t fuck around, and you might be some big hero mountain rescue guy, but these are deadly criminals with gang ties and no remorse. Tyrique has lost enough, I won’t drag youinto this and have him lose his only remaining parent.”

If she only knew that she was in a room alone with probably the most feared gang leader in London at one time, she’d run for the hills. “So, you’re going to do, what? Face them alone?”

The thought chilled his blood and had every instinct he had rebelling at the thought. The desire to protect this woman was like a burr under his skin, and he couldn’t get rid of it.

Titan watched as shame coloured her cheeks pink and she looked away. “I’m going to continue to work off my sister’s debts and then I’m going to pack up my life and take Tyrique far away.”

Titan reached out and gently lifted her chin so her eyes were on his. “What do you mean work off her debts?”

He had a horrible feeling slithering through him, and it took every ounce of his composure to keep himself from picking her up and running with her. But that would only scare her more and, despite her bravado, she was frightened. For that alone, these motherfuckers would pay with their lives.

“It’s nothing. Just some dancing and stuff.”

Titan didn’t need to know more, what she hadn’t said was enough. He knew ‘dancing’ was stripping and he knew ‘stuff’ was code for selling her body.

“They won’t let you go, Maya. Now they have you, they’ll work you until you’re of no further use and then they’ll kill you.”

Her glossy eyes stared into his as her lip wobbled. “I had no choice. They threatened to kill Tyrique. They came to my home, or what was Rose’s home, and made it clear if I don’t do as they say, I’m dead and so is Tyrique. That’s why you need to take him. Love him, care for him, and show him a good life.”

Wrapping his hand around the back of her head, he pulled her against his chest and she came willingly as sobs engulfed her small frame. Her hands gripped his shirt as tears soaked his skin and he knew that, whether that paternity test came back positive or not, he wasn’t walking away from this woman and child.

A loud sniff made him look down as she pushed away and tried to wipe her eyes with her sleeve.

His phone was pinging wildly in his pocket and he knew it was the team wanting an update. Ignoring it all, he went into the bathroom, soaked a washcloth with cool water, and handed it to Maya.

---