Page 115 of Wanted
“She shouldn’t be alone in that big house,” I commented. I attempted to cross my legs out of reflex, but the moment I lifted my leg, my body decided not to cooperate. The pain was insufferable, so I sat straight with uncrossed legs.
“My father and I would love to have her in our home.”
“I’m sure you do. She wanted to come with us, so we accept her here,” I insisted, growing tired of his sudden care for his sister. He never showed his face on other occasions. I was nice to him. He overestimated his role here.
“Is Weston having fun with you two, all holed up here?”
“What are you insinuating?” I asked. “His brother’s in the hospital, in case you have forgotten. We’re not even sure if he’s going to survive. I’m sorry, but what exactly are you doing here? I must have missed the memo.”
Valentina started whimpering, distracting me momentarily. I scanned her from top to bottom, and I noticed damp spots on the button-down shirt near her belly button. I didn’t see him coming, but Ryan sped toward me, pressing me against the sofa. He placed his knee between my thighs, dangerously close to my newly operated-on vagina.
“Get the fuck away from her,” Weston roared from the side. I flinched, accidentally causing friction between Ryan and my body. He pushed himself against my sensitive area, and I gulped down a shriek.
I flipped my head to glance at Weston, and I saw my backpack on his left arm. Jordan’s gun was cocked on his right hand. Apparently, Weston listened to me when I talked, but I didn’t like seeing an armed Weston. Why? He had no idea how to use a gun.
“She asked for it,” Ryan blurted out, lifting his filthy hands from me.
“She doesn’t ask for anyone but me, so back the fuck off,” Weston warned him. The gun’s safety was still on, but that didn’t matter because I hadn’t loaded the gun. Of course, he didn’t know that, but the acting skills of the Wraiths ran wild.
“Are you fucking my sister, Weston?” Ryan asked, stepping away from me. I took a deep breath.
“Your sister is my brother’s wife, and if you have any sense left inside of you, you’d know not to fuck with her.” I’d never seen this side of Weston before. His calm was gone, replaced by a scowling growl. “He’ll have you beat up again if you touch her.”
“Oh, that was him? I’ve always wondered,” Ryan admitted. “Is that a confession? Should I get my lawyer? I’m still paying off my new teeth.”
“You don’t have a lawyer, moron,” Valentina muttered from her side of the sofa.
“I think the only moron here is you, sister,” Ryan said, his grin imprinting itself as a part of my nightmares already. “Once again, you’ve shown how disappointing of a whore you are.”
“What the fuck is going on here?” I asked. Who had beat Ryan up? And why? His knee between my thighs had caused me pain that lasted longer than it should have.
“Ryan’s a dickhead,” Valentina blurted out. “That’s what’s going on!”
“You can put the gun down. I’m not here to harm anyone,” Ryan commented, but Valentina cringed. “I just came to see what the fuss is all about. Rumors have been floating around the palace. Unsolicited threesomes. Fake babies. Women turning into men. But I see Mandy’s still as much of a pussy as she ever was.”
“Fuck you,” I cursed at him, surprised at myself. “I’ve only tried to be nice to you.”
“No, you haven’t. You used me last year when he wouldn’t fuck you,” Ryan accused me, and I could feel his spit on my skin from his livid words. “I was there to accompany you when HE wasn’t available. My family’s been subject to the Wraiths for a decade now! Maybe more if we count the fact that my father killed the Wraith mothers. Shoot me already, Weston. I know you want to.”
“Don’t,” I warned Weston, glaring at him, but I could see that Weston’s self-control was fading. I rose from the sofa. Squeezing my thighs together was my reflex, and it turned out more painful, so I relaxed my body.
“He hates me,” Valentina spat.
Ryan scowled. “I have a lot of reasons to!”
“Tell me one. All I’ve ever wanted was to be your little sister. Why don’t you like me? What have I ever done to you that’s so bad?” Valentina rambled on. “I’m not a mistake, and I refuse to let you portray me that way! You’re the fuck-up. You haven’t achieved anything in your life. You sit around at home, playing your video games all day long. If you only had a job! I doubt you’ve ever been fucked properly! Has a woman ever touched you? I think—”
I held my breath at Valentina’s statements, too stunned to realize that there were movements right in front of me. Ryan charged at Valentina. Weston tried to fire the gun, but, clueless as he was, it didn’t work. I snatched the gun from his hand, grabbing my backpack. He left me alone with the gun to look after Valentina, who was now pressed against the sofa. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, and I could hear her tense breathing. My fingers shook as I properly loaded the gun the way I’d been taught in record time. Jordan would be proud.
There was no time to dwell on such details. There was a tiny baby amongst us, relying on us to keep her safe. I thought of Aris, and I realized that he wouldn’t let this slide. I took a deep breath, and I aimed at the scene in front of me.
Weston had successfully removed Ryan from Valentina’s private space. The men wrestled for the upper hand. Whatever advances Ryan made, Weston blocked them. They didn’t know guns over here, but body contact was their specialty. Weston’s height and weight gained him the advantage of overpowering Ryan’s pathetic attempts.
“He came on m-my…” Valentina mumbled. She was out of it, and I had to make it right again, quickly. I was tense all over, and my ache was growing worse. Nonetheless, I flipped, breaking all the golden gun rules. My finger wrapped around the trigger, and for once in months, I felt elated.
“Weston, stop moving,” I urged him. Of course, Ryan started flopping around like a fish out of water.
“What did he do to you, Valentina?” I asked, raising my voice. “Why did you let him?”
