Released(Devil's Blaze MC 3)(13)

Before I can respond, Katie grabs my arm and pulls me into her, linking our arms together. I guess I’m going to the kitchen, whether I want to or not. “Explain why I put up with your ass again?” Katie asks Torch with a smile on her face.

“That’s easy,” he says. “The size of my enormous, D-I-C-K,” Torch says, spelling out the last word as he looks down at Gabby, grinning.

“Don’t flatter yourself. Your dick isn’t that big. I’ve seen bigger,” Katie huffs, pulling me through the door as Torch opens it for us.

“I think Auntie Katie needs to be reminded of how lucky she is, don’t you think, Gabby?”

“Kaydee!” Gabby calls out, still playing with Torch’s beard.

“You, dear husband, are way too proud of your dick,” Katie grumbles. “I swear he thinks he should have the fucker bronzed.” She leans down to whisper in my ear where only I can here. “And he probably should, but I’ll be damned if I’ll admit that to him; he’s already so full of himself.”

“I think Auntie Katie has a potty-mouth. I’ll have to find something large to stuff in it later to shut her up,” Torch says to Gabby like he’s talking about the latest cartoon on television.

“You two need therapy,” I laugh, taking my daughter away from Torch. “Give her to me, and if her first words have anything to do with you-know-whats, I’m coming after both of you.”

I think it’s the first real smile I’ve had in days. I follow Katie and Torch down the hall, suddenly feeling hungry. We’ve only taken a few steps before the inevitable happens though: we run into Skull. It’s much worse than I imagined, however, because not only is he there, but he’s standing with—

“Dr. Torres,” Katie growls, standing in front of me and Gabby as if to protect us. It’s sweet, and there was a time I needed it. Not now. I’m not backing away anymore. It’s amazing how much strength you find when your world is shattered.

“Sweetness, they’re not…”

“If you dare tell me that Skull and her aren’t fucking, that woman on your shirt is the only woman who will be sucking your dick,” Katie growls. I cover Gabby’s ears because I think my daughter might be hearing a little too much today. Still, even with my pain, I could almost laugh. Torch is wearing a shirt that has a woman on her knees in front of a man obviously diving down on his cock. She’s got a ball and chain on her ankle and above the picture is the caption: “Off the market”. At the bottom is another caption: “My wife makes me happy”. I never thought I’d see Torch so crazy over a woman. The fact that it’s my sister is even more surreal, but I love them together. They’re good for each other in ways Skull and I could never manage, even when it was good.

“I was going to say Skull and Beth aren’t together anymore,” Torch says, bringing me out of my thoughts. His words are like a slap across the face.

“That…”

“Katie, stop,” I tell her, walking around them to face the woman I might just hate more than anyone in the world right now. Since Matthew and Colin are still alive, that’s saying something.

“Torch is right,” Skull says, his face looking unmovable. It might be my imagination, but there’s a hint of discomfort about him. I’m glad. I want to make him uncomfortable. Maybe he’ll let me leave sooner. “We’re not together. I’m not sure we ever were,” he says, his eyes locking on mine. Okay, maybe I was wrong. He’s not uncomfortable; just a fucking asshole.

“Gabby would seem to argue with that point,” I remind him quietly.

“Mommy! Mommy!” Gabby yells, pulling on my hair.

I turn my attention to her. “That’s right, baby. Let’s go find you some food.”

I start to walk around them, and Skull stops me. “You don’t have a right to be upset.”

“I never said I was upset, Skull. Why would I be? You’re right. We’re not together, we’re nothing anymore.”

I keep my face blank, even if inside I feel like I’m dying.

“I think I’ll just go, amante,” Teena says, and I want to scratch her eyes out. I can’t stop myself—even if I should.

“Things are starting to get so clear. Tell me, doctor, when you delivered Skull’s little package to me, did you really intercept it in admissions like you said? Or did he just give it to you after you two had fun in the bedroom?”

“I…”

“I bet you knew all along who I was. Right? I mean, why else would you even think to come to me? The envelope clearly said Beth Donahue, a name I would never use. And how could I have been the only Beth in the whole hospital?”