My breath left my lungs in a rush. There were so many things wrong with that statement, I didn’t know where to start. I landed on the question of what Valan was getting in return for his help. Because there was something.
“Why?” was the only thing that came out.
“Why?” he repeated. “Why not?”
“What, like you want a list?” I fired back. “First, he’s using you somehow. Second, you claim to love me but fall in line with my mortal enemy at first chance, and I’m supposed to be good with that?”
Creed interrupted before I could get any farther down my extensive list. “Valan isn’t your enemy.”
“Bullshit.”
More with the arrogant laughing. If I made it through the exchange without knocking his sparkling teeth in for all to see, it’d be my lucky day.
“So was it real? You, me—any of it?” I asked, even though I was afraid of the answer.
“At first, no. Eden and I were always out for ourselves. But when I kissed you—that first time when you slapped me—that was real. By then, I really did want you. And I wanted to do right by you.”
I thought back to that first kiss, when he’d taken what I wasn’t offering. They say people will show you who they are if you’ll pay attention. Oh, how I wished I would have paid attention then.
The bells on the diner’s main door jingled, drawing my attention.
Gabriel.
I watched his expression shift from a polite smile for Bobby Sue to a flinty look that could shrink the balls of Lucifer himself.
He was across the floor and toe-to-toe with Creed before anyone else knew what was happening. I finally let go of my gun when I stood to be at my partner’s side.
“Isn’t it exhausting being the white knight all the time?” Creed drawled.
“I manage,” Gabe gritted without giving an inch.
“So I guess right about now is when you tell me to take a hike.”
“That’s up to her,” my partner said, tilting his head toward me.
“Right. Hide behind Remi. Like always,” Creed grinned.
I balled up a fist, ready to wipe the stupid-ass expression clean off his face. But Gabe was there first, laying him out with a jab to the nose so quick I barely tracked it.
My mind wouldn’t wrap around what my eyes were seeing. The man with a black belt in decorum and caution had Mayweathered Creed without hesitation.
In spite of myself, I had to stifle a laugh. While my ex-boyfriend (big, fat emphasis on the ex) made like a sack of taters on the diner floor, I covered my mouth with both hands. I looked at Gabriel, eyes wide.
“You okay?” I whispered.
“Never better,” he said, shaking out his hand. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while.”
Every eye in the place had turned to us. How could they not? But since the altercation had ceased with the one blow, no one looked on in fear. Rapt fascination showed on all the faces turned toward us.
Gossip would circulate around Dove Creek even before all the Christmas presents had been opened the next morning.
Creed recovered his wits and swiped at the blood gushing from his nose. Lurching to his feet, there was a fight in his eyes.
One Bobby Sue promptly threw a wet blanket on.
“No sir, no you don’t! Not in here. I know if he hit you, it was for good reason. So go bleed somewhere else, not on my floor,” she ordered.
He was good and pissed off, but not stupid enough to try his luck while outnumbered in front of fifty strangers and a woman who would clock him with a cast iron skillet if he messed up her restaurant.
“We could’ve really been something if you weren’t so wrapped up in being a hero for this town, in the Amasai, in… him,” he spat.
We’d need all day to argue everything that was wrong about why we wouldn’t be something. But I didn’t have all day, so I went the straightforward route.
“Go to hell.”
There was no irony in that statement since that was exactly where he was headed, throwing his lot in with Valan and the demons. It felt good saying it, small and petty though it was on my part.
Even more satisfying was watching him stalk out with his tail between his legs. I knew we weren’t done with him. He wasn’t going to run away after one hit justlikethat.
And he had to pay.
Using me was just the tip of the iceberg—I’d get over it, even faster now after what had just gone down. But for what he’d done to our headquarters, to Garret, and most of all to Hugo… He was on the wrong side of the line in the sand.
“Rem?” Gabriel’s voice cut through my thoughts and I refocused to find him and Bobby Sue looking at me like they had been talking and expected an answer.
“I’m sorry—what did you ask?”
“I was just saying we should probably go, too.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I don’t think I could eat after that, anyway,” I agreed.
Gabe turned back to Bobby Sue. “We’re sorry about all this. I don’t think anything was damaged.”
“Except that fool’s ego,” she laughed. “And don’t worry about it. It’ll be the talk of the town for a few days and folks will be lined up to get a firsthand account.”
“We’ll get out of your way for now, then,” I said, eager to be out of the way of curious stares.
“I’ll see you next time,” Bobby Sue said firmly, as though ensuring we heard we were still welcome.
The bracing cold that had settled on Dove Creek was still a shock to the system after leaving the heated diner. I took a deep breath as my boots crunched on the hard-packed snow in the parking lot.
Gabe and I got in his car and while he fired it up immediately, we both just sat still for a moment.
“Tell me what you’re thinking?” he asked.
“I know where this path leads. I know what he’s going to force me into,” I said.
We locked eyes, and he nodded to show he understood.
“I’m sorry I caused a scene in there,” Gabe said.
I scoffed. “Are you kidding me? I was gonna hit him myself if you hadn’t gotten there first.”
“Then that’s not what you’re upset about.”
“No way,” I smiled. “I think I’m rubbing off on you.”
“Maybe,” Gabe smiled back. “But he asked for it.”
“No doubt.”
“Before we were so rudely interrupted, I was going to tell you some good news. Great news, actually.”
“Oh? I could use some of that.”
“When I was in my office, I got a call from Rusty Sumner. He had told his wife about our visit yesterday and she apparently guilted him into leasing us his place. Not so much as an extra deposit required.”
I nearly cried, I was so relieved. “Thank God for nagging wives. When can we move in?”
“We sign the paperwork Friday and he’s giving us the keys then.”
The buzz of optimism lifted my mood. We would have a place to call home until our permanent new headquarters was built.
“Let’s get something to eat. We can get Miss Ginger’s and take it home,” he suggested.
We were still sitting in the parking lot of the diner, not going anywhere fast. He put the car in reverse and eased out. The bakery was a scant two blocks down from where we were and had a drive through with (score!) only one car waiting in it.
The aroma of cinnamon rolls and coffee filled the car, and my stomach roared in anticipation. I was even more grateful to Rusty Sumner since we could go straight to Gabriel’s house to eat rather than check out more buildings.
“I was thinking… We usually have a get-together at HQ for Christmas. Since we can’t do that this year, we can get everyone over to my place,” Gabe said.
Even though no one would be in the mood for a real party, it was a tradition that should be upheld.
“That’s a great idea. If there’s ever a time we should all be together, it’s now.”
He pulled carefully into the drivewa
y and brought the car slowly to a halt to avoid a skid.
“Agreed. We’ll keep it low-key. And make it potluck. I don’t think we can manifest Christmas dinner for fifteen with what’s in the fridge.”
I laughed. “Not likely.”
Chapter 20
After the indulgent breakfast and a day spent doing some strategic planning with Gabriel, I was feeling much more even-keeled than when we had left Bobby Sue’s after the run-in with Creed. In hindsight, it was almost a mental load off to know I hadn’t been completely taken in—he had had true feelings for me, even if he didn’t go into it with that intention.
I got ready for the Christmas Eve family party at my mom’s and ended up looking more festive than I felt. Which was for the better; I would avoid a motherly interrogation that way.
Downstairs, I found Gabriel at the dining room table with a set of building plans rolled out before him and a steaming cup of hot tea to one side. Glasses on, he studied a tiny detail and marked something in pencil.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with?” I asked him. “You’d be more than welcome.”
With all of the snow we had gotten, he had decided it was too risky to make the trip to Fort Worth and back to be with his family. Not that he was at all broken up about it, but I hated for him to be alone on Christmas Eve.
He looked up from his work. “I’m sure, thank you. I’m in for a quiet evening.”
Then again, he and I had been spending every waking moment together for the last few days. Maybe alone was what he needed.
“Is this what you got from your office this morning?” I asked.
“Yeah, do you want to take a look before you go?”
I circled around to his side of the table to take a peek at the work he had brought home and recognized what it was. The blue lines intersecting and paralleling each other across the expansive white sheet formed the floor plan for our new headquarters.
“This is amazing,” I told him.
Everything from the common area to the armory would be under one roof. There was nothing more and nothing less than exactly what we needed.
“I wish I could stay and admire it longer,” I said.
“There will be plenty of time later. Nice dress, by the way.”
I mirrored his smiling expression. “This old thing?”
The emerald green velvet wasn’t old at all. I had scored it at a boutique in Creek Crossing when Jocelyn had gotten me out of my comfort zone a few weeks before. I had made it season- and action-appropriate by donning leggings and boots instead of the nylons and heels fashion would have dictated.
“And you’re armed?” Gabe asked.
I simply cocked an eyebrow. Duh.
“Call me if anything weird happens.”
“Always do. And don’t worry… I’m going straight there and back, and I’ll be home before curfew.”
He shook his head at me and winked. “Get outta here.”
I pulled on my coat and shook a tail feather getting out to the truck. The highway between Dove Creek and Westview had been plowed, so I wasn’t slowed down much. Dylan and Joss were unloading presents from the backseat of his truck when I parallel parked at the curb.
“Heya, Rem.”
“Merry Christmas!” Jocelyn called.
They both waved me over, and I got the gifts I had brought out of the passenger seat of the truck and dashed up the shoveled sidewalk.
“Hey, y’all. Merry Christmas to you, too.”
“You should’ve ridden with us,” my brother told me.
I shrugged. “Thought I was gonna talk Gabe into coming with.”
“Let’s get inside,” Joss said, bouncing from foot to foot on her cute pumps. “It’s freezing.”
Mom and Hadden greeted us at the front door with smiles and hugs. It was cozy and warm inside, with a cheerful fire crackling in the living room fireplace. I stashed my gifts under the tree and took off my coat.
We were a small party but no less merry for it. James hadn’t made the effort to come up for the Christmas Eve celebration for years, and this year he was falling back on the excuse of the bad weather. I was feeling less ungenerous toward him, however, after learning about the plea deal he was behind in the case against the Triple Six.
My mom cornered me at the coat rack when the others headed back to the dining room.
“You look beautiful, Remi-Jean,” she said.
I smiled. “Thanks, Mom. Not tired, like always?”
“No. What changed?”
“Gabe and I have been taking it easy since the fire. We haven’t been making rounds at night.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” she said. Backing off interrogation-mode, her tone softened. “I’m sorry about Creed.”
“Don’t be.” When she looked like she would ask why, I added, “I’ll tell you all about it later. Let’s just enjoy ourselves tonight.”
“You have a deal,” she said, putting an arm around my waist as we went to the dining room. “Hadden made a ham that’ll feed a small army.”
I dwarfed my petite mother, so much so that I could give her shoulders a squeeze and kiss the top of her blonde head. Taking a seat across from Joss and Dylan, I noted the ham in the center of the table might not feed an army, but it and all the side dishes were far too much for the five of us.
“Mom’s right—how many were you expecting?” I teased.
My mom’s husband held his hands up in surrender, with the look of a man who aims to please his wife. “Lizzie always holds out hope James will come and bring his family. I cook accordingly.”
“Well, I won’t complain. I had enough leftovers after Thanksgiving to make turkey sandwiches for a week,” Dylan grinned.
“Let’s dig in, shall we?” Mom prompted.
There were a few minutes of ‘pass the potatoes’ while we all took helpings of what we wanted. When our plates were full, we paused to say grace before sampling Hadden’s excellent cooking.
While there wasn’t the buzz of excitement over opening presents like when we were children, there was a happiness and contentment in the air that was comforting. Jocelyn especially glowed from the inside out and seemed to enjoy the peace, given the position her sister and brother-in-law now found themselves in.
“When Gabe texted to invite us to his place tomorrow, he said y’all had found somewhere for us to use as a temporary headquarters,” Dylan said between bites.
I nodded. “We sign the paperwork Friday. We planned on telling everyone tomorrow.”
“What’s it like?” Joss asked.
“It’s the big building Sumner Pipeline used to be in. It’s still pretty new, and it’s nice on the inside.”
“It won’t feel right,” my brother said. “But I’m glad y’all found a place so fast.”
“Me, too. Now if I only have that good luck finding myself a place,” I said.
Mom put her fork down. “Do you really think Creed would try something if you stayed?”
I was deliberate in not siting the run-in at Bobby Sue’s that morning as evidence that I had no idea what the hell his next move would be. Christmas Eve dinner was hardly the time to flop that ace onto the table.
“The truth is, I don’t know what he’ll do. But Gabe is putting me up for now and I appreciate being able to sleep with both eyes closed.” I steered the conversation into more positive territory.
“That Gabriel really is the best of the Wyatt bunch,” my mom said, picking up her fork again.
“That’s not saying much,” Dylan muttered. Joss goosed him in the ribs and he squawked. “What? Gabe deserves more credit than that.”
Mom gave Jocelyn a knowing look before asking: “Who’s ready for dessert?”
There was a collective groan about how full we all were, but no one refused. I got up from the table to help and collected the coffee cups while my mom got out the dainty plates she liked to use for dessert services.
“I truly do feel better with you having a safe place to stay,” she s
aid. “You know you’re always welcome here, if you need.”
“I know, Mom. And I appreciate it. But I don’t want to be out of Dove Creek.”
“I assumed as much. The offer stands nevertheless.”
We took the dishes to the dining room, then went back for the pair of pies and coffee decanter. There was a coconut cream with perfect merengue, which was Dylan’s favorite. And an apple pie with beautiful lattice over the top for me. Our mother had upheld the tradition for as many Christmases as I could remember—yet another comfort in a sea of tumultuous circumstances.
I poured coffee for everyone while our mom neatly sliced the pies and passed around what we each chose. There was more murmuring about how full we were, but how the pies were worth the misery. It was Jocelyn who returned us to actual conversation.
“So, what are the long-term plans for our headquarters?” she asked, dabbing her lips with a napkin. “Or is there a plan yet?”
“There is a plan, I can tell you that much. But we’re going to tell everyone tomorrow night when we’re all together,” I said.
“No spoilers?” Dylan asked, hopeful I’d divulge a clue.
I shook my head. “No spoilers.”
“You’re no fun,” my brother groused.
Since he was as good at sharing information as the middle-aged women who formed the branches of the town gossip tree, I knew the announcement would be as good as made if I revealed anything to Dylan.
I grinned at him as I left my seat to help clear the table.
“Let’s just get all this to the kitchen for now and clean up later,” Mom said. “We should go open our gifts.”
Joss and Dylan shared a private smile, and I looked away to give them their moment, whatever it might’ve been about. The pang of being a singleton once more was still sharp, though it had been dulled somewhat by Creed’s cowardly exit.
And burning our headquarters.
And stalking me in the diner.
Sick bastard.
I was better off without him, obviously. If I had to choose between an arrogant con or singlehood, yeah, sign me up to be alone for life.
It wasn’t him I missed—it was all the things that come along with being a couple. Like secret smiles, as Jocelyn and my brother reminded me.
Three Times Burned: A Paranormal Fantasy (Remington Hart Book 3) Page 16