Justine Ch. 22

Quinn left the cell followed by Mikhail and Maurice without looking back.

"Begin now." He murmured as he vanished to where Justine and Thomas were working with Lottie.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She'll be fine. She just needs a few days to rest." Justine replied. "Are the traitors taken care of?

"Yes." Quinn replied hugging her.

*********

The rest of the gala passed without incident. Word of the Rhys' arrest replaced the talk about the wedding ceremony. If there had been any remaining doubt about the capability of the royal quartet, it had been put to rest. All of them, Justine included were happy to see the week end. There was one more party to take care of and then they could move on.

Justine kept Lottie asleep until the day after the gala ended. She wanted to be sure that she was fully recovered. Wallace sat outside of the suite refusing to move until he was sure that Lottie was out of danger. When he found out that she was awake, he was going to leave; but Thomas stopped him.

"She wants to see you."

Wallace wiped his hands on his pants and went into the suite. Lottie was sitting up in a chair still pale, but definitely not on death's door. He didn't know what to say to her.

"Papa come sit with me." she said softly.

He was struck by the lack of anger in her face and in her voice. When he reached her, Lottie took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Lottie... I ... I didn't know... I wouldn't have come."

"I know... Thomas told me everything. Why didn't you tell us that you owed money? We could have helped."

"I... Wilhelmina would only accept you. We had to give you to her or she was going to kill all of us except for you. I was in an impossible position... after your mother and brothers were killed by hunters I didn't care anymore. I had failed in so many ways and here I almost betrayed you again. I am so sorry."

Lottie wiped the tears from her father's face ignoring her own. He had suffered so much, as much as she had and now she had to tell him how her mother really died. She thought about waiting, but it wouldn't be any easier later.

"Papa... the hunters didn't kill mama... Wilhelmina did. I wouldn't do as she asked so... she killed mama. I'm sorry!

Thomas left the room to give father and daughter time to mourn together. He had already spoken with his mother and made his peace with her. She would be going to one of the homes that Justine owned. Oddly she didn't appear to be upset over the fate of her mate and children. When Thomas asked her about it, he found out that it was as Justine said. She had been a victim of the cruelty of her mate and children. He had kissed her on the cheek and promised to keep in touch. In response to the promise, she just smiled.

***********

Justine sat on the beach and wiggled her toes in the sand. Josephine and David sat with her each with a laptop working on their various projects. Josephine had decided to take refresher courses and to continue the goal of getting her RN.

"That's what I was working toward when I got taken and I'm going to finish what I started."

David closed his laptop, gave Josephine a peck on the cheek and ran down the beach to help Quinn, Lana and Sara, Lana's sister build a sand castle. David had been right... the family just needed to know that the help that they were receiving wasn't free or charity. Once they understood that and signed the papers that they had insisted on, they were on board with the move.

Justine leaned back and closed her eyes relishing in the feeling of normalcy. Who knew how long it would last? She decided that it didn't matter. They would take it as it came. For now though, she was Justine Graves O'Dell, wife, stepmother, daughter and lawyer.

It was all good.