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The three of us, me and Victoria looking a little more battered than when we’d left for church this afternoon, huddled into the elevator and soared upward to his penthouse where Inessa was waiting by the entranceway.
She hurled herself into the small space between Victoria and I, evidently refusing to choose—which, crazy though it seemed, and as much as Vicky needed the love, I appreciated more than she could know.
She huddled into us, cuddling us both, sobbing and crying and shrieking in French and Russian, a mixture of words that were both terrified and furious and relieved.
By the end, I was giggling, unable to stop myself or this giddy high I was currently riding. She pulled back to stare at me, but Vicky merely said, “She keeps doing that.”
And I did.
I wasn’t sure why, but I’d giggled a few times.
Brennan cleared his throat. “It’s just reaction. Shock setting in.” He and I shared a glance, his brow puckering as he looked me over.
I could tell I was surprising him, could tell, also, that there was something going on in his head. Something shadowy, something that had nothing to do with today. Or, that’s to say, it was burrowed away in his past but the events at the compound had triggered the memories.
When Inessa said, “You always were a weirdo, Cammie,” I just grinned at her, finding amusement in her words because they were said with love, not revulsion, which made all the damn difference.
She hooked her arm around Vicky’s shoulders and tugged her into her side. “How you doing, short stuff?”
Our baby sister just shrugged, muttering, “I’m okay.”
“She isn’t,” I ratted on her. “I think you should get her in the shower, then tuck her into bed. She needs to get some sleep.”
“I’m not a baby,” Vicky retorted, but it was half-hearted, like she wanted to argue just for the sake of it but knew we were speaking wisely.
“I know you’re not,malyshka,but I’m going to do exactly that when I get home, and I’m not a baby either.” I leaned forward, squeezing Vicky’s arm, telling her, “You did good today.”
She scowled at me from under a floppy piece of gold fringe. “How can you say that? I just huddled in the corner. You’re the one who—” She gasped. “She—” Her eyes watered. “You put yourself in danger for me.”
“Of course I did,” I told her simply, smiling at her. “That’s my duty as the eldest.”
“But...” Her head tossed from side to side, seemingly of its own volition, not hers. “I don’t understand how you could have...” She swallowed. “...done that. Bite him like that—”
“I had to stop him from hurting you. Not just today, but every other day too. What I did was something he might have survived were it not for Brennan, but he’d never be able to use it the same way again.” I jerked my chin up. “I made sure of that.”
She gulped. “I think I might be sick.”
When she darted out of Inessa’s arms, running down the hall, Inessa frowned at me. “Cammie?” Her voice wobbled just as her eyes widened. “You didn’t.”
My mouth tightened. “I did.”
“Jesus.”
“He had nothing to do with it,” I said flatly, but I reached over and squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll call you later after I get some rest. My head got knocked around a few times today. I could do with a good night’s sleep.”
She frowned but nodded, moving into me to hug me again. “How did you do that?” she whispered. “Didn’t you gag?”
“I annihilated a threat.” I tipped my head to the side. “That’s what O’Donnellys do.”
Brennan’s nostrils flared as our eyes clashed and held over Innie’s shoulder as we embraced.
“I’m so glad you got away,” I told her gruffly.
“Only because of you,” she whispered. “If you hadn’t helped me—”
I pulled back and reached for her hands. Squeezing them, I repeated, “It’s my job to protect you. I failed you—”
Brennan protested gruffly, “Hardly.”
