Page 88 of Relentless (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 2)

“We’ll get married tomorrow if she wants,” Con throws back.

“Like hell you will, I forbid it.”

“Excuse me?” Hoodrat says weakly from the bed. “Did I just hear someone say I was forbidden from getting married?”

“Yeah,” she can roast for me for misogyny all she wants, “I did. As your only blood relative, I can do that.”

She whimpers as she tries to sit up, and both Con and I try to help, growling at each other as we do. “Fuck. Everything hurts.” She looks at Con and Griff. “Can you guys go find a doctor or something? I want to talk to Levi.”

“Of course, do you want more water, too?” Con asks. Once she nods her head yes, he turns to me, “Don’t upset her, asshole.”

“Fuck off, dick.”

“Okay,” she says once they leave the room, “are you offering a dowry now, too? A couple goats and a chest full of rubies?”

“Don’t be an idiot,” I say back to her, “you’re worth at least a cow, too.”

She chuckles and then winces. “Zero out of ten do not recommend getting stabbed in the kidney and having it removed.”

Words cannot express how good it feels to hear her joking right now, but I’m still pulled so tight. I feel every emotion I’ve repressed all day swelling inside me.

“Hoodrat,” I choke, “I almost fucking lost you and Ives today, and I am not okay.” Tears start rolling down my cheeks. “I don’t know what I would do without both of you.”

“Come here,” she pats the empty space beside her, and I half lay down beside her. “You know it’s going to take way more than a knife to the kidney to take me out. I’ve been in scarier fights in elementary school.” She looks over at me and wipes some tears away.

“Did anyone call Z?” I ask, pulling out my phone in case they haven’t.

“Yeah, Con has been talking with him all night.” She leans her forehead against mine. “I know you are scared and upset, but for as much as you are angry with Con right now, he’s more angry. Can you meet him with compassion and empathy?”

“No,” I say petulantly. “But for you I’ll try.”

“Are Ivy and Claire okay?”

“Yeah, I’m not sure what happened yet, but yes, they’ll be okay. Both were hypothermic and a little banged up.”

“Will you give me an update when you know more?”

“Of course.” I give her a brotherly kiss on the head. “So, running on the spare, huh?”

“Hell yeah, this is exactly why we have two, right? So we can get stabbed and still do kidney shit.”

I laugh and then start crying again. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Go be with Ivy. I need to know she’s okay.”

“Can I get in on some of this love fest?” Griff asks bringing in a cup of ice water.

I stand up, so he can swoop in and love on her. I pull my phone out and text Isaac to get Ivy’s room number. Victor and Dad are talking to Lake and Nolan near the elevator.

“How is Claire?” I ask Victor.

“She’ll be fine, but they’re keeping her overnight.” He shifts to let me into their conversation. “Lake’s filled us in everything you guys know. We have the man Lilith knocked out on his way to Lake’s compound. We’ll get to the bottom of all this.”

“I told Con that Lilith isn’t marrying him until you guys figure this shit out.” I shift my body toward my dad, knowing he’ll back me up on this entirely. “It’s been years of this bullshit, you guys always dodging bullets and looking over your shoulder. Lilith’s dad died for you. I’m done with this. Figure it out. Take care of the issue. I will physically take her from you if need be. I won’t let her be collateral in your family’s mafia wars.”

Victor gives me a calculating appraisal with hard eyes. “We all want her safe.”

“Do fucking better then,” I say getting in his face and staring him down.

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