ONE MONTH LATER
RUTHLESS
As much as I wanted to keep hitting Toby’s Chicago warehouses, we had to play it smart. Keep him guessing. Let him sweat, never knowing which of his secrets we’ll rip apart next. We’re not stopping until we dismantle every damn piece of his trafficking empire. I want to bask in his destruction. Watch him scramble. Make mistakes so I can swoop in and collect him, torture him, kill him.
I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing Buck and his team rescued those women. He even surprised me with a gift: that jerk I encountered at Cruellas' dungeon, along with several other perverse bastards.
Sophie wakes up in cold sweats after coming face to face with twisted Toby. She saw the monster clearly the night we sat across from him. He tried using his creepy pretty boy charm to persuade her to come back.
After each nightmare, I hold my OL’ Lady in my arms and tell her she’s safe and right where she belongs. She curls into me, hand splayed on my chest, and finally drifts off.
I had a long night torturing the filth Buck’s team rounded up. The sound of retching pulls me from a shallow sleep, I stumble to the bathroom, still rubbing grit from my eyes. Sophie hunches over the toilet, her bonnet trailing dangerously close to the bowl. I gather the fabric in my fist as she empties her stomach.
Did she have too much to drink while I was gone last night? Could she have a stomach bug? She puts the toilet seat down, flushes, and tries to stand. I help her to the sink. I hover while she rinses her mouth out and then brushes her teeth.
“Mavis, I’m ok. You don’t have to wait for me.”
I place the back of my hand against her forehead and neck. “You don’t have a fever. I’ll send Brisa to get cough medicine.”
She places her toothbrush in the holder then turns to me. She’s silent for a beat as she stares at my bare chest. Her brown eyes flick to mine. “Ask her to grab a couple of pregnancy tests, too.”
My eyes widen and a smile lifts my lips.
“I’m late,” she says, lifting a hand. “But don’t get excited.”
Too late. In my head, I’m already racing down the highway on my Harley, yelling fuck yeah.
“You should get some rest.” Her brows lower and she pokes out that pouty lip.
“You’re pretty calm,” she says.
“I won’t get excited. I’ll wait for the results.” I thread our fingers and lead her back to bed.
Sophie laughs as she climbs under the blanket. “Yeah right.”
“Was that your first round of morning sickness?” I ask.
“No. It’s happened a few other times. I should’ve just asked Brisa to pick up the tests.”
“I’m happy you didn’t. I want to be part of everything,” I say, brushing her cheek.
She smiles and caresses my bearded jaw. “I love that.”
I kiss her lips. “Go to sleep, sweetheart.”
She does as she’s told and is out like a light in less than a minute.
I shoot a text to my assistant.
Me: Brisa, grab cough medicine and four pregnancy tests.??
Be here at ten a.m.
Brisa: OMG! Got it, boss.
I lean back against the headboard watching Sophie sleep. She has to be pregnant. I’ve fucked her all over the house. Even up against the doghouse. Not in the torture chamber though. She said she’ll never walk back in there. Wonder if she’ll change her tune once we get Toby.
Four hours later, I’m sitting on the bathroom counter, checking my company emails. Sophie had taken a few pregnancy tests, wrapped them in paper towel, and sat them aside. I set a fifteen-minute timer.
