“I was only able to knock him out.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he yelled.
“There wasn’t time.”
“Next time, tell me when they aren’t dead. That shit is kind of important.”
“How was I supposed to know he was going to rise up right then?”
“I’m getting fucking tired of your attitude. You aren’t even supposed to be here. Rhys woke me up. You’re lucky he loves you, or I would have let them keep you for this stupid stunt. Hell, they would have probably begged me to take you back you’re such a pain in the ass.”
Broni wanted to snap back at him, instead she took out her sword, slashing it through the air at the Road Demons barreling down the hallway toward them. Adam raised his gun, firing into the men trying to overwhelm them.
“Move.” Rhys appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her, pushing her behind him. “Harlow, get her the fuck out of here.” Broni was jerked down a different hallway to a doorway that led outside and to one of the RVs.
“Get inside,” Harlow ordered.
Broni started to climb inside the huge vehicle then remembered Zandra. As she took off running to the small building, Broni heard the sound of racing motors. Dozens of bikes came toward her. She tried to run faster, knowing deep in her heart she wasn’t going to make it when suddenly Rhys was there, transporting her from the middle of the road to the RV.
“I have to get Zandra!” she argued, trying to get out.
“So help me, if you make one move, I will make you sorry. Stay here and don’t move.”
Rhys went across the street, coming back with Zandra cradled in his arms. Thrusting her inside with Broni, his fist hit the side of the RV. “Get them back to the clubhouse.”
When the door snapped closed, Broni was thrown off balance as the vehicle took off, leaving Rhys behind. Broni turned to see him running back inside the YMCA where Adam and his men were still fighting, and she prayed for their safety.
Gathering herself, she made sure Zandra was safely seated before rushing to Abby. Her blank stare told her that none of the excitement had brought her out of her daze. Sitting down next to her, Broni held her close.
“It’s going to be all right, Abby,” Broni lied to her friend, fully aware she was never going to be the same.
Chapter 28
After Broni had covered Zandra, who was lying on the small cot in the corner of Jace’s room, a whimper had her going to the bed where Abby was being checked over by Bones.
“There are no broken bones. I cleaned her lacerations. Tank’s dead?” He rose from the bed, his wireframe glasses covering studious eyes. Adam had told her Bones had been in his last year of residency when he had dropped out to ride with the Highwaymen.
“Yes, Adam shot him.”
“It’s better than he deserved.”
Broni was sure Tank was exactly where he deserved to be right now as she remembered the chill of Grimm’s presence. Hades would deal with Tank. That would give his soul the punishment that was more than justified.
“I gave her something to help her sleep.” Bones cleaned up the bloody rags, moving away from the bed.
“Will… her mind come back?”
“I don’t know. We will have to wait and see. She’s badly traumatized. Abby wasn’t over her first attack, and now this.” He shook his head. “I can say that you helped her last time, so if anyone can help her, you can.”
Broni nodded her head. “I was attacked by a group of men once.”
“I know. When—”
Broni shook her head again. “Not when I was out searching. A long time ago, I was beaten and raped. It wasn’t easy to forget.”
“I don’t imagine so. Did they get punished?”
“No. It was during a time when men were allowed to do crimes against women. But things haven’t become much better since then.” She stared down at Abby’s badly beaten face.
“No, they haven’t.”
They turned to leave the room, but Rhys was standing in the doorway.
When Broni ran to him, circling his waist, his hands gripped her sides, pushing her away. Confused, Broni stared back at him as he reached out, taking her arm.
“Bones, get Dee to stay with them.”
“All right.” Bones stared back and forth between them.
The tension in Rhys’s face did not bode well for her. He led her to their bedroom, shutting the door behind them.
“Why did you try to get Abby back on your own?”
“I knew you wouldn’t let me go in by myself, and I had to take the chance. I couldn’t bear the thought of them having her one more day.”
“Fuck, you could have been killed. You’re human now, but what about me? Did you enjoy watching me suffer when Deena was killed? Rhys is only one part of me, how do you think I would suffer with all of me in love with you!”
“You’re in love with me?” Broni’s breath caught, waiting for his answer.
“Yes! Why else would I come back to Earth? Your own mother used a promise Mother made her years ago so I could return to Earth as an immortal and still be called between both realms. Would she have done that if she had not known that I loved you?”
“No.” Broni had known about the promise, yet she had always thought that her mother was holding onto it for her own protection against Odin. She should have known better; her mother would always place her children above her own needs.
“Is that all you can say?” He was becoming irritated with her lack of response.
“I’m sorry.” Broni didn’t know what else to say.
“That’s it? Not, ‘I’m in love with you, too?’” Her proud, vain warrior looked uncertain for a moment, and Broni enjoyed it, certain it would be the last. Then her love kicked in, not wanting to see him ever doubt her feelings for him.
“Do you still love me?” he asked, uncertainty wasn’t an emotion her warrior was familiar with.
Broni firmed her lips to keep from smiling. “Warrior, loving you is not easy. You’re conceited.”
As the warrior stiffened, bracing himself with his feet apart, Broni’s eyes swept over his large, muscular body encased in black jeans and a leather jacket. His long hair was well past his collar, giving him a pagan appearance. The motorcycle boots planted firmly on the floor showed he was used to being in command, yet the look in his eyes spoke to her, saying he wasn’t as sure of himself as he appeared.
“Only a little.”
Broni raised a brow at his comeback. “A lot. You believe women are fuck-toys.”
His lips tightened at her accusation, but he remained silent.
Broni’s anger began to rise. “Are you going to stay faithful to me?”
“I will.”
“Then I will, too.”
“What?” He looked shocked.
Broni could tell the thought of her cheating had never occurred to him. She was trying to remember why she was in love with the big jerk, witnessing his stunned reaction.
“I said that I would remain faithful also. After all, I’m constantly surrounded by good-looking men. Adam is very handsome, haven’t you noticed?”
“No.”
“Well, he is. Bones isn’t bad, either, and he’s smart. I’m attracted to smart.”
“He’s not so smart.”
“Yes, he is, and he’s gentle. I like gentle.”
“I can be gentle.”
Broni looked at him skeptically.
“I can try to be gentle,” he conceded with a clenched jaw.
“Balder is very handsome, too…”
“He’s going back to Odin’s castle.”
“Since when?” Broni asked in surprise. Adam had begun to depend on Balder for searches outside the gates. Not many were brave enough to attack with both Rhys and Balder riding guard.
“Since you told me you found him handsome.”
“But I was only joking,” Broni protested.
“I didn’t think it was funny.”
“I didn’t think it was funny when Athe
na and Aphrodite told everyone what a big dick you have,” Broni snapped.
“It is,” the asshole actually gloated.
She had one of two options; she could kill him or leave the room. Broni chose the latter.
As she went to go around him, Rhys reached for her and that’s when Broni lost control.
“I don’t love you. You’re a jackass, and you’ve always been one.” With those words, Rhys picked her up, transporting her back to the tent with the furs.
Broni hit out at him, trying to get away. Her feelings were hurt. She had been playing with him, not knowing how to deal with him telling her he loved her, instead he had ruined the moment for her.