Page 90 of Twisted Bonds
"And you," the agent sneers at the twin. "I brought you into this, and this is how you repay me?"
"I came into this to save lives, not become like one of the monsters we were trying to take down!" Xavier argues.
"I'm not a monster; I'm nothing like them! I was only trying to help Ryan and show her that she doesn't need to be whipped to feel good about herself." Agent Castor's face twists in disgust as he looks at my father.
Before any of us can respond, another voice beats us to it, "I like the whip."
We all turn toward the door and find Ryan leaning heavily against the frame. I rush over to her, my dad right behind me. "Baby, are you okay? You shouldn't be up." I hug her to me gently and close my eyes, savoring the feel of her in my arms once again.
"I'm okay," Ryan's voice cracks, and she sobs, "I'm so happy to see you." She brings one arm up but hisses when she tries lifting the other.
"Careful, your ribs are most likely bruised or fractured," I remind her.
"Yeah, that's what Xavier said." Ryan pulls away, but not before kissing my lips. She breaks completely when she turns toward my father, and he pulls her into his arms.
I'd be jealous if it didn't remind me more of a father-daughter reunion, like a little girl crying in her daddy's arms. This is when it really hits me. Ryan loves us both, but in two different ways. My father is her Dom, and she looks to him to help guide her, but me? I'm her lover, the one she wants to be her old self around, if that makes sense. Yes, she and my father have a sexual relationship, and there are feelings involved, but we each give her something the other cannot.
I know it's unconventional, but others make it work every day. Am I saying it will be easy to share the love of my life with my father? Absolutely not, it's fucking awkward if you ask me, but I'll do it forher—I'll do it for Ryan.
"That's disgusting," Agent Castor sneers. "You can't be serious about being with both father and son, Ryan. It's so…"
"It's so, what, asshole?" Xavier steps in front of him, cracking his knuckles like he's readying them.
"Oh, please," Castor scoffs, blood spraying from his lips. "You can't say you're happy about this, Monroe. You were over the moon about her a few months ago. What? You get a new charge and are already in love with her?"
"Don't fucking speak about Liv!" Xavier growls angrily, taking a threatening step toward him.
"Whoa. I did not see that coming." I gawk at the scene they are creating.
"Xavier—don't. He isn't worth it…" Ryan glares at her old friend and waits for Xavier to move away from him.
Why do all Ryan's friends turn on her? Well, her male friends, that is. They can't just stay friends with her; they have to fuck shit up all because they become too attached. Do they not realize they were put in the friend zone for a reason?
"So, what do you want to do about Castor?" I ask Ryan.
I'm holding her in my arms while we lay on the couch. The only way we could get her to rest is if my dad and I took turns laying with her. She doesn't want to be away from us at all, and I can't really blame her. I hope she knows that we won't allow her to be without one of us near at all times—at least for quite some time.
"I think I'll let you and Bain decide for me. I can't make this decision. Regardless of him keeping me drugged, away from my family, and touching me the way he did, he was my friend first. We have helped a lot of people together."
"But he did to you what others have done to those you're trying to help."
"He wasn't trying to sell me, Beau."
"Ryan…" I sigh.
"This is why I want you and Bain to decide. I'm in no state to make a decision concerning him, no matter how much I hate him right now," she whispers as her finger draws circles against my chest.
I dip my head as I take her chin with my fingers, and I press my lips to hers. I don't try to deepen the kiss because I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself. When I pull back, I stare into her beautiful caramel eyes and almost get lost in their golden depths.
"I need you to know that I think you are the strongest person I've ever met. I am in awe of you, Ryan. You have conquered every obstacle thrown your way, and you wear every single scar like a work of art—like it's a tattoo." I lift her wrists and kiss the bandages over her cuts.
My heart cracked when Xavier told us what she had done before she let herself fall back into the water. We almost lost her for good. If it weren't for Xavier, I would not have her in my arms.
I glance at the guy standing by the door with my father. Xavier is preparing to leave and head back to ensure Liv isn't alone for too long. I still can't believe he's the one protecting our Olive. I have a lot of questions for him about the time Ryan was with the brothers, but that can wait for another day. Something tells me we'll be seeing him again.
As much as we wanted to get Ryan back home, she needed to rest before traveling, so we waited until morning to head back. Dad called the Bureau and talked to one of the men he knew who had worked on Castor's team. Not knowing whether we could trust him or not, Ryan vouched for the guy, and it turned out he was one of the good guys.
Castor seemed pissed that this other agent was the one to come and get him. Apparently, there was bad blood between the two. I'm not sure whether to tell Ryan or not, but it looks like Brant Castor will be joining the other members of the skin trade and pedophile rings in the underground prison. It's not looking good for the former agent who put most of the prisoners inside that same prison.
