Page 92 of The Devil's Torment

Female voices drift down the corridor once I reach the top floor, where Xan and I share the space with our wives. I head toward them, finding Victoria and Imogen curled up on the leather couch in the library, nursing steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Victoria brightens when she sees me, all signs of her earlier distress absent.

“You missed out on the hot chocolate run.”

“Too bad.” I steal hers right from her hands and take a big slurp.

“Hey!” She holds out a flat palm. “Give it back, thief.”

I smile, immensely relieved she’s no longer crying, and hand it over. “You look better.”

“Yeah.” She flicks her gaze to Imogen, to me, then back to Imogen. Xan’s wife nods and stands.

“I take cues well.” She squeezes Victoria’s shoulder on her way out, and for the first time, I notice a small baby bump. Hard to believe Xan spent his entire adult life determined never to have a kid, and in a few short months, he’ll be a dad, and he couldn’t be happier about it. Funny how life turns out. Look at Victoria and me. Who’d have thought she’d have become central to my life, my happiness? Not me, that’s for sure.

“What’s Imogen’s view?”

“She doesn’t have one. All she said was that I should make the decision that’s right for me and not to let outside influences push me in either direction.”

I’m not sure if that’s Imogen having a sideswipe at me, but I let it go.

“I have a favor to ask you.”

I arch a brow. “Oh, yeah?”

“Once people find out Beth is alive, questions will be asked. I don’t want Beth, Joel, or his brother to get into trouble for this. Whatever she’s done, I couldn’t bear to bring law enforcement down on her. I know you have the power to make this go away. I’m asking you to do that. For me.”

The thought of having Beth, her beloved Joel, and his dipshit of a brother thrown in prison is so fucking tempting, but I’m learning that refusing a request from my wife is nigh on impossible. Even one the vengeful bastard in me would love to deny.

“I’ll make some calls.”

She takes my hand and squeezes. “Thank you.” Bringing the mug to her lips, she sips her drink, her eyes on me. “I read the leaflets.”

My breath catches in my throat. “And?”

“It doesn’t do any harm to have the tests and see if I’m a match. If I’m not, then it’s all moot anyway.”

Makes sense. I still can’t bear the thought of her going through with it, but at least we’d know whether that’s even on the cards. And if she is a match and decides to donate… God, I don’t know what the fuck I’ll do. The idea of her being cut open makes me want to throw up. There’s no such thing as risk-free surgery.

“Want me to call the doctor? I can have him here within the hour.”

She gives me a wry smile and hitches a shoulder. “Guess there’s no time like the present.”

* * *

The buzz from my phone wakes me. With my eyes closed, I feel around for the damn thing, cursing that I forgot to put it on silent last night. I crank open an eye. My vision is that blurred, it takes a few seconds for it to come into focus.

I bolt upright. “Victoria.” I put my free hand on her shoulder and lightly squeeze.

“Hmm.” She shoves at my hand and burrows farther beneath the covers.

“Your test results are in.”

She doesn’t shoot up like me. Instead, she rolls over, anxiety in her eyes. “What do they say?”

“I don’t know. The doc’s emailed them to you. The message to me was probably out of courtesy.”

Pressing her forearms into the mattress, she pushes herself upright. “Either that, or fear that he’ll end up swimming with the fishes if he doesn’t update you.”

Despite the knot in my stomach, I smile. Victoria has this ability to lighten even the darkest of moments. “You have me and my family all wrong.”

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