Page 100 of Ruthless Salvation

I never could have imagined when I first met Torin that someone so incredibly sweet hid beneath that grizzly exterior of his. He’d only had a week to adjust to the idea of being a father, yet he’d embraced it wholeheartedly. I’d even go so far as to say he was excited. Big, bad, brooding Torin was looking forward to being a daddy.

My hormones went into overdrive. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to cry or strip naked and beg him to screw me. I didn’t get the chance to do either when the security panel buzzed, signaling that we had a guest.

Tor pressed a button, bringing up an image of Oran waiting by the elevator. He buzzed him through. They shook hands when Oran joined us in the apartment, tension thick in the air, especially when he greeted me with an awkward grimace.

It wasn’t like we could hug. Aside from my gunshot wound, Oran had suffered severely bruised ribs from taking a bullet to his Kevlar vest during the showdown with Damyon. He was still moving stiffly, though I didn’t think that was the reason Torin watched him warily. Oran had been plenty vocal on his suspicions about me.

“What can we do for you?” Tor finally asked.

Oran kept his gray gaze on me. “I was in the area and wanted to stop by. I think I owe Stormy an apology.” He took a slow, steady breath. “I hope you understand that while I was tough on you, it was out of concern for my family.”

“Of course,” I assured him. “It’s not easy to know who to trust.” My eyes briefly drifted to Tor, hoping he cut his cousin slack. Judging by the way his blistering stare never budged from our guest, it wasn’t likely.

“What you did for Torin—protecting Jolly—hasn’t gone unnoticed. I wanted you to know that.”

He was so stiff beneath layers of impenetrable barriers, the weight had to be unbearable. I felt bad for him. Tor had told me what Oran had gone through. I hated that he’d become so guarded and cynical. The pain of betrayal ran deep. Who knew if he’d ever find his way out of that abyss.

“It was a small price to pay for everything you all have done for me,” I offered warmly.

He gave me a thin smile, then reached out and shook hands with Tor again.

“Glad you came by,” Torin said, a world of meaning contained in those few words. Apology accepted.

Oran nodded. “Better get going. You two take care.”

“You, too, Oran,” I called to his back. He didn’t turn around.

“I feel so bad for him,” I murmured after the door closed behind him.

Torin led me to the living room with a hand on the small of my back. “He’ll find his way. I did, and I’m pretty sure my family was close to giving up on me.” He gingerly helped me onto his lap with my body crossways over his.

“I suppose we all go through struggles at some point. I allowed myself to end up married to a Russian mobster … in Moscow, no less.”

“You never have told me how that happened.”

“It was easy. He was amazing.”

Torin huffed beneath me.

I smirked. “At first, that is.” I added the important caveat. “He was attentive and thoughtful—charming and incredibly handsome.”

“Handsome?” Tor scoffed. “He had a gruesome scar across his face.”

I sucked my lips between my teeth and peered up at him through my lashes. “He didn’t have that when I met him.”

“Are you telling me you gave him that?”

I nodded.

Torin threw his head back and laughed from deep in his belly. I didn’t think a choir of angels could sound more heavenly. “That’s my girl. I’m glad you gave him hell.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice.” Feeling the mood in the air shift, I smiled and changed tacks. “But there were plenty of wonderful moments. I was thrilled to marry him when he proposed, and the ring he gave me was spectacular. It may have been inadvertent, but it was the best thing he ever did for me because it bought me the cushion I needed to stay on the run. My engagement ring was the only thing I had on me when I escaped. I sold it to a jeweler the first chance I got. Without that sizable stash of cash, I don’t know how I would have managed.”

“I wondered how you’d been able to keep on the move.”

“It wasn’t easy, but the money helped.”

He rubbed a hand across my back and kissed my cheek. “No more moving for you. Not unless you want to, but even then, you won’t be alone ever again.”

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