He laughed at that. “You please me. Greatly.”
Fiona wondered if he knew that she and Kelan had been intimate here, in this room, in this monster’s hidden complex.
He faced her. Fiona felt the hair rise on her neck. “Ironic, isn’t it, that I let your lover take your virginity last night.”
Was he a mind reader, too? Fiona froze, worried anything she might say would make things worse for Kelan. Did they have him? Was he here somewhere or did he get out?
“I do nothing without a purpose. Your feelings for him seem genuine. When he dies, his pointless death, caused by your inability to control your impulses”—his voice rose to an angry pitch—“and your utter disloyalty to me will break you. His death will earn you a second chance to be the daughter I wish you to be. You see, it’s useful to lose something you love. Makes you grow up. Makes you appreciate the life you have—and the lover I will give to you tonight.”
Fiona wrapped her arms around herself. This man, father or not, King or not, was missing all of his oars.
He went to the door, then paused and looked back her. “Your former lover had no right to take the title War Bringer. I engineered my War Bringer. He is the culmination of generations of careful breeding to be the perfect warrior. He will unify our people and take us into the new era we’ve been working toward for so long. Kelan will pay for his hubris—and yours in choosing him.”
The man left her room, slamming the door behind him. She heard the lock engage.
Now was the time; she had to leave.
*
Mandy was waiting in the living room with Zavi when Selena came down with her overnight bag. She was wearing a white silk shirt loosely tucked into her waistband in the front but untucked in the back. Her shirt showed a bit of her white lacy bra through the thin material. Her skinny jeans made her legs look longer than they were, and a pair of wicked-looking stilettos completed her outfit.
She didn’t in the least look afraid for what was coming. Mandy went over to her and took her hands. “The bad guys are going to lose their heads over you.”
Selena smiled and leaned close to whisper, “That’s because I’m going to separate them from their necks.”
Mandy laughed. “Please keep my man safe.”
“You know I will.”
“And come back safely yourself.”
“We’ll be fine. And hopefully we’ll bring Fiona and Kelan home with us.”
“Goodbye, Miss Selena. Fight a good fight,” Zavi said.
Selena exchanged a look with Mandy, then laughed and ruffled Zavi’s hair. “I’ll fight a winning fight.”
Rocco came into the front hall. He nodded to Sel. “I’ll meet you out front in a minute. And you’ve got shotgun.”
“Fine, but I’m driving on the way home.”
Rocco stepped into the living room. He lifted Zavi and smiled at Mandy. Her eyes began interrogating his. He reached out to touch her hair. “I’m fine. I got this.”
“I need you to come home safely.”
“That’s my plan, Em.”
“I love you.”
His gaze held hers a moment before he answered. “I love you, too.” He brought her close and kissed her mouth. “I’ll be back tomorrow at the latest. Take care of Zavi.”
“Always.”
He hugged his son then set him down. “Be good for Mandy.”
Zavi put his hand in Mandy’s. “Always, Papa.”
*
Once he and Selena were out of Wolf Creek Bend, the highway took them down to Laramie, and then to Cheyenne. Selena put a rock station on the radio. It was noisy and irritating, but it let his mind wander.
He looked at the rolling, empty hills and thought about the convo he had with Mandy last night after sex. She’d snuggled close to him, just the way he liked it, then tore at his soul a little.
“How are you doing?” she asked.
“Fine.”
“Rocco, it’s me, remember? I’m the one person you let inside.”
So he did, and they’d barely talked since. “It’s hard, you know, living. It hurts,” he told her. Mandy looked up at him. He gave in to the pull of her eyes.
“It’s a choice,” she said.
“Living?” He sighed a relieved breath. It was like she finally understood.
“No. Your reaction to life. It’s a choice.”
“For you, maybe. For me, there’s only pain.”
Mandy was silent for a moment. “Do you love me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you love Zavi?”
“Yes.”
“Does that love hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“’Cause I’m losing my grip. I’m losing you.”
“No, you aren’t. You will never lose me.” She leaned over him and touched her hands to his face, smoothing his hair back. “Decide to feel differently, Rocco. Decide to feel the warmth of our love. Just that. Nothing more. Nothing complicated. Just warmth. We can build on that.”
“I killed my wife, Em.”
“No, you didn’t. War and hate and anger killed her. She let it own her. She rode a dark horse, Rocco.”
“I put her on that horse.”
“It was a choice—her choice.”
“That horse has come for me.”
Mandy stared at him. “Maybe so. But you don’t have to get on it. You can choose a different horse. You could choose Kitano. He’s fighting back. He’s rejecting the darkness. He’s living in the light. You can, too.”
Rocco sighed. He wished it were that easy. Just decide to feel differently.
As if he had a say in the madness suffocating him.
*
A limousine was parked out front of Yusef’s motel. Rocco got out then held the door for Selena. They collected their bags from the trunk and walked over to the entryway, where Yusef was talking to Jafaar while two of his men looked on.
Rocco exchanged greetings with the men, then introduced Selena to Jafaar.
“She is beautiful, my friend, but she cannot come with us,” Jafaar said.
“It is considered ill-mannered in this country to attend a wedding unescorted.”
“The invitation was only for you.”