Gabe squeezed my hand. “You doing okay?”
I gave him a watery smile. “I’m home. And I’m here with you. I’m better than okay.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” He leaned over to give me a kiss. “We’re going to spend a lifetime making memories here.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
Those two words brought an immense amount of comfort to me. The road wound back and forth as we drove through the hills. The house was located away from civilization. Compared to our place in the Hamptons, this house had a more intimate feel—almost cottage like in a sense, though bigger. The house was nestled into one of the vast hills of the estate with a barn off to the side that had been converted into a studio. The appeal to use as a base of operations was evident.
My phone rang. It was Carson. “Hello.”
“Hey, how you holding up?” He was worried.
Gabe stroked soothing circles on my hand.
“I’m managing. Thanks for all you did this afternoon. How are you feeling?”
“I’m good. Don’t worry about me.” Francesca inquired how I was doing from somewhere in the room with Carson. “Trent and Gabe asked for us to stay here. You good with that?”
From the front seat, Andre and Trent confirmed Gabe’s decision. “Yes, you should stay. Gabe and Trent know what they’re doing.”
“I don’t like this.”
“Me, either, but hopefully it will be over soon.”
Carson answered another one of Francesca’s questions about coming over. It was apparent she liked the idea of me being away less than Carson. On the plane, Gabe told me Carson told Francesca all that had gone on. “How’d Francesca do with the news?”
“She was shocked. Then pissed. And now she wants to make sure Rosie is convicted.”
In the face of trials, people were stronger than we anticipated. “Did you hear from your attorney about Rosie?”
He let out a frustrated noise. “I’d rather talk about this when you get back, but I know you won’t let it drop.”
A small chortle escaped. “You know me so well.”
“She’s officially been denied bail. They’ve sent over a plea bargain.”
There was a message from Marissa I hadn’t listened to yet. I’d sent her a text saying Gabe and I were headed to Italy for a quick getaway and I’d call her on my return. One problem at a time. “What did they offer for the plea bargain?”
“Reduced sentence… it’s all bullshit. It’s a way for them to open up negotiations.”
People believing they had the ability to manipulate my life and control my decisions appalled me. In this case they should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Like Alex, Rosie had crossed an unforgivable line. “My vote is for Rosie to get the maximum sentence the prosecutors can get with no chance of parole.”
“Then we’re all on the same page. I’ll let the lawyers know.”
Andre made the last turn. In less than two minutes I would be home. “Thanks again, for everything you did. We’re almost there. I’m going to let you go.”
“Okay, angel. Call me if you need anything. As soon as we’re cleared to come, we’ll be on our way.”
“Sounds perfect.”
I hung up as I looked at the stone walls of our Italian two-story home as it came into view. The place was timeless. The bottom floor consisted of the master bedroom, kitchen, office, dining room, and two living rooms. Upstairs were the rest of the bedrooms.
After the car stopped, I disembarked. I walked to the water fountain in front of the house and ran my fingers through the cool water. Lilly pads circled about. On numerous mornings Dad and I brought our canvases out to the front yard to paint the rolling hills that spilled toward the never-ending horizon.
“It’s breathtaking.” Gabe’s obvious awe brought a smile to my face as he walked up behind me.
“It’s magical.” The trees swayed in the light breeze like a lullaby.
“I see why your dad proposed to your mom here. This was your great Nonno’s house?”
“Yes, he gave it to Dad when he passed.”
Our hands intertwined. Bringing my wrist up, he kissed my knuckles delicately. With Gabe by my side any apprehension vanished. It was unbelievably good to be home despite the terrible situation we faced.
“I’m glad you’re here with me.”
“Me, too, sweetheart.”
The Italian security team came from the house to greet Trent and the men he’d brought. The Italian accents were thick. If the caretakers were here, they’d have been beside themselves with worry. Carson had informed them I’d be arriving and given them a paid trip to the coast of Spain for the week as a thank you for all they had done. For now, they were out of the way.
I let the sun’s rays absorb into my skin as if part of the beauty of the countryside would be forever imprinted on me. I was home. The missing part of my heart felt a little less empty.
The pea gravel path crunched under our footsteps. The large wooden door with the iron trimmings greeted me like an old friend. I pushed them open easily to reveal the Tuscan style of the interior.
Trent motioned us to the living room where the computers had been set up. The dark set of his brow caught my attention. Something was up.
He turned to Gabe. “Men at the perimeter of the property heard a gunshot from your mother’s house. They investigated and found your mother had been shot point-blank in the head.”
Oh shit. “Alex?” I whispered. Chasity had been killed.
Gabe went stock-still. Another vibration from Trent’s phone temporarily broke his focus.
“We believe so. As we planned, the men kept a lose perimeter. Alex entered the house, they heard the gunshot and then he left. They’ve tracked him to the airport and he’s on a plane.”
“He’s coming here?” A darkness crept over Gabe. But this time, he held me close instead of pushing me away.
“Yes.” Trent turned his phone so we could see a picture of a note scribbled in blood on the wall.
“Oh my…” I took a few steps back away from the image. “H-he’s…” This image would stay with me forever. The angry slashes on the wall showed that Gabe had been successful in his attempt to unhinge Alex. In fact, the plan had been too successful.
Gabe roared, “For fuck’s sake, Trent.”
My eyes shot to Gabe. “He’s coming.” It all sank in. The danger more vivid. For some reason, it seemed less volatile with Gabe at my side. I heard Trent say something, but the world swayed a little. My feet left the ground and I was carried to the kitchen.
“Get me something to drink,” Gabe barked. The darkness crept in. “Hang with me, sweetheart. Don’t pass out.”
I fought it and a glass touched my lips.
“Drink,” Gabe commanded. A few gulps of juice trickled down my throat. “Slow slips.”
Light found its way back as it pushed the darkness aside. “I’m with you.”
“Thank goodness.” He pressed his forehead to mine while his fingers pressed against my wrist. “Keep taking slow breaths.”
I took another sip. Trent started to say something, but Gabe raised his hand silencing him.
“You better?”
“He’s—”
“I won’t let him get you. I swear you’ll be safe.”
The proclamation quelled the fear inside me marginally. “Why do you think he killed his own mother?”
“Because of his son.”
Of course, the one thing he’d held from his mother tore them apart. He denied her the one thing she wanted… to continue the game. Were we responsible for her death? The woman was evil to the core, but—
“Willow, don’t go down that path. My mother chose her path. As did Alex. This is not our fault.”
Somehow it still felt like it.
Trent walked back into the room. “Sorry, Willow.”
“It’s okay.”
“Let me get Willow settled,” Gabe said Trent.
I
clutched Gabe’s arm. “No, I’m staying with you!”
He stared intently into my eyes. “Willow, I don’t want—”
“This is not an option, Gabe. I can’t be away from you.” My pleading overruled any reservations he may have had.
Trent laid a map of the area on the white marble countertop beside me and pointed to where men were stationed.
Gabe looked at it intently. “Like we talked about on the plane, we’re going to create a sense of vulnerability. Alex needs to have the illusion he’s slipping through like he did at Mom’s house. It’s the only way he’ll come after me. Alex is pissed. And now that our mother is dead, he’s going to want to finish what we started all those years ago.”
“Do you think it’ll work?” I asked.
Gabe scrubbed his hand down his face. “Yes. He’s going to be one pissed off cocky son of a bitch. Alex has no idea we have a team here. Six people to cover this type of estate is inadequate. We create the holes to funnel him where we want him to go.”
“Won’t he see it?” This sounded crazy. We were the target, which meant Alex would head straight for us.
“Not if we keep it subtle. Make him work for it.” Taking a marker, Gabe put X’s on the map and showed the funnel effect. “We left the U.S. unexpectedly. We’ll turn it around on him. The faster he strikes, the easier it’ll be. If he has time to do much reconnaissance he’ll see what we’re up to.”
“And I’ll be with you.”
“Alex will know something is up if we aren’t together. This is what I used to do. Trust me.”
“I do… with my life.”
The sun had set some time ago. We were in the master bedroom. The second hand ticked by on the mantle clock.
Tick. Tick. Tick. The sound maddening—never-ending. The time was nearly eleven. Though I was beyond exhausted, my nerves had me wired. Gabe leaned against the headboard, alert. The glow from the lamp gave off the only light in the otherwise dark room.
“I’m going to turn out the light now.” Though low and quiet, Gabe’s words pierced the silent room.
“Got it.”
Since retiring to here at ten, we’d left the light on for a bit. The house was visible from a distance and it had to appear as normal as possible.
The floor creaked beneath the weight of Gabe’s feet. The room was blanketed in darkness. Within seconds the mattress dipped as Gabe crawled into the bed. “I’m here. You’re safe.”
“I wish we could have a nightlight tonight.”
“I know. I wish I could do that for you.”
Shifting, I brought myself a little closer. I had on high-tech Kevlar pants and a shirt. Overall, it was lightweight but not what I was used to wearing to bed, and a little uncomfortable. It added to the element of danger we faced. The sooner this was over, the better.
Throughout the afternoon, Gabe took my pulse. He even used a baby monitor at one point to listen to the babies’ heartbeats. Everything was fine with all three of us. Knowing I needed to stay as calm as possible for the health of my babies kept me from completely freaking out.
Alex’s plane had landed almost two hours ago. An hour ago the security confirmed he was on the property waiting… with Harley.
Alex was on my property. He remained on the edge, waiting to make his move as the men did their patrols knowing where he was the entire time. At some point I’d asked why not just take him down when we knew where he was. Gabe and Trent took turns explaining that Alex was cunning and they wanted to reduce the risk of him escaping. The farther he came onto the property, the harder it would be for him to escape.
The thought kept me checking every shadow while pretending to sleep next to Gabe.
My senses were hyperaware as I focused on every sound. At some point, Alex would have forced this scenario. All afternoon Gabe and Trent ironed out the details. I hoped I never faced something like this again. The thought of the unknown while someone stalked me brought out a fear I had never known.
Creak.
My breath stuttered and I held my pillow tighter. “It’s only the house settling, sweetheart. Try to get some sleep. Alex hasn’t moved from where he is. Harley is on the other side of the property.”
“Okay.”
“After tonight, this will all be behind us.”
I hoped so. Oh, I hoped so. To go through this for days would be maddening.
Gabe massaged tiny little circles on the back of my neck.
“That feels good.”
Methodically, he kept going and I relaxed into the mattress, letting my mind drift as sleep finally found me.
I felt the blanket whip on top of me. It was a special Kevlar blanket. A hand landed on my shoulder.
“He’s in the yard. Be still. Don’t move. You’re safe. I’m going to intercept him before he gets in this room,” Gabe whispered.
Adrenaline coursed through me. The man who wanted to hurt me was close. If given the chance, he would take the babies and me from Gabe forever. “Keep your promise to me.”
“I will.”
The pressure on my shoulder was gone. Gabe piled pillows against me to create the impression of his body.
Alex was here.
In the yard.
Coming for us.
More specifically—me.
It took all my strength to keep my breathing under control as I listened to the silence. The quietness was never-ending. I strained to hear something, but there was nothing. I was on the verge of throwing rational thought out the window. What worried me most was that Alex wanted to do more than kidnap me. He wanted to take me away from Gabe forever—the ultimate punishment. Death.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
I nearly jumped off the bed with the sound of the clock. My pulse jumped at the base of my neck and my muscles tensed for the arrival of the predator. Stay calm. Gabe is near. He knows what he’s doing.
Creak.
My breath caught. Was that the house settling? Was it Alex? Where was Gabe? Focus on my breathing. Breathe in… one, two, three. Breathe out… one, two, three. The mental technique helped.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
After this, that clock was leaving this room. I gripped the pillow tighter, willing this to be over. Was Alex near the room on the outside of the house? Having someone unwanted on the premises made me feel violated.
Creak.
Oh shit. Was that the house settling? I wasn’t sure. Had that been the same sound as before? I strained harder, but didn’t hear anything. I squinted to see if he was here in the room.
Where was Gabe?
Aside from the clock, the room grew eerily silent. I wanted to scream in terror but choked the noise back.
Crash!
The noise came from the patio outside the room. The muffled sounds of struggling and grunting filtered in. I pulled myself into a tighter ball. Was Gabe okay?
More footsteps outside the door. Gabe cursed. Or was that Alex? I had to fight my instincts to push the blankets off and check to make sure he was okay.
“Get him out of here. Take him to the barn. I’ll be there shortly. No one talks to him until I get there.” That had to be Gabe.
More footsteps.
In the darkness a voice screamed into the night, “I will kill her! I will take away everything you’ve taken away from me!”
Alex wanted me dead and his words caused a chill to run through me.
More talking and cursing faded away. Lights flicked on and filtered in but only shadows passed in front of the blanket.
The blanket peeled back and light blinded me. I needed to be in Gabe’s arms so I scrambled to an upright position. He caught me and brought me to him. Tremors shook me to the core.
“Shh… it’s over. It’s over. You’re safe.”
I wrapped my legs around Gabe’s waist. I leaned back, searching him with my hands to make sure he remained unharmed. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“I’m good. It’s over. That’s all that matters.”
I wasn’t sure as I
kept searching. “You’re bleeding.” There was a cut on his lip.
“It’s nothing.” He started to set me down, but my I wound my legs tighter around him. “Okay, sweetheart. Let’s sit together.”
After all the time alone under the blanket, I wanted to feel connected to him. Gabe moved to the edge of the bed and handed me a glass of orange juice. “Drink this. It’ll help.”
Slowly I let the juice trickle down my throat. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. The men got Harley also. They’re both in the barn until I give more direction.”
“It’s over?” Gabe was okay and I clutched him harder to me. There was a slight tremor in my hands as I touched his cheek.
“Yes.”
It was done. We were free. My shoulders sagged in response. “I never want to do this again. You swear it’s over?”
He held me closer to him. “I swear.”
Putting a little distance between us, Gabe pulled up his shirt to show me his scar less stomach. “I don’t want there to be any doubt.” I hadn’t doubted his identity simply from the way he cared for me. Alex had never been able to show this amount of emotion.
I trailed my fingers over the flatness—thankful he was unharmed. “It’s really over?”
“Yes.”
Timidly, I asked, “What happens now?”
“I’m giving De Luca the option to take them. We’ll know within the hour if he wants them.”
Searching Gabe’s face, I wanted to make sure he was okay with this decision. “How do you feel about that?” Basically, handing over his brother was a death sentence.
“I don’t have a choice. Alex pissed off a lot of people, which connected our world with his. He sure as hell can’t go free and I’m not putting our future on the line for the bastard. We may share the same DNA, but that’s it. A brother would have never done the things he did to you and me. If De Luca doesn’t take him, we’ll have to deal with him.”
When he put that way, I hoped De Luca took him. From what he’s insinuated, Gabe had killed before while working for the government, but I wouldn’t want him to the bear the death of his brother. Regardless of how much Gabe hated Alex, killing him took it to the next level.
Black Truth (A Twisted Fate Series Book 2) Page 20