Page 116 of The Satyr's Guilt
She sighed before continuing her story. Thenext part was a hard lump in her stomach, a never-ending ache inher damaged heart. “I was pregnant. I lost the baby. It was a girl.She was one of the many reasons I was packing to leave. I couldnever allow a child to grow up around him. He was a monster. Ireported the incident to the Alliance. They fired him. I hired alawyer, toying with the idea of filing charges but decided againstit. I did get a restraining order, but it’s as helpful as a secondappendix.”
After the story, she did something she’dnever done. Safe in Ram’s arms, she cried for her lost child.
When she was sobbed out, Denim cleared herthroat. There was more. She didn’t want Ram to think she was avictim. She wasn’t one then and wouldn’t be one now.
“Anyway, I left the hospital, nursed mywounds, and sneaked into his motel room one night while he wasasleep. I handcuffed him to the bed, made him suck on my Beretta. Itold him if he ever broke the court order to fuck with me again, hebetter kill me. If not, I would come for him, cut off his balls,stuff them in his pants pocket, and then shoot him. I meant it. Heobeyed the order. Until this recent stuff.”
Ram remained silent.
“I never told anybody about the baby orgoing to Steven’s motel. Not even Marta. I hooked up with her SafeHaven place after a while but kept my story close to my heart.”
A tear leaked onto Ram’s chest, her cheekcaressing his silky skin.
“I’m sorry for your loss, for the holeyou’ll never fill. But you got partial payback, doll. You showedhim you’re tougher, stronger than he is.”
Ram was a man who understood Denim’seye-for-an-eye world of biblical justice. Early on, she had peggedthe satyr as someone who could break her heart. Now she was sure hecould.
Please, don’t let him.
****
Miller made a call. “Harry.It’s me, mate. Listen up. I only have a few minutes.”
He glanced at the number of another burnercell in his possession and gave it to his second atCustodesTemplii.
“Call me at that number. Give me a list ofthe next twenty burners you buy. Use each one only three or fourtimes. Then destroy it. Stay on the move.”
“Gotcha.”
“Phone each tracker. Ask if anyone in theirbloodline is missing. Not dead. Missing.”
“Why? And what do I do if they say yes?”
“We break our own sacred rule. Ask the nameof the missing. Pass it on to me.”
“Why this unprecedented action, Miller?We’re sworn not to do this. We only know our own bloodline. Wenever share our list with other trackers. How do I know you haven’tbeen compromised?”
“You don’t, but as you are aware someonetried to kidnap me. They failed.”
“Yeah. All the British Intelligence shitpaid off for you.”
“For now. Here’s the thing. I met withBraelyn James and her mate, the Scion Firebrand from Scath. Youtold me she’s one of yours. She was captured and imprisoned. Theguys who nabbed her had a jail stocked with other possibledescendants. The blokes were looking for Blood Covenoffspring.”
“Holy hell.”
“Yeah. Downright barmy. I think theFirebrands are protecting a few descendants, but they won’t sharenames with me. They want me to cough up proof first.”
“Like?”
“Like names of descendants we know aremissing. If they recognize a name, they’ll know I’m legit.”
“Then what?”
“Then they’ll identify the descendantsthey’re keeping safe. Of course, if I give them someone they don’trecognize, we’ll know the bad guys might have the person.” Millerexhaled into the phone. “This is why we were created in the firstplace, Harry. We have been warned to watch for this verysituation.”
“I get it.”
“If the trackers are missing an offspring,give me the name. I will share with Braelyn and her Firebrand.”
