Page 260 of Redeemed

Her voice sounds mostly okay, but it’s a little scratchy. Pushing her hair back, I inspect her throat. The skin is a little red, but otherwise, it looks okay. Mark was trying to get her to talk, so he was probably holding back.

“I’m okay.” Haven pushes my hands away. “And I think we’ve got bigger problems on our hands right now.”

“Nothing is more important than you.” I frame her face with my hands. “Nothing, Haven.”

Her lips part, and she stares at me with so much hope in her eyes. I want to shield it—to shieldher,so I pull her against me again and hold her tight.

“He was going to put the sedative in my tea,” Haven says quietly. She squirms out of my grasp and opens the black case, revealing a small vial. “I told him I didn’t want any. I was too scared.”

My lips brush over her forehead. “Smart girl.”

“I guess the syringe was a backup plan in case he couldn’t get me to drink anything.”

Shit.I should’ve realized that already.

“That means the dosage was calculated for someone a lot smaller than Mark is. We probably don’t have much time before he wakes up.”

Haven makes a terrified sound and clutches my shirt.

“It’s all right, angel. I’m not letting him hurt you again.”

My phone fell from my pocket when Mark tackled me, so I grab it and hit one of the first people in my contacts. While it rings, I pull Haven into me again and keep my free arm banded around her waist.

“Colton? Everything all right?” Gerard asks when he picks up.

“I need you to get to my house ASAP. No lights, no sirens.”

“You got it.”

The line goes dead, and I immediately call Lucas. While my phone rings, I lean against one of the cabinets and try to catch my breath.

When Lucas answers, he sounds dead tired. “Hey. What’s up?”

I almost feel bad letting him in on what just happened, but I have to. Haven may be my wife, but she’s just as much Lucas’s and Xander’s as she’s mine.

“Mark attacked Haven.”

“What?”He’s alert now, and fucking pissed. “Is she all right?”

“I’m fine,” Haven says, and I frown at her. She’s adding more life into her voice than she has been with me. I don’t like that she’s putting up a front for him. “Colton got here just in time.”

“What did he want?” Lucas asks.

“He was angry that I wouldn’t divorce Haven. I guess he thought this was his next best move to get me back on track. That, and…”

“Andwhat,Colton?”

“He was trying to beat information out of her. Information about our plans.”

“What?She barely even knows anything.”

I rub at my face. “I know.”

“Wait. Fuck, I know this isn’t the time to ask, but did she say anything?”

“No.” My gaze falls to Haven, and despite the anger raging inside me, my heart softens toward her.

I’ll never tell you anything.It was the only thing I could clearly hear her say while I was sprinting into the kitchen. Mark was throwing her around to get information about the men who’ve tormented her for years. She could’ve told him. Should’ve, probably.

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