Their Virgin Mistress (Masters of Ménage #7)(114)

       
         
       
        

"I'll set up outside." Rory nodded toward the door. "There's got to be someplace with a view of the bedroom. If I can take her out, I will."

Two of the security guards were already striding toward them. Rory caught up with them and began talking.

They had very little time. Oliver rather thought the guards would try to take over. "Let's go. If they understand what's happening, they might try to hide us somewhere safe until they have the situation under control. I don't trust anyone but us to squelch it. You must talk Thea down."

They started toward the stairs, jogging beside each other.

"Mr. Thurston-Hughes," the guard from the front of the house called out. "We have a situation. I need you and your brother to come with me."

"Take care of Claire. We'll be down in a moment," he said to the guard nearest him, hoping the sentry would comply.

Claire helped out. She gave a little sigh, then winked Oliver's way before going into an absolutely perfect swoon. The guard caught her before she hit the floor.

Clever girl. The man wouldn't leave her now.

Callum picked up the pace. "I'll never forgive myself if something happens to Tori. This is all my fault."

"Don't. That's exactly the type of thinking that cost us months with her," Oliver argued. "You didn't ask for Thea to go off her rocker. You didn't ask for her to drag your name through the mud. I've been there and I've finally figured out that guilt helps nothing. We go in there and we do anything we need to do to save our wife. I mean anything."

"I'll do whatever it takes." Callum stared at the door.

"Stay calm. We'll enter and act as if we don't know anything is wrong. If Thea isn't there and Tori is waiting alone, we pick her up and run like hell and let the guards search the house."

"She's naked. If she's alone, she's naked. I ordered her … " Callum took a deep breath, clearly shoving down his fear.

At least Callum was a damn fine listener. He'd obviously pushed aside his guilt. They had no use for it.

As Oliver and his brother approached the door, he prayed he would have the chance to carry his naked wife kicking and screaming out of the house. They'd get a robe on her once they reached safety, but he wouldn't risk her life for anything.

"This isn't going to work." Tori's voice floated through the door, thready and thin. Afraid.

Shit. Oliver looked to his brother. Callum had paled, but he knocked on the door after clearing the fear from his face. Oliver tried to do the same.

"Tori, Oliver and I need to talk to you about Thea. Are you decent?" Callum asked. 

After a long pause, Tori spoke. No doubt, Thea was forcing her to speak, maybe at gunpoint. The idea made Oliver's fists clench. "What about her?"

"I've been thinking, and I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. She's carrying my child."

Oliver could see how hard it was for his brother to say the words. He rested a soothing hand on Callum's back. Surely Tori wouldn't believe him.

"You said she wasn't. You promised me the baby wasn't yours." Her voice sounded ragged, desperate.

Callum's eyes closed, his hand on the door as though he could connect with her, make her believe. "I lied. She's the mother of my child. I've been with you because my brothers pressured me into it. I'm so sorry, but knowing she was here today and that you all kept me from seeing her, it made me change my mind."

He heard Tori cry out, heard her bite back a sob.

"You're a bastard, Callum." Her voice shook.

"I know," he said hollowly. "I need to find her. Can I come in? I need to pack a bag. I'm going to stay with her from now on."

"Yes," came the tense reply.

Callum glanced over and Oliver nodded, then whispered. "We go in slowly. Try to get her to the big window. I left all the windows open this afternoon because it's so warm, but the one on the right is likely where Rory will set up."

Callum nodded, then turned the doorknob.

Oliver caught his breath. Tori was standing in the middle of the room, her hands raised in the air. Obviously, she was terrified and shaking. Thea was standing behind her, using her as a shield.

"Callum?" Thea said, glancing over Tori's shoulder. "Did you mean it?"

Yes, he saw the crazy eyes Callum had talked about. Thea was staring at Callum as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, certainly not like she was holding a gun to his wife's back.

Callum raised his hands, clearly trying to go for the non-threatening route. "What are you doing here, Thea? I was going to come looking for you."