Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

MINA

I sank against Gianni for a few moments.

This could be the last time I got to see any of them. These few moments weren't enough. It never would be. All three of them had saved me in so many ways. They got me out of the basement and they gave me my life back. They gave me themselves and their hearts.

Now it was time for me to give back to them.

I could hardly believe that the twins were dead, they'd been so full of life.

They had to be the last. I couldn't let anyone else give up their lives for me. No matter how willing they were to sacrifice themselves. I knew all three of them would fall on their own swords for me. I loved them for it.

For so long, I hadn't thought myself capable of love, or worthy of being loved. They taught me how wrong I was. They showed me what it was to give everything and live every day to the fullest. For that, I'd always be grateful. Their love was what I'd hold on to when I was back where Kurt put me. For however much longer I lived, I'd hold on to that. It might be the only thing that kept me sane.

I pressed my ear against Gianni's chest and listened to his heart racing. I never knew anyone could have a heart as big as his. He'd contradict me, but I didn't deserve him. That was an argument we'd never get to have.

"I love you," I whispered. "All of you."

Before they could respond, I tore myself away from them and headed towards the living room.

"Mina." Reuben's whisper sounded devastated.

I had to force myself not to look back. If I did, I might change my mind.

I couldn't. People would die.

I stepped through the cased opening, into the living room.

At that moment, the lights came back on. I squinted against the glare.

Rose was in the same place she was sitting when I saw her on that phone.

How long ago was that? It felt like hours. Weeks.

It couldn't have been more than an hour.

She conveyed a dozen thoughts with her eyes. Frustration at having been taken. Anger at Kurt. Heartbreak that I'd consider giving myself up for her. Fear for me. And an insistence that she would also have offered herself in my place. She would have died for me.

All I could give her was conviction that I wouldn't let her. The world had lived without Mina DiMarco for five years. It could live without me again. It couldn't live without her.

My brothers would mourn her loss, while they went on thinking I was happily married, off in the suburbs somewhere.

They say ignorance is bliss. Never knowing what happened to me, could be theirs.

Caleb's eyes were also on me, his irritation clear. Not at me specifically, just in general. He tried so hard to be like his oldest brother, even now. He hated being bound and powerless. Just like Reuben would.

I hoped he'd find his own way at some point. He needed to step out of Reuben's shadow and be his own man. Maybe then, he'd be happy. Or at least, less unhappy.

Angelina and Enzo sat close together, their shoulders touching. Both looked as though they could shoot daggers out of their eyes if anyone touched either of them.

Angelina was as protective of Enzo as he was of her. If anyone doubted their feelings for each other, they wouldn't if they saw them like this. At least now they may get a chance at a happily ever after.

Finally, my gaze slid to Kurt. He'd lost weight since I saw him last, but he was still the same smug, hateful asshole I'd known for so long. He'd forced us to play his game and now we were at Checkmate.

Knight takes queen.

"You're looking well," he said smoothly. "Hand over all your knives." He nodded to one of his minions to step over and take them from me. "If she tries anything, kill her sister first."

Of course he'd plan for what would happen if I threw a knife and embedded it in his loathsome head. I considered doing it anyway, but several of his minions moved closer to Rose, ready to carry out his orders. I could kill him and a couple of them, but not before they got to her.

She growled in the back of her throat and gave Kurt a death glare, which he ignored. His gaze was fixed on me. Waiting for me to act.

I sighed and reached for my knives, handing them to the closest asshole, hilt end first.

I contemplated using one on myself, stabbing one into my own heart. Ending the pain before it began all over again.

If I did that, Kurt would kill everyone here. The only way they walked away from this was if I left with him. He knew I knew that. It increased his smugness level by at least double.

Asshole.

"That's all of them," I said finally.

"Make sure," Kurt ordered. He looked extremely amused at the idea of one of his men touching me, checking for any hidden weapons. I suspected he might be more amused at the thought of killing his man after he touched me, even though he'd done it on Kurt's orders. He was nothing if not fucked up.

His minion approached me carefully before quickly patting me down. "Nothing else there, sir." He stepped away from me quickly.

"Good," Kurt said. "Get a couple of cable ties and some duct tape and bind her."

The minion nodded. "Yes, boss." He hurried over to the couch to grab up both.

"In case you were wondering, Leon Graves is dead," I said. I glanced around, but saw no sign of Jase or Wade. I presumed they were in the kitchen. They might have been the ones who killed the twins. Grief flared inside me, white hot devastation, and burning hate for the hands that took their lives.

I hoped my men would catch up to them and return the favour. Long, slow and painful, preferably.

Kurt shrugged. "He outgrew his usefulness anyway. But he was helpful in bringing you back to me."

A couple of his assholes moved behind me to grab my arms and pull them behind my back. One of them held them, while the other fastened the cable tie around them.

Another tore off a long section of duct tape and raised it to my mouth. I pressed my lips together and let him stick it to my face.

"Much better," Kurt said. "I'm sure you'll agree we have a lot to catch up on. Don't worry, I'll keep plenty of my people here, to make sure no one follows us. If they try, they'll be dead too. In a few hours, we might let them go, one by one."

He walked past Rose, close enough for her to kick him. She looked like she was about to, but I shot her a warning look. I hadn't done all of this only for her to provoke him into killing her. She had to understand that. This was my choice. My sacrifice. It would be for nothing if any of them got themselves killed for me.

His minions stepped back as Kurt approached me. "I like you like this," he said. "Bound and gagged is a good look for you." He took the second cable tie and held it in his hand. "We'll leave this until you get into the car. I could have you carried, but it's much more fun to see you walk voluntarily. Knowing your place."

He turned around, smiling at everyone in the room like he was about to receive his own trophy. When he turned back, his expression was darker.

"I only have two regrets in life. One is leaving you for Reuben to find. The other was not breaking you. I won't make either mistake again. When we're done, you'll never want to be away from me again. Your biggest regret will be going with them when you did. You should have stayed there and waited for your owner to come and get you. Like the bitch you are." He pinched my chin between his thumb and forefinger. "You. Should. Have. Waited."

I looked back at him, unflinching. Maybe he could break me and maybe he'd kill me instead. I'd never give up until I provoked him to end my life. Whatever it took.

He released my chin and backhanded me across the face so hard I staggered back against his minions. Two of them grabbed me at the last moment before I fell.

Rose growled.

I shot her another warning look. I knew she was trying to be the big sister I needed, but right now I needed her to be inconspicuous. I needed her to hold her peace, for both our sakes. If Kurt killed her, it would be one step closer to him breaking me. I couldn't allow that to happen.

"We've wasted enough time here," Kurt snapped. "Let's get out of this dump. You, stay behind and kill them if they try anything." He waved a hand at several of his assholes.

They nodded and moved to stand around the couch, and the corridor where my men still stood.

"The rest of you come with me," he ordered. He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the front door of the house.

I glanced back at my sister, giving her a silent apology and trying to tell her I loved her.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Before I could turn back, a loud clang echoed through the room.

Kurt's grip on my arm loosened before his hand fell away. His eyes rolled back in his head and he started to fall to the floor.

He landed with a thud heavy enough to make me wince.

Eyes wide, I looked up from where he lay.

Terry stood with his hands around the handle of a heavy frying pan, a satisfied look on his face. He nodded to me and then actually grinned.

He must have lain in wait for Kurt before smashing him over the head with the pan.

The front door burst open and Aidan and his players poured inside. A couple of them were bleeding from what appeared to be bullet wounds in their shoulders, but they only appeared to be grazes. Not enough to slow them down or stop them from playing.

Coast Riggs was grinning like he’d never had so much fun in his life.

My guys appeared from the corridor, heading towards me at a trot. All three of them were frowning, but relieved to see me still standing. They were at least as relieved as I was to see them.

They were the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen in my life. So much so, my heart might burst out of my chest.

On the other side of the room, Daze and her guys appeared followed by?—

I blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

Hunter and Parker were right behind Ric. They were both covered in blood, but didn't seem to be badly hurt. Like the Demons centre, they were smiling like they were having the time of their lives.

Thank fuck .

I couldn't have been more grateful they were both still alive. I was so sure…

For half a second, I thought maybe I was dead and this was some kind of afterlife. But the tear that trickled down my cheek felt real enough. That was followed by another one.

"Take them all," Reuben ordered. He gestured towards Kurt's men, who were stepping back away from the couch and looking as though they were trying to find somewhere to run to. They had nowhere. One by one, they started to toss their weapons to the floor.

In moments, all of the minions were surrounded and I found myself in Reuben's arms, where I sagged and silently wept.