Page 97 of Savage Reckoning

“Sorry, ma’am, I didn’t mean to—”

“Oh, never mind that.” She perches on Ethan’s knee as there is no spare chair in the room. “Tell us what he said.”

“Not much more than that, really. He seemed to think that you were promised to him, but Ethan abducted you. He intended to storm Caraksay, take back what he thought was his, and give you the life of luxury you deserved.”

“The man was clearly deluded, but it is possible that my father gave him the impression…” She shrugs. “He was always making deals and dangled me in front of more of his associates than I care to remember. The Moldovan Bratva still goes in for dynastic marriages, but I managed to make my own arrangements.”

Ethan wraps his arms around her and nuzzles her neck. “With a bit of help from me. So, it makes some sort of sense, then.”

“Yeah. He also had a suspicion that you paid me to end his Vor, but I didn’t get the impression he was that bothered about Fedor. It was mainly about Mrs Savage. I thought you should know. Both of you.”

Ethan nods, his brow furrowing. “Thank you. There was something I wanted to discuss, too. I’ve had a delegation…”

“Jack and Aaron?”

“The very same.”

“I didn’t ask them to talk to you, but they—”

“I know. If I thought you were trying to pull strings you’d be out of that bed and on a plane headed for the US before you could say ‘hospital corner’.”

“Hospital what?”

“Never mind.” He smiles at his wife. “Sweetheart, would you give us a few minutes, please?”

“Of course. I’ll go grab us all some coffees.” She gets to her feet, kisses him on the mouth, and waves to me on her way out.

Ethan waits until the door swings shut behind her then launches in. “So, you’ve made quite an impression on my lieutenants. And my brother. My wife, too, by the looks of it.”

“They’re a shit-hot team. I enjoyed working with them. We got stuff done.”

“Megan’s been pleading your case, too.”

“I know, but—”

“You know what my concern is.”

“I do, and I understand.” I think.

“I find myself in a minority of one, not that I’d give a fuck normally.”

“Ethan. Mr Savage, I—”

“But, like you say, I have a shit-hot team. And I’ve learned to listen to them. So, it seems I must compromise. You’ll appreciate this does not come easily.”

“Ethan…”

“Would you be prepared to take the oath?”

“The oath? As in…?”

“Obedience and loyalty. To me, and to the organisation. It is binding, and it’s for life.”

Cornered, I try to pick my words with care. “I am loyal, and—”

“I thought not. For a start, you’re US army, so I assume you have obligations there. You can’t just go swearing allegiance to a foreign entity. I’d think less of you if you did, in fact.”

I let out a relieved breath. “I see. Thank you for understanding. So…?”

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