"Little Pixie, it's me, breathe, remember you are not that scared little girl anymore, I'm with you." He lifted her hand to his chest. "Me and the wolf are yours, no one can hurt you, remember what Zacariah said, take my strength."
Nicky saw that the visitor was angry and ready for a fight, automatically he knew that the past had come back to find Morgan, for nothing else could have made her look this frightened.
Morgan could feel the aggression and anger was pounding through Nicky's body. As her breathing came back under control, Morgan knew that although she was utterly terrified she could do this, she had to, and she now had a reason to survive. Moving around Nicky, she took a deep breath before the fear kicked in again, hell she wasn’t sure that she could do this but she would try.
"Hello Andrew, what do you want?" Gripping the bottle tight to mask her shaking hands she plastered a smile to her face.
Her brother hadn't changed, where she and Cane were built like their mother small and petite, well according to their farther they took after their absent mother, Andrew was dad all over. He was tall and well built; although she ought to revise this after hanging with wolves. Now he looked as he should, an average size man, his dark blonde hair was cut in the way of all the Order's men, short to the head, his green eyes were glaring at her with anger, his hands were on the bar, but they were clenched into fists so nothing was new there.
"Is that any way to greet your big brother, I've missed you Morgan." Nicky was stood next to Morgan grasping her hand in reassurance, she felt him squeeze it gently, reminding her that he was there with her by her side.
"I don't want to see you, leave me alone Andrew." Her voice sounded shaky, even more so when she heard Nicky's voice in her head, a sudden scary but reassuring development, she had never felt the telepathic link before now.
"You're doing great Pixie. Say the word and I will rip out his throat."
How had that happened, how could she hear Nicky? She didn't actually care right now, as she felt his warmth spread through her body. Suddenly she felt brave, she knew it was Nicky projecting, it didn't matter though, and it worked.
His words made her laugh and she knew she wasn't alone anymore, Nicky continued. "Theo's outside I've opened this link to him, God knows where it came from, anyway your brother's not alone so be prepared?"
Andrew smiled, she physically felt herself cringe at the delight on his face. "Morgan you don't understand, we have all missed you. Why don't we go outside and talk about this."
Morgan was astounded that he thought he could just walk in here and walk out with her.
"No Andrew, I stay here." Knowing Nicky was inside her head actually made her feel stronger.
Andrew continued. "Listen honey I need to speak to the manager." Looking to Nicky he smiled, Morgan knew that he wanted to get Nicky on side.
"Please can you get me the manager?"
"Why?" As Nicky responded Morgan could hear the anger in his tone, but clearly Andrew didn't.
"Morgan can you give us a minute?" Andrew wanted the manager, she just wasn’t certain she understood why. He was sneaky and obviously thought he could manipulate Nicky, so his shock was visible when Nicky answered.
"Morgan will be involved in all conversations, so whatever you have to say spit it out and leave."
Nicky took satisfaction in seeing the surprise on Andrew's face, he wanted to leap over the counter and rip his throat out, but he knew that Morgan needed to do this, to stand her ground.
"The owner then, he needs to know that Morgan's always had problems." Pointing to his head Andrew continued with the insinuation. "Those sorts of problems." Nicky was already pissed off but to insinuate Morgan was mental was going way too far.
Nicky smiled his angelic smile. "Really, I have never noticed?" Three of the regulars came closer; clearly they had been listening and were starting to surround Andrew. "Can't say we have Nicky, she always seemed pretty together and not mental."
Nicky knew that Morgan was a hit with the customers, but looking at how they were discreetly surrounding Andrew made Nicky darned happy, they had no intention of letting any harm come to her. Andrew must have seen this as Nicky watched him change tack.
"You need to come home Morgan, Cane needs you. Look let's talk outside there's only me."
Nicky growled this time. "How can you forget the other nine men waiting outside?"
Morgan's eyes widened, she turned to Nicky to confirm his words. "Nine?"
Oh God Nicky would be hurt; she couldn't let him get hurt. Using the telepathic link Nicky who seemed to know what she was thinking warned her. "Don't even think it Pixie. I will kick your ass if you even say it, you aren't leaving the bar, we are not outnumbered and even if we were, I would die before I let you leave with him."
"There are nine of them and just you and Theo, I can't risk it."
Andrew decided to try again. "Look how about I speak to the owner; surely he would want to know if there are problems with his business."
The door opened although Morgan couldn't look, if it were more of the Order she would fall apart, but it was Ben's voice that she heard loud and clear, strong and serious.
"Consider yourself speaking to the owner; well I am for another two months and then I expect I will be handing the keys to Morgan." Ben sounded so confident and sure of himself. Even the way he walked in he exuded poise.
"What?" Andrew looked stunned, almost as stunned as Morgan was when Connor, Lucky, Yvonne, Danny and at least four other wolves walked in. Ben was smiling; in fact he seemed particularly smug and unconcerned.
"Morgan, do you know this man?" Ben was talking to her and clearly ignoring Andrew which she knew would infuriate him.
She nodded. "My brother."
"My sympathies, now tell her what you want and get the fuck out before I let Nicky throw your ass out, and don't think you are clever asshole, I can see the cogs in your little brain turning. Even if it were just Nicky here, he would kill your men, and if I know my brother they would be long and slow deaths. I have at least three other men out there, who will take your friends down before they get a chance to draw the guns they have with them."
"Who the hell do you think…?" Andrew finally seemed to look around him and saw how outnumbered he was.
"Morgan this is the last chance to help Cane, if I go out there and tell them that you are whoring yourself….."
He didn't get to finish that sentence, Nicky had jumped over the bar and had slammed Andrew against the wall, his hand had turned into a claw which was now around Andrew's neck. Morgan gasped out loud and started to hyperventilate, she wasn't worried about Andrew but she didn't want Nicky any more involved with the Order.
Who's Cane?" She could hear Ben's voice in her head, talking to Nicky.
"Another brother." Even though she could hear them she somehow knew she could only talk to Nicky.
"Is he dangerous or not?"
"Fuck knows, but he got her out and they are using him to get to her."
"Where is he Nicky, let's take the threat away from them?"
"Not sure."
Then she heard Theo interrupt.
"If he looks like a blond Morgan, he's outside but not looking too great."
She couldn’t help but answer although she had to use her voice not the telepathic link.
"He does look like me, what's happened to him?"
'Theo, Conner, go retrieve him. Nicky you need to let this one go."
"I fucking don't, this bastard had her beaten and whipped and then he helped by whipping her as well, so don't tell me to let him go." Nicky was snarling, spittle forming at his mouth as he considered everything Morgan had been through at the hands of this man who should have loved and protected her.
Andrew was shaking now. "She's lying, she's nothing but a whore who is screwed in the head, look at her and see the truth." Nicky turned to Morgan, she was pale and weak and it was this that commanded his attention.
"I am going to kill you at some point, believe that
, but right now she is more important than killing you." He dropped him and went to Morgan although he turned to Ben. "Don't let him leave until Theo brings the other brother."
Lucky was holding her up now, it was getting worse she was going to faint, as the room started spinning she could see the floor coming closer, and then she was enveloped in warmth.
"Hey little Pixie breathe for me, breathe with me." He took her chin. "Look at me Pixie, think of me, us" he leaned closer. "Think of us last night." She couldn't help the smile.
"That's it Pixie, you did really well, you are so brave and I am so proud of you. Remember I will not let them get to you, they will have to go through me."
The smile was replaced with worry. "That's what I am scared of."
It was Lucky's voice she heard. "Morgan, to get to Nicky they will have to go through the pack, and believe me that's hard. You are not a victim anymore and we will take them down together."
Humbled by Lucky's words tears sprung to her eyes, she refused to let them fall. If this is what having an older sister and a real family was like, then she could get used to these feelings.
As the door opened she saw Cane walk in, well limp in held up by Theo, he was a mass of bruising, he couldn't stand on one leg, his face was swollen and you could barely see his eyes.
"Oh my God Cane." She ran to him and put her arms around him.
"Hey princess." He looked at her and smiled a weak smile. "Your hairs brown, you look good."
She had tears in her eyes, he was so bruised, his face a map of black and blue marks and he wanted to talk about her hair. "You should have seen it before, it was red and black." She saw Cane wince as he tried to laugh.
As they sat him in the chair, Nicky took charge. "Pixie, go with Lucky and repack our bags, good thing we hadn't unpacked much." She went to move then looked at him with worry etched across her face, lines marring that lovely beauty.
"But Cane." She worried at the thought of leaving Cane not wanting to risk loosing him.
"Cane needs to see a doctor, so we go to Silver's. Don't worry he's going nowhere."
Morgan let Lucky guide her up the stairs, instead of going to get their things she peered through the side of the window. "What are you looking at Morgan?"
"My father's down there. They did it again, turned me into a mess, I thought I was stronger and could stand up to them but I can't." She was both angry at them for ruining her life and disappointed in herself for not having the strength to fight.
Lucky pulled her away from the window. "Don’t put yourself down, you are stronger than this. I have watched you go from a wilting flower, scared of everything to a blooming bud just coming into its own. It takes time to make a stand, but listen to me when you have done it once, you'll be so empowered it will make you feel stronger."
As Morgan looked at Lucky, she wanted to hug this strong incredible woman who didn't know how much she had given her.
"I always wanted a big sister." She didn't know how to initiate a hug but she didn’t have to, Lucky did it and it left her feeling wanted.
"You have one now Morgan, a big sister, a mean brother-in-law, nieces and nephews, shit, you have one hell of a fucking family. Now let's do this."
In the bar, Nicky had no intention of letting Cane come close to Morgan until he was certain that he wasn't going to hurt her.
"The only reason you are sat there is because I know full fucking well that you got her out, but hear this, if you are here to take her or hurt her I will kill you."
Cane was shaking his head as he answered. "I'm not, but wherever you're taking me make sure Morgan's not there, you need to take her far away. Lucifer wants her and he plans on getting her."
Nicky could hear the resolve in Cane's voice. Although he didn't understand the fear he did realize how hard it must be for one person to take a stand, running was far easier. Nicky wasn’t used to fighting alone, he had always had the pack behind him, his friends and family.
"Well he's not getting her; I will kill all of you first. How the fuck did you end up so injured?"
"Last night I heard dad and Andrew mention this place, and I knew they had found her. I tried to get to you last night but they followed me and as you can see I had to be dealt with." That made sense; they wouldn't want Morgan warned, although they had no idea what they would face when they found her.
"Nicky, I get the wanting to kill him, but right now he need's medical treatment. I have never known you kill someone who couldn't fight back."
Seb stepped in front of him and he knew his friend was right. "Fine, we all leave together but he is blind folded, he can't where Silvers is."
Ben stepped up to him all the while watching Andrew, who was still in the bar only now he was cowering from Ben's blue eyes that kept flicking to the silver of his wolf. "Nicky we won't let anyone hurt her, we will keep her and you safe so don't do anything stupid or alone, got that? If you do, I will kill you slowly. We need to let this asshole go."
Nicky nodded before delivering his own warning. "Andrew think of me and what I will do to you when we meet again." He took pleasure in seeing the fear in his eyes.
"Right guys we need to haul ass, shit Nicky these bags are heavy." Lucky finished speaking as he dropped them in front of Ben.
Morgan looked at Nicky, he didn't deserve to have someone so helpless beside him, she needed to be strong for them both, and when he wrapped his arms around her and dropped a kiss on the top of her head, she made a decision that she would be strong enough to stand by his side.
"Nicky, my father's out there."
"I will get rid of him". As he went to move she stopped him.
Morgan took a deep breath. "No I need to do this."
"Then we go together." Although the gesture was there she was taking a stand and it had to be on her terms.
"No you stay here, Nicky I need to do this but it's the worrying about you that freaks me out. I am not overly concerned about me, you though… I can't risk you."
"I am not letting you go alone, my concern is you."
Theo stepped forward. "She's right Nicky, she needs to do this but not alone she can take as many of us as she wants with her just not you, you are too close and that makes you unpredictable."
The murmurs of agreement made her heart hurt and tears swell. "I always wanted a family that loved me, but I could never imagine how that would feel, now I can and damn it hurts. Thank you."
Ben stepped forward. "Take your pick Morgan."
It was Ben she looked at as she made her choice. "Can you, Seb and Theo come with me and Lucky, but if you don't want them to see Lucky I understand, but she makes me..."
It was Nicky that laughed. "Little Pixie, when Lucky is pissed she is scarier than Ben."
Ben smiled and kissed his wife. "He's damn right; I have seen her take down Theo before."
"Shit Ben, you agreed to keep that quiet, that was a fucking dreadful day." Everyone was laughing now and clapping Theo on the back, the tension dissipated among the group.
"Morgan." She turned to listen to Cane whose words were slow and careful due to the swelling around his mouth. "Dad has the whip, he will show it to you if he thinks he can get a reaction, Steven's with him and he has a Taser."
"Which one's Steven? Lucky was searching her handbag, pulling out a knife which she popped into her pocket as though it were a set of car keys.
"Big guy, bald and very fat which is why he needs a Taser."
"Bags I get the fat guy." When Ben looked at Lucky she smiled "I have asked for a Taser and you wouldn't get me one, if I take the fat guy I can take the Taser." She stuck her tongue out at Ben.
Ben groaned. "Let's go while I can still contain my wife. You ready Morgan, everyone else can get the car's ready, blindfold Cane and be ready to haul ass." He now stood in front of Nicky and was talking quietly although Morgan heard him.
"Nicky trust me to keep her safe, no matter what you hear you stay put. If you feel the way I think that you do, you will respect Morgan'
s wishes." Ben knew he had made the one point that would stop Nicky going after them.
"You're a bastard Ben."
Ben laughed. "I have more experience at this relationship stuff and I made some huge mistakes, take my word for it, listening really does help it's not just a myth."
Before she left, Nicky gave her the biggest kiss in front of everyone, she was terribly embarrassed and expected teasing, instead they were met with cajoles of 'about time.' Now she was ready, well sort of…
As they stepped outside, she could feel so much support around her. She could feel her heart beating hard and fast, until she heard Nicky in her head. "Hey little Pixie, you might have left me in here but I am still with you." She knew that with his support, she could do this.
The Wolf With The Silver Smile (The Silver Series) Page 11