Orchid laughs. “He talks to his car like that?” she whispers.
“It’s like his Orion.” I shrug.
“Oh, then I understand completely.”
I kiss her mouth once more. “Stay here. Keep everything locked up tight. I don’t know how long this will take, but I promise you I’ll come back to you. When I do, I’ll tell you as much or as little as you want to know, but be prepared. I’m going to handle business. After that, once the place is clear, you can come out and talk to the womenfolk. All right?”
She presses her lips together, her eyes narrowing.
“Petal, please?”
She sighs. “I can’t say no to that.”
“Good.” I can’t stop kissing her.
“Let’s go, bro.” Reeve climbs up into the cab and slams his door.
“I might kill him too, while I’m at it.”
“Don’t. I still want to hear his stories about you.” She smiles.
I groan. “Fine. We’ll be back. Sit tight.” One more kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you.” She takes a deep breath. “And thank you, Sully.”
“You don’t ever have to thank me for protecting you and the ones you love.” I hop down the steps and stride to my truck even though it pains me to walk away from her.
“Lock the door, Petal. Keep it that way.”
“Okay.” She goes inside, and I wait until I hear the lock click into place before I start up the truck.
“She’s got you by the balls, eh?”
I put the truck in gear and pull off down the driveway. “Don’t talk about my future wife like that.”
He grins and punches me in the shoulder. “That’s what I’m talking about! Let’s do some killing and then get the wedding on the road!”
I roll my eyes, but his glee is infectious. Before long I’m grinning too. Because Orchid is my future. All I have to do first is deal with her past.
22
ORCHID
Time drags on as I wait to hear from Sully. I know they have to have made it there by now. Part of me wishes I would have pushed harder to go with them, but I knew it would only be a distraction to Sully. And I didn’t want that. He needs to focus. Orion watches me pace back and forth, not even bothering to join me.
“Why hasn’t he called?” I stop pacing to ask Orion. He jumps down off the coffee table and rubs himself against my ankles, trying to soothe me. I lean down and pick him up, burying my face in his fluffy fur. He’s always had a way of comforting me, but I’m too on edge this time.
Was it selfish asking Sully to do what he went to do? In some ways it is, but I already knew by the look on his face that it would be the outcome no matter what. After he saw those marks on my skin, there was no question in my mind that my father was a dead man. That sinful side of me relished the sensation of feeling more powerful than my father for once in my life. He always said he had his God on his side. I don’t think his God is going to stop Sully.
My heart leaps when the phone Sully lefts me starts to vibrate across the kitchen island. I make a dash for it, placing Orion onto the counter before I answer.
“Sully?!”
“I’m okay, Petal.” I let out a breath as I drop into the chair.
“Everything went okay?”
He’s not rushing to tell me anything. Only to reassure me he’s fine. “Your brother is fine?”
“Only thing that can likely kill Reeve is himself.”
“Likely,” I hear Reeve agree in the background.
“I’m headed back your way, but things are handled here. I need you to stay put until I get back. You hear me?”
“There’s something you’re not telling me. How’s my mom?” She’s my first thought of why Sully might be hiding something. Whatever it is, he’s not saying. “Sully!” I snap, a fire inside of me coming alive. This one is different from the one Sully can pull from me. It’s filled with anger. Orion butts his head against my arm, trying to calm me down.
“Your mother wasn’t there. Neither was your father or Jeremiah.”
“But…” I trail off, not sure what that means. “I thought you said everything was handled at the compound.”
“It is. Now it’s a matter of who finds Jeremiah and your father first. The FBI or me.”
“But I want you to come back here.” I don’t love the idea of Jeremiah and my father being somewhere out there, but I need Sully.
“I’m coming to you. Now you stay put,” he reminds me for the tenth time now.
“What about my mom?” I ask again.
“Reeves is going to reset his—” He pauses, searching for the word he wants to use, I think. “—tools, and then we’ll hunt.”
“Okay.” I think I know what he means, but right now I just want to see him and then we can go from there.