Page 57 of A Night of Indulgence and Sloth
The man who must be Hank lets out a humorless laugh, mumbling something I can’t make out before he says, “You know he banished me after what happened with Allegiance Medical? Do you have any idea what it’s like not to be allowed back to the place you grew up?”
Allegiance Medical? Was this the piece of shit who burned down their warehouse? If he’s willing to go that far in retaliation, I can only imagine what he’s willing to do to our girl.
There’s a commotion inside, and I’m half a step from rushing to the front door when I finally see her. She looks exhausted. Her blouse is wet, and there’s dirt streaked down her face, but it’s her shivering I can’t look away from.
“No, but I guess you wouldn’t,” Hank continues, looking disgusted. “You left of your own accord, and even after you abandoned him all those years ago, he’ll still accept you with open arms. What makes you so fucking special?”
“Nothing. I’m not,” I hear Lily reassure him, but that only seems to piss him off further.
“You’re right. All you are is a pretty piece of meat we used to curry favor.” In a flash, he’s in front of her, holding the knife to her stomach, and I share one last frenzied look with Aiden.
We don’t bother waiting to see what he does next, but as we move away from the window, Hank’s words seep out into the forest. “Why don’t we find out once and for all what all the fuss is about?”
Over my fucking dead body.
Aiden rushes to the jeep where he must have seen the keys left inside because he reaches in to push the alarm button. Suddenly, the car blares to life. He ducks behind the wheel while I stay hidden in my spot at the side of the house.
“What the fuck?” Hank says before the door opens. Lily is still trapped in his hold with the knife pressed to her belly. There’s a small red spot blooming beneath it, and I fight the need to kill him. He deserves more than death for what he’s done to our woman.
He pulls her with him but doesn’t force her off the last step of the deck while he reaches inside the jeep for his keys.
She bolts barefoot into the forest, but before he can follow her, I step out from beside the house.
“Your third mistake was leaving her on the deck,” I say, startling him. He turns on me, brandishing the knife while still trying to look for Lily through the trees.
“Your second mistake was leaving your keys in the car,” Aiden taunts, standing and walking toward Hank on his other side but not bothering to turn off the alarm. It’s fucking loud and distracting, but that might just work out in our favor.
“Who the fuck are you, and what the hell are you doing on my property?” he yells, thrusting the knife toward each of us. “I’ll have you assholes arrested for trespassing!”
“Don’t you want to know what your first mistake was?” I ask, stepping forward. He swallows tightly, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the movement. With his focus on me, Aiden grabs him from behind, pressing on the pressure points on his wrist until he drops the knife.
“Your first fucking mistake,” Aiden whispers with all the ferocity of a goddamn lion as he twists Hank’s arm behind his back. “Was thinking you’d get away with kidnapping the woman we love.”
I rear back and punch the asshole in the gut, watching him collapse on the ground in a heap. Aiden lets him fall, moving toward the jeep in search of something to tie him up with, and I turn to the forest. “Lily!” I call out, hoping she’s not lost.
The car alarm turns off, but I don’t hear her calling back to me. Being held captive in a cabin with Hank was bad enough. Now she’s stuck outside in a forest she doesn’t know with night closing in. Fuck!
Just then, I hear a rustle in the trees, followed by footsteps, and I see her. Her eyes, filled with panic, almost distract me from the heavy log in her hands as she sprints toward me. “Behind you!” she yells, and I turn to find Hank on his feet, about to lunge toward Aiden.
Expecting Lily to rush into my arms, I’m shocked when she moves past me and raises the log like a weapon. “Hey! It’s me you want, isn’t it? I guess I do always win,” she challenges.
But just as he turns around, she smashes the log into the side of his face with surprising strength, knocking Hank out cold. Aiden turns to us with a pack of zip ties in his hand and a smile on his face that says he’s going to enjoy tying this piece of shit up.
“Thank fuck you’re okay.” I pull her into my arms, gripping her fiercely and never wanting to let go. Seeing her again is like getting a straight shot of oxygen after not being able to breathe properly.
Aiden approaches us after securing Hank but doesn’t touch her. “Did he hurt you?”
“Not like that, no. The rest will heal. I’m just glad you both showed up in time. Thank you. I’m sorry, I—”
Finally Aiden reaches out, gripping her face beneath his muscular hands. “You have nothing to be sorry for. But we do.”
My phone rings, vibrating in my pocket, and I step away while Aiden and Lily stare into each other’s eyes. I know Aiden won’t go on without me, and it’s not like this is exactly the place to put all of our cards on the table, but I only answer because it’s a blocked call.
“Hello.”
“Nice of you to finally pick up,” Burt all but growls. “It’s time for you and Aiden to realize who calls the shots around here. As it is, there’s so much at stake.”
I’m about to laugh, to throw it in his face that his little ploy with Hank didn’t work because Lily is safe with us and there’s no way in hell we’ll be letting her out of our sight now that she is, but I don’t get the words out.
