Eternal Hearts (52 page)

Derek sighed. “I did…”

Drake pulled him off the wall and slammed him back into it. “Why did you let him do that? You know what The Box does to him! It’s the only fucking thing in this world that he’s afraid of. You know what he goes through when he’s in there!”

“I know,” Derek said. “But he offered to take your punishment. He said he didn’t want you to leave Toni. He was afraid if you weren’t here that there’d be no one to protect her…he knows how much you care about her.”

Drake dropped Derek and turned around. As his beasts thrashed and clawed, he tried to rein them back in. Hurting Derek wouldn’t change the situation. “Is he in there yet?”

“He’s been in there since about Noon. I asked him if he was sure he wanted to do it, and he said yes. Then he threatened to throw me out the window when I asked again. Look, Drake, I know what happens to him when he’s in there…but he offered and Crypt accepted. And Crypt wasn’t stopping until someone was in The Box.”

Drake stared down at the carpet. As much as he wanted to take Oktober’s place, there was no way he could leave Toni. Once again, and damningly so, Oktober had been there for him when he’d needed him the most.

He turned around and glared at Derek. “I expect him to be out of that place in three months. And I swear on my life…if I hear anyone laughing about this…I’ll kill them where they stand. Organization or not, Brother or not…they die. And you know there’s nothing you can do about it. You got that?”

Derek nodded. “I’m sorry, Drake. I tried to get Crypt to change his mind, but when you popped in and saved Toni last night, after he specifically told you to stay away from her, that sealed it.”

“I felt her and I went to her. You’re never going to make me feel bad about that. But make no mistake…I know exactly what Crypt’s doing. He punished me anyway.”

Derek arched a brow. “He did?”

“I get to stay with Toni, but
Tober’s
in the worst place he could possibly be…and he’s there because of me. He’s in that God forsaken Box because he wanted more for me than he even knows how to want for himself…”

“I really am sorry, Drake,” Derek offered as he walked over and opened the door. “This isn’t how I wanted this to end for you.”

Drake folded his arms over his chest. “Make sure you pass along what I said about anyone laughing, Derek, because I meant every fucking word I said.”

***

Toni wrung her hands together as she stood in the elevator that would deposit her outside Christian’s office any moment. As much as she wanted to believe he would let her stay, she couldn’t ignore the fact that he’d made it pretty clear what would happen if she broke any of the rules.

And she’d definitely broken the rules…

When the bells chimed and the elevator doors opened, Toni was greeted with the sight of Dominic and 8-Ball standing in the foyer, talking to the man who’d thrown her sword to her.

Without thinking, she jumped into Dominic’s arms. “I’m so happy you’re all right…” She trailed off when he squeezed her so tight she thought her ribs might crack.

“I’m just
fuckin
’ glad you’re okay…”

She looked up at her brother when he finally set her back on the floor. “Did you get hurt at all?”

“Nah, just a few scratches.
Looks like you did though,” he said as he gently touched her neck.

“I got a few cuts and bruises, but I’m still alive.”

Dominic nodded. “Hey, that’s all that matters.”

Toni smiled before she turned to face the man on her left. “You’re Jayson, right?”

When he nodded, she hugged him too. “I’m really sorry I couldn’t stop her from pushing you off the roof. I tried to get there…but I wasn’t fast enough. Thank you so much…”

“It’s okay,” he said as rubbed a hand down her back. “Don’t cry for me, I’m the reason she got to you in the first place.”

Toni released her hold on him. “What do you mean?”

“No, he ain’t,” Dominic interrupted. “Don’t let him tell you that shit. He was following us to try and help us. But Stryker threatened to kill his family if he didn’t tell her what we were doing.” He turned to face Jayson. “She
fuckin
’ used you man, and we ain’t gonna hold that against you.”

Jayson slowly nodded. “I appreciate that.”

“Locke’s expecting you, Toni,” Dominic said. “Just go on in.”

“Hey! What about me?” 8-Ball whined. “Why don’t I get a hug? I’m the one who helped you get back in the city. Where’s my love?”

Toni moved to hug 8-Ball, but stopped when her brother drew back and punched him square in the jaw. “Dominic! What the hell did you do that for?”

“This fucker knew where I was and didn’t tell you. He also knew you were still alive and he didn’t tell me. I owed him one.”

“Fuck you, Dom,” 8-Ball said as he rubbed his jaw. “I only did what Clint asked, and what we all thought was best for Toni. Besides, nobody can tell you anything without you getting pissed.”

Toni pointed at her brother. “See, see, I’m not the only one who thinks you have attitude.”

“Ha, ha, you’re real funny,” Dominic said as he slapped his knee. “Don’t you have a meeting to go to?”

She blew out a sigh as she looked over at what appeared to be a brand new set of heavy French doors. Now that she was standing in front of them, she really didn’t want to go to the meeting…but going was the only way she’d find out if she was allowed to stay.

“I’ll catch you guys later,” she said as she walked over to stand in front of the doors. “Maybe…” She heard them all say something before they walked away, but the meaning of their words didn’t truly register in her mind.

Toni swallowed the lump in her throat then opened the doors, but pulled up short when she stepped in and didn’t see Christian.

“I’m over here by the windows, Miss Tutoro.”

She turned and shifted her gaze to the sparkling wall of floor to ceiling windows. Christian looked so regal and proud standing there, staring out over the vibrant Chicago skyline.

“You wanted to see me?” she asked.

He motioned to the chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”

She quickly did what he’d asked. He didn’t sound overly happy, and that couldn’t be a good thing.

“I wanted to discuss with you the results of your investigation.”

She nodded at him. “Okay. What do you want to know?”

He crossed the large room and sat down in his high back leather chair. “Are you able to provide proof that Stryker lured werewolves into my city?”

Toni sucked in a deep breath. He was going to kick her out, she could feel it. “Not really. The only proof I have is that I actually saw her with them. Thomas, Death, and Rattle were all with her at the Planetarium.”

Christian nodded, but much like the first night she’d come back, his face was like stone. “And they were also with her on the roof of The Rivers Building?”

“Yeah.
She said she sent more to kill you, and that you and Dominic were dead…” She stopped as the memory flashed through her mind and tears stung her eyes. “You might be a little rough around the edges, Christian, but I never wanted you to die…I just wanted to make sure she couldn’t hurt you. I’m sorry I broke the rules. And I’m sorry that I killed Stryker…but I swear I’ll behave. Please don’t make me go…”

“You’re sorry that you killed Stryker?”

She looked up at the sharp note of confusion in his voice. “It didn’t change anything, Christian. It didn’t bring back my family. It didn’t make me happy….well, I guess in a way it did. It made my beast happy, but that’s not something I’m proud of. And now I might lose my home again…because of her. So, yeah…I am sorry.”

“Miss Tutoro,” he paused for a long moment, but then a smile slowly spread across his face. “Under no circumstances are you losing your home. You’re being permanently accepted back into Chicago’s society, and so is your brother.”

Toni smacked her hands over her face. It was finally over. She could stay with her brother, she could stay where her friends were…and most of all…she could stay with the man she loved.

She lowered her hands when she heard Christian stand, but before she could move to do the same, his cool fingers cupped her cheek. “Thank you for being worried about me, Miss Tutoro, and thank you for the hard work you put into the investigation as well.”

“You’re welcome,” she said as she tipped her head back to look up at him. “I just didn’t want you to get…” She gasped and jumped up as the wheels in her mind ground to a halt.
“Oktober!
She hired Oktober to kill you if you were still alive tonight!”

Christian shook his head. “Oktober isn’t going to kill me, Toni. He and I discussed the matter at length early this morning, and let’s just say that neither Oktober, nor I, had any love for Natasha Stryker. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn about what he’d done to your family until after the act had been committed. And by the rules I’ve set forth for this city, there was nothing I could do aside from assuring you lived long enough to find the responsible party.”

Toni stared into his veiled blue eyes. This must have been one of those subtle word games Dominic had been ranting about. “I think you might be trying to say something without actually saying it, but I don’t think I’m very good at this game.”

“And that’s exactly why Robert adores you the way he does.”

She smiled at that. Robert must have told him what they’d talked about. “Thank you for keeping my house, Christian.”

“You’re very welcome. Now, why don’t you go back to the hotel and relax. You may stay there as long as you wish. However, I will be billing you and Drake for the broken tiles in the shower.”

She opened and closed her mouth a few times. No! He did not just say that to her. “Um, how did you…know about
that
?”

He actually laughed at her. “I live in the suite above you.”

Toni offered him the most embarrassed smile she could possibly muster then took that as the perfect moment to leave.

***

Drake paced from one side of the room to the other, not so patiently waiting for Toni to come back. For as much as he thought Christian would let her stay…he had to admit that even he wasn’t completely sure what the Lord would do.

Whether Toni had broken the rules or not, after everything that had happened, he couldn’t imagine that she wouldn’t be allowed to stay. And if Christian didn’t let her stay, then he’d…

Well, Drake wasn’t exactly sure what he’d do, but he’d damn well do something. Even if it meant paying to move every single person she cared about to another city. After all, it wasn’t like he didn’t have the cash.

When the door burst open behind him, he spun around. “Well?”

Toni stared at him for what felt like forever before her bottom lip quivered. She shook her head just before she bolted for him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Drake’s heart pounded against his ribs so hard that it almost hurt. And he couldn’t tell from her reaction whether Christian had allowed her stay or not. “Do you get to stay?”

She pulled back and smiled up at him. “I’m finally home…”

Drake blew out a long sigh of relief. After living a life full of betrayal and war, and wholeheartedly believing that was all he’d ever have, he finally had the only thing he’d ever really wanted. He’d found a woman who made him feel like more than just a killer – a woman who loved him…faults and all.

Epilogue