Page 70 of Sinful Empire (Mount Trilogy 3)
“I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all.” My mom’s fingers tangle together in front of her as she frets. “Honey, please, just come with us. Don’t get in that car.”
V clears his throat. “I’ll protect her with my life. I swear it to you.” His deep voice sounds rusty from disuse.
Silently, I freak out. You can freaking talk, V? Are you kidding me?
My eyebrows climb toward my hairline, but I hold back the questions begging to fall from my lips.
“Who are you? Who do you work for? Have I seen you before?” My dad’s jaw tenses, his hands clenched into fists.
V goes silent again, giving me the odd thought that hearing his voice is equivalent to spotting an albino leopard in the wild. Once in a lifetime.
I meet both of my parents’ panicked stares one at a time. “Dad, stand down. Mom, I love you both. I promise I’m fine. I’m going to be safe. I’ll be in touch very soon.”
“Keira—”
My name is gruff on my dad’s lips, and I interrupt him before he can launch into whatever lecture or scolding is coming.
“I’ll see you at the distillery tomorrow morning, Dad. I’d really like to have your expertise while I sort out what the hell our next steps are. Seven Sinners was about to step up to the next level, and I refuse to back down.”
My dad’s head jerks back. “Tomorrow morning? You swear?”
I nod. “Yes. I’ll be there. Maybe you should take Mom out to dinner tonight. She has to be missing real crawfish étouffée something fierce.”
My father studies me and then V. “I’ll expect some answers soon.”
I smile, feeling ridiculously regal, even in my sling. “You’ll get them when I’m ready. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
V helps me into the back of the Maybach, and I’m thankful for the ridiculously comfortable interior. My parents stand motionless beside their car as V climbs into the driver’s seat and pulls the car away from the curb.
“So, when were you going to tell me you could actually talk? Don’t think I’m going to let this go.”
He glances up into the rearview mirror with a grunt. I laugh, the first happy sound to leave my lips in over a week.
I’m going home.
Mount
I may as well change my name to Keira, because all I’ve done for the last ten minutes is pace the living room of our suite. I tried to work, but my concentration was blown knowing she’s on her way home.
Home.
I’ve never called these rooms by that name, but with her here, everything shifted.
The lock on the outer door disengages and she steps through the threshold, her wild red hair pulled up in a messy bun on top of her head, tendrils hanging loose around her face. V nods at me from behind her and closes the door as soon as she’s all the way inside.
My wife.
My lover.
My love.
“He talks!” Keira blurts out.
I blink at her, because it’s not what I was expecting her to say first. “What?”
“V! He talked! To my parents. My dad was ready to call security, but V . . . he talked.”
A smile tugs at my lips, something only she could make happen in this moment. “He’s always been able to talk, hellion. He just chooses not to.”
