Page 111 of Brutal Savage

“Would you look at the size of this place?” she gushes. “You did well, Elara.”

“Gran. Hush. I’m not like that.”

“I know you’re not, but I am.” She winks. “You needed a win in your life, and whatever the case may be, he’s your husband now.”

“I’m just scared that the people who hurt Dad will come after Brody or Tynan.”

She squeezes my fingers. “Tynan is a big boy. They don’t stand a chance against him. I wouldn’t worry, sweetheart. Now let’s go and have fun. I want to get to know your new family!”

I groan. “Please don’t say anything embarrassing.”

She tips up her chin. “I would never.”

Minutes later, and she’s already chatting up Fionn, telling him her latest raunchy joke.

As I watch them, my arms suddenly start to prickle, every molecule in my body lighting up. I can sense him drawing near, and I don’t even have to look to know he’s standing right behind me.

It’s like my body has made him its home and I’m just playing catch-up.

“Your grandma seems like she fits right in,” Tynan whispers into my ear, stroking my arms with his palms.

“It sure seems that way.”

He circles his arms around me and pins my back to his front while we watch everyone.

I glance over at Brody, sitting on the sofa with a book in hand, completely enthralled. I love that he gets lost in his books. Reminds me of myself when I was a child. Getting so drawn into the world, I’d lose all track of time until Mom would be telling me to turn my lamp off or I’d never wake up for school.

The thought of Mom instantly takes me back to the day I found her dead. My heart starts to race.

I can’t let this touch Brody. I can’t let anyone in this family get hurt because of me. I know for people like them, danger is probably at every corner, but I can’t add my own to it. That wouldn’t be right.

Jerry and his family are vicious. They would kill Brody. They have killed children before just to get to their parents. The thought makes my stomach turn.

I want to tell Tynan everything in hopes he’ll let me leave. But I know to him, it won’t matter. He won’t let me go. He’ll want to fight Jerry. Then what? Brody loses the only parent figure he has left?

Iseult catches my eye, saying something to Eriu before she separates from her little sister and heads our way.

“So…” She pops a hand on her hip. “I hope my brother has been treating you well…considering.” She gives him a stern look that could cut glass.

I choke on my words, unsure how to answer that. Does she know he forced me? She must.

He groans and tugs an arm around my hips, bringing me to his side. “Treating her just fine, see?”

“Right. Well…” She leans in toward me. “If he requires a good kick in the ass, just call me. I always beat him in a fight.”

Her wink makes him grunt in irritation. The sibling bickering is kinda cute. They’re obviously close and she likes getting under his skin, which doesn’t seem all that hard.

“We’re happy to have you in the family.” She definitely seems sincere, and it makes me feel just a bit better about being here.

I don’t know, maybe because I don’t have much family left and he’s got a lot of that, I kinda wish they really were my family.

“Thank you,” I tell her.

From behind her, I find Gio talking to Patrick before he slaps a hand on his back, rising to grab his wife around the waist.

She jumps in surprise before a touch of a smile makes it to her lips.

“My God, I love this woman,” he groans, grabbing her jaw and kissing her hard.

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