“I’m so sorry, Tal,” he says softly. “Watching him… That’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but… I can’t risk you dying. Not when you have so much life to live.”
“Are you sure about this?” Vaughn asks. “Soren will be pissed.”
“He can’t be pissed if he dies, so let’s give him a chance to be pissed,” I say.
“Okay,” Vaughn says with a sigh. I can tell they all hate it, but we all know it has to happen.
For a long time now, my life hasn’t been my own. I was told what to do and when to do it. I’ve been hurt in so many different ways, but this time… This time I can walk into it knowing that I put myself there. I chose this path. I have a reason to be here, and I know the way out of it.
Chapter Twenty Three
Talia
The guys have beenarguing with me all day, and I’ve reached a point where I am done listening. “You cannot just walk right into your kidnapping, Talia,” Vaughn says for the tenth time.
“I can, actually. Watch me,” I huff.
“No,” Caine objects.
I turn to him with narrowed eyes, and he frowns deeply at me. “Did you just tell me no?” I ask.
“Yes. I won’t let you.”
“That’s adorable,” I say with a dry laugh.
“It wasn’t meant to be funny, Talia. No.”
“Well, it was,” I say, gesturing to him. “Very stern. Very broody. Terrible execution. You are no Soren.”
Diego snorts from the kitchen island while Laurent tries, and fails, to hide his smile behind his coffee mug. Dad is sitting at the table watching us like he’s trying to figure out how I ended up emotionally adopted by four immortal murder gremlins in less than two months. Honestly… same.
I take another bite of my pasta, because apparently feeding me is like their new religion. If I look even the slightest bit pale, someone forces me to eat. If I blink too slowly or my hand shakes, someone threatens to pour juice down my throat. I sighed earlier, and Laurent appeared out of nowhere with a sandwich like a fucking deli ghost.
“So, what’s the plan, Bunny?” Vaughn asks.
“Don’t call me that.” I frown at him.
“Soren isn’t here to stop me.”
“No, but I am. Unlike him, I will aim for your nuts when I shoot you,” I warn him.
“Talia, sweetheart. I beg of you, please don’t get funnier while holding emotional leverage over me.”
“Too late,” I shrug.
“Plan,” Caine says, not amused by my trying to distract them.
“Well,” I say, setting my fork down. “I call Henry and tell him I’ll come back if he lets Soren go.”
“Fuck no,” Vaughn barks.
“You already used your allotment of nos,” I say.
“I have unlimited uses. Fuck. No,” he says, drawing out his words.
“You are not my mate!” I snap at him, and the room goes painfully quiet. My chest twists because that came out harsher than I meant for it to. Vaughn looks away first, his jaw tight. Diego looks very interested in his coffee, and Laurent just looks at the floor. Caine looks like he wants to punch a wall, but it hasn’t personally pissed him off enough yet, so he’s holding back.
“That wasn’t fair. I’m sorry,” I sigh.
