Page 105 of Vengeful Union

I keep staring down at the text message as if it’s going to change the longer I stare at it.

Rory’s mother was killed. By his father.

Even though he suspects it, especially after learning about Bree’s talk with Niall, I know that it’s going to hurt him. I know that he’s going to be upset, and he’s already so fragile from what happened last night…

“Lara?”

Rory’s call from the bedroom startles me, and I nearly drop the phone.

I turn to look at him, and he’s frowning, his brows knitting together.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

I take a shaky breath. “Gray called. He talked to one of your father’s men. He said your mother didn’t take anything with her–no clothes, no money, nothing.”

Rory’s face slowly drains of blood, getting paler and paler until I reach up to cup one of his cheeks.

“Then we talked to one of his cleaners, same one we used, Ivan?—”

“Ivan the Russian?”

It would normally be funny, us having the same reaction, but in this circumstance, I can’t crack a smile.

I just nod. “He worked for us when I was young, after he worked with your father. I’m sorry, Rory. He confirmed it.”

Rory’s eyes widen in something that’s not quite shock but close, and then he turns away from me, walking back into the bedroom and starting to get dressed.

“R-Rory?” I stutter. “What are you doing? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to confront my father.”

I stand up, walking toward him, and he doesn’t stop until I take his arm almost roughly.

“You can’t do that right now.” I look him in the eyes, hoping that he understands. “If you go off half-cocked?—”

Rory sighs, gently pulling away from me and sitting on the end of the bed, putting his face in his hands.

“You’re right.” He rubs his face before looking up at me. His eyes seem almost empty, and that worries me. “You’re right, I need to think about this.”

I move slowly, as if he’s a wounded animal on the attack.

I don’t think Rory would ever hurt me, but I know how much this is affecting him, and I don’t want to spook him.

“What do you want to do about this?”

“I want to beat him within an inch of his life,” Rory growls.

I put my hand on his thigh, and it gives me some hope that Rory puts his hand over mine. Hope that he might wait and think, be rational about this.

“I know, but you know that won’t work. He has men everywhere, they’ll hurt you.”

He nods. “I need him to admit it. I need him to say it to my face. He... he killed my mother, Lara.”

His voice breaks at the end of the sentence, and I reach out to hug him tightly, feeling comforted when he hugs me back.

“We’re going to get through this, Rory.” I put as much ferocity in my voice as I can manage. I want him to know that I’m here for him through this. Through everything. “Whatever you decide, I’ll be by your side.”

Rory nods slowly, burying his face in my shoulder, and I hold him for a long, long time.

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