“Make sure you confirm Anjelica’s involvement in the trafficking ring, even if she isn’t directly involved, she knows about it. I need you to confirm either way.”
“I need you to find Michael, find that worthless piece of shit. Find out where he and his spineless son are hiding out, then lead my brothers to him.”
There’s a few seconds of silence before he continues, “Shit…they’re here.”
“Rory...”
“No…Nora, you make sure she’s safe, you make sure nothing happens to her. And when my brothers ask, you bring her home to them. Do you hear me? You fucking bring my girl home.”
I don’t get a chance to respond. I hear the obvious noise of a door being kicked in, then shouting, I hear Rory yelling something about needing back up, then I hear a scuffle before the phone cuts out.
I try to call him back, but it just goes to voicemail. Knowing this is it, he’s not going to make it, I do what I agreed to do and call 911 instead of his brothers.
Chapter 21
The calls, texts and emails from Liam are relentless.
Over the last couple of days, he’s none stop harassing me, sending me fucking images and videos of woman and children I’ve failed to save. I tried so hard to save so many, but it feels like I’ve not tried hard enough.
He’d started with the constant threats, but he soon realised that they weren’t getting to me. He figured out he gets a bigger response if he threatens the others or sends me the shit, he’s been sending me.
Having Nora here was good for a little while, but then after she told me what she did, the anxiety fucking crippled me. I’ve got Halliwell doing everything to make sure that she’s safe.
I need her away from this mess until it’s sorted out. I can’t put her at risk, I won’t.
It took some convincing, she’s so bloody independent. I thought she was going to turn me down at first, so I told her, I told her more than I’ve ever told anyone before. I didn’t tell her everything, I couldn’t, I didn’t want to put any unnecessary stress on her.
My laptop beeps letting me know I’m almost out of time. I’ve dealt with everything; I just have two more calls to make. The first I’m not yet ready for, but I have to do it, it’s now or never.
Picking up my phone I hit call, it only takes a few seconds for her face to fill the screen.
“Hey, Rory.”
“Hey, baby.”
My voice breaks, and I take a deep break before continuing, “I don’t have long. I need to tell you something and I need for you to just listen, can you do that for me?”
“Yes.”
I see the tears fall down her face, and all I want to do is reach out and wipe them away.
“Halliwell will call you as soon as he has sorted the arrangements for you to be moved into the safehouse. I need you to do everything he tells you to do.”
I wait for her to acknowledge, like the amazing woman she doesn’t interrupt, she just nods.
“Nora, I know we took too long to get here, and I know that it’s too late for us. But I need you to know that I have loved you since we were fifteen years old. You were the dreams to my nightmares, the right to my wrong, the peace to my chaos, you were and will always be my home. You need to stay safe for me and take care of that little package. I love you baby, and I will love you even in death.”
“Rory…”
“I have to go; I need to call Halliwell.”
“Wait,” she sobs on the screen, and struggles to catch her breath. “I’m never going to see you again, am I?”
“I’m sorry baby, no.”
“Then I need to tell you, I love you too. I have always loved you. Our time may have been short, but these last few months have been the best of my life. I wish things could be different, but I know that they can’t. I promise I’ll stay safe; I’ll do everything you ask.”
I blow her one last kiss then cut the call. I need to stay strong, and watching her break is killing me.
