Chapter 18 - Gabriel
It had been almost a week since Bridget called us with the revelation that Dr. Davis was an unethical hack, and I had expected to hear from her by then. Granted, I didn’t know her well, but she didn’t seem the type to just disappear.
We were still in the downtown apartment. Andrew and I hadn’t discussed it, but he wasn’t ready to leave the city without speaking to Bridget again.
The week passed slowly. Andrew was sinking back into the depression that had gripped him after his injury. He was putting on a good show, but he couldn’t hide from me; I could feel it through our bond.
His pain had returned, bad enough that he sometimes had trouble walking.
“Is it worse than before?” I asked. I was worried that the treatment had done worse damage.
“No, it’s the same.” Frustration and shame welled in the bond, and it broke my heart.
“Vieni qui, amore,” I murmured and pulled him down onto the couch. I laid his head in my lap and brushed my fingers through his hair the way he liked until he purred softly. “You are like a big kitten.”
“Should we call her?” Andrew asked after a few minutes. A football match played on the TV and the color from the screen painted his face in shades of blue and green.
“I am not sure. I think she will call us.”
He nodded, his eyes on the game.
We fell asleep that way until I jerked awake, my phone ringing loudly. “Cazzo,” I spat, rubbing my neck. The clock said it was 5:45am.
I grabbed my phone, ready to dismiss the spam call. But then I recognized the name.
“Carrissima, are you well?” I asked.
“Hi. Yes. I mean, no, not really,” Bridget replied. Her voice was breathless. I shook Andrew awake impatiently. “It’s kind of a long story.”
“Good thing I am an excellent listener.” Andrew sat up and I mouthed Bridget, pointing at the phone. He was instantly alert. “What is wrong?”
By the time Bridget reached the events of that morning, we were already dressed. “I am coming to get you now,” I said when she paused. “Where are you, tesoro?”
“Hold on,” another voice interjected. It was a woman — Maggie — and she sounded impatient. “You can’t just come get her. The house is obviously being watched.”
“Yes, obviously,” I said, trying to keep the impatience from my voice. “We will go to a second location and switch cars so anyone who is watching will not know it is her.”
There was a pause on the line. “That’s a good idea,” the woman said begrudgingly.
“Yes, I know. I am very good at my job. I will send my colleague Jason to pick her up.” He owed me a few favors. “Carrissima, are you there?”
“Yes,” Bridget said, her voice stronger. “I know it’s so presumptuous, but I didn’t know who else—”
“None of that. You did the right thing, and I promise you will be safe.”
“Thank you,” she said in a small voice.
“I will see you soon. Send me the address.”
Despite the early hour, Jason agreed to help immediately. He knew I wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t important. We arranged to meet in a parking garage about equidistant between Bridget and our apartment in an hour.
Andrew had stayed silent through the exchange, but when I hung up with Jason, he drew me in for a kiss. We didn’t have time for anything more, but I felt his passion in the bond. “You are an incredible man,” he whispered against my lips.
“I will pick up breakfast for us. You should do something about this.” I gestured to the living room. We weren’t slobs, but I wanted Bridget’s first impression of the apartment to be a bit more welcoming.
“I’ll take care of it. Go,” he said, his eyes warm. I gave him one last peck before rushing out the door.
I arrived at the parking garage a few minutes early, but later than I’d intended. I drove all the way to the seventh floor and checked every car parked on the level thoroughly, but each was empty.
I’d stopped for coffee and pastries and ended up ordering almost the entire menu.
Jason had already texted me to let me know they were on the way, but tension still clawed at my shoulders. I rubbed the sore spot on my neck again.
Right on time, Jason’s car rolled up the ramp. He looked annoyed, and I could see why immediately. A man with a beard was sitting in the front seat, looking just as irritated.
I peered into the back and saw a woman with red hair. Where was Bridget?
Jason parked next to my car, and I realized the woman in the backseat was, in fact, Bridget wearing a cheap wig. As soon as the car rolled to a stop, she pulled it off and opened the door. I was waiting for her with open arms.
She rushed into me. My heart contracted almost painfully with tenderness.
I couldn’t help it. Seeing an Omega in this state brought back all the old memories of Matteo, coming to me with a busted lip from Nico or Tomas.
Her scent was faint, but clearly stressed; the floral notes were stale, the honey muted.
“You are safe, fiore mio,” I whispered. She was shaking from the cold. Someone had let her leave the house without a jacket. I took off my wool coat and wrapped her in it. “There is coffee in the car for you. Let me talk to them while you warm up.”
“No, I want to stay with you,” she said firmly. I tucked her under my arm. Jason was watching us with a bemused expression.
“Who is this?” I asked Bridget, nodding towards the scowling stowaway.
“It’s Soren. Maggie’s bonded Beta. He wanted to come with us to make sure Jason wasn’t going to try to kill me.”
“You really trust these guys?” The man asked Bridget.
“I do,” Bridget said and I squeezed her shoulders.
“No tails,” Jason said. His blond hair was cropped close to his scalp as usual; his blue eyes were sharp.
He was ex-military, an Alpha who now turned his skills to protection.
We’d worked closely together at the agency before I left.
His toasted almond scent was stronger than usual, probably because of his annoyance.
“With all due respect,” Soren started, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “I don’t like this. What makes you qualified to protect her, or anyone for that matter?”
“Clearly you are not qualified to do anything for her if she is being followed to your house. I have a decade of experience in private security and I do not need to explain myself to you.” I exhaled. “Where are your things, carissima?”
“Trunk,” Jason said before Bridget could respond, and popped it. There was a scuffed duffle bag and backpack inside.
“This is my decision, not yours. Not Maggie’s,” Bridget said to Soren after she had ducked from under my arm.
“We will buy a phone for Bridget to speak with you and your pack whenever she likes,” I said to Soren. I didn’t want her friends to think she was being held prisoner.
“No need,” he said and handed Bridget a flip phone — a burner. “Maggie wants to hear from you every day, okay?”
Bridget rolled her eyes but nodded.
“Where are you taking her?” Soren asked, still bullish.
“To the apartment I share with my bonded partner,” I said, and gave him the address in good faith. “It is registered in a shell company for his privacy. If you are being watched, it is not safe for you to come.”
Soren studied me closely. “My Omega just wants to make sure she’s safe. If I hear any different, I will come for you.”
“I understand,” I said and shook his hand.
“Put this back on,” Soren said, picking up the red wig from where she’d dropped it. “And be safe. We’ll talk soon.”
The car was almost uncomfortably warm, but Bridget still wrapped her arms tightly around herself. “Thank you again for all of this. I promise it won’t be for long.”
“You should drink something to warm yourself. And you are welcome for as long as you like.”
Her wide blue eyes were shadowed by dark circles. I touched her shoulder, so delicate under the wool of my coat. She selected a cup of tea from the drink carrier and took a dutiful sip.
I helped her put on the wig again, annoyed I hadn’t thought of it myself.
“We will go home and you can rest,” I said before reversing carefully out of the parking space.
Jason and Soren watched us go. They would remain in the garage for at least an hour to throw off any tails they may have missed. I drove out through a secondary exit. There were other cars driving past, but no one parked on the street. I would still take a circuitous route home.
Bridget closed her eyes and dozed as we drove through the city. I didn’t spot anyone following us as I weaved through the early-morning traffic.
When I parked in the garage beneath our building, I shook Bridget’s shoulder gently. She startled awake, gasping for breath.
“It is alright, fiore mio. Just me. We are home.”
She blinked. “I fell asleep.”
“Yes,” I said, trying out a smile. “You can sleep more when we get upstairs.”
I had texted Andrew when to expect us. He was waiting inside the front door as I opened it. He hid his anxiety well, but I could feel it down the bond. I sent back reassurance as Bridget and I came inside.
“Welcome,” he said to Bridget, keeping his voice low. I noticed he kept his distance from her, too, like he didn’t want to overwhelm her. She was close by my side.
“I’m so sorry for intruding. I know it’s crazy for me to be here—”
“Please don’t apologize. We are… I don’t want to say happy to have you because I hate that you’re dealing with all this shit. But we’re grateful you came to us,” Andrew said.
“Thank you,” Bridget said, keeping her eyes down.
“And I don’t want you to worry,” Andrew continued. His anxiety spiked even more, and an uncharacteristic blush stained his cheeks. “I will be a perfect gentleman while you’re here.”
“Yes, carrissima, I will make sure of it. Or he will pay dearly.”
She looked up, her cheeks also red. “I know. I… trust you. As crazy as that might be.”
Warmth spread through my chest, an echo of Andrew’s relief and pride.
“Are you hungry, tesoro? I have too many pastries, and I beg for you to help me eat some of them before you go back to sleep.” I gestured with the bag in my left hand. I’d left the cold coffees in the car to deal with later.
Bridget shook her head. “I feel like I could sleep for a week.”