Consumed (Blood Ties Book 9)

“Is everything okay now?”

I turned back from where Riven paced the floor outside that room, raking his fingers through his hair.

“I don’t know,” I answered, finding her wide blue eyes waiting when I glanced her way.

Cloe bit her lip nervously, one corner of her mouth twitching in a smile. She was out of place with these men. That thought had crossed my mind before, but now it was all I could think about. “What’s your deal, anyway?” I asked carefully. “What’s a nice young woman like you doing with dangerous, powerful rich men like them?”

They weren’t nice businessmen.

Not at all.

Not after what had just gone down.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she answered quietly.

There was fear in her tone, clear enough to make my cheeks burn. She was clearly out of her depth with these men. One look at the flyaway strands of her hair and the awkward way she moved, and you knew she wasn’t made for this world. None of us were, really…but certainly not her. It was more than her adorable round cheeks and curvy body. There was an innocence about her, a gentleness that wasn’t going to last long.

I gave her my full attention as I gently placed my hand on her arm. “Word of advice, Cloe. Get out now while you still can. This isn’t a world where someone as sweet as you survives, not without being eaten alive in the process.”

She swallowed hard, then glanced to where the Lawlor brothers stood with London and my men. “I fear it might be too late for that.”

I winced, my stomach sinking with her words. “Then at least let me put my number in your phone. If any time you’re in trouble, you can call me.”

Her lower lip trembled and the shine in those blue eyes made me feel sad for her. “Why would you do that?”

I gave her a smile, even if it trembled a bit. “Because us women need to stick together, that’s why.”

She smiled back, then reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell. I typed my name and number, saving it under HK, hoping like hell she’d reach out to me if things ever got bad for her. I liked her. She was kind, gentle, and far too goddamn innocent for this world.

“Hey.” Riven growled, then stepped in front of Baron, leaning down, murmuring something in his ear.

Whatever it was, it was met with a glare of savagery from Baron.

“Cloe.” Came a deep baritone call as he looked her way.

She snapped her head upwards to meet Baron’s stare.

“Time to go.”

One nod and she slid from the stool at the bar, her ass squeaking against the leather before she landed. She reached over, grabbed the velvet bag full of stunning diamonds, and flicked her gaze my way. “Thank you for talking to me. I hope…I hope one day we get to meet again.” Surprisingly she stepped close, wrapped one arm around me, and pulled me in for a hug to whisper in my ear. “I can’t leave, not yet.”

My eyes widened as she quickly pulled away, gave me a shy smile without meeting my eyes, and darted away, her heels clicking. Baron Lawlor met my stare over her head as she hurried toward him. One cautious nod my way and he reached out his hand, instantly finding the small of her back before they turned and made for the rear of the bar.

I stood there for a few minutes, watching them as London left. But Riven didn’t look my way, nor did he call my name. He just turned around and walked away. I jerked my gaze to Kane as he watched him, then turned to me, lifting his hand.

I made for the door, meeting them in the hallway.

“He’s hurting.” Kane murmured as Hunter shoved the back door open. “So be gentle.”

My breaths raced and my pulse thundered as I stepped out into the parking lot. The sleek black Bentley was already driving out. I glanced at the customized license plate, DMND1, then turned away, ignoring London’s Audi as it followed the Bentley.

“Riven,” I called as he yanked open the driver’s door.

He stopped but didn’t look at me.

“Hey.”

Now he turned. Those dark eyes were cold and stoney, full of rage.

“Talk to me.”

“Talk, Helene. What do you want me to say?” he said coldly.

I flinched, then yanked open the back door before climbing inside.

“How I can ease your pain,” I said to the closed door.

“You can’t.” Kane captured my chin, turning my gaze to his. “This is the game we’re playing. Hale will do everything he can to discredit us. We knew that.”

My throat thickened and ached. I did know, but that didn’t stop it from hurting. Kane dropped his hand, then climbed into the back seat. Tears threatened, blurring the parking lot through the windshield. Riven met my gaze in the rear-view mirror before I looked away.

He started the car and pulled out, but instead of turning back to the highway, we headed toward the commercial estate and the compound that Hunter’s men occupied. When we got there, the place was empty. There were no Hummers or Explorers in the yard, no neat rows of boots outside the door.

We pulled up and climbed out. Hunter headed for the main command building, with Riven close behind, disappearing as I closed my door behind me.

“They’re searching, aren’t they?” I asked, turning my focus to Kane.

“Yes.” He lowered his gaze to mine. “Everyone is out searching.”

We followed Hunter inside, hearing the chatter coming from the intel room.

“Who else has this?” Riven’s cold demand reached me as I neared.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

A young former Marine sat in front of the bank of computers. It was the same soldier Riven had sat with the day he’d learned about the Sons. The goddamn Sons. It all came down to them.

“It’s been showing up on different servers. More in the last five minutes and it’s…” the soldier glanced my way. “Growing in popularity.”

Oh, God.

I froze in the doorway. My stomach rolled and churned until I was going to be sick. “That video is out there?”

Riven gripped the edge of the desk and bowed his head. “He wanted this. He wanted…this.” He lifted his head, rage visibly quaking through his body. “Goddamn him.”

He shoved backwards and turned, striding out of the room past me. I reached for him, my fingers brushing his shoulder. But he never stopped, just kept walking, leaving us behind. Hunter watched him leave, then met my gaze.

“Hale is going after him.” I couldn’t keep the pain from my voice. “Painting him the monster. He’s going to ruin him, isn’t he?”

“He’s going to try.” Hunter answered.

“He doesn’t care about himself.” Kane shifted his gaze to me. “He cares about you.”

That hurt. Like a knife to my chest kind of hurt. Kane shook his head and walked away. Hunter leaned forward, talking in hushed tones to his mercenary. Thomas just stood at the back of the room, his body crammed into the corner like he couldn’t get away from us…like he couldn’t get away from here.

“Just call me with any updates,” Hunter said finally.

Any updates.

He meant if it’s found all over the goddamn internet.

I closed my eyes and felt the world tremble.

“Baby?”

I opened my eyes to find Hunter in front of me. “You want to go home?”

Home…

Images of the chair embedded in the wall and documents strewn all over the place filled me. Then my empty apartment, left vacant, with the cheese now surely molded in the refrigerator. Or my childhood home. Echoing hallways and lonely nights spent studying images of young girls I’d never known…girls who shared my blood.

Where was my home?

Was it there, or at the mountain?

I didn’t know. Not anymore…

Still, I followed when he headed out, and climbed into the back seat. The wind picked up, whipping Riven’s hair as he strode toward the four-wheel drive and climbed into the passenger’s seat staring straight ahead as Hunter slid behind the wheel. Riven never spoke, never flinched. It was almost like he wasn’t even there.

He was already hunting, tracking down Hale in the dark recesses of his mind and dragging the honed edge of a blade across the bastard’s throat. The four-wheel drive backed out and headed out of the city, leaving the traffic far behind.

Still that heaviness plagued me, as did the silence in the car. No one spoke, no one made a sound, just stared straight ahead as the mountain drew closer. A brush came across my finger, slowly, controlled, comforting. I looked down to where Thomas’ hand met mine, then lifted my gaze to his. Still, he didn’t glance my way, just kept that stony stare straight ahead with his warm fingers pressing against mine, until we finally turned into the shrouded driveway and stopped at the gate.

Then he pulled away.

For some strange reason, even though I was surrounded by the men I loved and who loved me, I was lonely. The car stopped and Riven was out first, leaving us behind as he strode toward the mountain in the distance.

“I should go after him.” I yanked the door handle.

“Don’t,” Kane said quietly. “He’ll come to you when he can.”

I climbed out and closed the door behind me, watching him climb the incline where we’d trained before he disappeared. Leave him. That’s what Kane wanted and, as Hunter headed for the gym and Thomas turned toward the house, that’s what I did. I didn’t have much choice.

“Thomas!” I called, but he didn’t stop, just punched in the code and stepped inside.

I threw my hands into the air. They were all walking away from me…again. It felt like before, when we were separated and not just by distance. They’d pulled away from me and they’d pulled away from each other, which left us vulnerable.

“Not again,” I murmured.

“What?” Kane asked.

I turned to him and met those piercing green eyes. “I said, not again.”

I headed after Thomas, quickening my steps until I pushed through the door.

“Thom! Thom, wait!” The steps were a blur as I took them two at a time. I could hear him on the landing, catching sight of him with his hand on the handle as I reached the top. “Wait,” I gasped, sucking in deep breaths. His head lowered like he was consumed with pain or guilt. I stepped closer, reaching for him. “It’s okay. Listen to me, it’s all going to be okay.”

“No…it isn’t.”

The rage that rippled through those words made me freeze. It wasn’t pain he was feeling, not hopelessness or rejection. It was cold, unflinching, tearing from the deepest pits of his soul. He whirled around and met my stare.

There was no warmth there, no soft, careful comfort. There was no awkwardness either, no nervousness as he looked everywhere else but at me. Thomas was kind, careful. The closest thing we had to goodness and to salvation. But this man…this man standing in front of me not only held my stare, but he gripped hold of it, clutching it like it was his salvation.

Was that it?

He’d lost his faith?

I looked at the black t-shirt he wore, remembering his collar and jacket tossed into the trash in the corner of his room.

“They have to answer for their sins, Helene.” He took a step toward me. “I will make them answer.”

“What are you saying?”

The door below closed with a thud. I could hear Riven talking to someone, drawing my focus away. But I couldn’t allow that. Thomas was hurting, tearing himself apart.

“Talk to me.” My voice cracked. “Tell me what you’re planning to do.”

“What the fuck do you mean, you don’t want to talk to me?” Riven’s voice rose. “My war? My goddamn war? I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, Rossi. But this isn’t just my war we’re fighting here. Wait…what? What the fuck are you talking about? Rossi…ROSSI!”

I stopped and turned around, watching Kane and Hunter as they followed Riven up the stairs.

“Motherfucker!” Riven snarled, his cell clenched in his fist as he stepped toward me on the landing.

“What is it?” I whispered.

His eyes were wide, as though he couldn’t believe it himself. “He wants nothing to do with us, can you believe that? He, Mr. Fucking Mafia himself, wants nothing to do with me?”

That couldn’t be right. Desperation thrummed inside me until I felt panicked and afraid. The Rossis were as much a part of this as we were.

“It’s the video.” Riven spat the words. “It’s the goddamn video. He believes it was me.”

“No.” I whispered. “He can’t…he wouldn’t.”

“But he does,” Riven answered. “He does.”