She felt Taz’s hand on her back, but he didn’t say a word. He just let her know he was there to comfort her, and at that moment, she needed it.
“Where is he?” Leda didn’t open her eyes as she asked the question.
“He’s gone and won’t be back for at least two more days, maybe three,” Malcolm replied after clearing his throat.
Her eyes opened, and she felt the hatred shining in their depths. And above all else, she knew the Leda from a few minutes ago didn’t exist anymore. “I want to see the house.”
“No!” Malcolm’s voice became hard as he turned away from her, threw the beer bottles away and went for another.
Leda rushed toward him as he turned with another beer. “Yes, and I need you sober, so stop this shit.”
“I haven’t been sober since that night,” Malcolm hissed, holding the beer out of her reach.
Punching him in the stomach, she grabbed the beer when he reflexively lowered his arm, and then she pushed him out of the way to stand in front of the refrigerator, blocking his path. “Tonight is a new beginning, then.” Leda dared him to try her. She wasn’t having it.
“Give it up, dude.” Steve, who had been silent throughout the whole revelation, finally spoke up. “She’s hardheaded.”
Sadness erased the anger from Malcolm’s face. “Just like her momma.” He choked again. That time tears fell from his eyes.
Without thought, Leda grabbed him and held him tightly. They had been friends since they were little, rarely apart as kids. It had always been her, Malcolm, and Jamie. She knew how much both of them loved and respected her parents. So many had. It was why she was there. Knowing her pack was being mistreated since their deaths told her that she had to do something, and by God, she would.
“I’m so sorry,” Malcolm whispered in her hair. His tears dampened her skin. “I should have—”
“Shush.” She held him tighter. “You should have done exactly what you did. Survive. I’m going to need help, Malcolm. You have to stop drinking, get it together. That son of a bitch is not going to get away with what he’s done. As long as I breathe, he will pay dearly. A Kingsman does not go down without a fight.”
He pulled away to look down at her. “Who are you?”
“Leda Kingsman,” she said proudly, then wiped her face clean of tears. “And I’m here to get my pack and avenge my parents’ death. I’m done running. I’m done hiding. You’re either with me or not. Are you with me? It’s a simple yes or no question.”
Malcolm stared at her long and hard, then took the beer she didn’t try to pull away and walked to the sink. Opening it, he poured it down the drain.
“Damn, you could have offered me that perfectly cold beer, ya know.” Steve broke the silence in his usual Steve manner.
Leda nodded at Malcolm, then walked out of the kitchen past Taz and Steve, trying to find a room to have a moment to herself. Everything Malcolm told her was what she had feared happened. She wasn’t naïve; she knew her parents had suffered at the hands of her uncle.
Slipping into a room, she closed the door quietly behind her, then walked toward the window across the room, looking out. But seeing nothing other than grief, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to keep the scream of rage, loss, and despair from escaping her throat. It was too strong, the emotion fighting to break free. She covered her mouth with her hand, but it was no use. Her pain wasn’t going to be held back.
Inside a strange room, her mouth opened, and what came out of it was every single pain her family endured. She folded into herself, giving her just a moment to grieve before the hatred overtook her.
Taz’s eyes never left Leda as she disappeared down the dark hallway. He couldn’t even comprehend the pain she must be feeling. Knowing he had to give her a minute to herself, he forced himself to stand still. If he moved, it would be toward her.
“Why in the fuck did she make me tell her?” Malcolm sank down on the old beat-up couch, laying his head back with his arm over his eyes.
“It was her right to know,” Taz answered, finally pulling his gaze away from where she disappeared.
“You know,” Steve said thoughtfully, as he walked closer to the two men, “at the moment, these assholes are outnumbered.”
“Uh, there’re three of us, man.” Malcolm kept his eyes covered. “Allen left twenty of his men behind to keep us all in order. Twenty-one if you include me.”
“You work for the bastard?” Taz’s eyes narrowed, suddenly on alert.
That time Malcolm moved his arm away from his eyes to stare at Taz. “Fuck you, man,” he hissed. “I know what you’re thinking and fuck you. I have no loyalty to the fucker. This is me surviving and keeping my sister as safe as I can.”
“He didn’t mean anything by it,” Steve jumped in. “He’s a little overprotective with Leda.” Taz and Malcolm stared at each other for a few more seconds before Steve cursed. “For shit’s sake, who’s here for Leda? Raise your fucking hand.” Steve’s hand shot up as he looked between the two men.
“I am, but I’m not raising my hand,” Malcolm replied, daring Taz to contradict him.
“Okay, that’s two, and I know grump-ass over there is. So how about we shut the fuck up and listen to Steve, hmmm?” Steve lowered his hand as he paced around the room. “Here’s my thinking. If we gather all who want to leave the pack, do it while the alpha shithead is gone, would they go?”
“Some would.” Malcolm sat up, listening intently to Steve. “Actually, most would, but a few holes in that plan. One, we don’t have the manpower, and two, they aren’t going anywhere that there won’t be protection. Obviously, none in this pack is alpha enough to overthrow Allen, so once they found us, we’d be back to where this all started and in worse shape.”
“I’m pretty much a badass, but you’re right. We don’t have the manpower at the moment, but within a few hours, we will. Between my guys and the Lee County wolves, we can make the twenty motherfuckers left here playing God cry like little bitches. Keep one alive as a warning gift to the piece-of-shit so-called alpha.”
Taz liked the plan. Go figure. “Go on.”
“Actually, that’s it.” Steve frowned. “I can’t come up with every damn thing.”
Malcolm stood with a new fire in his eyes. “If we have nowhere safe to go, I’m not going to chance putting all these good people at risk. They’ve been through enough. Allen will be out for blood if we pull this off, and once he found us, he’d make us pay dearly.”
“If we pulled this off.” Steve snorted. “Oh, we will pull this off, no doubt about that. What do you think, Taz?”
“Believe it or not, I agree,” Taz replied, happy Steve had stopped calling him Tax. “But the quicker we do this, the better. Once the alpha is back, some may be too afraid to move.”
Before anyone could say another word, a scream of pain echoed down the hallway toward them. Taz felt it in his soul, and his wolf howled in his mind as he raced toward the sound. Opening the door, he walked in to see Leda bent at the waist holding onto herself, her body shaking with the weight of grief. He walked over and took her in his arms, allowing that pain to transfer to him.
“Let it go, Leda.” Taz held her tightly, and as her body shook against his, he swore that the bastard who tore her life apart would pay with his own. His eyes flared as his expression turned to stone while the most precious gift he had ever been given fell apart in his arms. “I’ve got you, usti ayastigi,” he whispered against her head, then repeated it to himself, I’ve got you, little warrior.
Chapter 8
Leda felt spent as she held onto Taz as if he were her lifeline, and at that moment, he really was. She’d lost it but knew her body and mind had needed to let go. Since the day she’d run with Sam, she’d kept everything bottled up, having her little brother to think about. He was her responsibility, and still was to this day. As long as Allen Kingsman walked this earth, her brother was not safe. That was going to change.
“Thank you,” she whispered agai
nst Taz’s chest.
“Never thank me.” Taz led her to the bed and eased her down, sitting next to her. “Not for taking care of you.”
Leda wiped her face free of tears. Her eyes felt swollen, as did her face. “Why are you being so nice to me?” Leda frowned, thinking she knew the answer but wanting to hear it from him. There was guilt in her question. “I haven’t always been nice to you.”
A rare smile formed on his lips as he clipped her chin gently with his hand, angling her face closer to his. “No, you haven’t.” His response was soft and teasing. “But you aren’t very good at being mean.”
After everything she had just learned, she couldn’t believe how at ease she felt with him and how easily his words, even in jest, had her smiling. “Guess I’m not.” Her smile slipped slightly. “I’m sorry, Taz. You just confuse me.”
“I do that to a lot of people,” he agreed with a thoughtful tilt to his head. “So all is forgiven.”
“Why are you here?” Her smile was completely gone now as she moved away from his touch. “If it’s to stop me, then it was a wasted trip.”
“I’m here because I belong by your side.” Taz wasn’t smiling either. Before she could say anything at all to deny his words, he added, “Tell me you have no feelings for me.”
“And if I do—” She bit her lip before continuing. “—you’ll leave?”
“No, because I know you’d lie to me and everyone out there, saying you hate us just to keep us safe. That’s not going to work,” Taz replied knowingly. “But if you tell me now that you have no feelings for me, as soon as this is over, I will disappear, and you won’t have to deal with me again.”
His words hit her hard and deep. Even the thought of never seeing him again after this ended, whatever this was, tore a hole through her heart.
“Say the words, Leda,” Taz urged, his eyes searching hers, looking for the truth. “Tell me you have no feelings for me. It’s that easy.”
Slowly, Leda shook her head. “No, it’s not that easy.” Reaching out, she took his larger hand in hers as one last tear fell. “Because without really knowing you, I can’t even imagine my life without you in it.”
Taz leaned down, his lips inches from hers. “You will never have to imagine, because I will always be by your side, no matter what.”
Their lips met, and in that instant, Leda knew she belonged to this man. There was no more doubt or denying that fact. It frightened her, but she accepted it. As their kiss deepened, she also realized that before she could give her whole heart to Taz, she needed to close this chapter of her life, and it was only fair to let him know.
Reluctantly, she pulled away, then reached up, touching her lips. “Before I can promise you anything, I have to get my life back,” she whispered, hoping he understood. “It wouldn’t be fair to you if I didn’t tell you.”
“Leda, my usti ayastigi, I would wait for eternity for you.” Taz leaned down, sealing his words with a kiss.
“What does that mean?” Leda loved when he spoke in his native tongue.
“Little warrior.” He smiled, brushing the hair from her wig away from her eyes. “And as soon as we leave here, we will burn this thing.”
A laugh spilled free. “I agree 100 percent. It itches so bad.” Leda reached up and adjusted the dreadful thing. “So have you and Steve made nice?”
Taz frowned with a shrug. “As long as he is happily mated, I think I can tolerate him.”
“He’s a good guy, Taz,” Leda replied with a grin. “Who knows, maybe you can become the best of friends.”
“That may be pushing it.” Taz shook his head. “Do you have feelings for him?”
Leda thought long and hard on that question. The more time she took, the more emotion she saw cloud Taz’s eyes. “No, I don’t.” She reached up and slowly touched his jawline, reveling in the fact that she was able to caress him, something she’d spent hours imagining. “I’m even wondering if I ever really did, other than friendship.”
Taz placed his hand on top of hers. “Then he’ll live.”
She didn’t know how serious he was being, so she remained silent. At least they weren’t trying to kill each other, yet. “That’s good to know.” She dropped her hand.
“Well, at least I’ll promise he can live for now, because honestly, the asshole has come up with a pretty solid plan that I think you need to hear.” Taz stood and held out his hand to her.
Anxiety filled her. “Okay, I’m ready.” She stood, taking a deep breath as her hand met his. “I think.”
“You are ready, Leda.” Taz led her out of the room. “It’s time you take your life and pack back.”
Leda stopped him before they left the darkened hallway. His words meant so much to her that it physically hurt, but a good hurt. “Thank you.”
“For what?” Taz frowned down at her, confused.
“For understanding and not trying to stop me.” Leda squeezed his hand. He didn’t say anything for a long moment as they stared at each other.
“I do understand, but also know I won’t let you put yourself in danger.” His voice hardened slightly. “We will figure the best way about this, but you fighting the alpha for the pack is not going to happen.”
Disappointment settled in her gut, but she also understood him. He was a man, an alpha male in his own right, and for her to think he would be on board with her doing something like that wasn’t reality. But she also knew if it came down to it, then that was exactly what she would do. Either way, Allen Kingsman would die by her hand, one way or another.
Knowing she couldn’t lie to him, she just gave him a short nod before proceeding out of the hallway. His slowness clued her in that he wasn’t reading her nod the way she had planned, but he remained silent.
Malcolm and Steve sat at the kitchen table talking. Both turned to look at them, focusing on Taz first, then her.
“I hear you have a master plan.” Leda cleared her throat as she looked at Steve.
“I always have a master plan.” Steve puffed out his chest, then frowned. “Usually no one wants to hear my master plans, but this is a good one.”
Leda offered him a small smile as they walked to the table. Taz sat down and pulled her onto his lap. She didn’t fight the move. Her wolf was restless, as was the woman, and his closeness eased them both. It was a good feeling, one she hadn’t experienced in such a long time. “Okay, let’s hear it.”
As Steve relayed the plan of bringing in the Warriors as well as the Lee County wolves, Leda’s agitation grew. It sounded great, but her mind kept going back to the mates of these men who would be putting their lives on the line, and for people they didn’t know.
“I don’t know.” Leda couldn’t look any of them in the eye. “This isn’t their fight, and if someone got hurt or killed, I couldn’t live with that. It’s already killing me that you three, as well as Jamie, are involved.”
Leaning toward her, Steve frowned. “Do we look like pussies to you?”
“Ah, no,” Leda hedged, not knowing where Steve was going with this. “But—”
“Hell, Leda.” Steve rolled his eyes. “Buts are two ass cheeks with a line down the middle. There are no buts to it.”
“Okay, that made no sense.” Malcolm eyed Steve as if he’d lost his mind. “Let me.”
“Makes perfect sense to me,” Steve shot back, then waved toward Leda as if telling Malcolm to go right ahead. “No one ever understands the Steve,” he mumbled, then discreetly winked at Leda, but Taz saw it and growled.
“At first, I was against it, but—” Malcolm gave Steve a warning glare and looked back at Leda. “—it makes the most sense. This is what the Warriors do. And maybe the Lee County wolves will take us in. With them, we could be strong and—”
“No!” Leda shot off Taz’s lap. She began shaking her head.
“Way to go, man,” Steve said out of the side of his mouth to Malcolm. “Should have let me continue with my ‘but’ analysis.”
Malcolm stood and fac
ed down Leda. “That is our only hope.”
“We have to find another way.” Leda continued to shake her head.
“There is no other way.” Malcolm’s desperation became louder, making Taz stand up.
“There is another way. The way I planned since I ran out of those tunnels. The plan I came here to do.” Leda’s voice topped Malcolm’s. “I should never have come here. I should have stayed hidden until I took him out.”
“And you’d be dead or made an example of by now,” Malcolm shot back with a hiss. “Did you not hear what they did to your parents? Allen has more hatred for you than anyone I know.” Malcolm’s eyes widened at what he’d confessed out loud.
“What?” Leda tilted her head, catching his slip. “I thought he gave up looking. That’s why I waited so long.”
“Your uncle hasn’t given up shit where you or Sam is concerned.” Malcolm’s laugh was bitter. “Anyone who can claim alpha status at the age of sixteen could petition the elders if they have proof that your uncle in fact killed the alpha of the Kingsman pack, your parents. In turn, Sam could be granted the pack back and Allen sentenced to a life as a renegade.”
Leda gasped as she started to remember her brother’s teachings. His were always more interesting than hers, so she’d always listened in. “So when my brother turns sixteen, he could go to the elders with proof of what happened?” The highest elders belonged to no pack in order to be fair during such judgments and disputes. Their final word was law, and anyone who went against their final word was banished from any pack or allowed to form their own. No one wanted their business to go to the highest elders.
“Factually, yes.” Malcolm nodded, his face grim. “In reality, no.”
Taz had stood beside Leda during the exchange. “Because your uncle will make sure he doesn’t reach that age.” Taz took a step between Leda and Malcolm. “But he’s too young to have a bounty on his head.”
Forbidden Secrets (Lee County Wolves Series) Book #5 Page 5