14. Taken #4
“It was them or us, but not before they raped her.” Gabriel released a low growl. “Would that have been better, for fuck’s sake?”
“Could they ID you?”
“I had to remove my ski mask when I ran into the convenience store.”
“For what… breath mints?”
Gabriel grabbed Teddy by his T-shirt. “Water, Theodore. She was drugged and almost raped. I need all video of me killed. Can you do it?” Gabriel shoved him back.
“I had to get us the hell out. She was strapped to a St. Andrews Cross. If I didn’t shoot my way out, I’d be dead and she’d be in bad shape, if they let her live at all. ”
The anger dissipated from his brother’s eyes. “I’m sorry. You’re right.”
Teddy retrieved his laptop and got busy. “Why don’t you check on Halston while I get started?”
Gabriel unlocked his phone, handed it to his brother. “This is the Russian sex club. Annandale.”
Gabriel took off toward the stairs. On the second floor, he strode through the primary bedroom, knocked on the closed bathroom door.
Sydney opened it. “Come in.” After he entered, Sydney said to Halston, “Grab whatever you need from the closet. I’mma make you something to eat.”
Sydney left. Halston stood in the shower, her hand pressed against the tiled wall, her long hair trailing down her back while the water soaked her. When she turned, the hatred in her eyes took him by surprise.
“I’m going after them with everything I have,” she bit out. “I came so close to getting molested by that monster—” She shook her head. “I will not cower. I will unleash my fury on them until there is no one left.”
He stripped down, entered the shower, and held her in his arms. She relaxed into him.
“Don’t become like me,” he murmured before wiping the water from her eyes.
“I’m more like you than you know.”
Realizing he needed to redirect her thoughts, he said, “I stole some papers from Donskoy’s house. I can’t read them, but you can.”
She shuddered in a breath. “I’m still nauseous.”
“Let’s get you something to eat, then we’ll sleep.”
She washed herself off, turned off the shower.
With gentle hands, he squeezed the excess water from her hair, wrapped her in a large, bath towel.
He stayed close while he dried himself off.
Relieved, she was a little more alert, he kept a firm arm around her waist and guided her into Teddy and Sydney’s large walk-in closet.
He helped her into a sweatshirt and yoga pants before he pulled on a pair of his brother’s worn blue jeans and a black T-shirt.
“Thank you for helping me.”
“I fucked up… again. I’m responsible for what happened to you.”
“You aren’t, Gabriel, but you are responsible for saving me.” She walked over, snuggled against him. “You are the best…” She peeked up at him. “My fake husband—”
“I’m yours,” he said. “And you’re mine. Nothing fake about this.”
Knock-knock.
“Everything okay?” Sydney called out from the bedroom.
With Gabriel’s arm around Halston’s waist, they exited the large closet, returning to the bathroom.
“I need to dry Halston’s hair,” he said.
Sydney pulled her dryer from a drawer, plugged it in. “I made scrambled eggs and grain toast.” Sydney collected his clothes, covered in blood spatter. “I’ll take these to get burned.”
“Take my coat,” Halston murmured.
“Syd, pull the papers from my jacket pocket,” he said.
Sydney set them on the bathroom counter between the two sinks.
He acknowledged her with a nod. “We’ll be down in a few,” Gabriel said before turning on the dryer.
He had never cared for anyone like this. Never taken the time to put another person ahead of himself. Halston stood there, watching him dry her hair. From time to time, their eyes would lock, the undeniable love passing between them. He had killed for her.
He had killed to keep her safe.
When her long hair was dry, he kissed her forehead. “Let’s go downstairs.”
In the hallway, Halston pulled him to a stop. “Donskoy is tied to the Russian businessman, Dmitri Petrov, who’s connected to the ambassador,” she said. “I need to know what they’re up to.”
“The papers I took from the house might give you answers.”
She hugged him. “You were right. This is war.”
“You gotta take it easy, Il mio angelo.” My angel.
“I’m out for blood,” she said. “Theirs.”
Together, they returned to the kitchen.
Halston sat at the table, guzzled more water before taking a bite of egg. “Thank you for helping me.” With tears in her eyes, she said to them, “I’ve been on my own for so long… I couldn’t have gotten through this without you… all of you.”
“We got you,” Gabriel said.
For the first time in his life, he had something bigger than himself to live for.
Bigger than his massive empire of businesses.
Even bigger than being Boss of Cosa Nostra.
He had a woman he cared about, a woman he wanted to protect and keep safe.
He wasn’t just spouting empty words when he called her his queen.
She was.
And he’d just proven the lengths he would go to show her he meant it.
As they locked eyes, he couldn’t help but wonder how much more danger they would be forced to face.
Of one thing he was certain… they would face it together.