“How can they do this to her? They must know! Do you think that’s why they stole her?”
Harrison had been completely won over to the Gabe side the second he saw the man waiting for him in the diner. His instincts had been confirmed as he’d watched a red birthmark pulse to life on Gabe’s collarbone the moment Harrison’s theory tumbled from his lips. This man was Gemma’s father and unlike Alistair he wanted what was best for his daughter.
“Most likely.” Gabe’s face washed with pain, but he flicked it away with a shake of his head. “I need to find out how he’s doing it. How can he control her without physically touching her?” He took another sip of coffee, his mind deep in thought.
“I’ll keep an eye on her as best I can and see if I can figure it out, but she’s pretty touchy on the subject.”
A sad smile brushed his face. “Doesn’t like me much, does she?”
“You threw her a pretty wicked curve ball.”
“I know. I’m just glad you’re around to help her.”
Harrison shook his head.
“I haven’t been that much help. She wants to pretend you don’t exist, so we’ve been circling the subject like it’s some kind of burning bush. I haven’t wanted to raise it with her. She’s pretty cut up at the thought of what her parents might be.”
“I guess that’s fair. She needed to know, though.”
“Totally.” Harrison swallowed another mouthful of egg with a nod. “But how do I win her over without pushing her away?”
Gabe shrugged. “You’ll think of something. Women like her can always be won over. It just takes time and tact.”
Harrison’s eyes lit with a smile. “You sound like you know what you’re talking about.”
Gabe’s smile made his face bunch with wrinkles. “She’s a lot like her mother. You two remind me so much of Lena and me. You’re meant for each other.”
“It must have been hard to lose her.” Harrison stole the smile from Gabe’s face.
“It nearly killed me.”
“I nearly lost Gem a couple of months back and I didn’t think I’d survive it.”
“I remember that day.” Gabe’s face clouded. “She ran past me looking pale and scared. I tried to follow her, but she was too fast. I went back to the mall to see if I could find out what happened to you. I was just about to leave when she shot past me again and just disappeared into the crowd. By the time I figured out she’d gone down that side exit, all that was left was a torn shirt and smears of blood all over the wall.” He shook his head. “That was a bad day.”
Harrison pushed his food aside. Gemma’s pale face still flashed through his mind sometimes. The feel of her fragile body leaking life right there in his arms… it sent a shudder down his spine.
“It did make me sit up and act though. She fought hard to get you back, didn’t she?”
Harrison nodded.
“First time she’s had the guts. I knew then she was ready to hear the truth. As painful as that truth is.” Gabe rubbed a hand down his face.
“You’re doing the right thing by telling her. Like you said, she’ll come around… right?”
A dry smile tugged at Gabe’s lips. “I’ve been watching her since she was fourteen years old, you know. Before she met you, it was like she was trapped inside this cage. You’ve unlocked the door, Harrison, now we just need to help her out.”
Harrison felt the hope rising in his chest. His indecision about whether or not to tell Gemma about this meeting was pushed aside. He would face her wrath, he would kiss her wounds and he would ultimately set her free.
The Stingray pulled to a stop beside the Ducati. Ignoring the nerves buzzing within him, Harrison slid the cell phone linking Gemma to Gabe back into her bag and sauntered around to the front of the garage.
The second Gemma saw him her face lit with a stunning smile. It didn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes though. This month was taking a hefty toll on her.
I have to stop this.
She dropped her cleaning rag and raced around the car towards him. Her arms felt warm and delicious around his neck.
“Where have you been? I thought I was late for work.” The curious smile dropped from her face when she noticed his expression. “What is it?”
He forced his eyes to remain on hers. “I went to see Gabe.”
The soft curve of her cheeks turned to stone, her eyes swimming with disbelief and her mouth pinching into a harsh line. Without a word, she dropped her arms and pushed past him, heading for her bike.
He followed in close pursuit and jumped on behind her when she started the engine.
“Get off my bike.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you hear me out.” He snaked his arms around her waist.
She drove like a Tasmanian devil as she tore out of the garage and wove through the streets of St Augustine. By the time she swerved into Anastasia National Park, Harrison’s heart was in his nostrils. He sniffed it back down as she cut the engine.
Gemma jumped off the bike and hurled her helmet towards their favorite climbing tree. It smashed into a branch and landed in the sand with a dull thud before toppling over the edge of the dune.
Harrison kept his mouth shut. He could feel the heat pulsing from her as she strode away from him. Slowly, he got off the bike and walked towards her.
“How could you do this to me?” She whirled on him with savage eyes, making him jump back a pace.
“I had to. I’m worried about you.”
“You told me I could trust you!” she screamed before barrelling over the dunes.
He tore after her, grabbing her arm a few feet from the salty water and turning her to face him. Her cheeks were already stained with tears and he’d never seen her eyes so dark.
“I also told you that everything I did was because I love you.” He kept his voice even. “You do believe that, don’t you?”
“I don’t know anymore.” She swallowed and tried to turn away, but he used his other hand to force her around.
“They’re using you, Gemma. Gabe told me you lose the ability to travel as you get older. They’re stealing your strength in order to keep doing it. That’s why you’re so tired after each trip. They’re sucking-”
“Stop it!” Her hands felt like canon balls as she pushed him away from her. He fell to the sand with a solid thud. Instant regret washed over her face, but she didn’t reach down to help him up.
“I know this news hurts you, but you need to hear it.” He stood from the ground and brushed the sand from his hands. “I’m only trying to protect you.”
“From people I love.”
Harrison didn’t know what to say. She was losing no matter what choice she made. How did he make her see that the consequences for one choice were much worse than the other?
“You know,” he licked his lips, “love is about putting the other person’s needs and happiness above your own. Your parents aren’t doing that for you.”
Her eyes were swimming as she turned to face him. Her complexion was pale and her voice shook. “Does love also meaning betraying someone’s trust?”
Harrison felt like someone had a fist around his heart and was squeezing it to putty. He ignored her ice-cold tone and reached for her. She flinched away, but he didn’t let his voice ring with the hurt of her movement.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. I didn’t go and see Gabe to hurt you. I just want to take care of you. I love you, Gemma.”
Okay, so now his voice was shaking.
She was silent as she took in his words. With quivering fingers she wiped the fresh tears away and turned to face the ocean.
“I know you would never hurt me intentionally.”
Harrison felt the relief build from his toes, filling every blood vessel as it rose through his body.
“But you did hurt me. You went behind my back.” She turned to face him with a sigh. “And right now I feel like there’s absolutely no one I can trust.”
The relief drained fro
m his body as he stared at her dumbfounded.
“Gem, you can trust me. You’re right, okay. I shouldn’t have snuck off to see Gabe, but it’s only because…”
Her shoulders slumped and her head tipped back.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!”
He felt the same old feeling seep through his body as he read the signs, a mixture of anger and worry swirled together like a badly measured cocktail.
“You have to go, don’t you? I guess we’ll finish this when you get back.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Her face was a melting pot of vexation and hurt, but he willed himself to look into the depths of her eyes and was sure he spotted a glimmer of love. He clung to it as he watched her glide up the beach, but couldn’t ignore the sense of dread that lingered in his stomach as she shimmered into gold dust.
Chapter Fifteen
Canon City, Colorado – 1885 AD
The clothes were in her hands before her eyes were even open. Dropping the bundle to the dusty earth, she sorted through the pants, cotton shirt, waistcoat and boots, pulling each item on with quiet efficiency.
She was oblivious to her surroundings, still caught up in the middle of her fight with Harrison. Of course he loved her, how could she even think twice about it? But how could he lie to her like that?
Technically he never lied. He just didn’t tell you where he was going.
SHUT UP!
The war inside her mind escalated as she tried to fathom the consequences of his decision. Could she trust him again?
Of course you can, you idiot!
But if he ignored her request to see Gabe the first time, wouldn’t he just do it again?
Maybe… but only because he loves me.
His words had embedded themselves in her chest. She knew he had meant every syllable.
But if he did mean it then why is he trying to dig a trench between me and my family?
“Where are we, Dad?”
It wasn’t Dom’s question that first pulled her into the situation, but the sound of jittering hooves.
“Canon City, 1885.”
Gemma glanced to her right and found herself nose to nose with a chestnut mare.
“Hey beautiful.” She slowly extended her hand and acquainted the horse with her scent.
“Great.” Ruby’s reply was sarcastic. “And why are we here?”
Gemma’s father placed the Stetson hat on his head as he spoke. “Right now the local bank is being robbed.” Placing his foot in the stirrup, he mounted a black horse. “We’re going to retrieve the money and make sure the perpetrator is placed in the hands of the sheriff.”
“Sounds pretty lame.” Ruby inspected her chipped nail with a disapproving frown.
“Ruby… shut up.” Penelope’s request was sugar sweet and said with a smile.
Gemma watched her sister roll her eyes and fight off a grin as she swung herself into the saddle.
“Where are we intercepting the robber?”
“About three miles north west of here there’s a narrow canyon. My research indicates that he’s heading to Colorado Springs so his route will take him straight towards the gorge. Dom and I will head him off before he reaches the river. Ruby and Gem, I want you to flank him either side and Pen bring up the rear. We want him surrounded.” Alistair yanked on the reigns of his horse, steering it in a northerly direction. “Let’s ride.”
I can’t believe my dad just said that! Who does he think he is, John Wayne?
Gemma shook her head and dug in her heels, loving the feel of her horse accelerating over the earth. The mare beneath her was well trained and seemed to respond to the lightest touch.
The family rode the distance in silence. Following suit, Gemma pulled on the reigns and steered her horse into a clump of trees. Her brother and father rode on ahead and the waiting game began.
It didn’t take long for the sound of thumping hoof beats to echo in the air. Gemma felt her body tense. Every sense was on full alert as the burly man shot past them, his jet-black horse weighed down by a heavy burden.
With one swift nod from their mother, the two girls emerged from the trees and began a subtle pursuit. He soon noticed them and steered his horse towards the river, just as Alistair had predicted. They picked up pace as he fell out of sight. They found him moments later struggling to stay atop the rearing animal. The mare shrieked as the bit in its mouth was forcefully pulled. Gemma watched the beast’s eyes ring with fear as it fought its captor.
“Outta my way!” The man’s voice was deep and gravely. He wrestled to gain control of his horse while trying to reach for the gun at his side.
“We’re here to escort you and the money back to town.” Alistair reached for the gun on the side of his saddle. “Why don’t you make it easy on yourself.”
Before the robber could even pull his pistol free, Gemma’s father had a shotgun aimed at his chest.
“Now hand over the bag.”
After what Gemma construed as a quick evaluation of his situation, the man’s shoulders stiffened and his features grew black with rebellious defeat. He swung the sack at the feet of Dom’s horse. Her brother retrieved it and followed his father’s instructions to tie the man’s hands behind his back. In spite of the man’s mutinous expression, his struggle against Dom’s strong grasp was feeble.
“Okay fine. I didn’t put up a fight.” The gravel in the man’s voice was coarse. “You got the money, now let me go.”
Alistair’s eyes narrowed as if considering it, but Gemma recognized that calculated flicker in his retinas. This man obviously deserved incarceration.
“I don’t think so.”
Gemma sensed the man’s urge to run and felt a wave of pity for him. In spite of the dirt, the stubble and the black rage pulsing from his body, Gemma could sense a deep longing… the potential for goodness maybe?
She knew she was probably over analyzing the situation.
What does it matter anyway? Dad’s made up his mind.
With a click of her tongue and a flick of her heels, she got her horse moving again. Taking up the rear, she followed her family back towards town.
Within minutes a posse of men joined them. At their helm was the sheriff. The look of surprise on his face at seeing the robber held hostage by her family was delicious. Gemma couldn’t help a small grin.
“Here you go, Sheriff.” Alistair pointed at the prisoner.
“Well thank you for your help, folks.” The sheriff beamed beneath his white bottlebrush moustache. “We’ve been after this slippery little sucker for a while now. He’s been robbing banks all the way from Texas, working his way north. We’d heard rumor he was in Colorado, just didn’t know when he might strike. You’ve done our town a great service.”
“It’s our pleasure.”
Gemma smiled along with her family. She even tipped her hat in response to the Sheriff’s gesture. Her heart didn’t plummet until she heard the triumphant words of one of the posse as they rode away.
“So we finally caught the Coyote.”
Gemma’s horse pranced beneath her.
“Coyote?” Gemma looked to her father, a ripple of fear passing through her as memories of previous conversations with Harrison flew through her head. She remembered sitting in the mall chatting with her boyfriend about his History project. He’d been studying his ancestry and the most colorful character in his line was… She could hear the puzzle pieces sliding into place with a definitive thwack as she watched the man being dragged away.
“Wallace “Coyote” Granger… a bad man, Gem.” Alistair gazed at her.
“No!” She shook her head. “Wait, Dad, you can’t do this. He needs to get to the next town, he needs to meet Mary!”
“Gem, what are you talking about?” Ruby frowned.
Gemma ignored the question and looked back to her father. He knew. He knew exactly what she was talking about.
“Can’t we just let him go on to the next town? The people have their money back. He
won’t rob again. I know his history! He gets this woman pregnant and falls in love with her and she-”
“That’s enough, Gemma.”
“But Dad!”
“It’s time to go.”
“No. Please.” Her eyes filled with tears. “He won’t exist anymore.”
Her father’s stare remained unwavering and emotionless as their bodies disintegrated back to the present.
Chapter Sixteen
Anastasia National Park, Florida – 2011 AD
“NO!”
Gemma’s body curled over itself as she fell to the sand. She didn’t care that she was naked and exposed. All she cared about was the fact that the space Harrison had been standing in was now empty. Because of what her family just did, he no longer existed. Coyote didn’t escape, he didn’t make it to the next town and he never met Mary. Harrison’s family line was broken and so was she.
She gazed at the empty space where her boyfriend should have been. All she saw was ocean. The waves lapped against the sand like they always did, running back and forth in their unique rhythm. She suddenly despised the normalcy of it. How dare they not surge and swell. How dare the sky not open up with sheets of tears!
Harrison was gone.
He was gone!!
Unless he just went to wait for me back at the garage?
The idea was genius!
Jumping from her spot, she raced for her clothes. The sight must have been comical as she tore up the beach, zipping up her shorts, shooting her arms through her tank top and hopping on one foot while she pulled on each sneaker. Grabbing her marred helmet from the ground, she shoved it on her head and jumped onto the bike. The engine roared as she zipped out of the park and back towards Chatsworth Classic Cars. She probably broke every land speed record on her way, but it didn’t matter, she was about to wrap her arms around Harrison’s waist, cling to his body and never let go. She would apologize for not trusting him. She would see Gabe if she had to. Whatever it took.
The first piece of her soul broke away as she squeezed the brake and felt the bike lurch to a halt outside Mike’s Motorworld. The sign was yellow and fading, the paint on the building cracked and peeling. There was no cleaning area to the right of the forecourt and the happy family feel of a cheerful mechanic’s was replaced with the grimy stench of underpaid workers.
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