“Torrent? You don’t think it’s Devil he wants to torture?”
“No. He hates Devil, but for him the best part of hurting Devil was what it would do to Torrent. He wants his power over her. Maybe he’s transferred his obsession with her mother to Torrent, I don’t know. I don’t want to find out.”
“Is there a chance he’ll transfer it to Rayne, Torrent’s sister?”
“You’re asking me to figure out a crazy man’s thought process, Ice. Who knows? But, I do think there’s a good chance.”
“What happens next?”
“I spend my days camped out at the church, watching for Wolf to show up again.”
“That’s the big plan?”
“You got a better one?”
“Not really, but that sounds boring as watching mud dry.”
“Have you watched mud dry?”
“Nope, it’d be boring, that’s my point.”
“You’re goofy as hell, Ellie, but damn if I don’t like it.”
“Whatever. You still shouldn’t kill Wolf when you get your hands on him.”
“What would you suggest I do with him, then?” I ask, watching her closely.
“Hold him hostage,” she says and I have to admit, she shocks the hell out of me with that answer.
“Hold him hostage?” I laugh.
“Yep,” she says, shaking her head firmly once, as if to back up her words.
“Ice, who in the fuck am I going to hold him hostage for? No one is going to pay to save this sorry piece of shit.”
“Oh my God, Liam! I don’t remember you being so dense when we were together. I’m saying that you should capture him, put a big red bow on him, then give him to Devil as a Christmas present.”
“I can’t…A Christmas present?”
“Yes, a very much alive one.”
“Ellie—”
“That’s one gift that I know Devil will love.”
“You get that if I do that, Devil’s just going to kill him, Ice? You won’t be saving his life.”
“Gee, you think? I didn’t say he didn’t need to die. I just think that if he does, it should be Devil’s right to do the deed.”
“You’re sounding awful blood-thirsty for a woman who ended our marriage because I left to kill someone, Ice,” I mumble, confused as hell, admitting to myself that she’s right about what I should do with Wolf. Diesel means well, but in this…he’s wrong.
“You weren’t going to just kill anyone, Liam. You were going to end the life of Ryan’s mother. That’s a completely different situation.”
“She still needed to die, Ice.”
“I can’t agree with you on that.”
“Remind me to tell you what that bitch did to Ryan and Rory someday soon, Ice.”
“You can, but it won’t change my opinion. She might have been crap, but she was still Ryan’s mother. She deserved the chance to pull her life together and be a good Mom to her son. The court would have given Diesel custody…”
“Diesel had custody, Ice. But someone that’s evil clean through is nothing but a starved animal, searching for something to fill their emptiness. They don’t pay attention to rules and laws. You’re dreaming if you think they do.”
“I don’t think it will ever happen, but what if I fell victim to addiction, Liam? Would you end me to protect our child?”
“That would never happen, Ice, and you know it. You’re too strong to let addiction rule your world.”
“Addiction can happen to anyone. Play devil’s advocate for a minute. Tell me what you would do.”
“You really want to do this shit right now?” I ask her, annoyed at her line of questioning. It’s stupid. I really don’t want to waste my time on this shit. I’d rather spend it enjoying her.
“I want to know. What would you do?”
“Fine, I’d lock your ass in rehab until you got clean. If you refused to go, I’d lock you in the basement and fight your withdrawals with you. Either way, I’d get you back, Ice. It’s a moot point, however, because you’re not addicted to anything but my dick. Now, let’s move on.”
“You mean that, don’t you? You’d stay by my side, even with that between us.”
“Ellie, I told you nothing can separate us, but you.”
“I’ve been so stupid…”
“Ellie…”
“What you do, the things you’re called on to do, Liam…they still scare the crap out of me.”
“Ellie—”
“But, I’ve been without you all this time and I’ve been miserable. I didn’t even know how miserable until you showed up and I was around you again.”
“Ellie—”
“I was wrong, Liam. I should have waited and talked with you. I should have given us a chance to work through my fears and I didn’t…”
“Does this mean you’re coming back to me, Ellie?” I ask her, my heart squeezing tightly in my chest. I need her to say yes. I’m not letting her get away from me again, but it sure as hell would make things a lot easier if she admits she belongs with me sooner rather than later.
“There are still things we need to work through. Can we take time to do that? You’ll be here in Arizona anyway, right? Can you give that to me, Liam?”