She’s beautiful. Even when I stand here, worried about the confrontation coming up, mad as Hell at her and Skull, I still can’t deny that my woman is beautiful.
She’s also in pain. She’s limping more than she ever did in front of me. Right away, I realize it’s because she doesn’t bother hiding things from Beth. Even when I thought her guard was down with me, I was wrong. When she goes to chase after Skull, I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her back into me. Right away, she starts kicking against me, her hands going behind to my head to wrap her fingers in my hair, pulling. She’s wrestling like a wet mountain lion hanging on for dear life. Too fucking bad my patience is gone.
“Cut that shit out, Katie. We got company coming and I need you, Beth, and Gabby out of here before they get here.”
“Like I believe you!” she cries out. “Let me go, you bastard! You used me! You lied to me!”
She’s screaming, and one of her backward kicks manages to graze my fucking balls. I wince at the pain. I pull her around to face me, holding my hand around her neck and keeping her head still, even if the rest of her is fighting against me.
“You and I got shit to talk about, and we will, but right now Colin’s men are headed this way. That means my job is to get you, your sister, and niece somewhere safe. So stop acting like a fucking baby and help me do that!”
Her eyes narrow down on me, her body jerking like I hit her.
“I hate you.”
I throw her over my shoulder, fucking tired of her fit.
“I’m taking Katie back in Beth’s car,” I announce.
“You make sure you don’t drag your fucking feet. I want all our men behind our walls before we attack,” Skull says.
His voice is thick and I’d be blind not to see the tears he’s shed. He’s holding his daughter and her little hand is reaching for the hoop he has in his lip. They look so much alike it’s freaking uncanny. I’m upset he didn’t let me get Katie last night, even if I can understand why. My anger has settled some, though, because I have Katie back in my arms.
“We’ll be there. Two days, max.”
“I thought you said you were taking my family with us? I want Bethie and Gabby with me!” Katie growls.
I look over at Beth. She’s crying, but her eyes are following every movement Skull and Gabby are making.
“My family will be with me,” says Skull defiantly. “You’ve been helping to run interference too fucking long. If it wasn’t for Torch, I’d leave you here for Colin’s men to play with.”
“Watch it, Skull,” I retort.
He gives me a look. We’re going to have words later. I get that he’s upset, but Katie’s mine, even if I’m mad as hell at her for running out and not giving me time to talk to her. This whole situation is fucked up, but it didn’t come from the girls trying to take Gabby, or from willfully hurting Skull. I only hope in time he can grasp that. Right now, he’s so angry I’m afraid he might do something he and Beth can’t recover from.
I take Katie towards the car. Beth’s voice stops me.
“The baby’s bag with her food and clothes… most of it is in the room… but there’s one bag in the car. I… Gabby needs it.”
“I’ll provide mi hija with anything she needs from here on out,” Skull growls, still not looking at Beth.
“There are things in there she can’t rest without. New ones wouldn’t work,” Beth’s soft voice comes back. “I know you’re planning on turning us back over to Colin, but please. Gabby. She shouldn’t have to suffer because of—”
“Te tienes que callar la pinche boca!” Skull growls. “Torch, grab la pinche bolsa.”
Katie has gone strangely quiet. I don’t know if she’s picking up on the undercurrents firing off between Beth and Skull or what, but I’m glad. I take her to the passenger side and get her in the vehicle. When she’s sitting in the car, I notice the tears falling. Katie is so tightly wrapped up, seeing the tears physically hurts me. Jesus, having a woman is so damned complicated.
I pull the handcuffs out of my back pocket and click them over her wrist, connecting them to the handle above the door on the interior. Katie’s head turns, looking at the handcuffs and back at me, and even in tears, she’s shooting fire at me with her eyes.
“Remember these, darling?” I ask. “Get used to them because you aren’t getting out of them any time soon.”
“I hate you,” she repeats.