Revelation (The Protectors 7)

He loved me.

I’d known it from his touch, but the words still made everything right in my world. No matter what happened over the next few days and weeks, in this moment, my world was perfect. And it would be that way as long as I had this man with me.

I knew that without a shadow of a doubt.

I kissed Cain’s temple as I said, “You know what’s next, right?”

Cain chuckled against me. “Shower,” he said tiredly.

I made a move to get up as I said, “I can always take it by myself.” As predicted, he shook his head and kissed me hard.

“Not on your life,” he muttered. And then to my surprise, he was lifting me by the backs of the thighs. I instinctively locked my legs around his waist.

“I’m too heavy,” I insisted, but he just kissed me again which took talent since he’d started walking us both towards the bathroom.

“Never,” was all he said and then I shut up because I had a lot more important things to do to my man then argue with him.

Chapter Nineteen

Cain

“No Eric, don’t please. I’m sorry.”

Ethan’s whispered words while he slept had me tightening my arms around him. “Shhh, baby, you’re safe,” I murmured to him as I dropped a kiss to his head. He snuggled against my chest and sighed. The sleep-laden sound of my name falling from his lips should have made me smile.

It didn’t.

I couldn’t smile. Couldn’t eat. Couldn’t think.

Because I was still stuck in that room watching my mother pledge herself to the man who’d finally managed to take everything from me.

The whole thing seemed to have happened in slow motion, but I still hadn’t seen it coming. No, I hadn’t been foolish enough to think my mother would somehow miraculously convince my father to give himself up, but I hadn’t seen what was coming until it had been too late.

Until I’d heard the finality of my father’s tone.

Ethan had known. He’d had his hand on my back through the entire ordeal and I’d felt him dig his fingers into me at the exact moment my father had told my mother he’d just wanted to be with her.

Right before she’d taken the blame for everything on herself.

Yeah, Ethan had known.

Because he’d lived that life.

I remembered his declaration in the cabin that Eric would kill him. He’d had no doubt about it, had accepted it even. But unlike my mother, he’d fought back anyway. He hadn’t waited until it was too late to take a stand.

But it didn’t change the facts.

I knew now that Ethan had been right that night when he’d told me Eric would end his life. I hadn’t understood that at the time.

But I got it now.

My phone vibrating on the nightstand caught my attention. I reached for it and scanned the text that had popped up.

Phone’s fixed.

My insides tightened, but before I could respond to Vincent, another text appeared along with an attachment.

Lucy’s video.

I carefully eased Ethan onto his back. He eventually released me and rolled onto his side away from me, but he still had ahold of my hand. I let him hold onto it for a minute until he relaxed his grip enough to let me slide it free. I went to the bathroom and shut the door and left the light off as I woke my phone up and opened the video. I turned the sound down low enough so I could still hear, but that it wouldn’t carry.

I hit play and waited. The video started and while the image was jerky at first, the sound was clear enough.

“You think I don’t know about your dirty little secret, Eric?” a woman’s shrill voice yelled.

The image stilled and I could see a woman wearing an expensive-looking dressing robe standing just in front of a railing in what looked like an ornate hallway.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Patricia!” Eric snapped.

The guy was huge. My height and built like a brick wall. Definitely someone who spent a lot of time at the gym. I focused in on his meaty fists.

Ethan wouldn’t have stood a chance against him.

“I hired a PI!” she screamed. “He saw you with some guy from your gym, Eric. In your car! You going to tell me he just fell asleep with his head in your lap?” the woman sneered.

“Watch yourself, Patricia,” Eric warned, his face going dark as he eyed the woman.

“Get your shit and get out! And if you know what’s good for you, don’t contest the divorce or I’ll make sure everyone knows the truth about their hero!” The last word was said with pure venom. I didn’t miss the fact that the woman’s words were slurred or that she looked unsteady on her feet.

“Listen to me you little cunt,” Eric snarled as he grabbed her by the throat and yanked her to him. “I’m done putting up with your shit. You think you’re so much better than me?” he asked. “You think you can hide behind your daddy’s money? You think that gives you the right to treat me like I’m nothing?”