Casing ✔️

Chapter 40

"What did you accomplish with this idiocy?" Damian's voice was loud and demanding, and the first thing I finally heard as my last wrist was freed, and I was back in paradise.

James held me before I could get up from the chair, and he helped me up. As I looked towards Marius and the door, I noticed more people had come in—people I knew.

Diana was there, giving me a nod and a small smile, next to the ones I recognized as Kurt and Mongrel. And behind them were Hank, and my dad. Both looked like they hadn't slept, and I could swear I saw dad's eyes shine in the flickering lights.

I was okay. They came for me.

"Nothing," Marius said, and my attention went to him. "He wanted intel, and I saw my chance to get out of this mess."

I stepped forward, wobbling a bit on my feet, but James steadied me as he came with me. I placed my hand on the barrel of Damian's gun and lowered it, as I said, "He helped me."

Conflict was evident in the broody man's eyes, but then he groaned and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, giving me a half-hug. I smiled, pushing his chest a little to tell him I was fine, and he took a step back, before his attention was on Marius again.

"You helped her?" When he nodded, Damian said, "Tell me everything, and I might let you leave this mess."

He grabbed Marius' upper arm and pushed him out the door, probably leaving to get more information. Diana, Kurt and Mongrel left with them, and I took a deep breath before I turned my attention to the floor.

It was sticky and wet, and right in front of the chair I'd spent too much time in, was Marius' father. I didn't even know his name, and he was dead, with his blood sprayed across my face.

Not that he didn't deserve it. He truly did—so much that I took a few more wobbly steps towards him, and used more energy than he deserved by spitting on his corpse. It felt just as good as before, and I shuddered as the realization finally hit me: I was free.

I reached for James' hand and squeezed it, before I walked over to my dad and my uncle, letting them both hug me. I could have sworn dad choked a sob, and that Hank shuddered, but I didn't comment on any of it. It had been a long day, night, and day for me. I couldn't imagine it had been any shorter for either of them.

"I don't know why I'm asking this, because your answer isn't going to change anything, but..." James' voice sounded so broken, so hurt and hoarse that I turned around and looked straight at him for the first time since my vision cleared. "Kevin," he continued, "may I ask for your daughter's hand in marriage?"

Dad's hand left my back, and was up towards my boyfriend with a Glock in it before I could react. His grimace told me he didn't want to shoot, but he didn't want a repeat of what had happened now either.

I backed away, positioning myself in front of James as I stared at my dad. "Please," I croaked out, though I didn't know if it was to get his permission to marry the man of my dreams, or to get him to lower his gun.

Maybe it was both.

James' hands snaked around my waist, holding me tight. If it was anyone else holding that gun, I'd been thrown across the room already. I knew that. Just like James knew my father wouldn't shoot when I was there.

Dad's hand shook before it lowered.

"Why even ask?" Dad sounded surprised as he looked at us.

"Because you're important to Elina," James answered, "and she values your opinion, even if she makes up her own mind."

Dad looked at Hank, and as I followed his gaze, I struggled to keep my smile in when I saw that Hank was grinning. Dad groaned, and said, "Fine."

James spun me around and looked into my eyes, his hands landing on each of my cheeks as he said, "As my wife, I can protect you better. If we share a home, I can know when something isn't right. I knew it from the start that it would come to this...so I ask again, Elina, if you'll marry me?"

I swallowed hard. I wanted to say yes.

But I bit my lips together for a moment and let him stare at me, before I said, "If you're really serious about that, get me a damn ring."

His bright, brilliant smile almost blinded me, before he kissed me. "Anything for you, my princess," he whispered against my lips, deepening the kiss.

My stomach fluttered, and my breath was uneven, as I struggled to stay standing against him. My legs were aching from being in the same position for so long, and my body was still sore from the taser. So I let myself fall from my toes, and I pushed my forehead against his chest, letting his arms engulf me.

"I'm going to go give that man my thanks," dad said, "because I don't think how long it would've taken to find this place without him."

His hand landed on my shoulder, and I briefly noticed his other one on James'. Then he was gone, and Hank pressed a kiss to my head before he too left. And I was alone with James.

Carefully I looked up, and as his brown hair fell into his forehead when he looked back, I whispered, "I love you."

"Yeah?" He grinned, pulling me closer against his chest. When I nodded, he leaned down to press a kiss to my forehead, and said, "I love you too, my amazing Elina, but I think you already know that."

My cheeks warmed. "I still really liked hearing it."

"Is there any books I should read to get any tips on a good proposal?" He bent down and picked me up, one arm under my knees, the other around my back. "I bet you have crazy high standards. I could use all the help I can get."

I wrapped my hands around his neck, grateful that I didn't have to walk however many sets of stairs there was down to the ground, and shrugged. "You've already done a lot of them. Shouldn't you be an expert by now?"

He smiled at me as he left the room, and with one last look at the man lying on the ground in there, I shut the doors to my heart and locked it.

That man wasn't allowed to haunt my mind in any way. Not my thoughts, not my dreams, and not anything at all.

The tang of blood was strong outside the room, too, and I closed my eyes and leaned my head against his shoulder as he guided me through what had to look like a war zone. Or at least something similar to it.

Well outside in fresh air, my lungs ached. And I was set down on the sidewalk, next to James' car. There were a lot of cars there, blocking the road, having stopped in the middle of it to get inside faster. A few of them even had the doors open still.

That's when something entered my mind, and I looked up at James. "Borgen?"

"Dead." His knuckles ran down my cheek, his thumb stroking my lower lip as he sent me a strained smile. "He was the first guy I shot when we came here. I fucking hate that I let him take you."

"Don't," I said, grabbing his hands, "he was loyal to you. There was no way you could've known."

"You're not driving with anyone other than me or your family. Or Damian, but I don't imagine that'll ever happen." He sounded so strict, and I had to admit I liked it.

"I agree." I chuckled a little. "I should get more driving lessons."

He nodded and kissed my forehead, lingering against it for a long time. "You have no idea how scared I was when you didn't show up for dinner," he whispered, taking my hands in his. "I thought you bailed, that meeting my parents was too much, too fast, but you wouldn't back down from a challenge. And then I thought there'd been a car crash, and neither of us knew anything at all until fucking Marius answered your phone in the middle of the night."

I bit my tongue, but it didn't work. The words poured out anyway. "I told you he was a friend."

He grinned, albeit weakly. "You did." His forehead connected with mine as gently as possible, as he took a deep breath and took my hands in his. "I hate to admit it, but I owe him, and I'm tempted to say that not killing him today is payback enough, but it isn't. It never will be." He closed his eyes, and I brought my hands up to his neck, while he placed his on my waist. He looked at me again as he added, "I owe him my whole life for getting you safely through that shit."

"James," I tried, but my voice broke. So I cleared my throat and began again. "He just wants away from this, like I did."

"Did?" His smile turned a little bigger. He kissed each of my cheeks sweetly before saying, "Then let's get him out of it."