Page 132 of Until the Day You're Mine

Harris tries to follow but Rian latches on to him, desperately holding him back until Margarita’s cries are so faint, he is sure she is far enough to be out of danger.

“Is this how easy it was? Did you kill some of them with your bare hands?” Rian grunts as he is provoking Harris even more.

Rian doesn’t know where he gets the strength to restrain Harris for this long, shoving him against the kitchen cabinets, and taking all his punches to his ribs without allowing his body to crumble and fall. They struggle against each other for a long time. Rian’s body is on fire with the strain.

“I’ll kill you. I’ll enjoy every second of it. Exactly how I loved watching your brother die. My money paid for the hole in the ground his body is rotting to this day. And when I’m done with you, I will slowly kill that miserable piece of shit Ty. I will take my time fucking with him, showing him the footage I’ve recorded. I have hundreds of hours of video on encrypted drives. Every single time I fucked you. Every time you tried to fight back and failed. Every time you were foolish enough to hope and beg me to stop. I swear to you, Tayida will die a painful death. The last images burned in his mind will be your body covered in my cum, and you submitting to me like the worthless slut that you are.”

Rian freezes for a moment, shocked at this new revelation. He’s never considered that Harris might be filming them, but it all makes perfect sense now. His husband uses this moment of distraction and swings Rian at the first opportunity he gets. Harris’s fist connects with his jaw, sending Rian stumbling back. His back hits the large oak dining table.

Harris is too slow to realize his mistake as he may have been able to clock Rian really hard in the face, but he has also successfully separated them. Rian wastes no time and turns, bolting for the door. Harris catches up to him, just as the police cars are pulling up into the driveway.

Rian runs down the steps, looking over his shoulder at his husband. Harris’s face is illuminated by the red and blue lights. He looks more menacing than ever, angry, unhinged, out of control, an animal about to lose its freedom forever. He knows it. He’s got nothing to lose, so he lunges after Rian.

“You fucking cunt!” He tries to grab his hair as he has done in the past, but he only manages to grasp Ri’s shoulder. Rian easily shakes him off.

“You think you have me all figured out and locked down, don't you? Fuck you!Iwill ruin your life!” Rian shoves his husband away, freeing himself from his grip. Ri steps further out of his reach, but Harris is not ready to let him go that easy. The cops at the scene descend on him as he lunges forward, trying to grab Rian again. They struggle to restrain him at first, but even Harris is no match for five heavy-set men.

Harris furiously screams, threat after threat at him, “I will fucking end you! You can't touch me! You'll never see Bran again!”

Rian looks away from him, instinctively searching for his son in the crowd that is quickly gathering in the front yard of his home. He is wriggling and crying in Margarita's arms, and he quickly closes the distance between them, taking him back from the distraught housekeeper. Bran is holding on to him and although he is still very much unsettled, the closeness of Rian soothes him somewhat. He throws an arm over Margarita’s shoulders and the woman can’t help but lose it, crying as she’s tucked into his side.

It's over.

People are talking all around him – to him, about him. He doesn't care. He only has eyes for Bran and Margarita. The only thing he hears are the muffled sobs of his son, and the soft reassurances of his Babarita as he presses them both impossibly tight to his chest.

Harris is still screaming, but Rian shuts the noise out as he cleans Bran's little tear-stained face. His son is breathing fast in his distress, but calm takes over Rian as he mutters to his little boy. “Daddy’s here. I got you, buddy. Yes, we’re going to be alright, Bran. We're going to get our Ty-Ta back, okay?”

As soon as he has uttered Tayida’s name, Bran perks up and looks around as if looking for him. When he can’t see him, his little chin trembles and he makes gimme hands. “Ty-ta.”

Rian smiles through his own tears. “Don’t cry, my love. Tayida will be back for us soon. He’ll always come back for us.”

* * *

Margarita stayswith him until one of her sons arrives, frantic with worry to pick her up. If Rian must guess, her family had no clue what the feisty housekeeper had been up to. The brawny man who barges in his home is her son, Dimi. He is distraught, and they have an argument in Bulgarian right then and there. Rian can only guess what he must be telling his mother – probably something like she is never going back to this home ever again.

Rian can’t blame him one bit. In fact, he fucking agrees. As soon as the sun is up, he is out of there himself. He doesn’t know exactly where he plans on going, but for the first time in forever, he is calm and feels the people in his corner can be trusted. He can ask for their help without feeling ashamed or like a colossal failure.

Margarita yells back at her son and there is just no way for Rian to hide his grin. He’s not sure exactly what she’s told Dimi, but he glares at her, sighs, muttering a long-ass curse, and stomps out of the house, probably waiting for her outside in his car.

He’s got to ask her how she does that. What’s the magic trick she’s got up her sleeve, that makes big burly men fold over like a wet napkin and stomp away from her like petulant children?

She’s shaking her head, looking after her son as Rian makes his way to her. He tugs her in for a hug and she melts against him.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Then she shakes her head and pulls away. “No. No, I’m not. But I’m here for you.”

“I can’t ask you for more. Not after this whole shitshow we’ve been through. You were so goddamn brave! I can’t believe you did this. I love you so much.”

She chuckles, “You can’t believe it? Rai, I can’t believe we did this, either. One thing’s for sure, I’ve used up all my bravery for this year, I think my days as a double agent are over.”

Rian knows they’ve both reached their limit. “I … Thank you for doing this. You are the most amazing badass woman I’ve ever met. I hope I don’t lose you. You’re very important to Bran and me. I don’t think we’ll ever stop needing you.”

Margarita hugs him again, and murmurs, “Never. You and Bran can always count on me. I love you like one of my own.”

Rian snickers. “Well you don’t love me enough, because I’ve never been yelled at by you the way you told off your son earlier.”

She pulls away, laughing, wiping away the last of her tears. She smacks his arm lightly, “There’s plenty of time for that.”

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