Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Gwendolyn
My heart was in my throat, and I was about to shit my pants. My family was safe, but soon I’d come face-to-face with Malice.
“Can you quit that?” Vincent asked.
“What?”
He waved his hand to my legs. I’d been bouncing them up and down, my nerves getting the better of me.
I pressed a hand to each one. “Sorry. My anxiety is through the roof, so let’s hope I don’t crap my panties too.”
“Go back to the bouncing if that helps.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Nah, I’ll be okay.” I nibbled at my thumbnail as I glanced back at Stasia, who was lightly snoring in the back seat.
Lucky bitch had drifted off as soon as we found out my family was okay.
I wished I could have, and I bet Vincent did, too, since I’d made him play twenty questions.
“Are fruity cocktails really your go-to drink of choice?”
He sighed, but his lips twisted. “Yeah.”
“Do you drink them in front of your brother?”
“Fuck no. I’d never live it down, and I don’t even know why I told you. But you’d better keep it to yourself, or….”
“You’ll kill me in the most painful way?” I offered.
He chuckled. “You’re not bad, Gwen. I get why my brother wants to keep you around.”
“It’s my mad computer skills. Do you need any hacking done? Any exes you want to piss off? It’s the least I can do for driving us all the way back.”
He snorted. “Hell, I might just take you up on the offer. But I’d have to check with Malice first.”
I jerked around to look at him. “Why?”
“You’re his.”
My heart stumbled.
“In an employee way.” Right? “But doesn’t that mean I work for the family?”
“Malice runs the family. He owns everyone within it too.”
So, it was more like an employer-and-employee “owning.”
There was nothing to get excited about, which was why my stomach bottomed out.
Of course he wouldn’t want to “own” me in a way where I’d move my panties into his bedside table.
Vincent caught my attention when he pulled out his phone and started typing a message.
“You know, it’s illegal to be on your phone while driving,” I commented.
He arched his brow at me, then snorted. “That’s the least illegal thing we have to worry about.”
Oh. Right.
Stupid me.
Heck, Malice probably had dead bodies all over my house, knowing him.
I should’ve been horrified, yet I wasn’t. He’d acted to protect my family.
“And I was letting Malice know we’re about to pull up.”
Wide-eyed, I looked out the window. Shit. We really were turning down my street.
The violent swirl of nerves ramped up in my stomach and began to push on my ass. Before, I’d only been half joking when I told Vincent I could crap my underwear, but now it seemed very likely.
A glance at the time on the car’s dashboard showed it was just after two thirty.
Vincent had made it in record time.
As we pulled into Greg’s driveway, I let out a meep when I saw my boss standing on the front porch. Fuck me with a popsicle.
The man was more devilishly handsome in person than the photos I’d seen online.
“Holy shit,” I breathed.
I couldn’t do this.
I couldn’t face him.
Hell, I looked like a hobo compared to him.
Not that it mattered.
He was only my boss.
Then you need to freaking remember that.
I nodded to myself. “I can do this.” I looked at a smirking Vincent and glared. “Shut up. It’s not every day you meet the damned devil in person.”
He threw his head back and roared with laughter.
A groggy Stasia sat up, her arms swinging a little. “Huh? Where? What?”
“We’re home,” I told her.
She rubbed at her eyes and squinted out the window. “Did you call a hooker to meet you here? Damn, he is fine.”
Vincent laughed once more.
“Stasia, that’s the Devil.”
“Your boss?” she yelled.
Shaking my head, I reached for the handle. “I want to see my family,” I said.
And all I had to do was walk by Malice to get to them.
I could do this without shitting myself.
Or farting.
God, please don’t let my bowels act up right now.
As I stepped out of the car, the cool night breeze hit me, sending a shiver down my spine. I moved around to the front and mindlessly ran my hands up and down my arms.
When I took the chance to look up at him still on the front porch, he was already staring back. The coldness I felt practically disappeared as warmth spread over my skin.
Stop! He’s my boss.
Stasia stepped up next to me, whispering, “Wow.”
“Shh,” I snapped quietly.
He probably had good hearing.
All the supernatural creatures did.
And I was sure I saw his lips twitching.
Shaking myself, I reached for Stasia’s hand, and we started for the house.
Guilt and worry rose again inside me. I couldn’t help feeling responsible, since I was the one who left them.
A slamming of the door startled me. Amelia ran toward us.
“Gwen! Stasia!”
My throat thickened. “Melly,” I uttered, tears filling and falling.
Stasia squeezed my hand as she yelled back, “Amelia!”
I released Stasia just as my sister collided with me, causing us to stumble.
She buried her face against my shoulder.
Her whimper reached my ears. I cupped her cheeks and pulled her back so I could get a proper look at her face.
I gave her a soft smile as some of the tension melted from seeing no bruises or marks on my girl.
She was crying as much as I was—relieved to see me as much as I was her.
Leaning in, I placed kisses over her face, but then I heard an emotional voice say, “Gwen.”
I flicked up gaze up and over. My heart cracked at the sight of my brother. “Felix…. Oh my.”
The bruises.
My gut rolled.
They’d hurt him.
When Stasia pulled Amelia into a hug, I widened my arms. My baby brother slammed into me, and I wrapped him tight.
“You’re safe. You’re both safe,” I said, my voice thick.
“They are,” Stasia said, guiding Amelia closer until we formed our own little huddle.
I tucked an arm around Felix’s waist and looked from one sibling to the other. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t’ve gone so far. I’m never leaving you guys again.”
Felix draped his arm over my shoulders and gave me a small shake. “Don’t let them scare you. You deserve time away. Besides, we’re okay, Gwen. We’re safe because you got us help.”
My bottom lip trembled as fresh tears spilled over. I sniffed and managed a watery smile. “I’ll make sure both of you will always be safe. This’ll never happen again.”
Amelia pressed closer, wrapping her arms around my waist while I hooked my free one around her shoulders. Stasia stepped in and squished us all into a tight hug, drawing laughter from my siblings.
“I love you guys,” I told them.
Amelia sucked in a shaky breath. “I love you, too, Gwen.”
Felix nodded. “Me too.”
Thank God, Greg had been— Gasping, I looked up at Felix as tension coiled inside me again. “What about Greg?”
“The old man is okay. He’s inside.”
My heart skipped at the familiar deep, rough tone.
Shit.
Moving my gaze, I met my boss’s dark eyes. Since my throat suddenly felt dry, I nodded.
“Gwen. Come here.” His tattooed hands clenched at his sides.
Did he want to punish me for bringing more trouble to him?
I’d take it, but I doubted that was what he wanted.
He put himself and his men at risk because I asked. The least I could do was speak with him.
Giving my siblings one last squeeze, I said, “You guys head in. I won’t be long. I just need to thank Malice.”
Stasia took a step toward the house and held out her hands. “Come on, you two.”
They moved over and took her hands, but both looked back.
“Promise I won’t be long,” I told them with a smile and wink.
Amelia shifted her attention to Malice. “Remember, Felix will kick your butt if you hurt her.”
A half laugh and snort slipped out before I slapped a hand over my mouth.
“Shut it, Amelia,” Felix barked.
When they went inside, Vincent following, I turned back to Malice and stepped closer, offering him a thin, awkward smile. “Ah… sorry about the threat. She doesn’t mean it.”
Though she probably did.
His brows rose.
Yeah. He didn’t believe me either.
The front door banged shut, and I jolted. Nervousness fluttered to life in my belly as I realized I was finally standing alone in front of Malice.
The Devil.
The boss who owned me—
Like all his devoted employees.
Wait. Was I devoted?
I didn’t know. But standing here without a phone between us felt strange. He was seeing me. The real me. Not even Blaze had met me in person.
What did he think?
I bet he thought I was lacking. I was nothing like the women photographed at his side.
I blew out a shaky breath and sucked in a long, drawn-out one. I was being ridiculous. Almost starstruck.
Damn him and his good looks.
Meeting his piercing dark gaze again, I noticed how much taller he was. I barely reached his shoulders. I licked my dry lips and softly said, “Thank you.”
He reached out and pinched my chin to tip my head back. “No need for thanks, doll. They’re yours, and you’re mine.” His thumb brushed over my skin under my bottom lip.
Double damn him again.
My knees went weak, and my cheeks warmed while my pulse raced.
Ignore it. Ignore it.
“Your green eyes are absolutely gorgeous.”
Oh my God.
Acting without thought, I gave him a slight push in the shoulder with my fist, saying, “Yep, okay, ah, thanks, boss. Right, okay, then. I better go see Greg.”
And with that, I turned away and rushed off, leaving him chuckling behind me.
When I stepped through the door, I spotted Greg on the couch, Felix beside him, and Amelia sitting on the floor at his feet.
Fresh tears welled and spilled down my cheeks. Sorrow struck at the state he was in—but relief followed just as quickly. He was alive.
“I’m okay, sweetheart.”
I made a choked noise in the back of my throat and nodded.
He didn’t look it, though. His arm was in a sling, and bruises and cuts plastered his face. He wore clean clothes, but I would bet my ass that there was a bloody pile somewhere in the house.
“Greg, I’m sor—”
“I won’t have it, Gwen. None of this is your fault. Don’t take the blame, okay?”
Snorting, I sniffed and wiped my face. “I’ll try.”