Without a Hitch(111)
“Ugh. I promise.”
Christine rolls her eyes but retreats to the other side of the room to stand with Paul. It’s a silent face-off, one I’m all too happy to break.
“Do you even care about the people you hurt?”
“If you’re here to throw a Care Bear at me or some shit, you can just leave. I’m not interested in a therapy session.”
“And yet you need one more than anyone I’ve ever known,” Kitty remarks dryly.
“Oh, boo-hoo. Is the old lady sad that her husband didn’t love her? That none of her husbands have ever loved her?”
Jesus, this woman is the worst kind of evil. “You’re a wicked, disgusting excuse for a human being, you pathetic, giant turd. I’m done with this. Lochlan had a plan, but I’m not as nice as he is. I want to watch you rot, in a cell, for all the crimes you’ve committed while yielding love like a weapon.”
She flinches but recovers quickly. I probably would have missed it if I’d blinked, but the rage shooting from my eyeholes won’t allow a blink. Instead, I turn to Kitty for approval. When she nods, I go in for the kill.
“Douglas Candor. Elizabeth Riggles.” Paul takes a step back, and Christine’s face goes ashen as I list their aliases. “Mike Ridgeport. Should I continue?”
“What do you want?” Paul trips over himself, backing into a corner.
“Shut up, Paul.”
“At first, I wanted to make a deal. But now, I just want to watch you go down. I’ll find a way to make sure all those people you’re screwing over still have the wedding of their dreams, but watching you get an orange jumpsuit will be so much more gratifying than anything I’ve ever done in my life.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I, though?” I turn to Kitty. “Is there anything you’d like to add before the ball drops?”
“Not to them. But to you, I’d like to say I’ve never been prouder to have a daughter-in-law in my life. You, my dear girl, are spectacular. Carry on.”
Tears burn the corners of my eyes. She called me daughter-in-law.
“Ah, Tilly? Focus.” Colton nudges me along.
“Oh, right. What was the code word, Colton?”
“Who let the dogs out?” He laughs. “Nah, it was something much more original and not at all plain.” He winks, and I watch with delight as Christine darts for the door only to be thwarted by lumberjack Blake.
“Original and not at all wallflower-ish,” Nova grins. “Say it, girl.”
“Badass bridesmaids bring down the house,” I call.
Colton, Preston, and Blake usher us against the wall as the door bursts open, and within seconds, we’re swarmed by the FBI.
“Should I be concerned that my boss and brother-in-law have the FBI in their back pockets?”
Colton winks. “Nah, it’s not us. Our brother Ashton is the genius in our family. He’s also ex-special ops. We’re just the pretty faces with the big muscles.”
Blake groans and pushes off the wall. “You all good?” he asks, staring at me like he can see into my soul.
“Yeah, I’m good. Are you going to go see Lochlan?”
“No. I’m going back to my island. I fucking hate peopling.”
Colton tackle hugs him. “Don’t be a stranger, asshat.”
A shriek has us all turning in time to watch Christine get escorted out in handcuffs and chains. I’m shocked to realize it isn’t as fun as I thought it would be. My heart actually hurts. Not for her, but for the person she could have been and for what happened in her life that caused her to turn out like this.
“Don’t do it, Tilly. Not everyone can be redeemed. Sometimes, you just have to let them go,”
Kitty says sagely. She wraps me in a hug and kisses my cheek. “I meant what I said. It may not happen today or tomorrow, but my son loves you. You’re ours to keep now. Come on, let’s get back to the hospital before Lochlan burns the place down looking for you.”
“Thank you, Kitty.”
“No, thank you, my dear. You brought my son back to the land of the loving, and for that, I’m forever in your debt.”
C HAPTE R 44
LOCHLAN
J ust when I think I’ve hit the pinnacle of my rage, Colton drops another detail of their outing today.
“Then Blake lifted her up over his shoulder, and she kept clawing away like she was going to rip them limb from limb.”
Okay, yes. A large part of me is impressed that Blake left Block Island for me, but that’s not overshadowed by the fact that my mother, sister, and the woman I love were put in a potentially dangerous situation I should have handled.
“She never should have been there,” I roar and immediately regret it. My raw throat burns in protest, but it adds fuel to my anger.
“Hey.” Tilly stands with hands fisted on her deliciously sinful hips and a pissed-off expression on her face. “This was my idea, lover. Mine. I was not about to let that twatsicle get away with what she did to you. If they weren’t there, I would have found a way to do it on my own, so you can get those protective, caveman-ish, outdated thoughts right out of your handsome skull.”
My body calms, watching Tilly take control. She excels working in the background, but my girl was born to shine. My neck finally relaxes enough to rest against the pillow, and I smile at my girl, my partner.