Page 116 of Theta

"What I would like to know is how you and Story got off the freighter," Anselm says.

"They moved us. In the middle of a fucking crazy-ass storm," I answer. “Launched a rescue boat off the side in the middle of a storm with fuckin'…what, ten, fifteen-foot waves." I shake my head. "Still no clue why, but I’ll sure as hell never forget that shit.”

"Pugli knew we were on his ass," Dad answers. "It was a joint op—A1S, Johnny Raze's crew, and some cats outta Vegas. Hard-ass operators, that bunch. Except they don't kill. Weird but true.” He shakes his head. "I think when Pugli realized we were coming for him—when he found out Mercado was dead, the Vegas ambush had failed, and our people were chasing his ass across Europe, he panicked. Snatched you, Cal, and Story. Bryn got herself into trouble, and it was only blind luck that it just happened to involve the same people. Stashing you on a freighter was a smart play, I gotta say. The move?" he shrugs. "At the end, Pugli was on the run, on his own. My guess is he was panicking, spiraling, trying to retain control. I think he thought he could use you as leverage, you and Story."

"They kept saying he had plans for Story."

"Oh, I'm sure he did, the vile fuckstain,” Mom says. "But more than anything, you were supposed to be insurance. For all the good it did him. Didn't know who he'd snatched."

Story and I both laugh, Story carefully and with a wince and a hiss. "That's what we said," I say.

Mom eyes Story. "God. Wish I'd thought of that tampon trick.”

Story shrugs. "It's all I had. Enzo was shot and we knew more were coming, so I improvised." She looks at me, then. “His wife and daughter! We never made it to see them."

"The address is written down. It’s in the pocket of my jeans, wherever those are."

"I'm sure the doctor or one of the nurses will know," Mom says.

“On it,” Dad says, and exits the room—I think he’s glad to have something he can do.

"Too much emotion in here for your poor ol' hard-ass dad," Mom says, with a wry smirk. She kisses my forehead. "You should rest now, the both of you."

Story and I trade looks, and then burst into laughter, although Story's laughter halts immediately with a hiss of pain and a wince.

"Much as I hate being told to rest every hour of the day, I admit I'm pretty wiped already."

"If you'd not been a stubborn dumbshit and had let Dr. Lia fix you up, you wouldn't be in such pain," Story scolds me. "So while I have sympathy for you, I'm also kind of pissed. You sitting at my bedside and refusing medical help was just stupid."

Mom's gaze cuts to me, narrowing. "Killian Nicholas Harris. Please tell me she's making this up." A glance at Story. "I know you're not, honey. I know how men are."

I growl. "It wasn't a conscious decision. I was exhausted, in pain, and delirious, I'd lost a good bit of blood, and I was fuckin’…” I close my eyes and sigh. "I was terrified she was going to die. It just didn't matter if she wasn't okay."

Mom's gaze softens. "I suppose that's an understandable response." She looks from me to Story and back. "To be totally honest, I'm surprised it took the two of you this long. It was obvious to everyone except you guys, I'm pretty sure, that you both were in love with each other for…god, since I can remember."

Story frowns at me. "Everyone knew but us, huh?"

I shrug. "I dunno. This is the first I'm hearing of it."

Selah lets out a soft little huff of laughter. "It really was obvious. Killian would follow you around like a puppy, Story. He looked at you like you held the moon and the stars in your hands. It was different for Story for a while, because you are younger, but she has cared about you deeply since you were just a child. And since you started becoming the man you are now, she too has looked at you with many stars in her eyes, although she has tried to hide it." Her smile is affectionate. "She cannot hide it from me, however."

Story is blushing. "Mom. God. We aren't kids anymore.”

Selah only smiles even more broadly. "I know. It is all the more reason for me to be happy. I know Killian. I know he is a good man raised by good people whom I love and respect. I know he will treat you well, unlike those…those…" a huff. "Ma'afan boys you have wasted your time on." She uses a Hebrew word I obviously don't know, but I assume it's derogatory.

"Mom!" Story snaps.

Selah holds up her hands. "Okay, okay. I am just saying…" she smiles at me. "This…has my approval. I know you do not need it, but there it is."

Story's irritation dissolves like an ice cube in boiling water. "Need? No. Want? Yes." She looks at me. "We just need some uninterrupted time together where we aren't in fear of our lives so we can figure things out."

Mom and Selah exchange looks. "I bet you do," Mom says, her expression neutral.

Selah keeps her face expressionless for a few seconds, and then she and Mom burst into laughter at the same time.

Story and I just trade annoyed glances at our embarrassing mothers.

"You'd think she'd be over embarrassing me," I say. "I'm a grown-ass man."