Claimed (Blood Ties Book 6)

“Vivienne.”

She kept walking, headed to the Raptor parked in the lot next to the building, and stopped at the passenger side door before she mumbled, “Just unlock the car, London.”

Exhaustion was etched deep in her tone, but there was something else.

Sadness. That’s what it was. My Vivienne was sad.

Agony ripped through my chest. I pressed the button, letting her climb in. I did the same, sliding in behind the wheel, but I didn’t start the engine. Not yet.

“Talk to me,” I tried, turning to her. “Please, kitten.”

I caught the shine of tears in her eyes before she averted her gaze to stare out the window instead. “It’s nothing,” she said, “just drive, please.”

My pulse boomed. My jaw clenched.

She was keeping something from me.

That thought nagged me as I leaned forward, stabbed the button, and started the engine. I cast glances her way as I pulled out of the parking lot. I should look up at the windows on the top floor of the building, focused more on the men I was keeping hostage that very moment. But I couldn’t even think about them.

Not even thoughts of Colt held my attention as I followed the marker on the GPS to a part of the city I’d never been to before. Blue water glinted in front of us, stretching out like a stunning oasis. But I barely looked at the view. Vivienne was my single focus, sitting silent in the seat beside me. Her arms wrapped around her middle like she was trying to hold on.

I’d never seen her snap like that.

Not in all the time I’d known her.

She was a fighter, a protector, and a lover.

She was the glue that kept us from sinking into this maelstrom of hate and rage, the only good thing in our goddamn miserable fucking lives. I ground my teeth and shook my head. Right now, she was changing before my eyes, turning into someone just like us, someone tainted by this goddamn world.

Someone filled with uncontrollable rage.

Just like…

Carven. That’s what this was about. I knew it’d been a bad idea letting her go with the Son.

The red marker on the map blinked, the voice commands telling us we’d arrived at our destination. I turned the wheel and pulled the four-wheel drive into a darkened driveway shrouded with what looked like a damn rainforest on the outskirts of the city. I barely had enough time to scan the towering house nestled against the canopy before she stabbed the seatbelt and was gone.

“For Christ’s sake!” I roared, punching the brakes and skidded to a stop as her feet hit the driveway.

Thud.

The door slammed behind her. She was gone, heading to the mammoth double doors at the front of the house as they opened. Helene stepped out, her focus fixed on her younger sister as I killed the engine, grabbed the large black bag in the back seat and, followed.

Helen shot me a look as I neared. “What happened?”

I just watched Vivienne disappear through the doors behind her. “Hell if I know.”

I stepped inside, barely looking at the place as I searched for her. “Vivienne?”

“Come on.” Helene strode past. “She can’t be far.”

I found her, standing in the darkened living room, staring at pictures of herself, Ryth, and Helene. The pictures were taken at different times and in different places. But standing here, staring at them, you could see they were blood.

“You never came to me.” Her words were barely audible. “All these years, you stayed away.”

“It wasn’t safe,” Helene stated.

“Oh, yeah?” Vivienne swung around, anger sparkling in her eyes. “For who, you?”

But Helene never flinched from the bite in her tone. Instead, she stepped closer. “For you.”

“Where have I heard that before?” She shot me a glare.

“You think Hale would’ve treated you like the others if he knew you were Weylen’s daughter?”

“Oh, that’s right.” Her words carried an edge of hysteria. “Tell me, where is Mr. King? I’d really like to meet him. You know, seeing as he is my blood and all. WEYLEN!” she roared, scanning the house behind us. “HEY, MR. KING! IT’S ME, YOUR FUCKING FLESH AND BLOOD!”

“Vivienne,” Helene said carefully, never once taking her eyes off her.

But Wildcat never missed a beat as she stepped past us to head deeper into the house. “DON’T YOU WANT TO MEET ME?”

“Vivienne,” Helene said once more.

My kitten spun, her hair wild. “What?”

There was a sad shake of her sister’s head. “He’s not here.”

Vivienne threw her hands into the air. “Of course he’s not. I mean, why the fuck would he be? It’s not like I’ve never laid eyes on the man.”

Helene said nothing for a second, then slowly. “How about I make us something to eat? I’ve seen you hardly peck at your food.”

In the blink of an eye, Vivienne crossed the room. Her tone was deadly as she held her sister’s gaze. “Let’s get one thing straight, shall we, sister? I’m here for Colt and only Colt. The moment we find him, I’ll expect you to fade into the background and disappear, just like you’ve always done.”

I winced at the icy tone.

“I’m sorry you feel like that,” Helene said carefully. “I hope one day you might see things differently.”

Vivienne never missed a beat as she answered coldly. “Not. Fucking. Likely.”

The sound of an engine drew my focus. I was almost relieved when Helene gave a slow nod, pulled her phone from her pocket, and touched the screen. “It seems your boyfriend is here.”

The thuds of car doors followed as Helene headed for the foyer. The moment she was gone, I stepped closer. “Vivienne.”

“What, London?” she muttered bleakly. “What more could you possibly want from me?”

I stared, dumbfounded, as the front door opened and Carven strode in, followed by Guild and Harper. All three instantly noticed the icy chill in the air. My two best friends said nothing, but Carven was never that tactful.

He glanced from me to Vivienne, then back again, only this time his face was full of anger. “What the fuck happened?”

I wished to God I knew. But I didn’t say that. I just shook my head.

“Food and fresh coffee are in the kitchen,” Helene started as the sound of cars on the driveway sounded again. “The intel room is downstairs in the basement.”

She glanced around the room. Everyone but Carven and I met her stare. There was only one woman I wanted to speak to, only one woman who held me transfixed. As Helene moved to the door to meet the rest of my team, Carven glared at me. “What the fuck went down?”

I shook my head, replaying the moment it had started. “There was an additional bodyguard, one we weren’t expecting.”

One brow rose on the son.

“He grabbed her from behind,” I continued, watching her. But there wasn’t a reaction. She stared at the floor, not once flinching, not even when I said, “But she handled it, acted like she was lowering her weapon, and shot the guy in the foot. He pushed her.”

My pulse beat harder, remembering how he’d shoved her toward that desk. It had been just a push. I lowered my gaze to her hip as the others left, following Helene toward the kitchen.

“Wildcat.” Carven took a step closer and brushed his finger along her cheek as he stared deep into her eyes. “Want to tell me what’s going on here?”

Her cheeks instantly heated as she shook her head, avoiding his stare. “Nothing. I’m just…I’m just pissed off, that’s all.”

Carven smiled. “Pissed off is good. Pissed off is something we can use. But being unhinged, that shit will blow up in your face. Feel me?”

She gave a slow nod as she slowly glanced my way. “I’m sorry.”

The words were a fist to my chest. I quickly closed the distance and brushed my thumb across her chin before tilting her gaze to mine. “You have not a goddamn thing to be sorry about. None of it. This rests entirely with me.”

Her brow creased before she shook her head. “London, no—”

But I didn’t need to hear her make excuses for me. “How about we join the others downstairs? We can plan this interception and I can show you how to move if you’re grabbed like that again.”

“Sounds like she moved just right, shooting the goddamn bastard. It was lucky I wasn’t there. I would’ve cleared that boardroom table in a second.”

He would’ve, too…but then so had my bullet, but with a lot less bloodshed.

“Coffee?” I asked as the sharp scent filled the air.

But Vivienne turned gray, shook her head, and covered her nose. “No. Jesus, no. Just water.”

I scowled, then gave a nod.

“Let’s go,” Carven muttered, scanning the house. “I want to search every inch of this goddamn place.”

I let him lead her away, watching them disappear before I headed for the others in the kitchen. Guild was waiting for me with a careful gaze. I searched, finding an empty cup placed on the counter. “What’s that look for?”

He opened his mouth, about to say something, then shook his head. “Nothing,” he muttered before he turned and headed after the others.

What the fuck was going on?

I followed, making my way down a set of steel stairs to the rooms underneath. This wasn’t just a bunker. It was an entire goddamn facility.

Harper whistled in astonishment, staring around at the same hi-tech set up we’d found in that deserted house hunting for King. This moment had been years in the making. I’d dreamed about this moment, hungered for this moment. I’d killed for this moment.

Yet as I stepped down the last stair, followed Vivienne across the massive room that spanned the entire house, and headed for the furthest point away from everyone, I couldn’t…give…two…fucks.

“Pet,” I called, following her. I surged forward and grabbed her arm. “Hey.”

She didn’t fight me. That was good…that was real good.

I was aware of the others as they gawked and asked Helene a million different questions. All except for Carven, who stood there watching us. I glanced over my shoulder, finding his stare, then turned back to her. I needed to change tactics, needed to find a way for her to talk to me.

“The balls,” I muttered.

“What?” she asked, confused.

I stepped around her to stand at her back. I was careful, so damn careful not to trigger her as I brushed my finger along her jaw and whispered against her ear. “Easy now.”

My forearm went across her throat, tight enough to drive her back against me while I grabbed her other hand. “In this position, he is as vulnerable as you are.”

She stiffened.

“If you don’t have your gun, you still have your hands.” I gently tugged her arm, urging her to reach behind, then flattened her hand over the bulge in my pants.

“I’m not giving you a hand job,” she seethed.

The thought of that set my nerves on fire. Still, I murmured, “As enticing as that sounds, pet, I’m showing you how with one hard twist, you can drop the bastard behind you to his knees.”

She clenched, gripping tightly enough to make me catch my breath. “Like this?”

“Yes,” I grunted. “Just like that.”

I tightened my hold, my senses flaring out behind me, making sure we weren’t the object of their focus as I stroked my hand down and cupped her breast. “You being pissed off at me only makes me want to fuck you even more.”

She moaned, but it wasn’t one of desire. It was one of pain. Instantly I eased my touch and stepped away. “Vivienne, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head, cupping her breasts against her chest, groaning softly. “Nothing.”

My phone vibrated in my pocket, making me curse. I yanked it free, dividing my focus between the caller ID and her. Benjamin Rossi.

Panic flared at the name, but I could see her pulling away from me. The fleeting fucking flare of amusement that she had fewer detesting thoughts was disappearing, but leaving an empty, wounded look in her eyes once more.

Fuck.

I took a step away, punching the screen. “What?”

“They have Ryth and the Bank’s boys.” Those words made my blood run cold. “Dante Ares, the Caines, and others I’m not sure of yet.”

“The Mafia? How? Why?”

“They see them as an advantage, one they can use. They know King is involved somehow, they also know The Order is splintering. So, they want to use them.”

“As fucking bait?” I forced through clenched teeth.

“Bait and weapons,” Ben said coldly as the engine of his truck roared in the background. “But we won’t let that happen. Lazarus and I are on our way to intercept them. I expect there will be lines of our own drawn tonight. I just wanted you to be ready.”

I lifted my gaze to Vivienne. “Whatever you need, all you have to do is say the word.”

“I’ll let you know as soon as we have them.”

“I appreciate that,” I answered, then hung up the call.

But I couldn’t move, for a second. My mind raced with a tornado of thoughts, all centered around her. All I could do was replay that moment in the boardroom today, the moment she hit that desk, twisting her body at the last second to hit her hip…and not her stomach.

Not her stomach.

I glanced at the way she cupped her breasts, protecting them like they were sore.

My heart hammered.

The world tilted and stood still.

Jesus.

“Problem?” Vivienne cast a careful gaze my way.

I stepped closer, holding that terrified stare. “Well, pet, that depends.” I lowered my gaze to the way she cupped her sore breasts against her chest. “Are you going to tell me when was the last time you had your period?”

She flinched, and her eyes widened.

I saw it then.

Saw the truth raging in her eyes.

She was pregnant.