Page 18 of Savage Reign

The three of us got out of the car at the same time, Maverick taking in his surroundings. We found Gareth and Sean right away, leaning against the hood of the car. They straightened when we approached.

“Are you sure?” I asked by way of greeting.

Sean nodded. “Yes, sir. Gareth saw her at the drugstore, and I followed her here when she got on the bus. She’s staying in room 107.”

He pointed to the motel and in the general direction of the room.

Fuck me.

I didn’t want to believe it until I laid my eyes on her, but…

Fuck me.

I worked hard not to show any reaction to his words. Everyone already knew the Tiernan brothers took Daniel Hayes’daughter. And now that there were words out there that she meant something to us—she meanteverything—it had put a target on her back. These might be our men, our soldiers, but it didn’t fucking mean I would give them access to my thoughts and feelings.

“And she’s safe?” Killian asked.

“Yes. We’ve been here the entire time. No one came to her door, and she hasn’t made any move to leave the room since.”

Maverick nodded. “You did good. You can go now.”

“Yes, sir,” they both said before getting in the car and driving off, leaving just the three of us and a fucking motel door that separated us from something so infinitely precious.

How familiar this fucking setting was. Only there hadn’t been so much on the line that first time we went looking for her.

We didn’t say anything to each other as we took in the door. I didn’t know what my brothers were feeling or thinking. I couldn’t bring myself to care because we finallyfuckingfound her.

I could fucking weep with joy. I wouldn’t because I was a fucking Tiernan, but hell.

“What are we waiting for?” I asked. Now that I had my emotions under control, I was getting impatient to see my girl. I couldn’t fucking wait to hold her tightly in my arms and ensure she would never leave. After I give her a stern talking to about running away, and fuck, maybe redden her pale ass for the shit she put us through.

I couldn’t fucking wait.

Maverick placed his hand on my chest to stop me from going to her. “Wait. We can’t just show up. She’ll freak out.”

“So?” I asked. I didn’t see the fucking problem. Of course, she would freak out. There was no way around it. But she could freak out all she wanted. There would be no escape this time. Not now. I wasn’t a man who made the same mistake twice.

Maverick shook his head, shooting me a look he hadn’t shot me since I was five and didn’t understand the dynamic of our family yet.

I wasn’t fucking five anymore.

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” he asked.

I didn’t answer because that sounded like a trick question. I narrowed my eyes at him.

He let out a small sigh. “I assume you want to keep her, no?”

I scoffed. “And you don’t?”

Because this past week had been hell. And I knew I wasn’t the only one going through it. As much as Maverick and Killian didn’t say shit, I could see it all over their faces. Her leaving had affected us, and that was the truth, whether or not they wanted to admit to it.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” he said, speaking slowly.

“No, we’re not doing this again. You can act indifferent all you want, and”—I pointed at Killian—“you can act cold if you want, but you both can’t fucking hide the truth from me.”

Killian, for his part, had been quiet the entire time. I didn’t want to delve into the fucker’s moodiness. I wasn’t in themood.

I made a move to head toward the motel room when Killian spoke, stopping me in my tracks. “I want her.”

---