Sweet Agony (Angels Halo MC Next Gen Book 2)

by Terri Anne Browning

  I squeezed her back before turning and walking past Theo. But when I reached the door, his five goons stood in my way, blocking my exit.

  Frustrated, I glared at Theo over my shoulder. “Well?”

  Jaw clenching, he crossed to me. “Don’t you want to say goodbye to Raven?”

  No. I wanted to stay there with Raven forever. She’d taken such good care of me, made me feel like I mattered, and for a moment in time, I’d felt like I belonged somewhere. But I’d already caused her so much trouble. She’d had to shoot someone—maybe more than one someone—for me already. I didn’t want to face her and see the condemnation in her green eyes.

  Swallowing hard, I shook my head and pushed through the thugs in suits to walk outside. But instead of staying inside with Theo, they followed me out into the chilly early morning darkness. A huge SUV sat at the end of the driveway, and I knew right away it was Theo’s.

  Wrapping my arms around myself to fight off the cold, I walked toward it, keeping my head down because I was too ashamed to look at anyone.

  “Tavia.”

  My shoulders tensed at the sound of Raven’s voice. I stopped, but I couldn’t make myself turn to look at her. Tears burned my eyes because I was going to miss her, but I couldn’t continue to put her family at risk. Sure, Adas was dead, but did that mean no one else would want to kill me? Were there other people in the Petrov family who would want me dead?

  Soft hands touched my bare arms as she turned me to face her. The streetlight cast her face in shadows, but I could still tell her eyes were narrowed. “You don’t have to go, sweetheart. You’re family now. Stay.”

  I lowered my lashes, trying to hide my tears, but one snuck out and ran down my cheek. “I can’t,” I whispered. “I’ve already put you and your wonderful family in enough danger as it is. Th-thank you for taking such good care of me. I… I’ll never forget anything you did for me, Raven.”

  Her arms enfolded me in a warm hug, her hands stroking over my hair how I imagined a mother would her child’s. “If you really want to go, I won’t make you stay. But always remember that you have a place here with us if you ever need or want to come back. You’re mine now, Tavia. I claimed you. That means you’re a part of this family forever.”

  Two more tears fell, and I pressed my face into her shoulder. “Th-thank you so much,” I choked out, trying to hold back a sob.

  Pulling back, she stroked her thumb over my damp cheek. “I’m only a phone call away. If you need anything, don’t hesitate. I’ll pick up, no matter what time of day or night it is.”

  The lump in my throat wouldn’t allow me to speak, so I nodded, and she smiled sadly. “Take care of yourself, sweetheart.”

  With another hug, she released me, and I made a dash to the waiting SUV before I completely broke down.

  The five security guards stood outside the vehicle until Theo joined me a short time later. Once he was seated in the back with me, the others got in. Everyone remained quiet as we rode toward the airport. I kept my gaze trained on the window, unable to see anything but the passing lights, feeling as if my heart were breaking all over again with each mile that took me farther away from the family that had claimed me for so short a time.

  Chapter 18

  Theo

  It was midafternoon before we made it back to New York. By then, I felt like I was in an all-new kind of hell.

  Tavia had cried all the way to the airport, never once speaking to me, not even when I tried to talk to her. She wouldn’t even look at me. Not that I could blame her. Somewhere over the Midwest, she fell asleep after fighting it for a few hours. But she stayed on the couch as far away from me as she could possibly be on the jet, sleeping curled into a little ball, as if trying to make herself as tiny as physically possible.

  She was sound asleep when we touched down. Knowing I was risking making her even angrier with me, I carried her off the jet and to the waiting limo where Pops and my uncle Cristiano were waiting. Thankfully, she didn’t stir and was still out cold by the time we reached my parents’ house.

  With Petrov now dead—something I was equal parts appreciative of and pissed over, because I’d wanted to be the one to put a bullet in the bastard’s skull just as I’d done his brother—there was no reason for Mom and Sofia to stay at Anya’s any longer.

  Pops watched Tavia with concerned eyes as we rode toward the compound where I’d grown up. “She looks fragile,” he murmured quietly.

  “I know.” Pushing a few locks of hair back from her face, I ached to kiss her but didn’t want to chance waking her before I got her home to Mom.

  I didn’t need her to tell me she wasn’t going to let me take care of her, but I was hoping Mom could get her to at least let her take over the care Raven had been giving her. Anything was better than her going back to her dorm, where no one would be able to make sure she was okay. Maybe Mom and Sofia could help her heal in more than just the physical sense.

  My fuckups with her seemed unending, and I honestly didn’t know how to make it all right, but I was going to try my damnedest.

  When the limo rolled to a stop in front of my childhood home, I got out and carefully reached back in to lift Tavia into my arms. With a sigh, she wrapped her arms trustingly around my neck.

  At least in her sleep she knew she could trust me. Too bad I hadn’t proved it to her to make her understand that when she was conscious.

  But she would.

  Mom was already standing at the door when I walked up the front steps. As I entered the house with Dad and Uncle Cristiano behind us, Sofia came running down the stairs. A look from Dad had her clamping her mouth closed before she could say anything that might wake up the precious cargo in my arms.

  Taking one look at Tavia’s paleness, Mom led the way up to one of the guest rooms she’d already prepared for Tavia’s arrival. Once I placed her in the middle of the bed, I stepped back, but I didn’t exit the room as I was sure Sofia expected me to since she was standing guard at the foot of the bed.

  Mom tucked the covers up over Tavia, who didn’t even move once her head was on one of the plush pillows. “I’ve already spoken to Raven Reid. She told me all about Tavia’s diet.” Her brown eyes turned on me. “Among other things.”

  I clenched my jaw, making the muscles tick. “I honestly thought I was doing the right thing leaving her there while I tried to draw out Petrov. She was supposed to be safe in California.”

  “I’m not the one you need to explain yourself to, Theo,” she said with a pained exhale. “Right now, I think you should go and let Tavia get some rest. You look like you could use some sleep yourself. Go on. I’ll tend to her. She will be completely fine in my care.”

  My gaze lingered on Tavia’s sleeping face. There were circles under her eyes so dark, they looked like bruises marring her delicate skin. The woman I loved was inches away from breaking, and it was my fault.

  “Get out, Theo,” Sofia hissed.

  “I’ve about had it with your shit, Sof,” I gritted out, but after one more lingering look down at Tavia, I forced myself to walk to the door.

  When I opened the door, it was to find Pops standing there with not only my uncle, but my cousin Ryan as well. The young teen stood there looking bored, his arms crossed over his chest.

  “What?” I said with a grunt, only wanting to get to bed for a few hours of sleep before going back to Tavia.

  “There isn’t a rat in the MC,” Pops announced.

  “How do you know?”

  Cristiano nodded his head toward the stairs. “Let’s take this conversation downstairs.”

  I followed the three of them to Pops’s office at the back of the house on the first floor. As soon as the door closed behind me, I was demanding answers.

  “Mom told me about what happened last night when I got home from school,” Ryan informed me. “When she said that the guy set up a trap and lured Tavia to Nova’s Uncle Spider’s house, I realized someone must have been listening in to our conversations. Two days ag
o, I asked Nova what she would do if someone ever attacked her at her house and she was alone. I was worried about her with Tavia there and all the heat I’ve been hearing Pop and Mom talking about lately.”

  “And she told you the protocol? The safe room in Masterson’s house they’re supposed to stay in until help arrives?” Ryan nodded, and I stabbed my fingers through my hair in frustration before turning to Pops and Cristiano. “Who the fuck is listening in to your conversations?”

  “Last week, someone at ball practice asked to use my phone because his died and he didn’t have a charger with him. He said he was calling his mom to make sure she knew when to pick him up after practice. I barely talk to the guy, but I didn’t think anything of it.” Ryan grimaced. “I should have known better, and I’m sorry. My ignorance put everyone in danger, including Nova.”

  Cristiano put a hand on his son’s shoulder. “We know you didn’t mean for this to happen, Ryan. You have to be more careful in the future, though. Understand?”

  “Yeah, Pop.” His brown eyes met mine. “I’m sorry, Theo.”

  “It’s not like you did it on purpose, dude. You had no idea what was going on, and if you had, I know you wouldn’t have let it happen. Especially where Nova is concerned.” I looked at Pops and my uncle. “Does the MC know?”

  “Ciro called Hannigan after Ryan told Anya what he thought happened. His man, Desi, is looking at the chip on the phone now. We will hopefully know more soon.” Cristiano nodded his head at the door. “We’re headed home, but I’ll let you both know more when I have the details.”

  I watched them go then turned back to Pops. “With Petrov dead, is there anyone who would want to harm Tavia?”

  “I’m looking into that too, son. But Viktor and Adas were the last of the Petrov line that I know of. With them both gone…” His brow furrowed. “You realize Tavia will inherit everything from both the Petrov and Bykov families, right? If you step in and take over the Petrov territories, manage everything for her, she will never want for anything.”

  “She would never want for anything anyway, Pops. I’ll always make sure of that.”

  Chapter 19

  Tavia

  Waking up in strange beds seemed to be my new norm. As I opened my eyes, I wasn’t even surprised to find I was in a new room in a new house.

  Having Theo’s mom standing at the foot of the bed smiling down at me, however, was a shock. I clenched my fingers in the soft material of the covers and quickly sat up, glancing around to try to figure out what time it was.

  The thick drapes over the windows didn’t give a clue, but there was a digital clock on the nightstand that told me it was just after eight in the evening.

  “I was starting to worry about you.” She picked up her phone, texting quickly. “Are you hungry? Thirsty? I’ve had our cook on standby for when you wake up. What would you like to eat?”

  “I…” I frowned, unsure of how I was feeling just yet, as sleep still clouded my mind. I didn’t feel hungry, and while my mouth was parched, I wasn’t sure I wanted something to drink either.

  More than anything, I just wanted to go back to my dorm and hide from Mrs. Volkov and the rest of the world.

  “You’re probably feeling sticky after that long flight and the excitement of last night. Why don’t you take a shower while I go down and put you a tray together?” She lifted her gaze to mine and smiled again. “All of your things have already been put away, but if you can’t find something, just let me or Sofia know.”

  “My…things?” I repeated, confused.

  “Your clothes, toiletries, books, and everything else. I had Adrian go to your dorm and pack up all of your things since you will be staying here with us from now on.”

  “What?” I pushed back the covers and started to stand, but Mrs. Volkov rushed around and pressed me back down with a firm hand.

  “Easy, sweetheart. I don’t want you to hurt yourself moving around too quickly. You’re just starting to really heal.”

  “I’m fine,” I gritted out, more than a little frustrated with her. “Mrs. Volkov, I can’t stay here. I don’t want to be a bother, and I’d much rather be in my dorm. Honestly, I’m better now, and I don’t need a nurse or a babysitter or—”

  “Tavia, sweetheart, you’re staying here because you are dear to us, and I won’t have you all alone in that cold and lonely dorm with no one to care for you if you become ill.” She tenderly brushed my hair back from my face. “You are like one of my children. I care for you very much. Now, don’t argue. There’s no use in it anyway. I always get my way.” With a wink, she stepped back. “Now, you take that shower. I’ll be right back.”

  Feeling like I’d just been hit by a whirlwind, I sat there gaping after the woman for several minutes. Finally shaking my head, I focused on getting up and doing as she suggested.

  As she said, my toiletries were all in the bathroom, including a box of tampons. For some reason, I laughed at the sight of them, picturing Sofia’s dad packing up my bathroom and touching the very feminine box. Her dad was more than a little intimidating, so it amused me to think of him flushing pink while he handled my hygiene items.

  Yet I knew he would have done it without complaint if his wife was the one who had asked him to. That was one thing I’d never wondered about when it came to the Volkovs. That man loved his wife so much, I didn’t question him jumping to do his wife’s bidding for the smallest of tasks.

  The bathroom was gigantic with the toilet hidden behind a partial wall and a long vanity where even my toothbrush was waiting. The doors of the shower were a beautiful stained glass and the shower heads powerful enough to unknot the tightest of muscles. It was big enough for three people to stand in and still have room to move around easily. There was a clawfoot tub adjacent to the shower that I ached to sink into and soak for hours, but I couldn’t submerge myself until the medical tape over the incisions on my abdomen completely faded.

  I took my time showering, the jets making me moan helplessly in pure nirvana. When I stepped out a long while later, there was a towel hanging beside the shower door along with a plush robe, and I realized Mrs. Volkov must have come in without my noticing.

  I dried then wrapped the towel around my hair before putting on the robe. It was so soft and thick, I sighed with contentment, but I quickly told myself not to get used to this kind of luxury. I wasn’t going to be staying long, just until I could convince Mrs. Volkov I would be fine on my own, and then I would go back to the dorm.

  Opening the bathroom door, I took two steps into the bedroom, only to stop in my tracks. It wasn’t Mrs. Volkov standing in the middle of the room with a tray, but her son.

  Had he been the one to leave the robe and towel? Had he seen me, yet again, in the shower? I didn’t know, wasn’t about to ask, and was suddenly very thankful for the beautiful stained glass of the shower stall that had hidden my body from him.

  He turned to face me as I walked farther into the room, his eyes unreadable as he watched me take a step closer to the bed. But closer to the bed meant closer to him, and I paused, unsure how far I could get before I completely broke down at his nearness.

  “Mom had to take a call, so she sent me with food,” he murmured in that deep voice that stupidly still had the power to make me shiver.

  I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hide in the robe. From him. From the world. But more than anything, from myself and the confusing feelings he could still produce in me even after all the pain and gut-wrenching heartache he’d caused me—was still causing.

  When I just stood there, unmoving, unspeaking, he pressed his lips into a hard line. “Is this how it’s going to be now, krasotka? You not even speaking to me, and me aching for just a smile from you?”

  “What do you want from me, Theo?” I asked in a voice raspy with emotion and disuse. “I have nothing. Am nothing. I don’t understand what you could possibly want from me.”

  “You,” he said. “Only you.”

  “I don’t believe you
,” I whispered, and a flash of pain crossed his face.

  “I know. You don’t trust me, and I can’t blame you. I’ve done nothing to show you how I feel. Given you no reason to believe a word that leaves my mouth. But you will. I’ll prove it all to you, make you believe in me and what I feel for you.”

  I stood there, looking up at him, skeptically thinking he was totally full of shit. He had a way with words, that was for sure. If I hadn’t known him so well, I might have thought he was sincere. But unfortunately for him, I knew his words had absolutely zero value to them.

  How many times had he made me think he cared, only to leave me without so much as a word? How many times since I was shot had he said he loved me, only to back it up with nothing at all?

  I was tired of everything. This game he was playing was probably fun for him. But for me, it was exhausting, and I had no more energy to spare. It was all I could do just to lift my head and stay upright in front of him, when all I really wanted to do was curl into a ball and stay that way until the life finally faded from my soul.

  Two taps on the bedroom door alerted us to a newcomer just as it opened and Sofia stuck her dark head into the room. When she saw me standing there, her face split into a beaming smile, and she rushed toward me.

  I was engulfed in her tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re awake. I’ve been so worried about you.” She leaned back, her blue eyes finding mine. “How are you feeling? Still tired? In pain? Hungry?”

  “I have her tray right here, Sof,” Theo informed her, and Sofia’s gaze snapped to him, her eyes darkening as they took him in.

  Stepping back, she crossed the distance to her brother and took the tray from his hands. “How kind of you. Now get out.”

  Guardedly, I watched the two siblings. After witnessing their tight-knit relationship over the years, seeing the tension between them now was a bit surreal. Yet animosity was flowing off Sofia like a physical entity. It was so powerful, it felt as if her rage could slash through her brother like barbed wire.