We headed inside together, and the only ones who seemed unaffected were the twins. “Rosa, Anna, let me see you for a minute.” It was then Pop seemed to catch on and, with a shake of his head, went off in the opposite direction while the four of us headed upstairs. “Wait for me in my room.” He didn’t even look at me. Maybe I shouldn’t have got his sisters involved, but it wasn’t a well-thought-out attack. The idea just came to me, and before you know it, the twins were planning the whole thing, almost as if they’d been waiting for just this moment.
I looked after them as they headed down the hallway to the girls’ room before entering Gabriel’s, where Thor was waiting for me, yapping away joyfully as soon as he saw me. I had yet to come down from my high after beating the heck out of Becky, but now my tummy was tied up in knots worrying about what Gabriel was going to do.
* * *
GABRIEL
* * *
“How dare you?”
“What?”
“Anna, don’t play with me. What the hell were you thinking?”
“So, you know.” I just gave Rosa a look, which seemed to be all that was needed for the two of them to drop the act.
“Are you two crazy? Didn’t I tell you to watch over her? In what universe is taking her there taking care of her?”
“She was fine. We stood outside the door the whole time; nothing happened to her, we promise.”
“That’s not the point. The point is you should never have taken her there. I would’ve taken care of it myself.”
“You’re not the one who lost a mother to that bitch.”
Her words brought me up short. She’s right; how could I have overlooked that one pertinent point? Me, the one who’s lived his whole life plotting revenge, should understand more than anyone how she must feel. But I don’t want her hurt, don’t want her anywhere near this shit. It’s double thinking, I know, but I can’t see it any other way. I have plans for Becky; she’s already on the hook for the counterfeit money and the grand larceny for selling the car. As to the murder, Pop and I have someone working on it as we speak, so there was nothing for Gianna to do.
“I had it under control; there was no reason….”
“No reason? Imagine this was mom; what would you do?” Another zinger.
“It doesn’t matter what you say; you should not have taken Gianna into danger.”
“Well, Gianna wasn’t in any danger, and Gianna, wanted to do this, and we supported her because we agreed with what she wanted. You always taught us….”
“I know what I taught you, Anna.” But it wasn’t for you to use against me, brat.
“Fine, I’ll think of a fitting punishment for you two.”
“We accept, don’t we, sis?”
“Yep, bring it on. But whatever you do, don’t tell Lance. Oh, come on, Gabe.” They rushed me when all I did was smile. I hadn’t thought of it, but that’s a great idea. One of his lectures goes a long way to making them feel three years old, which to them is tantamount to destroying their favorite Hermes bag. “I make no promises.”
I walked back to my room feeling less stressed than I had when the cops first showed up at the door. Not for me, but because I knew right away that it was her. I found it strange when she asked me to find her luggage like she hadn’t already shown me what she wanted. She tried playing it off as getting me to pay the thousands of dollars it cost, but I knew even that was a lie.
I didn’t quite put her little game together until the cops showed up, and since she’s not as sneaky as the twins, I put two and two together and figured they were the masterminds. Until she came back safe and whole, I don’t think I breathed once. Even when the cops were trying to pin it on me, I didn’t worry because Pop was in their ass; he has a thing against authority.
All I cared about was where she was and if she’d been hurt. That quick once over I gave her outside is not enough to satisfy, and I found myself racing to get back to her now that I’d dealt with the twins. She was sitting on the bed with the mutt in her lap. I guess she’d forgotten her prop because it was currently melting on my desk.
“Didn’t you say you wanted ice cream?” I picked it up and carried it to her. She watched me as if gauging my mood, which she’s not good enough to do that yet; I doubt anyone ever has or could. “Here.”
“Th…thank you.”
“So, how much damage did you do?”
“They told you?”