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Tag’s gaze softens. “I know you got attached to her when she was in your care, but she’s a McGuire, Sean. She’s not our problem.”
“Not our problem?” I close the distance and have my hand around Tag’s throat before I register I’ve moved. “I’m more thanattachedto her. I fucking love her. She’s mine and I let her gobecause you’d never let me keep her. She’s in danger because I couldn’t give her what she needed—a home and a new name.”
The surprise in Tag’s gaze would be funny if anything about this was funny—but it’s not. It’s heartbreaking that Piper was betrayed once again and that now she’s alone and scared.
“Ease up on the breath play, Sean.” Brendan’s hand is over mine as he tilts his head into my field of vision. “Choking out Tag won’t get your girl home any faster.”
“Did you have sex with her?”
Laine’s question cuts through the testosterone-infused fury filling the air and I release Tag and turn on her. “Excuse me? That’s none of your fucking business.”
She’s not the least bit intimidated by my attention. “I’m not being nosy. I’m looking for a way to help you. Mattie McGuire guaranteed that his daughter was untouched. It was a stipulation of the agreement. If the two of you were intimate, that changes things.”
I don’t know what to do with the violence wreaking on my sanity, but I try to focus. “Yes, we had sex.”
Tag curses behind me. “She’s a fucking child and was in your care.”
“She’s an adult, and it was her idea. She wanted to retake control of her life. It started out as a way to flip off her father but became more.”
“The two of you spent a week together. That’s hardly enough time to throw around the word love.”
Laine scoffs. “And how long was it before you said you loved me, Tag? You kidnapped me and claimed me as yours to protect an hour after we met and moved me into your home an hour after that.”
Tag grunts. “That was different.”
Laine shakes her head. “If her last name wasn’t McGuire, we wouldn’t be standing here. If Sean told you he fell for a girl fromthe south side who was kidnapped and at risk of being raped or killed, you’d be loading the trucks and planning a full-on rescue.”
Tag glares at his girl. “But sheisa McGuire, and the people who kidnapped her could be allies or enemies, depending how we handle this. We have to think about our family.”
“Piperismy family,” I snap, running my hand through my hair. “At least, she could be. I ignored that and tried to play by the rules, but I love her, Tag. I can’t just leave her at the mercy of the men who beat the shit out of her when she wouldn’t allow them to rape her!”
I see that he’s warring with his emotions, but I don’t have time for him to figure things out. “I’ve got to go.”
Tag curses. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do…”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Piper
By the time the deadbolt slides free and the door opens, my fear has morphed into an eerie calm and my world is buzzing with a low hum. I might be losing my mind. Either that, or maybe this is what it feels like to be homicidal.
As crazy as it sounds, I’m relieved it’s Vladmir and not Arkady that comes through the door.
Vladmir may be delusional to think I will ever be his blushing bride, but he’s mostly a scary brute and wants me to stop fighting him.
Arkady is a mean fucker who wants to hurt me.
Vladmir strides over to sit on the edge of the bed. He reaches up to my face and moves my hair to see the hamburger he made of my left cheek. “Time to get dressed. Guests are arriving.”
My brain can’t even process that. I’ve heard the trucks and the people coming and going all afternoon, and despite Vlad telling me the wedding is tonight, I didn’t think it was possible.
How can this be happening?
“I can be good friend with powerful family. My cousin says if I am happy, he is happy. Then your family is happy, too. Your father gets guns.”
“My father is a liar and a monster. You can’t believe anything he says.”
Vladmir frowns. “Last week you say your father is upstanding man and powerful businessman.”
