6. Gabriel
6
Gabriel
“ B ut I live with Lena!” Lexi shouts back, visibly shocked. She’s probably just now figuring out why I’m in the same room as her.
“Not anymore. You’re staying with me now.” The words slip out before I can think about the impact they’ll have on her. I’m used to calling the shots, especially when clients trust me with their lives. But Lexi doesn’t want to listen or put her life in my hands.
I agreed to this meeting because Peter said this young woman needed help, and he insisted I was the only one with the skills to solve this. But she already seems to hate me. On the plus side, there’s little chance she’ll get emotionally attached and become a problem. But she won’t be easy to work with. I’ll just have to treat her case like any other that my Protectors’ brothers and I take on. What intrigues me the most is how an intelligent, brave young woman can ignore danger so recklessly…
“No way. Peter, please,” Lexi protests. Oh, God. She’s got trouble written all over. Trouble that I find myself inexplicably drawn to, like a moth to a flame. And that body… I can still feel the memory of her in my arms, every curve, every breath, igniting a fire within me I thought I had long extinguished. It was fleeting, but in that moment, I felt alive for the first time in years .
“Lexi, please be reasonable. I can’t protect you,” Peter tries to convince her. “But Gabriel can. He does this for a living. He’s an ex-Navy guy and highly trained in these situations.”
Peter’s words get through to Lexi, and she settles down. Usually, my clients are much happier to have me around. They need to trust me fully. Otherwise, I can’t protect them. And Lexi’s setting out to be a real pain in the ass. Granted, a pretty one and impossible to say no to.
Peter described her as super smart, with an impressive memory, reading numbers like a magician—all from a simple small-town girl, as Anita calls her. But he failed to tell me how she came to work for him. It’s time I got some answers.
“Both of you, please. Let me ask the questions, and we’ll talk about this later. I’m in charge now. Let’s take it from the top. I need you to help me understand how this whole thing started.”
Peter sits down. He’s been standing behind Lexi this whole time, with his hand on her shoulder. I think she would’ve gotten up and walked out otherwise. I wonder why she’s so dead set against me being near her. Her body says otherwise. I bet I’ll figure this out by the end of the day.
“Okay, let’s take it back to the beginning,” I press on. They both go quiet and focus on me.
“First, why didn’t you go to the police with the threat letters Lexi got?”
“I didn’t want to,” Lexi answers first. I look at her, waiting for her to give me a genuine reason, not just a whim.
“None of them seemed actual threats to me. If you look closer, you’ll understand,” she continues.
“I’ll take them with me and have an expert look at them.”
“There’s no need for an expert. I’ll tell you everything.” She leans over, grabs the papers, then stands up and launches her explanation .
“This is the first one I received,” she says, picking up one letter. “We got this one by courier here at work. It got sent from a post office near the train station. It’s a busy area, so it’s hard to trace it back. So far, smart of them. They used common paper, which coincidentally is what Grain Inc. uses. Also, they first printed the address and then glued it to the envelope. So it looks like someone used to working in an office environment. The font and page setup are standard options in Microsoft Word. Oh, and also, perfect grammar and spellcheck. Clearly, someone who’s used to writing on a computer daily. They were careful not to personalize the page, but they didn’t know that all printers have minor flaws that make them detectable.”
She pauses with the paper in her hand, waiting for our reaction.
“Why didn’t you tell me that until now?” Peter asks.
“It took me a few days to check the printers around the office. Yesterday, I found the one they used for the first letter.”
“You mean here, in my company?” Peter rages.
“I knew you’d get upset hearing this. I’m used to getting threats. It’s like what I used to get in school. My less-than-smart classmates handwrote those, and it was easy to tell who it was.”
Wow. She’s exactly as Peter described her: photographic memory and extraordinary attention to detail. We could use someone like her in our investigations as Protectors, but I park the thought for later.
“And? Can you figure out who sent it?” Peter asks, gritting his teeth.
“I can’t narrow it down to one person. But I suspect it could be the five guys from Stats tons get shipped here daily. I’m a minor cog in this rusty machine, a machine churning with secrets no one dares speak.”
“Peter, let me ask plainly. The Dark Sun Cartel… is this their doing? Or are there other players in this game?”
“Well, my actions did impact them. Some of their enemies were happy to help me.”
“Which ones are you friends with?”
“I’m not friends with anyone. It’s just business, paying for protection without breaking the law.”
“Meaning?”
“You know the Petrov brothers?”
“Tell me you’re not working with the older one. ”
“No. I have a deal with the middle brother. I secure grain at premium prices, offer rock-bottom shipping rates, and rake in profits on massive volumes. In return, they keep their illicit cargo off my ships, and everyone else gets the message: messing with me is bad for business.”
“And yet that’s what happened. They did mess with your operations. So, you said you handed over everything you found to the police who raided the port, right?”
“It wasn’t the Popov brothers, they assured me. They don’t know who stole from me, either. We supplied a lot of information, most of which the police didn’t use. They had to investigate because I made it official, and I’m too well known, so they couldn’t shut me up. I suspect a leak within the department tipped off the criminals. Whoever’s behind this is still walking free.”
“Did the police find out about Lexi’s involvement?”
“The police have snitches working for the organized groups. That’s why I didn’t go to them with the letters. I would’ve had to explain Lexi’s involvement, which would’ve exposed her.”
“Did the people you asked favors from know about Lexi? Did they know she was the one who pieced everything together?”
“Let me think. They never saw her, that I know for sure. But it’s possible there were some hints in the documents pointing at her. What do you think, Lexi?”
Lexi visibly flinches when Peter turns to her. She’s been leaning back in her chair, hands tucked away.
I can tell she’s nervous. Peter’s words chipped away at her self-assured shell. The woman who wielded logic like a dagger is gone. Now, she sits rigid, a fortress of silence replacing her usual stream of sarcasm. She could be in danger if Peter revealed her identity to the Dark Sun Cartel or any other smuggling groups .
I need to win her over if we’re to work together. And so far, I’m not doing great. She’s holding back a lot, but I’ll find out everything about her in the next forty-eight hours. For right now, I need her to trust me and open up. It’s time for a different approach—a more personal one.
Peter paces the room, clearly distressed. He still looks like he’s not telling the whole story. “Gabe, I need you to take care of this. Protect her from whoever’s behind these threats,” he insists, his voice strained. “This isn’t just random intimidation. There’s more to it.”
I force a nod, but Peter’s behavior is off. He’s usually composed and organized. Now, he seems on edge, almost paranoid. I don’t want his attitude to get to Lexi. It’s not making things better.
“Peter, I think you and I can discuss more later. I’ll call you or stop by if I have other questions. Right now, I’d like to talk to Lexi. Alone.”
He nods, avoiding my gaze. “Just… keep her safe,” he mutters. “Call me for anything, Gabe. I want to say I really appreciate the help. I know you rarely do this,” he says before walking out. Something’s fishy here, and Peter being all secretive just makes me more suspicious. Whoever is behind these threats is not fooling around, and I need to identify them quickly.
Before he leaves the room, Peter gives Lexi a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. Her response, however, is puzzling: a seemingly involuntary flinch as her eyes dart between me and the window. A moment of confusion followed by a deep sadness settles on her face. Is she reliving a painful memory triggered by his touch? One thing’s clear, though. She’s not comfortable.
How she came to work for Grain Inc. here in the city is clear, but her connection to the Maier family remains a mystery to me. I only know that Anita doesn’t like her. But that’s hardly surprising. Anita doesn’t like any woman except herself. Men, however, she devours them. I’ve kept my distance from her venomous bite .
I get up and push the door shut again. Peter already closed it, but I want Lexi to understand that it’s just us now. Working with her would be much smoother if I could recreate the connection we had last night at the Casino. But first, I need to break down her defensive walls. This entire setup—being stuck with me—is clearly unwelcome. I feel I’m in her way, and I can’t figure out why. Not yet, at least.
“Hey, it’s just you and me now. We can take our time to talk about this. There’s no hurry.”
“Really? Don’t you have other things to do? Who’s paying for these protection services you’re offering me?”
“I’m doing Peter a favor.”
“A big favor, by the looks of it. How come?”
“Peter is very generous with some projects that are important to me.”
“I see. One hand washes the other.”
“I wouldn’t put it like that, but yeah. That’s not something for you to be worried about. But you should worry about those threats and take them seriously. Especially after what Peter said.”
“Do you think so? If they wanted me dead, you and I would’ve never met.”
That felt harsh. The thought of losing her, even after such a short time, stings. I can’t bear the idea of failing to protect someone I care about. I have to wake her up to the reality.
“What happened to your car last night was way worse than some letters. You get that, right? You were with Lena last night, so she was in danger, too.”
“Do you know who it was? The car behind us? You said I shouldn’t call the cops. I guess you have a reason for it? ”
“It’s a dead end. Someone hired two thugs specifically for this job. All we know is a man called them. We’re trying to track the phone number.”
“When were they contacted?”
“Two days ago. They followed you around, waiting for the right moment.”
“What were they hired to do?”
“Just to give you a good scare. Like a message, sort of. But because they were a bunch of amateurs, they could’ve caused a major accident with multiple victims. You got lucky this time.”
“And next time I won’t?”
“Next time, you’ll be with me or my team.”
“Is that how it’s going to be from now on? No privacy? Or consent? Is that how it works? Are you constantly going to be spying on me? Like that bug you planted last night?”
“Why do you see it as spying? It helped us figure out you got attacked. We sent Dean to follow you, but when he heard your conversation, he called for backup so we could help you and deal with those bastards at the same time.”
She’s pissed because of the microphone. Maybe she’s worried about her privacy, or maybe she’s hiding something else. Which one it is?
“I know Peter is your employer. That’s why I asked him to give us space to talk alone. From now on, what happens to you, to us, is none of Peter’s business. I’m responsible for you; he’ll just know I’m taking care of things.” My words should reassure her if she’s worried about Peter or losing her job.
“You think that makes me feel better? Taking care of things could end up badly for me. I know nothing about you. You barge into my life, you invade my privacy, and now you want me to trust you. How do you expect me to do that? ”
She’s right. It’s all happening so fast for her. There are moments when she’s fiercely defensive. It’s as if she’s protecting a secret. And I just stormed into her life without warning.
“Then get to know me.” I get up and walk over to her, reaching out my hand. “Gabriel Ross, at your service.”
That steals a smile from her, at least. Lexi gives me her hand, and I grasp it, holding it against my chest, feeling the warmth of her touch flooding through me. It feels like it’s been too long since I felt her so close, and the sensation is almost overwhelming. Her eyes widen in surprise, and I can see her lips quivering with emotion. Is she waiting for me to kiss her? The temptation is almost unbearable, especially with the intoxicating scent of her perfume enveloping me. But I know it’s too soon for that, too soon to act on the whirlwind of emotions swirling between us.
I gently grab her hand and lead her to the window. Peter’s offices are in the industrial area of the city. You can spot the port in the distance from the window.
“Let me show you something,” I say as she takes a few steps in front of me.
“I know the city, even though Peter said I’ve only just arrived,” Lexi shoots back.
We stop by the window. “I know you do. You went to school here for almost two years,” I offer a smile. I know a few details from Peter, even if I haven’t seen her file yet. That’s next on my list today.
“Hell, you know everything about me, and I hardly know anything about you. It’s not fair.” She turns around, wanting to head back to the table. I grab her hand again to stop her.
“Bear with me, please. I’ll answer all your questions. But first, look. Do you see the port and the city in the distance? These places hold no secrets to me. I know what everyone does, the good and the bad. It’s my business to know. If anyone can get you out of this mess, it’s me. The quicker you help me understand who you are and why someone would threaten you, the sooner you’ll get back to your life. Whoever is out to get you, they’re going to regret it.”
I’ve been holding her hand the entire time we talked. She didn’t flinch away, but a tense distance lingers between us, her breaths coming in short bursts . Is it me or the shadow of the threats hanging heavy in the air? Her gaze darts between me and the window. If we are to work together, she needs to let me in. I need to know who she is if I’m to protect her. And I seem to have my work cut out for me.
She keeps quiet, looking out the window, but then, in a gesture both unexpected and intimate, she squeezes my hand, her fingers pressing a gentle warmth into mine. Like a silent response to my request.
“There’s one more important thing to help me understand the situation better. Why the Maier family?” I ask.
“What do you mean? It’s a job, and it pays well. I need the money.”
“With your skills, you can do anything. You can work in so many places. So why did you agree to do dirty work for Peter?”
“Landing a well-paying job like this would be a stroke of luck in my hometown. I make good money working for Peter here, maybe above average. We were lucky to get his help,” she says, looking down. That felt like a politically correct answer. And what does she mean by “ we ” ?
“But you’re here now. Another city, with other possibilities.”
“I’ve just arrived. I can’t even afford to go a month without pay. It takes time to look for a new job. And it wouldn’t be fair to Peter. Why are you so attached to him?”
“I already told you. We do business together. It’s nothing personal.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me and my past. I have my reasons for liking the stability this job brings. And until recently, I had no issues in all the years I had worked for Peter.”
She suddenly stops and stares at me. “What’s with this interrogation? What are you trying to get to?”
I must’ve hit a nerve. These reactions help me piece things together. The clients I protect often lie, covering things they’re ashamed of or afraid of. Which one is it in Lexi’s case? It’s time I make her options clear.
“You need to get used to this, to me. I need to know a lot more to be able to watch over you. I need you to tell me everything. Can you do that? I’m your best chance right now. You can walk away and put yourself and your loved ones in danger. Or you can trust me, and I’ll ensure you’re protected. What will it be?”
She keeps staring out the window, her breaths coming quicker. As she processes my words, every emotion flickers across her face. It was a risk—she’s fiercely independent and impulsive. But there’s a weight on her shoulders, something in her past that’s made her guarded, afraid to let anyone in. Her body trembles slightly, and I can feel the tension under my touch as I hold her close.
Then, her enigmatic green eyes meet mine, and she says the words I’ve been longing to hear: “I’m not about to pack up and leave this city because of some random jerks. What do I need to do to put an end to this?”