Colters' Promise

CHAPTER 6

THIS is ridiculous,” Max muttered as he drove down the interstate. “I never should have let you talk me into this.”

Callie huddled in the blanket Max had wrapped around her and adjusted the heater vent to hit her more squarely.

“I just took some more ibuprofen. My fever will break soon,” she said, trying to control her chattering teeth.

“You can barely talk,” Max said. “And your throat hurts. You have chills and fever and you have no business getting on a plane. I should check you into a hotel and have your dads or brothers come get you.”

“Don’t you dare,” Callie growled. “I can lie down on your plane same as I can lie down at home in my bed. What’s the difference?”

“The difference is you’d have someone to fuss over you, you’d have a more comfortable bed, and you wouldn’t be out in the cold and snow.”

She made a disgruntled sound and burrowed deeper into her blanket. “Lauren needs us both. I can use my sickness as a trump card. If she starts arguing, I’ll feign weakness and be pitiful. Then she’ll have to come so you can whisk me back home to my sickbed.”

Max shook his head. “You’re diabolical.”

She grinned around her quivering lips. “You love that about me.”

He shot her an amused look. “I love you more when that evil streak isn’t aimed at me.”

For a moment she stared at him, suddenly struck, as she was so often, by how much she adored this man. Was he perfect? Oh hell no. He’d made his fair share of mistakes. But he’d done everything in his power to make up for those mistakes. He showed her every day how much he loved and adored her. He took care of her. He showered her with affection. She was one spoiled woman and she loved every minute of it.

“Do I even want to know what you’re thinking?” he asked with a resigned sigh.

“I love you,” she said softly.

His eyes darkened and his fingers tightened around the wheel. “I love you too, dolcezza. I give thanks every day that you are able to love me after all we’ve been through.”

She smiled and reached over to lace her fingers through his. He raised her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her palm.

“What’s done is done. It does neither of us any good to dwell on the past. Not when our future is so very bright.”

Max gripped her hand for a long moment and he swallowed almost as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t. When he finally spoke, it was to change the subject entirely.

“Are you comfortable? Perhaps you should sleep for a while. We still have an hour and a half until we get to the airport.”

She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes, willing to let him veer into neutral territory. She knew he still lost sleep when he remembered how close he’d come to losing her. “I think you’re right. I feel like a wet noodle. I want to be rested for when we meet Lauren.”

“Sleep then, love. I’ll wake you when we get to the plane.”

DESPITE her protests, Max carried her, wrapped in the blanket from his SUV, onto his jet. He made sure the pilot had warmed the interior and was ready to go the moment they arrived.

Within minutes they took off and Max didn’t wait long to unbuckle her and pull her into his arms once more. He carried her back to the lounge area to a comfortable leather couch, and he settled onto it, holding her against his chest.

She dozed for most of the flight. Max woke her up once to give her more medicine when he noted that she was once again shivering and then she drifted back off, snuggled deeply into his embrace.

By the time they landed in New York, some of the bone-deep chill had worn off. Callie felt wrung out, but at least she wasn’t so cold she couldn’t function. What she needed most now was a bath to wash off all the sweat and the sticky sensation. But she didn’t want to delay even a moment in going to get Lauren.

It amused Max that she insisted the pilot remain on standby. They wouldn’t be more than a few hours—over her dead body were they going to remain in a city with the asshole loose who’d beaten Lauren.

Even sick, grumpy, having a sore throat, and feeling like complete crap, she was a woman on a mission.

Max whisked her into a waiting car and directed the driver to take them to the apartment where he’d relocated Lauren.

“And you’re sure she’s okay?” Callie asked anxiously as she watched traffic drive through melting puddles of snow.

Max put his hand over hers. “Relax, dolcezza. I get hourly reports from the men I hired to guard her. She goes nowhere without their protection. No one gets into her apartment without their knowledge and consent. She’s safe.”

She blew out her breath. Yes, if Max had hired someone to protect his sister, he would have hired only the best. Still, she’d feel much better when Lauren was back home with them in the midst of Callie’s loving family.

At times like this, a girl needed family above all else. Callie was going to make sure Lauren had it.

Thirty minutes later, they pulled up to an apartment building.

“I don’t suppose I can convince you to remain in the car where it’s warm and dry while I go collect Lauren,” Max said.

Callie shook her head emphatically and Max chuckled.

“I didn’t think so. Well, come on then. Let’s hurry. I want you back home where I can take better care of you.”

Max got out and helped Callie onto the sidewalk before tucking her firmly under his arm. They hurried toward the building, where Max scanned a security card to gain access.

As they headed toward the elevator, Max pulled out his cell phone, punched in a number, and then put the phone to his ear.

“This is Wilder. I’m coming up with my wife.”

Max ushered her onto the elevator, suddenly all business. He was tense and his face was set in stone. Already he was preparing for battle. A battle he didn’t intend to lose. Callie put her hand on his arm and gently squeezed.

His expression softened and he pulled her closer to him. He brushed a kiss across the top of her head, then squeezed her back.

The elevator opened and they stepped into the hall. When they rounded the corner, they were met by two very broad-shouldered, intimidating men. Callie instinctively stepped closer to Max.

These weren’t the polished, suave, security detail–type men in suits she’d expected. They were rough around the edges. Looked mean as hell. Were as big as damn mountains. But the upside? Callie couldn’t imagine anyone in their right mind fucking with these two. That included Lauren’s loser of an ex-boyfriend.

“How is she?” Max asked in clipped tones.

One of the men scowled. “Hasn’t left her apartment since she arrived.”

Max swore under his breath. “Has she been eating?”

The second man nodded. “We’ve made sure of it. She’s not too happy with us—or you—at the moment.”

Max grimaced, then turned to Callie. “Callie, this is Liam Prescott and Noah Sullivan, the two men I hired to oversee Lauren’s safety.” He glanced back at the two men. “This is my wife, Callie.”

“Ma’am,” Liam said as he dipped his head respectfully.

Callie swallowed and continued to stare at the two boulders. Yes, boulders. It was the only word to describe them. They were hard as stone and had muscles in places Callie had never imagined muscles to be.

“She probably hasn’t left her apartment because she’s scared to death of them,” she whispered to Max.

Liam chuckled. “No ma’am, she’s not afraid of us. She’s pissed. There’s a difference. I’d rather have her pissed off than in danger though.”

Noah shrugged like it didn’t matter to him one way or another.

Callie cleared her throat. “Well, um, we’ve come to take her home with us. I mean, not that you aren’t doing a good job—I’m sure you are—but she belongs with family.”

A smile quirked the corner of Liam’s mouth. “We don’t bite, Mrs. Wilder.”

Max silenced him with a glare.

“Let’s go, Max,” Callie said impatiently.

Max motioned her ahead and Callie gingerly walked by the two mountains and knocked lightly on Lauren’s door. A moment later it swung open, and Lauren was there with a disgruntled look on her face.

“I ate, okay?”

Then she stopped and her eyes went wide with surprise. “Callie! What are you … I thought it was them … Max?”

Callie pulled her petite sister-in-law into a hug and squeezed her fiercely. When she let her go, Max held out his arms and Lauren went into his embrace.

“Are you all right?” he asked her quietly.

She nodded as she pulled away. “Come in. Both of you.”

The two mountains took their positions by the door and Lauren closed the door with a sharp bang.

“Pains in my ass,” Lauren muttered as she turned away. “Now, what are you two doing here? Not that I’m not thrilled to see you.”

Callie studied her sister-in-law closely and didn’t like what she saw. Behind the façade of normalcy was an exhausted, shadowed woman with fear in her eyes. Callie’s heart ached for her.

There were deep smudges underneath Lauren’s eyes, and she looked much thinner than the last time Callie had seen her. Her arms and neck were covered by the long-sleeved shirt and scarf she wore, but Max had told Callie about the dark bruises that marred her skin.

“We came to take you home,” Callie said firmly.

Lauren’s lips twisted unhappily, but before she could launch a protest, Callie held up a hand to silence her.

“This is not up for discussion. Max and I both agree you need to be with family. My parents are dying to get their hands on you. My brothers will spoil you rotten.”

Lauren shook her head but Callie wasn’t giving up.

“You need us, Lauren,” she said softly. “Everybody needs their family. Especially when something terrible happens. I should know. I shut mine out when I should have been wallowing in all their love and support. Come home with us. I’m not leaving without you.”

Max spoke up for the first time. “She’s right, baby.” His voice was tender and coaxing. “And you know how fierce Callie is when she’s set her mind to something. She’s sick with strep throat and a hundred-and-four fever but hell if she wasn’t getting on a plane to come bring you home.”

Lauren smiled faintly. “My brother sounds afraid of you.”

Callie grinned. “That’s because he’s a smart man.”

Lauren’s expression grew more troubled. “I don’t know about this.”

Callie took her hands and squeezed. “There’s nothing to know or think about. There’s nothing for you here. Come home with us and heal. There’s no better place to be than surrounded by the Colters.”

Tears gathered in Lauren’s dark eyes and her lips trembled. Then finally she nodded. “Okay. I’ll come.”