Page 61 of Unfulfilled Promises
He was tied down pretty good, but that didn’t stop him from attempting to escape the ropes as Devlin spoke to him. “You tried to take something that wasn’t yours to take, and in the process, you hurt my family. That was your first mistake.” With those words, he plunged the knife forward, impaling Giovanni in the ass with the sharp blade. Blood flowed down his legs ashe screamed. James immediately fired a round into the back of his head, silencing him forever as Devlin added, “Your second mistake was calling her a whore and thinking you were going to live.”
Seth placed his hands on my shoulders, and I watched as Devlin and James stepped back from Giovanni’s bloody corpse. They looked at me as James asked, “Are you okay?”
The five men in the room had watchful eyes on me as I glanced over my shoulder at Seth and then to Booker, Lucian, Devlin, and, finally, James. Exhaling, I briefly closed my eyes as relief washing over me. I hadn’t felt this free since the day before I was kidnapped and thrust into a two-year nightmare. I couldn’t articulate the feelings bubbling up inside me, so I simply said, “Thank you.”
When I went to take a step, my legs gave out, but Seth caught me, lifting me into his arms. The others jumped to catch me, but I was safe in Seth’s arms. Looking down at me, he was worried, but I was okay. Just exhausted in every way imaginable. I placed my hand against his cheek, and he looked up at the others without letting me take it off as he said, “I’m taking her home to eat and rest. Do you have this handled?”
James answered, “We’ll take care of this and meet you back at the house.” He stepped up to me, and I dropped my hand from Seth as he smiled and said, “You did really good. I’m proud of you, but . . .”
“You have questions, and I’ll answer them all, but not today.”
“Whenever you’re ready, but yes, soon.”
Booker stepped around the table as Seth carried me out of the room. I never gave Giovanni another look because there was no need. He was dead, and I was free from the nightmares he’d created. Being carried through the living room, I said, “I can walk. I think the adrenaline just wore off.”
“And I can carry you so you can start resting now,” Seth responded with a smile.
Booker opened the door, and Seth carried me out and down the stairs. A worried Rhys and Hannah ran over, inspecting me as Seth carefully placed me on my feet. He kept his hands on me as I tried to calm my brother down. Booker tipped a bottle of water over my hands and mouthed ‘Rub’ as I removed the traces of blood from my fingertips.
“I’m fine, just tired, and I stumbled a little, so Seth wanted to be safe.”
Rhys looked through the open door and back to me as he asked, “Are you okay?”
I reached out and gave my brother a big hug as I admitted, “For the first time in years, I’m good.”
He released his hold, and Hannah reached in to hug me too. “I was worried about you.”
I replied, “You don’t need to worry about me.” I looked at Seth and admitted, “I’ve got someone to do that for you now.”
She looked over my head and back at me as she smiled and said, “I know you do.”
“I want to get her home. She needs real food, a shower, and sleep. Are you joining us, or are you piling in with them?” Seth questioned as he rubbed his thumb on my neck near where his hand rested.
Hannah looked at Rhys then back to me. “I’m going to try and get Waylon to meet me here and turn himself in. He needs to stand accountable for whatever part he played in this shitshow.”
I looked at her then at Rhys before saying something that made Seth inhale deeply behind me and mumble a few angry words. “If he turns himself in, or whatever, I want to speak with him. You all have questions for me, but I have questions for him, and now that I’m starting to see the bigger picture, he may have the answers.”
“I can’t guarantee—” Rhys began to say, but Hannah cleared her throat.
“I’ll do my very best to make that conversation happen,” she offered, and I saw my brother’s jaw clench with the muscles in his face.
“Let’s get Regan home and we can figure everything else out later,” Booker suggested, then he walked to the vehicle we’d arrived in and got behind the wheel to drive.
I needed Rhys to understand, and I knew my silence over the last years has made him think I was fragile when I wasn’t. I was guilty and full of shame. “Rhys, I know you want to shield me from the ugliness of the world, but you’re a little too late, big brother. And you don’t get to blame yourself. That bitch who birthed us is to blame, and Kelly and Giovanni were responsible for the rest. You have to stop thinking I’m broken.”
“I just don’t want you to . . . I feel . . .” He sighed, and I carefully bridged the gap between us as I explained.
“Life sucks, but we made it through alive. And that’s all any of us can ask for.” Pressing up as much as my exhaustion would let me, I pecked my brother on the cheek and said, “I’ll see you at home. Grab dinner. I’m not cooking tonight.”
Hannah chuckled as I winked and turned to Seth. “Can we go?”
“Hell, yes,” he replied and carefully lifted me into his arms before carrying me to the SUV.
Booker jumped out and opened the back door for Seth to place me inside. The door closed and Booker got behind the wheel as Seth climbed in beside me from the passenger side. I hooked my seatbelt and leaned over, yawning as the weight of the last few days began to dawn on me.
Seth kissed me on the top of the head and asked, “What do you want to eat, baby?”
“I’m not hungry,” I tried to reason and heard him sigh.
