Free Keep: The Wedding: Romanian Mob Chronicles by Kaye Blue Page A

but he always did.
    “Do you think I’m stupid, Sorin?” I asked, my voice rising as I squared to face him.
    “Depends. Do you want to waste time fighting me, or should we be out looking for your woman?” he said, pulling himself to his full height, his arms hanging loose but ready at his sides.
    Knowing my brother as I did, I knew he wouldn’t care either way. He’d fight me until one or both of us was unconscious if I wanted. And the urge was there. It would be easy to fight him, or better yet, beat Ioan to a pulp. Anything would be better than this. Better than not knowing where she was, better than being on the edge of insanity with worry.
    But as easy as it might have been, as much better as it would have made me feel, it wouldn’t get me any closer to finding Fawn and bringing her back home.
    Sorin watched me, waiting, until finally, I relented.
    I shook my head. “No. Come with me,” I said.
    Together, we went to the front door, and I pulled it open.
    The sight that greeted me was more beautiful than any I had ever seen.
    I moved before my mind could consciously process thought, and I had Fawn’s body pressed against mine and lifted her until her feet were no longer on the ground.
    I held her tight, so tight, I worried that she couldn’t breathe. But I didn’t let her go, couldn’t let her go. I had feared the worst, had imagined the most horrible things happening to her, but she was here, now, alive and in my arms.
    She hugged me back, her hands warm against my skin.
    “I’m sorry,” she whispered in my ear, her voice low, almost broken.
    Speech was impossible between the relief and the thoughts that raced through my mind. Whoever had done this to her would suffer. He would bear the weight of the things he had made me fear, pay for the insult to her and to my family.
    But most of all, he would pay for putting that sound in her voice again, returning that worry, that fear that I had sworn she would never feel again.
    “Where’s Maria?” she asked.
    I set her down then, stared into her face, my chest squeezing so tight I could scarcely get air out of my lungs.
    “In there. With Esther,” I finally managed to say.
    “Okay. I’m going to see her,” she said.
    Though I was reluctant to let her go, I did, knowing that she wanted to see the baby. We’d talk later.
    She went into the house and I followed her as she followed the laughter that came from the kitchen. She approached, but then paused for a moment. I watched as she breathed deep, then plastered a smile on her face before she walked into the room.
    “Look who’s here!” I heard Esther say, followed by Maria’s excited squeals.
    “Maria, what are you doing?” Fawn asked.
    I listened for a few moments longer as Maria babbled something unintelligible.
    “When are you going to talk to her?” Sorin asked.
    “Later. After Maria sleeps,” I said.
    Esther came out a few moments later carrying Baby Sorin, her own expression troubled, but some of the tension gone.
    She stopped, touched my shoulder, and then looked at Sorin. “I’ll wait outside,” she said.
    Sorin kissed her hard, quickly, and then waited until the door was closed.
    “I’ll gather a few trusted soldiers,” he said.
    “Good. Have them waiting,” I said.
    He nodded and then left, and I waited in the foyer, trying to force myself to be calm. Fawn was back, but I didn’t want to scare Maria. I wasn’t yet sure I was in a place where I could go in there, be the daddy that she loved, and not the monster that I so desperately wanted to be.
    A few long minutes later, ones that hadn’t made things better but that had given me the calm to face my family, I went into the kitchen, where Fawn stood watching Maria as she played in flour.
    “Did you have fun today?” Fawn asked.
    If Maria heard the tears that made her mother’s voice waver, she didn’t show it. Without speaking, I went to Fawn and wrapped my arms around her.
    I swore I would never let her go.
----

    F