AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’d dealt with way too many hostages. People were rarely the same after being held prisoner.
“It doesn’t matter,” she answered stubbornly. “She took care of me even though my experience changed me pretty profoundly. I was always the same Torie to her. Vanna helped me keep my sanity. I’ll do the same for her.”
“Your situations might be different,” I cautioned.
“Or they could be extremely similar,” she countered. “I was held captive by a criminal gang who had no respect for life, too, Chase.”
“But you weren’t—”
“Sexually assaulted?” she interrupted breathlessly, sounding slightly panicked. “I was, Chase. I know this isn’t a good time to talk about this, but I have to. I never wanted you and Wyatt to know because you already ridiculously blamed yourselves for a kidnapping you never could have prevented. I know exactly what it’s like to feel that kind of hopelessness and helplessness. I never should have lied to you and Wyatt, but I wanted you to stop feeling guilty, and I wasn’t ready to discuss it, especially with my two older brothers. Now, it doesn’t really matter. I’ve gotten through all that, and I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. I just want you to know that Iwouldunderstand if that happened to Vanna.”
My body tensed as I turned to look at her. I wanted to be angry, but I knew that I had no right to be. What happened to her were her secrets to share with whoever the fuck she wanted. I also realized that even when she’d been so damn broken, her thoughts were all about saving Wyatt and me some extra grief. “Does Coop know?” I asked huskily.
She nodded. “Yes, of course. He and Vanna are the only ones who know that it happened.”
I swallowed hard. “You know Wyatt and I would have understood.”
“I know that, too,” she replied softly. “I just wasn’t ready to tell either one of you. I want you to know now because it just doesn’t matter anymore. I’ll tell Wyatt the truth, too, before the two of you leave. I need both of you to know that whatever happened to Vanna, I can deal with it because I’ve been through it. Those bastards who kidnapped me don’t deserve to linger in a single one of my thoughts anymore. I have Cooper now, and I’d much prefer to think about my amazing husband.”
I opened my arms and Torie threw herself into them without hesitation.
I held her so tightly that it probably wasn’t comfortable for her, but she didn’t complain. “Jesus! I’m so damn sorry, Torie,” I muttered against her hair.
She hugged me hard as she said, “I’m okay, Chase. I swear. They can never touch me again, physically or emotionally. Please don’t blame Cooper or Vanna for not telling you. I asked them not to say anything.”
“Hell, I can’t be pissed at either of them if that’s what you wanted. You have a right to your privacy. I definitely can’t be mad at Cooper for trying to protect the woman he loves,” I told her.
Truthfully, I was glad that Coop was loyal as hell to Torie.
I just hated the fact that she’d suffered even worse than we’d thought.
Did I have a right to be mad because she didn’t tell her male siblings everything, especially something so personal?
Hell, no. It wasn’t like I didn’t have things I didn’t want to talk about, either.
“I’ve healed, Chase. I have an amazing life that I could have never even dreamed of a year ago. I’ve moved on. I hope you and Wyatt have, too.”
I let Torie go as she wiggled out of my hold.
Vanna had told me to put what happened to Torie in the past where it belonged, and she was right.
“I guess we’ll have to,” I admitted, still not quite sure how to turn off my big brother protective instincts toward my little sister. Most likely, they’d never go away, but she had Cooper now, and I did trust him to watch Torie’s back.
“Youdohave to,” she insisted. “Cooper worries about me enough for both you and Wyatt, unfortunately. The last thing I need is another person fussing over my well-being.”
I grinned at her. Not so long ago, it would have been really hard for me to imagine Cooper Montgomery losing his shit over anything, especially a female. “His genius logic and reasoning ability do seem to go out the window when it comes to you,” I agreed.
She folded her arms over her chest as she said, “It does. Completely. If I didn’t love him the same way, his drive to keep me protected might drive me totally insane. But I do and it doesn’t, even though I’m more than able to take care of myself.”
“Then what can I do to be a better big brother now that you do have Cooper?” I asked hoarsely.
She whacked my arm before she said, “You and Wyatt have always been the best brothers I could ever hope to have. I love you both so much. Just keep loving me and supporting me like you always have. I’ll never be too old or too grown up to need that.”
Hell, Torie was one of the strongest women I’d ever known. She’d globetrotted around the world for years as a translator for the UN before her kidnapping. Maybe Wyatt and I had been a little overbearing since that kidnapping incident because our dad wasn’t around anymore. But it was obvious that she didn’t need us to act like a protective parent anymore. Maybe she never had.
I lifted my hands jokingly in surrender. “I’ll do my best, but if Cooper ever screws up—”
“He won’t,” she said confidently. “Now get moving and bring my best friend back to me. As long as she’s still alive, I can handle whatever hell she’s been through. I just need to see her face again, Chase.”
