Page 11 of My Pucking Family

My thoughts continue to plague me of what could have happened if I hadn't made it in time when she turns in my lap, wriggling free to kneel in front of me.

“You got my text,” is all she says with glossy eyes.

“I'm so sorry I didn't think to track your watch sooner. I found your phone in my car and was on my way to bring it to you when Zoey…”

“OH MY GOD, ZOEY, is she okay?! They didn't take her too, did they? I didn't see or hear anyone other than me and the two men,” she bursts out.

“Hey, shhh. Zoey is okay, though terrified and worried about you. I called to let her know we found you and that you're okay. I told her that I'd have you get a hold of her when you woke.” I try to calm her with a low voice and rubbing circles on her wrist with my thumb. I don't want to break the happy cocoon we're in, but I need to see if I can learn anything from what she remembers.

“Sweetheart, can you tell me what happened? What do you remember?” I ask softly.

She lowers her head and begins to fidget but nods. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, she raises her chin until we're once again eye level.

“I had just gotten home, obviously, and when I got to our dorm room, Zo wasn't there. So, I checked the board, and it said she was studying under our tree, and I should join her. I grabbed my schoolwork and changed my clothes before rushing out to join her…except…” she trails off, but I don't push her; I just move my hand to her thigh and continue to draw circles with my thumb.

“As soon as I got back outside, hands seemed to grab me from all over. I didn't even see anyone out there. I tried to scream and fight, but no one was there to see anything. They took my backpack, tossed it on the ground, and threw me in a van. Before I could do anything else, they drugged me, and I blacked out.” She looks to me for some kind of mental confirmation, so I give her a small smile and nod, still not interrupting her with my words.

“One of the times that I woke up, I kicked a stool and gave myself away. I don't know how many times they drugged me,” she says on a small sniffle and climbs back into my lap.

Now using my hand to rub her back, I urge her to continue, “Did you see them? Hear them? Names? Anything at all?”

“Not really. I never saw them because I couldn't risk them knowing I was awake. The one time I heard them speaking, it sounded like some rich, bossy guy voice, and then the guy that I assume was just in charge of watching and taking me. The rich-sounding guy said they were going to…” Her body begins to tremble, and I wish I didn't need this information so she wouldn't have to go through it. “He said that they were going to dis-p-p-ose of me. He said that I was in the way of something.”

She clutches onto my shirt like they're trying to take her all over again. I wrap both arms around her, holding her close again, promising that she's safe. “I've got you, my little miracle; I've got you. I'm so sorry I wasn't there."

“That's…that’s all I remember. I was out of it most of the time,” she says as she snuggles closer to me.

I continue just holding her and thanking the Goddess that she’s okay. “Would you like me to grab your phone so you can text Zoey?” I ask softly. Her only response is a small nod.

I attempt to release her to stand, but she whimpers and clings to me; my heart cracks right down the middle, my wolf snarling at me for upsetting her.

“Leera, baby, look at me,” I beg, still cradling her body against mine.

She lifts her chin just enough to bring her icy blue eyes to mine while keeping her tiny body plastered against me.

I gently push a loose lock of silver hair behind her ear as I say, “I wasn’t going anywhere. I was just going to grab your phone off the charger in the kitchen for you, but you are more than welcome to hang onto me like a baby koala bear for as long as you like. You’ll hear no complaints from me,” I finish with a goofy smile.

She smiles and nuzzles into my chest as I stand with her in my arms and make our way to the empty kitchen to fetch her phone.

Just as I unplug it from Slate’s charger, a gasp comes from my right, and I whip my body to face the owner with fire in my eyes.

10

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!

India stands in the entryway, her name-brand purse on the floor by her feet, and her arms crossed against her plastic chest. If looks could kill, I’d be so fucking dead, but so would she, because Roman looks like he might literally kill her right now.

“India. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?” Roman asks slowly.

“I...I…well, you didn’t call me after our talk,” she sputters before smirking at me.

My stomach bottoms out as the jealousy starts swimming through my veins. I struggle to remove myself from his body, but he squeezes me once. I look into his eyes and see a silent request to listen. I nod, but I still climb out of his arms to stand at hisside.

It's now that I realize I’m standing here in nothing but one of Roman’s hockey shirts and a pair of fuzzy pink socks. I internally face palm myself, while on the outside I’m standing tall.

Her furious eyes bounce back and forth between Roman and I before she smirks, taps her fake nails on her still crossed arms, and speaks again, “Roman, darling, I came by to set up a meeting with the King to discuss our succession to the throne.”

She’s pleased by my sharp intake of breath, but it doesn’t last when her eyes move to Roman, and she doesn’t miss his body vibrating with barely controlled rage.

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