Page 21 of Lost
“My cousin Emilia? I never would have imagined that,” he says, sounding as if he’s aging during our conversation. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is. I don’t know what his relationship was with his father, and I’m not about to ask.
“One and the same,” I say. “We’ve had multiple run-ins with her, and she had me badly beaten for getting in her way.”
“I feel as if that may happen often,” he mutters, but I still hear him.
“It doesn’t,” Cian says. “I would have more gray hair if it did. This is Cian Sullivan by the way. Your father pushed for Nova to be kidnapped because he had to get his dick wet and caused a great amount of distress. We would have thrown the same amount of effort into this if it had actually been Nova that had been taken. We don’t take kindly to our people disappearing.”
My heart warms that the sister I have yet to meet officially isn’t being forgotten. I’ve never once stopped thinking about her either.
“That was in bad taste, I apologize,” Nico says. “Your knife skills are impressive, Hollis.”
“Thanks, it would be better if I didn’t have most of my fingers and toes broken,” I snark.
“This is so bad,” Nico groans.
“Do you agree with my first demand?” I ask.
“Yes, yes. Of course I do. I am just having a hard time keeping up. We won’t declare war, and this makes me the head of my family. I didn’t think this would happen for a long time,” he says.
“I would give you my condolences, but I don’t have any,” I say. “I want you to look at your ranks. Their children will need therapy. Your father has been borrowing them so that Turbis could molest and rape them.”
Nico pukes, and I decide I might have a bit more respect for him. If he can have this strong of a reaction, then maybe he isn’t a trash panda of an alpha.
“Give a man a little notice,” he wheezes.
“Life comes at you fast. Get used to it. Nova is a free omega. She will have nothing to do with your pack or mafia organization unless it’s her decision. She’s a midwife, and her path may cross with yours. The universe is unpredictable,” I say.
“Yes, yes. I agree,” he says.
I offer several other stipulations just to see how invested he is in peace before I nod.
“I expect a detailed report of how you shut that auction house down,” I insist. “There are bonus points for photos with the bloodshed.”
“Just how badly did you fuck up Turbis and his wife?” Nico asks. “You speak like a mafia boss.”
“That’s exactly what she’d be if she wanted it,” Cian says. “She can make your life a living hell, and I’ll support it. There will be no one to leash her if she chooses to destroy you because you couldn’t follow directions.”
Jed walks over to the living room to take a photo, and I lean heavily on Caleb. He wraps his arm around my waist to help me stand better, watching as Jed returns and shares the photo of the ill fated couple to my phone.
“The answer to your question is being sent in a text to you,” I say, sending the photo to him.
There is about a minute of silence before several men inhale sharply, and I smirk as I realize that it’s now a party. I guess the brothers are together.
“It’ll be done,” Nico says. “I swear it. Give me some time to arrange it all.”
“I appreciate it,” I say as if he offered to do me a favor. “We’ll be in touch.”
Caleb hangs up the phone, fumbling it as I fall forward. He manages to catch both me and the damn phone, hoisting me into his arms.
“It’s time to go,” he mutters as the darkness falls over my vision.
It’s been a very busy day of kidnapping, killing, and blackmail. I’m so done with today. I’ll try again tomorrow.
Chapter Five
NOVA
Lars wouldn’t let me into the house, and my heart beats faster as I watch people rush out.
