Page 144 of Dancing for the Minotaur

“We’re okay, Mom,” Cody’s voice came over the phone next. He sounded older somehow, as though the experience had aged him several years in the course of an afternoon, but there was also unmistakable excitement beneath the lingering fear. “The Bull-man took out all the bad guys—like a video game!”

“Cody!” Terra exclaimed through her tears. “This is not a video game.”

“I know, but you should’ve seen⁠—”

“Cody,” Taurex’s deep voice interrupted somewhere in the background.

“Okay, okay,” her son muttered.

Terra laughed despite everything. The sound felt almost painful because her body was still flooded with terror and adrenaline even though her mind had finally begun to understand that she didn’t need to be afraid anymore.

Her children were alive—alive and safe. Taurex had them and he wouldn’t let anyone hurt them. Thank God.

The phone changed hands again and his voice returned.

“As you can hear, they are unharmed,” Taurex said. “Now, if you are operating your vehicle recklessly, I need you to slow down.”

Terra looked at the speedometer and her eyes widened. She immediately lifted her foot.

“You are driving recklessly,” Taurex said warningly.

“How do you know?” she demanded.

“Because I know you.”

The simple answer made her heart twist and Terra swallowed hard.

“I just…God, Taurex, I thought they were going to die!”

“I know,” he murmured, his deep voice sympathetic in her ear.

“I thought he was going to make me choose between—” Her voice broke again, and she couldn’t finish.

“You do not have to choose anything,” Taurex said firmly. “Orlov cannot harm you or your younglings now. Cody and Lisa are both here in my penthouse. I am staying with them until you arrive.”

Terra wiped her cheeks with the back of one hand, keeping her eyes on the road.

“But…what about Orlov?”

There was a pause—not a long one, but long enough.

“Orlov will not be bothering you or anyone else ever again,” Taurex said shortly.

Terra’s fingers tightened around the phone. Something about his tone told her not to ask for details right now. Still, she had to know one thing.

“Is he—?” she began.

“Drive safely, Terra,” Taurex interrupted. “Your children are frightened, and they need their mother. I would prefer not to tell them that after everything they endured today, you injured yourself by driving your vehicle into a building.”

Despite herself, Terra gave a watery little laugh.

“I’m not going to drive into a building.”

“You nearly drove into several vehicles while we were speaking.”

“How could you possibly know that?” she asked, frowning.

“I can hear the horns.”