Page 15 of Unfettered

“No. We’re not sacrificing you,” Hollis cuts in firmly. “Remember… Partners.”

Allesandro fucking blushes, but inclines his head. “You’re right. I’ll still handle the Robert situation, though. That can be done over the phone, or, if necessary, he can be brought to the warehouse. I certainly wouldn’t mind that.”

What. The. Fuck?! My jaw isn’t the only one that drops at Hollis’s use of partner and Allesandro blushing. But before we can get too far off base, Javi speaks up from his position. He’s still dressed all in black, which seems weird after what we’re used to seeing him in.

“If someone needs to go, it should be me. My reputation will allow me to access information that you can’t. Or, if not me, you could send Atticus.”

I still have so many questions about Javi, and now Atticus. Still, Carter is shaking his head. “If they are targeting our allies, you would be on the list.”

“No, because I’m rarely visible with all of you, and I was not associated with my cousin’s gang at all. Again, everything I did was peripheral, even more so than what I do here. I have the reputation I do for a reason, and I may as well leverage that in this instance.”

Carter looks back at me, silently asking my opinion, since it’s my sister. With a growl of frustration, I give a sharp nod. I’d rather go myself, but Javi’s right. He’s best positioned to do this, and like hell would I send Atticus.

“Very well. Go. But keep us updated. Hollis, I assume Sinclair is already on his way?”

“Of course.”

I snort quietly because, of course, when he made the suggestion, it meant it was already being done. Still, without Jenna, we need someone to rely on, and hopefully this lawyer is as good as Jenna was, though that's hard to imagine.

“Was Sarah at least able to give an update on Nario beforehand?” Antonio’s desperate voice interrupts, stopping the flurry of movement, but I watch Javi slip out.

I’m not sure if he’s uninterested in what’s happening, or is using this as an excuse for a break. Despite all his talk about us being “test subjects”, I saw his expression when Jude claimed him. It was not the look of a man who has maintained emotional distance, and fuck knows, from watching the other psychopaths fall for people, their reaction to feelings is…unpredictable.

Marcus shudders as he turns toward his best friend. Shakily, he says, “I’m sorry. I don’t have a full update.”

“But you have something,” Jude retorts flatly. It’s not a question. He’s good at picking apart what isn’t being said, and I worry for my Tease at Jude’s brutal glare.

Marcus coughs, backing up slightly from the danger Jude is emitting. “We were interrupted as she was giving an update. All she was able to tell me was that it didn’t look good.”

This time, there’s no sound. It’s as if all the air has been vacuumed out of the room. Because fuck, what the hell does that mean?

Carter clears his throat, drawing our attention back to him. “Then, for now, there’s nothing we can do. Doc picked the person that's working on Nario. We need to trust him. I’m sure we’ll have an update soon. Until then, we wait. And, of course, Javi and Allesandro are going to handle the Sarah situation.”

With that, he gestures for everyone to break. It doesn’t escape my attention that Jude heads toward Hollis, his grip on Nicolo and Antonio remaining tight. If anyone is able to get into the hospital’s system, I’d put money on Hollis or Leandro. Either way, I’m glad Carter broke things up, because I desperately need him and Tease in my arms…now.

And just as I wished for it, that’s exactly what I have. My two loves surrounding me, supporting me, and in the process, healing me. Fuck knows how it happened, but somewhere along the way, these two have become as essential to me as breathing. And I make a promise to myself that I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we’re never parted—even if that means thinking of something I never considered in the past.

We may not be able to legally wed, but a commitment ceremony? Yeah, that’s what we need. Because the rest of our lives isn’t enough for me. No, I want forever. Our three scarred souls bound together as one, transcending all else. Because I know whatever comes next, these are the two men I want beside me.

After Carter dismisses everyone, he and Marcus pull Keegan into an embrace, and I’m glad he has that distraction so I can slip out of the room and go back to taking up wall space outside the surgical room.

Lio, of course, follows me. “You should get some rest, Love,” he says softly.

I shake my head. “I can’t. Not…not until I know.” I need to be the first one to hear whether Cristian is alive or dead.

Lio wraps an arm around me, and I fall into him, letting him hold my weight. I'm trusting he can prop me up because I sure as fuck can’t do it on my own.

“You can go… I’m sure there’s a lot to do. With Dr. Ranlen being taken in, Nario in the hospital, and the fucking Senator haunting our every step… I can’t be a leader right now… I’m not sure if I ever can be if Cristian dies.”

“Don’t,” he says firmly. “Don’t say shit like that. You’re an amazing leader, Rome. Cristian will be okay. We have to trust Doc. He’s never let us down before, and we need to hold onto that.”

I begin to shake as tears run down my cheeks, my throat closing with the force of my emotions.

Lio shifts me in his arms, wrapping me up in his strong embrace. “Shhh, Love,” he soothes me. “I’m here. It’s okay.”

His words make me tremble even more because I know how hard it is for him to express these emotions. My Anima Gemella feels things deeper than people give him credit for, simply because he doesn’t always know how to express himself, or how to handle someone else’s emotions. Still, he tries, and that means more to me than anything.

Pulling away from him a little, I brush some of his hair off his face. “Thank you,” I say, or at least try to, while still crying.