Page 85 of Ruthless Salvation

Pain recognizing pain.

I realized at that moment that trauma had been the intangible thing that had drawn me to Storm. We’d carried our burdens differently, but we were the same underneath. We knew what it was to feel broken.

I forced myself to set aside my reeling thoughts and listen to the rest of her story.

“Damyon never knew about the pregnancy. I should have left him before it happened, but I didn’t, and that’s my greatest shame in life. When I found out the baby was coming, I knew I had to go before he figured it out. I planned and waited for the right opportunity, knowing I would only get one chance. Only, I waited too long.” Her fragile voice thinned until it was only a whisp of memory.

Seeing her in so much pain was hell. I would have taken it from her and carried it myself if I could have. Anything to bring the light back into her eyes.

“He got it in his head that I was cheating.” She shook her head to herself as though still in disbelief. “The beating was beyond anything he’d done before. It landed me in the hospital. When I woke, I learned that the baby was … gone. I knew my life would be next if I didn’t find a way to leave, so instead of waiting, I got up off the bed in my gown and left.”

“You walked out onto the streets of Moscow in only a hospital gown? How did you survive?”

Warmth flooded her eyes as she smiled. “I only made it to the end of the hall when a nurse stopped me. She didn’t speak much English, but she had gathered what I’d been through and that I was sneaking away. She took a risk and saved my life that day. She got me dressed and fed and on a bus to stay with friends of hers in St. Petersburg. I owe her everything.” She hugged the black bag to her chest and peered up at me. “I’m terrified, Torin,” Stormy whispered. “The last time I stuck around, it cost me my baby’s life. I can’t let that happen again. I can’t.”

I dropped onto the bench and wrapped her in my arms where she belonged, breathing a deep sigh of relief. Holding her—feeling her melt into my touch—soothed my soul better than any drug.

“I will rip out his spinal column with my bare hands before I let him harm you or our child.” No exaggeration. I meant every goddamn word.

“It’s not that easy, though. I want to believe I’m safe, but I know how ruthless and calculating he can be.”

I pulled back and brought her gaze to mine. “I get it. At this stage, you know him better than you know me—not that I ever want you to know that side of me—but you saw me in that ring, remember?” I waited until she nodded. “I’ve known evil. I’ve learned how it thinks and studied its weaknesses. Evil. Will. Not. Touch. You.” Each clipped word was reinforced with absolute conviction because despite the fear campaign Damyon had employed, I knew he was flesh and blood just like the rest of us. A mortal man with a God-like ego that would be his downfall in the end.

Stormy flung her arms around my neck and clung to me with such force that I could have walked on water had she asked me to. “I’m sorry I hid the marriage from you.”

“I wasn’t happy about you keeping a secret, but I don’t give a fuck about the marriage itself. You can’t be married to a dead man.”

“Thank you for understanding and for being patient,” she whispered.

I huffed on a sardonic laugh. “If you think I’m patient, we might want to have your head rechecked.”

She pulled back and gave a small shrug. “My standards are a little skewed.”

“Hey, if it works in my favor.” I smirked, drawing a smile from her.

“How did you know where to find me?”

I let my finger hook beneath the chain at her neck. “It has a state-of-the-art tracking chip inside the disk. I’m not leaving anything to chance.” I waited for her to balk at what I’d done, but she nodded instead.

“I’d wear just about anything if it keeps him away.”

“Baby, not even the devil himself can steal you from me.”

Present

It wasfunny how time changed a person. Six years ago, men who opened doors for me and brought flowers delighted me. That sort of thing now seemed so inconsequential. But Torin’s oath? It had my heart soaring into the stratosphere. It was archaic and a touch paranoid, yet exactly what I needed to hear.

I wrapped my arms around his middle, pressing my ear to his chest. The reassuring thud of his steady heartbeat kept the tempo until my own heart fell into step.

“All right, sweet girl.” Tor chuckled when I didn’t let go. “Let’s get out of here. We’re on a tight schedule today, and my girl still needs to see a doctor.”

“Doctor? My ribs will be fine.” I pulled back in confusion.

Tor’s eyes softened. “Different sort of doctor,” he said, placing his hand gently over my lower belly.

“Oh,” I breathed.

I would have to start blaming the hormones for my mood swings because they were seriously out of control. A flood of overwhelming joy hit me with such force that I had to fight back tears while Torin made a call.

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