Gabriel, page 18
There was only one way to find out. And that was to talk to her.
Turning on my heels, I waved over my shoulder. “I have to take a shower. I trust you can show yourselves out?”
I didn’t wait for their responses and went to my room. Once I’d hastily showered, I tore through my closet in search of something to wear. In the end, I grabbed whatever was closest, ending up in a black suit with a blue shirt that Mom had given me a few Christmases ago.
My family was gone when I came back out, leaving behind dirty coffee mugs and a casserole from Mom.
The drive to the house took longer than usual since there had been an accident. When I finally pulled into the driveway, I was clutching the steering wheel with clammy hands.
I should have checked if Cleo was there. After all, there wasn’t much left for her to do since nobody lived in the house at the moment.
But when I made my way inside, the clanking of pots directed me toward the kitchen, where I found a flustered Cleo wiping up soup that had spilled all over the stove and counter, dripping on the floor.
I cleared my throat, and her head shot around, her eyes wide, her mouth open as if she was about to scream. When she recognized me, her shoulders dropped, and she turned to face me fully. “Gabriel. I wasn’t expecting you today.”
“I need to ask you a few questions.”
She put the dripping cloth in the sink and wiped her hands on a towel. “Of course.” She took a deep breath in. “Have you heard from Vanna? Is she okay?”
I took in Cleo’s drawn face. “I was hoping you would be able to tell me.”
Her face turned ashen. “I haven’t talked to her since she left. And I’m so worried about what she’s going to do.”
“What do you mean?”
Cleo twisted her shirt in her hands. “Whatever happened between you two destroyed her. I was hoping you’d work it out, but since you’re here by yourself, I’m guessing that hasn’t happened.”
My stomach went into a free fall, and I clenched my hands. “Explain what you mean.”
“I’m not sure where she is.” She handed me a business card. “But I called her a driver from this company to get her.” She tightened her hands into fists, then loosened them. “She was a mess when I found her, and she said she’d make things right. But I assumed that meant she’d go talk to you.”
There was only one place she could have gone to make things right.
Aleksándr’s.
My blood boiled, and every muscle in my body tensed. I wanted to rage and tear something down. I’d forced her to go back to the person I’d sworn to protect her from.
At the rate I kept clenching my hands, it wouldn’t take long for my nails to break skin. I rushed out of the house, ignoring Cleo calling out behind me.
The guilt and anguish I felt in that moment overtook any rational thought. The only thing on my mind was to get her out.
As soon as I was back in my car, I called Jude. He picked up after only one ring. I didn’t bother with a greeting. “She’s at Aleksándr’s.”
He groaned. “Are you serious? I don’t have enough men close by for what I know you’re about to do. Just remember, you can’t go in there and start shooting things. That’ll start a war.”
I tapped the fingers of my right hand on the steering wheel. “Maybe a war is exactly what we need.”
Especially if he was hurting Vanna.
“Fucking fuck.”
“I’m glad you agree. Now call Liam and get as many guys out there as you can, because I’m going to his house whether you’re there or not.”
He hurt my wife. And even though I knew killing him would start the war we’d been trying so hard to avoid for years, I no longer cared. He would pay. And I would take back what was mine.
“Goddamn it, Gabriel. You know you’ll only get killed. Get your ass to the north warehouse and make a plan, at least. Give me three hours. Then I promise you we’ll get her.”
I hung up on him and sped up. The crushing guilt for being the reason Vanna was back in that hellhole was all-consuming. It was my fault she was there. My fault she had to face her father again after I’d promised her I’d protect her for as long as I lived. I’d vowed that she could count on me. And I’d let her down, exactly like everyone else in her life had.
It took me nearly thirty minutes to get to the warehouses. Fucking Chicago traffic.
It was packed with cars. My brother must have called absolutely everyone. I pulled up next to where Jude was waiting for me with a tight face.
I didn't stop to greet him, just stomped in the direction of the front door. “Let’s go inside.”
The men lingering outside followed us into the large space, pulling out crates filled with guns. We had enough weaponry and ammo to last us for weeks. Not that I planned on drawing anything out past tonight. It was time to end this.
Liam came up next to us, his jaw clenched so tightly I wondered how he hadn’t cracked a tooth. “What the fuck is wrong with you? I thought we were going to use a little more finesse. We managed not to shoot him for years, no matter how much we wanted to. What’s fucking changed?”
Taking a seat at the table, I nodded at the unoccupied chairs opposite me. “He hurt Vanna. And I won’t leave her with him a second longer than I have to. You’re either with me or you can fuck off. I don’t have time for your shit. He’s dying today. No more diplomacy. No more fucking waiting for the right moment.”
That was all I had to say for both my brothers to be fully on board with the plan I laid out.
Aleksándr opened the front door as we pulled up, three of his closest men at his side.
I exited the car, taking in my father-in-law. I’d never seen him look anything but indifferent before. But today, his gaze seemed to be unfocused, the muscles in his neck strained. One of his hands beat a staccato on his thigh while the other hovered over the gun strapped into a holster.
“Gabriel. How nice of you to show up at my house unannounced.”
I held my hands up to make sure they didn’t shoot me as soon as I took a step forward. “I was just driving past and thought I’d drop in.”
His hands now rested loosely next to him, and his face had smoothed out. He thought I was willing to talk when all I wanted to do was make him hurt.
“Where is my wife?”
Contempt spread over every inch of his body, and he smirked. “She must be something else for you to want her back. Personally, I think you made the right decision by kicking her out. She’s never been good for anything.”
“You have two seconds to tell me where she is.”
“Or what?”
His arrogant smirk and haughty posture rubbed me all kinds of wrong. I hoped Jude was quick about sweeping the house because my hand was twitching to take him out.
I’d been adrift since Vanna had left. Hadn’t been able to focus on anything. But seeing Aleksándr squirm made me feel alive again for the first time in days.
He was posturing in front of me, blind to what was really going on.
Raising a brow at him, I grinned, knowing it would come across as a deranged grimace. “I know Mikhail kidnapped Quinn. And Liam isn’t looking favorably on anyone scaring his woman. You shouldn’t have tried taking out Locked Security at the same time.”
I basked in the way his body tensed and his eyes widened. “Mikhail does what he wants. This has nothing to do with me.”
I chuckled, his audacity mind-blowing. “We both know you control your family with an iron fist. And Mikhail answers to you. There’s no way you wouldn’t have known what was going on.”
Stepping forward with an oily smile in place, Aleksándr held my gaze. “You don’t want war. I don’t want war. Why don’t we just agree that Mikhail has gone rogue? And it just so happens that I sent him back to Russia weeks ago. He’s no longer an issue.”
But Mikhail had never been my target. I’d get him eventually. But for now, I’d take care of the monster in front of me.
Sick of talking to him, I gave my guys the signal to take his men out, making a circle with my thumb and pointer finger, barely holding back a sigh at the ridiculous sign my brothers insisted we use.
As soon as I’d finished laying my hand against my thigh, all of Aleksándr’s men dropped to the ground in quick succession.
Jude wasn’t our only sharpshooter.
Aleksándr had his gun pointed at me, his face red, the white of his eyes showing. He looked like he had rabies. “You can’t do this. I’m not some little gangbanger you can take care of and nobody will give a shit. I’ve been head of this family for over thirty years.” Spittle flew out of his mouth with each shouted word. He knew as well as I did it was over.
Pointing at the red dots on his chest, I raised a brow. His face lost all color when he looked down. I walked up to him, not bothering to draw my gun. If he so much as twitched a finger, my guys would take him out. “Do you really think anyone will avenge your death? They’ll all be too busy fighting for their spot at the top to care who got rid of you.”
His eyes widened, sweat beading on his forehead. “I’ll give you the number of the guy who shot your father.”
I loved seeing him squirm, desperation underlining his every move. “What do I want with a number? I need a name.”
He shook his head, eyes flitting everywhere, the hand holding his gun trembling. “I don’t have a name, only a phone number and a bank account.”
“Give it to me.”
He slowly reached for his pocket. “I’m getting my phone out.”
I lifted my chin, indicating for him to go ahead. Pulling out his phone, he tapped on it before handing it over. “This is the number.”
I glanced at it, then saved it in my phone. “Now, where is my wife?”
He shook his head. “I’ve already given you the shooter.”
“Didn’t say that was all I wanted. And I hate to repeat myself.”
Footsteps sounded behind Aleksándr, and then Jude burst through the open door, an unconscious Vanna in his arms. “Gabriel.” His voice was shaking, and his breathing was choppy.
My laid-back, easygoing brother who let nothing get to him looked afraid.
My heart slowed at the sight of my wife’s lifeless body. The bruises on her face and arms caused a rage unlike any I’d ever felt before. And I’d been mad plenty of times.
Two people appeared behind them, one an older woman and the other the bastard who hit on Vanna right in front of me. Their clothes were torn, their faces bruised. Dismissing them, I turned back to the man responsible for my wife’s pain.
Aleksándr took a step back, gun loose in his hand. He was barely holding on to it anymore, and I took it off him with ease. I cracked the butt over his face, causing blood to gush out of his nose.
Then I pointed the gun at his forehead and pulled the trigger. I faintly noticed a wet splatter over my suit and face, but my only focus was Vanna.
Who still wasn’t moving.
I held her hand as Jude rushed to the car. Her pulse was faint, her skin a sickly gray. “Anghele mou. Please wake up. I’m so sorry.”
Jude stopped in front of the car where Liam stood, watching us with dread on his face. “We need to get her to the hospital.” He opened the back door. “Get in. I’m driving.”
I followed his instructions, numbly crawling in the back seat and taking Vanna from Jude, who jumped in the front passenger seat.
Liam drove off with screeching tires, not stopping for anything. All of it only faintly registered, my attention focused on the lifeless body on my lap.
This was all my fault. If I hadn’t let my emotions control me, I wouldn’t have kicked her out. And now Vanna had paid the price for my actions.
I held her as tight as I dared, whispering nonsense to her, praying this wasn’t the end.
We pulled up to the emergency department, and Jude sprinted inside. Liam opened my door, and I shuffled out, unwilling to hand Vanna to him.
We were almost at the sliding doors when three people with a stretcher between them emerged. “Sir, you need to put her on here. The sooner we get her inside, the sooner we can treat her injuries.”
Everything in me rebelled at the thought of releasing Vanna.
Liam put a hand on my arm, squeezing lightly. “Brother, you have to lay her on the stretcher. The hospital is her best chance.”
My body fought me when I put her down, my muscles bulging, my hands tightening before finally releasing her. I kissed her head, praying with everything I had that this wasn't the last time I’d see her.
They rushed her inside, and I followed, my brothers flanking me.
They held me back when I made a move to go behind a door the stretcher disappeared through. Jude put his arm around me, pulling me into a side hug. “Let them do their job.”
“I need to see her. Make sure they’re taking care of her.”
“They know who we are. They’ll do everything they can to make sure she’ll be okay.”
Liam guided me to a plastic chair and pushed on my shoulder. My legs collapsed, and I landed in the chair with a thud. My body doubled over, my hands fisting in my hair, my unfocused gaze on the floor. “I can’t lose her.”
“I know. And you won’t,” Liam said, his voice unwavering.
A tear dripped onto my leg and with a start, I realized I was crying. I hadn’t cried since I was a child.
Jude dropped into the chair next to me. “Everyone’s on their way. And Mom is bringing a change of clothes for you.”
I lifted my head and stared at the closed double doors Vanna had disappeared behind, willing them to open. But they stayed shut, and every minute that passed without a word from the doctor made the cold fingers wrapped around my heart tighten a little more.
Chapter 20
Vanna
My limbs felt heavy, and my tongue was swollen, making it hard to swallow. The last thing I remembered was Adrik’s fist flying at my face. Then blissful blackness greeted me.
But now I was warm and comfortable. And instead of the cold stone floor I’d landed on before I’d passed out, I seemed to be in a bed. That didn’t mean good things were in my future. Aleksándr would only keep me alive if he had something else planned for me.
Afraid to open my eyes, I listened for voices. A machine beeped, and a heavy weight was on my hip. Light snoring sounded next to me, and my body locked up tight. I held my breath, afraid to make too much noise and wake up whoever was asleep this close.
I stayed motionless until my legs cramped up and I grew light-headed from only taking shallow inhales. When I couldn’t take the uncertainty anymore, I opened my eyes, blinking into unfamiliar surroundings.
It was dark, only the lights from the monitors casting a faint glow throughout the room. I turned my head toward the snoring, and I immediately recognized the dark glossy hair of my husband. His head was resting on my hip, which explained the pressure.
A tilt of my head confirmed the beeping coming from a monitor. There was a needle in my arm with a drip attached.
The door opened, and I sank farther into the bed, trying to make myself as small as possible. A guy with a white coat and a clipboard entered, and I relaxed at the sight of the doctor. His attention was on the pages in front of him, and he hummed under his breath.
When he looked up, his eyes locked with mine and he stilled, his professional mask slipping as his mouth dropped open. “You’re awake.”
He rushed up to my bedside, checking the monitors. “How are you feeling, Mrs. Olysses?”
“Thirsty. Tired.”
He handed me a cup filled with ice chips. “This should help.” He pulled his stethoscope from around his neck. “Do you mind if I check you over?”
Pushing the ice cube into my cheek, I nodded. “Go for it.”
Gabriel never moved, not when the doctor prodded and poked me and not when he turned the light on.
“Okay, now I need to listen to your back. Can you lean forward for me?”
I cringed at the request but complied. He was a doctor, after all. And I had bandages on my back. Someone must have put them on. I didn’t think I had any new wounds since I could lie down on it.
He gently prodded parts of my back, noting the areas that were sore. “I’m sorry you have to lie on your back, but the stab wound on your stomach is too fresh to put pressure on yet.”
My eyes fell to my midsection. I didn’t remember how I’d gotten the wound he described.
“Okay, you can relax again. I’ll send the nurse in for another round of tramadol. It’ll take away the pain and help you sleep. We’ll have to keep you heavily medicated for a few days so you can stay on your back.”
“Thank you.”
He left, and I allowed myself to run my fingers through Gabriel’s hair. He still didn’t stir. Maybe I should have asked the doctor to check on him as well.
The door opened again, and I dropped my hand. Expecting the nurse, I pasted a polite smile on my face, one that slipped right off my face when both of Gabriel’s brothers walked in, closely followed by Freya.
She rushed up to the side of my bed, tears shimmering in her eyes. “Vanna, I’m so glad you’re awake.” She took my hand and squeezed it. “You scared us.”
“I’m sorry I worried you.” My voice was barely audible, my eye blinking rapidly to stop the tears from falling.
Jude cleared his throat. “You were unconscious for three days.”
I pointed to Gabriel. “Is he okay? He’s not waking up.”
Liam slapped the back of his hand into Jude’s gut so hard he bent forward with a pained groan. “I fucking told you not to give him three pills.”
Frowning, I looked at Gabriel’s brothers. “Pills?”
Freya pulled a chair up to the side of my bed. “He’s been up the whole time you’ve been in the hospital, refusing to do anything but brood and stare at you. Jude put sleeping pills in his water. They made him pass out about four hours ago.”
Jude seemed unperturbed, playing with one of the IV bags. “He’s obviously fine since he’s snoring away. He’ll thank me later.”
