by Beth Abbott
As Marta gasped her final breaths, Luciana turned to stare at Jesus.
“I want to know who is responsible for my father’s death.” She hissed. “I want to know his name, his address, and the names of anyone he loves.”
“Of course, sister.” Jesus nodded, heading for the door.
“Nobody else is to touch them.” She snarled. “I will take care of them myself!”
She watched as Jesus’ men picked Marta up and carried her from the room.
It was strange, but she didn’t feel in the slightest bit horny anymore!
Chapter 10 –Gregor
As Gregor waited for the gates to open to allow access to Tuck’s property, he could feel the tension rolling off Tulli in waves.
When the packages had arrived from the department store a couple of hours before, Marcy had delivered everything to the room the three sisters shared, and had stayed with them, while they inspected her purchases.
Gregor figured it was the closest thing to fun ‘girl time’ that Tulli and Lara would have known in a very long time, so he stayed in his office, well clear of the occasional burst of laughter. That was one party he had no intention of crashing!
Two hours later, Marcy had returned to the kitchen with a big grin on her face.
“Tulli and Lara liked your choices, I take it?” He’d tried to sound casual, but he was feeling anything but. For some strange reason it mattered to him that Tulli was happy about what Marcy had bought.
“They did.” Marcy had nodded. “I think Tulli was worried that I would be buying a truck load of clothes with designer labels and price tags that she’d never be able to afford to reimburse you for.”
“You didn’t, did you? Buy designer labels, I mean.” He’d winced, hearing how bad that might sound. “It’s just that when I thought I was paying, you could have spent whatever it cost. But now that Tulli has insisted on paying, the cost is somewhat more relevant.”
“Tulli and her sisters are lovely young ladies, but they’re grounded and sensible. Like they’ve been raised right.” Marcy shook her head. “I knew they’d never be comfortable in an outfit that cost more than a month’s rent on a family home. No, I got them some nice stuff, but with a modest price tag. I believe Tulli was very happy with my selections.”
“Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Gregor had grinned at her. “I think it’s been too long since they were actually happy about anything.”
“It was my pleasure.” She smiled. “And just so you know the arrangements, I agreed to stay with Lara and Mischa while you and Tulli go over to Mr Tucker’s place. If you don’t need him to drive, Dmitri said he’d stay here as well, in case there’s anything we need for little Mischa.”
“No, that’s fine. I have no plans to drink this evening, so I’m happy to drive myself.” Gregor nodded. “Did Tulli seem anxious about going out?”
Marcy had seemed amused.
“Only about which outfit she should wear.”
“What did you tell her?” Gregor understood how wearing the right clothes could affect how comfortable you felt around other people.
“I told her that Dr Sara led us to believe it was an informal family gathering, so a pair of jeans and a pretty top seemed to be a good choice.” Marcy explained.
“Definitely a good choice.” Gregor had wondered when the last time was he’d worn jeans…
As the gate slid back and the security guards came into view, Gregor edged the car forward, giving them a wave.
He liked Tuck’s house, and thought the grounds were very reminiscent of his own property. Although, from what he’d learned, Tuck had some of the best security he’d come across, not least because the property had previously belonged to some disgraced politician or other.
“Oh, my goodness.” Tulli breathed, as she caught a glimpse of the house. “It’s lovely.”
Gregor smiled. Tuck’s house wasn’t as large as his own, but it had a lot of character, and judging by the number of vehicles parked outside, it was going to have a lot of occupants as well!
“There are going to be quite a few people here this evening.” He reminded her. “But most of the men you will have already seen, as they were in Colombia on the rescue mission.”
He watched as she rubbed her palms down the front of her new jeans.
“That’s fine. In fact, I’ll be glad to have the chance to thank them.” Tulli nodded, obviously digging deep to find the courage to face everyone. “I would very much like to thank Mr Tucker. Without him and his soldiers, you wouldn’t have been able to rescue your daughter, and we would still be in that shack.”
Gregor smiled.
“Very true.” He agreed. “But I think you’ll find that the people who rescued you, with the exception of Alex and his Marine team, while they were all formerly in the military, they now just refer to themselves as a family. The Alpha-Stalwart family, named after the two companies they formed. They’re a formidable bunch, but funny and caring, and decent, too. I think you’ll like them.”
“Then I can’t wait to meet them all.” Tulli sat a little straighter. “I remember a few of them, from Colombia, but with all the black clothing and painted faces in the darkness, I’m not sure I could recognise anyone.”
Gregor pulled the car off to the side to avoid blocking anyone in, and cut the engine. He was out of the car and around to Tulli’s door before she had even taken her seatbelt off.
He pulled the door open and reached forward to help her out.
With her auburn hair freshly washed, falling in waves over her shoulder, and wearing the jade green blouse she’d paired with her new jeans, she looked lovely.
He offered her his hand, and when she stepped from the car, Tulli was blushing, which gave her an extra glow.
If it wasn’t for the dark circles under her eyes that he knew were hidden beneath the make-up that Marcy had lent her, and the fact that she was maybe thirty pounds below her ideal weight, one would be forgiven for forgetting that she had just gone through six months of hell.
Gregor stepped around her and pushed the car door closed, noticing the way she was nervously twisting her fingers together. He stepped forward, and gallantly offered her his arm.
“Shall we?” He smiled down at her.
Tulli nodded slightly and followed his lead, slipping her hand through the crook of his elbow.
Her fingers on his arm seemed so fragile, and Gregor felt a lump in his throat, and a strangely protective feeling washed over him.
Tulli wasn’t particularly small, at maybe five feet six or seven, but she looked like a strong gust of wind would blow her away.
He suddenly wondered whether bringing her to Tuck’s was such a good idea after all.
The Alpha-Stalwart men were intimidating even to him, albeit they were a great bunch. How Tulli would react to seeing them in the flesh was anyone’s guess.
As they approached the front door, it flew open and a couple of kids ran out.
A boy of about five or six skidded to a halt in front of her. He had dark skin and seriously curly hair, suggesting an African American heritage, maybe? But those vivid blue eyes stunned them both.
“Oh.” He looked slightly crest-fallen. “We thought you were Aunt Bella and Uncle Brandon.”
Gregor chuckled.
“No, sorry.” He glanced at the other kids hovering by the door. “We’re here to meet with Tuck and Candy. Are they inside, maybe?”
“Yep.” The blue-eyed boy grinned. “I can show you the way.”
The kid made a big deal of herding the other kids back into the house as he led Gregor and Tulli into the hallway.
“They’re through this way, with my mom and dad and everyone.” He glanced back to make sure they were still following. “I’m Baxter.”
“It’s lovely to meet you, Baxter.” Tulli said quietly, and the boy blushed.
The noise got louder as they reached what was obviously the kitchen, and Baxter pointed towards a huddle by the stove.
“Candy is there, with my mom, and I think Tuck was getting the BBQ put away.” He explained, before turning and departing the kitchen with his little friends.
“That he was, but now he’s finished.” Gregor glanced up to see Tuck stepping in through the French doors, his hands full of cooking utensils and plates. He dropped them on the worktop next to the sink, and grabbed a cloth to wipe his hands clean.
“Gregor, it’s so good to see you.” He grinned, offering his hand for a hearty shake.
“Tuck, can I formally introduce you to Tulli Mazur.” Gregor placed an arm around Tulli’s shoulder, and squeezed gently. “Tulli, this is our host, Ryan Tucker. You didn’t get to meet him at the hospital.”
“It’s genuinely a pleasure to meet you, Tulli.” Tuck smiled at her without offering her a hand, or trying to touch her in any way. “We’re glad you felt able to come and visit with us this evening.”
“Tulli?” Gregor turned to see Tuck’s wife approaching with the woman Baxter had identified as his mother.
“Candy. It’s so good to see you.” Tulli’s smile lit up the room. “How is Alex? Is he alright?”
“He’s just fine.” Candy reassured her. “We were visiting with him most of the afternoon, but with Sophia giving him such good care, we didn’t seem to be needed. We ducked out about an hour ago.”
She grinned at Gregor and he couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
Yes, he’d also noticed the way his daughter and Candy’s son had become very attached to each other. And no, he didn’t have any objection to it, not only because Alex seemed like a fine young man, but because it wasn’t his place to interfere in his daughter’s life. Well, no more than absolutely necessary, anyway.
“Tulli, I’d like you to meet a friend of ours, Abbey Kenny.” Candy smiled, turning towards a very pregnant, younger woman. “She was the one who found the placements in Colombia for all the women that were held captive with you. They all arrived safely yesterday, and, you’ll be glad to hear, are already receiving the proper care.”
Tulli’s smile faded a little, and Gregor rubbed his thumb across her shoulder. If she’d noticed he hadn’t removed his arm, she gave no sign.
“Thank you for doing that, Mrs Kenny.” She nodded. “It will be so greatly appreciated. Those poor women have been through hell. You have no idea.”
“Abbey knows more about what you went through than you could imagine.” Candy said quietly.
Gregor watched the woman step forward, her stunning blue eyes a match for her son’s, and her long curls also giving evidence of her heritage.
“I do know exactly what you’ve been through Tulli, because I’ve been in a very similar situation myself.” She took Tulli’s hand in both of hers and stared Tulli straight in the eye. “If you ever need someone to talk to, I would be more than happy to listen. And if you want to know how easy it is to move to the next chapter of your life, I can tell you about that, too. I’ve lived through it.”
Tulli held Abbey’s gaze.
“You went through what I went through?” She said, almost in disbelief.
“I was drugged and kidnapped, and held by sex-traffickers for more than three years.” Abbey said quietly. “The only difference was that while you were held in Colombia, my ordeal happened in London, not a few miles from where I lived and was raised.”
Gregor stood listening to the beautiful woman, stunned into silence at the notion that she could have been a victim, the same way that Tulli had been.
“How long ago?” Tulli whispered.
“I escaped a little over three years ago.” Abbey smiled. “Although sometimes it feels like it was a lifetime ago.”
Gregor tried to keep his facial expression neutral as he pieced together that her son must have been born in captivity.
“If you would be so kind, I would love for you to visit my sisters and I, so we can talk to you about our mutual experiences.” Tulli nodded, glancing up at Gregor. “If that’s Ok with you?”
“That’s absolutely fine with me.” He smiled reassuringly. “Abbey can visit as often as she likes.”
“Could… could I just ask you… was there any one thing that helped you overcome what happened to you?” Tulli whispered.
Abbey smiled.
“Not one, but four things. And not actually things, but people.” She blushed. “Baxter was my driving force, and the reason I managed to escape. I had to get him to safety. Then there was my husband, Jordan. I met him a couple of days after my escape, and he became my hero, saviour and superman, all within days of meeting him.”
Tulli smiled, and Gregor wondered what it might be like to have a woman talk about him that way.
“And then there was Hannah. She’s around here somewhere.” Abbey glanced around, obviously not finding what she was looking for. “She’s also had some experience of what we’ve been through, but I’ll leave Hannah to tell you her story. She helped me get retribution on the men who kidnapped me, in the way that hurt them most. She stole their money!”
“She what?” Gregor asked, not sure that he’d heard Abbey properly.
“Hannah is a computer genius. Seriously!” Tuck nodded. “Abbey just happened to have in her possession, the bank details of all the accounts the traffickers hid their money in. So, with the backing of the UK intelligence services and a few senior people in government, Hannah hacked the accounts and removed hundreds of millions of pounds.”
“Wow.” Tulli breathed. “I can see how that would make you feel a lot better.”
“You have no idea!” Abbey chuckled. “Anyway, the fourth person who got me through it all, and possibly the most important one that you should know about, is Drew Dixon. He’s part of the Alpha side of the family, and served with the other guys. But since they came out of the military, he works on rehabilitation, whether it’s physio, or helping people with psychological issues. He’s a great counsellor, and someone you can really talk to.”
Tulli nodded.
“I think both Lara and I should speak to a counsellor.” She agreed. “Mischa too, once she’s well enough.”
“I’m afraid it’s going to be days at least before anyone will be speaking to Drew.” Tuck shook his head. “He was the other guy who got shot on the mission. He’s through surgery and will be fit and well in no time, but for now, he’s got a lot of his own recovery to get through.”
Tulli put her hand to her mouth and let out a little sob.
“He was hurt because he was carrying Mischa. As was Alex.” She looked grief stricken, and there was nothing Gregor could say to comfort her.
“They were hurt doing their job.” Candy insisted. “And would probably have been hurt whether you had been there or not. There were more than enough people needed helping, and they could just as easily have been helping someone else, so you cannot take any blame for what happened.”
“No, you can’t.” Abbey echoed. “Everyone that was in Colombia was down there for a reason. And that reason wasn’t you.”
“If anyone is to blame, Tulli, it’s me.” Gregor finally said the words that had been rumbling around in his head since this whole mess had started. “I wasn’t firm enough with Sophia when I could’ve stopped her going to Colombia in the first place. As a result, Alex was sent down there with his team, and then I asked Tuck to send his friends to track them down, knowing that they would do it because of Alex’s connection to him.”
“Well, that’s a crock of shit if ever I heard one!”
Gregor’s head spun around at the deep voice coming from just inside the back door.
Tuck snorted.
“Tulli… meet Danny Simons, husband of Hannah, who we were telling you about earlier… the computer genius.” He explained.
Gregor felt Tulli shrink back at the sheer size of the guy filling the doorway, and recalled that Danny wasn’t even the biggest of the Alpha-Stalwart men.
“Pleased to meet you, sweetheart.” Danny grinned, and his whole face changed as the scowl vanished. He turned ba
ck to Gregor. “But as I was saying… I think you taking responsibility, claiming you should have stopped Sophia, is just a heap of crap. Have you met your daughter? You could probably no more stop her doing what she wanted, than you could stop the tide coming up the beach at Bournemouth! The girl is a force of nature, and you should be proud of her for it.”
“She’s gonna need to be a force of nature if she’s gonna be spending time around the Alpha-Stalwart family.”
The female voice seemed to be coming through Danny’s body, and then all of a sudden, two hands appeared at his waist as some major force pushed him to one side.
“Let me past, you big oaf!”
The man stepped aside, and Gregor watched as a young woman walked around him, getting no more than two feet beyond Danny, when he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back against him.
“Tulli… this is Hannah, Danny’s long-suffering wife.” Candy grinned.
“Long-suffering doesn’t begin to describe it!” The woman complained, and not for the first time, Gregor was amazed at how much Hannah resembled a young girl.
She was probably late twenties, or maybe even early thirties, but so tiny, barely five feet tall, that she still looked like a young teenager from a distance.
“Hannah is the person whose voice Gregor heard through his headset during the mission.” Tuck explained to Tulli. “She was in charge of getting satellite coverage, tracking movements of all parties, good and bad, and giving instructions to your pilot to get Sophia’s chopper out of there, and back to the airfield.”
“I think I heard you over the radio when we were on the helicopter.” Tulli smiled. “You sounded so much…”
“Older?” Danny chirped in, earning himself a dig in the ribs from his wife.
“I was going to say… bigger!” Tulli smiled sheepishly.
Hannah burst out laughing, along with her husband and friends.
“I’m so sorry, I hope that wasn’t rude.” Tulli apologised quickly.