“Two sets of eyes are better than one,” I add, looking at Ethan, who nods once. “Once you do that, you can focus on getting what we need on the Messina family, and Teddy can go through the footage from theCaruso house.” We’re limited on what we can nab them for, since they apparently didn’t install the camera in the room they kept Wren in until shortly before they bought her. We’ll still make sure any omegas that were hurt by them before face justice, though.
Ethan nods again. “Got it. We’ll get started right away.” He turns to leave the room, and then we both spot Wren in the doorway, wearing nothing but a little pair of shorts and a big t-shirt. Seeing so much skin on display at once makes me hard as a damn rock.
“Little bird,” he greets, bending down and pressing a kiss to her cheek on the way past. The sight reminds me too much of how they looked last night, when he tackled her to the ground. My first instinct was to lay into him, but then her burst of laughter took a sledgehammer to my damn heart.
She’s getting more confident, that’s for damn sure. If this is how she is after twenty-four hours with us, I can’t wait to see when she’s fully out of her shell.
Her cheeks flush at his affection even as she smiles, and she bites her lip as her head turns to watch Ethan disappear out of the room.
The corner of my lip tilts up as she turns to me, her cheeks flushing deeper at having been caught checking out the alpha. “What…what are you going to do?”
Now that I know she doesn’t think I’m some creepy old man, there’s no hesitation from me as I hold an arm out. My shriveled up heart beats a little faster when she comes to me without a word of question, crawling into my lap.
My Baby Girl is like a flower that’s been hidden in the shadows for too long, and now that she’s in the sunshine, she can’t get enough warmth.
My hand rests on her bare thigh. “How much did you hear?” She was probably listening at the door, not that I blame her.
I would too, if I were in her position.
“Um…all of it,” she admits, looking down. “I’m sorry, I—”
“Baby Girl,” I admonish, gripping her chin and tilting her face up. “This all has to do with you. I will never hide anything. If you want to know something, ask. If you want to be more involved in the planning, ask. If you want your parents' head on a damn silver platter, served to you al dente with a side of steamed vegetables and a bread roll…ask.”
Her mouth gapes slightly at my graphic visual, but her scent swirls around us, a hint of lust in the signature.
So my girl has a vicious streak.
“You…you would really do that for me?” Her eyes are wide, the amber oceans tinged with doubt, and it hits me then, just how verbal we’re all going to have to be to convince her that we all think she’s worth it.
“I would doanythingfor you.” Then, before I can talk myself out of it, I lean down, pressing the softest of kisses against her lips. The smallest sigh of contentment leaves her, and I pull back, looking into her eyes again. “You are strong, and clever. I’ve gathered that just from knowing you the last twenty-four hours, and hearing how you’ve lived up until now. Believe me when I say, Wren Messina, I will never let you be locked up in a tower again.”
She blinks a few times before biting her lip and nodding, her cheeks turning even more pink. It’s my new favorite color. “I believe you.”
I smile. “Good girl. Now, you want to know what we’re going to do about your parents?”
She nods again. “Yes please.”
I reach over, flipping my laptop back open, where her parents’ faces are frozen on the screen. Her eyes are locked on the headline, her face flashing with rage for exactly one second before it disappears again. “I don’tunderstand.”
“They’re spinning the narrative that you were kidnapped.”
Her jaw drops, and the indignation sets in. “What? No, I watched as Victor passed Father stacks of cash—”
“I know,” I soothe, my hand rubbing her thigh. Goosebumps pebble on her flesh. “But nobody but you knows that—they can tell the public whatever they want. Unfortunately for them, Ethan is going to do a deep dive into their activities. E-mails, meetings, your piece-of-shit dad won’t be able to sneeze without us knowing about it.”
She stiffens at my words, her face going pale for exactly one second before she bursts out laughing.
I’m confused.
“I’m sorry,” she laughs, wiping her eye as a tear escapes. “I’m sorry, no, I just…you called my father a piece of shit. And I…”
Well, she’s laughing, not angry, so…this is a win?
“Heisa piece of shit,” I double down, because what kind of fucking scum bag sells their own daughter?
She laughs louder, clutching her stomach. “Oh my gods. You’re right. He is! I’m gonna say it.” She tries to keep a straight face. “My father…” She giggles. “My father is a piece of shit!” The end comes out nearly a shout, and then she covers her mouth, her eyes wide as she glances at the laptop screen, like she thinks he might jump out of the screen and punish her for the slight against him.
Over my dead body.
