Hawk
Another Two Months Later
Grigoryan is hanging on by a thread, but by the looks of it, he wishes he was long dead. He’s missing an eye, all of his fingernails, both big toes, and he has more broken bones than I care to count.
I almost feel bad for anyone else who gets tossed down here with him. He smells like death, but the professional Moretti hired kept his word. He said Grigoryan wouldn’t die until Emory made the call.
In the beginning, I could see the merits of keeping him alive. He was spilling information left and right in hopes of finally being put out of his misery. That ended weeks ago, and he’s still just barely alive.
We’ve gained a new prisoner from that round of secrets.
Moretti let Julian stew down here for three days while having to smell Grigoryan and hear his daily torture sessions.
Julian is still full of fire and convinced his sons will come to save him. That won’t be happening, but his spirit hasn’t been broken yet.
I lean against the wall as Moretti finally gives the order for Grigoryan’s execution. It’s been three months of misery for the man, but if Hell is real, I hope he ends up there to suffer for the rest of eternity.
Moretti has Julian brought out of his cell and into the main room where the torture sessions occur. He’s shackled to the floor and gagged but glaring at Moretti like he can will him to drop dead where he stands.
“It didn’t have to be like this,” Moretti says, pacing in front of Julian. “Of all people, you had to know how things would turn out if you got into bed with Grigoryan.”
Commotion fills the air, and my head whips toward the doorway.
Vanessa stands in the open space with her mouth hanging open.
Magnum was supposed to keep her busy.
He failed.
He comes to a stop right behind her, but Vanessa takes off toward her father.
Moretti steps aside, offering her the space directly in front of the chair.
It’s a battle not to stomp across the room, toss her over my shoulder, and get her out of here. I hate when she comes down here at all. She should never be this close to the ugliness that goes down in this basement.
Vanessa stares at her father for a few seconds before turning to Moretti. “He was involved?”
Julian screams, but it’s muffled by the gag. When that doesn’t force her to look at him, he rocks the wooden chair against the plastic sheet. It’s a luxury to even have a chair, and it can easily be taken away.
“He abused you for years. That alone is enough to secure his space down here,” Moretti says, avoiding her question.
Before Vanessa even speaks, I know that’s not going to distract her.
“I didn’t ask what he did to me,” she says, planting her hands on her hips.
“Your marriage to Grigoryan would have solidified their business deal.” Moretti stares straight into her eyes as he speaks. “As far as we can tell, he wasn’t selling human beings yet, but he intended to.”
“Kill him,” Vanessa says, bringing her hand to cover the side of her face where Julian is. “He deserves to die, and I don’t want it drawn out.”
Moretti doesn’t hesitate. Reaching into his coat, he pulls his gun and puts a bullet in Julian’s brain.
The crack comes first, followed by the sharp boom, and Vanessa jumps.
She keeps her hand up, but she was close enough that she has to be covered in blood splatter.
“Thank you.” She rolls her shoulders back, but she still keeps her hand in place, blocking her from seeing the ugliness that is Julian’s caved-in skull. “I want to go home now.”
“Christ,” Magnum says from the doorway.
“Let me find someone to clean this up.” Moretti shoves his gun away and leans down, pecking a kiss on her lips. “I love you, darling.”
“I know.” Vanessa nods. “I love you too, but I’m not sticking around with Julian’s body. Hawk and Magnum are going to take me to your office.”
I finally get my shit together.
Striding over, I make sure to turn her away from her father as I guide her into the spacious room that leads to the secret passage.
I pull her to my chest.
Vanessa wraps her arms around me, burying her face in my T-shirt.
Magnum watches with wide eyes. His concern spills through the link, and I’m a little concerned too. She’s pretty numb in the bond.
The little omega tilts her face up and squeezes me tight. “You know how much I love you. Right, Hawk?”
“Yeah, sweet girl. I love you too. How can I make you feel better?”
“I’m totally fine,” she says, and her nose scrunches. “I’m pretty sure I have blood on my dress, and that kinda sucks, but I’m happy he’s dead.”
“If that changes, you let me know.”
“I will.” She nods. “Will you carry me up the stairs?” She doesn’t wait for me to agree, jumping and trusting I’ll catch her.
I laugh, wrapping her around my front.
I wasn’t even the least bit prepared for how much life was going to change when Moretti brought her home, but I thank God every damn day that he did.
Vanessa’s brothers don’t retaliate for the disappearance of their father. He’s dead, which they don’t technically know, but I’m sure they get the idea.
Any time she’s forced to see them for syndicate events, they attempt to talk to her. She’s not interested, and I don’t blame her.
Several months pass, and Vanessa finally has her first real heat. She’s miserable when the post-heat cramps hit, but it gives me the perfect opportunity to take care of her.
Though I’d never want her to suffer needlessly, they’re part of life as an omega, so I take the opportunity to pamper her.
I’m intending to bring her breakfast in bed, but she comes into the kitchen as I’m making her plate.
She leans against the wall, smiling when she spots me.
Vanessa is so damn pretty all the time, and I often wonder how I tricked her into loving me.
“Sometimes, I really miss having Angel and Kassie here.” She shoves off the wall and comes over to stand by me at the island. “I’m still not sure I’m ready to take on having a bunch of kids running around, but I miss the baby snuggles and cheesy smiles.”
Ziggy and Anson finally found a house in the neighborhood last month.
There’s no way they could have afforded it without a bonus from Moretti, but it was time for them to branch out on their own.
Kassie was starting to scoot around on her stomach, and crawling wasn’t far off.
This place isn’t babyproofed at all, but it will be by the time we have our own children.
“I miss those chubby little hands opening and closing when she wanted to be picked up,” I admit, dropping the spatula and pulling Vanessa into my chest. “There’s no rush, but I am getting old.
We should have a couple of kids before my knees and back give out.
I want to be able to chase them around the yard without throwing a hip out. ”
She snorts, running her fingers through my beard. “You’re ridiculous. Thirty-five isn’t old.”
Ehh, my aching bones say otherwise, but I’m not going to push her into being ready for kids.
I settle for dipping my head and devouring her with a tender kiss. I’m going to spend the next forty or fifty years loving the hell out of my wife.