But as I step away from Gabriel, his hand grasps mine, holding me back. “You can’t go,” he breathes, and when I look back at him, the utter despair in his eyes shatters me into pieces.
I turn toward him, rising onto my toes so I can cup his strong jaw. “It’s the only way,” I breathe. “I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep hiding, and you can’t fight them all.”
A lone tear trickles from Gabriel’s eyes as his strong hands grip my wrists. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him so emotional, let alone twice in one day, and my heart feels as though it might leave my chest. Wiping his tear away with my thumb, I smile softly up at him.
“I’ll be okay,” I promise. “Everything will be okay.”
Pulling his face down toward mine, I kiss him passionately. I don’t know if my words are actually the truth. All I know is that I love this man fiercely. With all my heart, and no matter the stakes, I will protect him. My baby and I will have to be okay. Because I need to survive this. I need to be here. For Gabriel.
“Let’s go,” Jaxon demands coarsely, and the gravel crunches under his boots as he approaches, ready to pull us apart.
“If she goes, I go,” Gabriel says, his fingers wrapping firmly around me.
“Gabriel, what are you doing?” I hiss.
Looking down at me with a calm, steady gaze, Gabriel combs his fingers into my hair. “I won’t let you go. So if he insists on taking you to their house, I’m coming with you. I promised I would protect you.” Gabriel’s free hand moves from my wrist down to my stomach and presses his palm against the same spot where Dr. Russ took a picture of our child. “I will protect you both.”
Tears sting my eyes, and I shake my head, willing him to change his mind, to stay behind, even though I know he won’t. Gabriel pulls me firmly against him, and my breath escapes my chest as he steals a passionate kiss, his lips consuming mine for a painfully brief moment.
And then he’s gone, his warm, strong mouth leaving mine, even as his hands linger.
“I’ll follow you,” he confirms, looking up at Jaxon as he cradles me against his chest.
Jaxon snorts derisively. “Like hell, you will. You know where we’re going?”
Gabriel nods, and I look back at Jaxon’s face just in time to see him sneer.
“Good, then you’re going to lead the way.”
The Blackmoor heir looks meaner than I ever remember him being. And I wonder if that’s his protective side coming out or if his newfound position of power has tainted his kindness already. I can only hope it’s the former, if not my own, for my baby’s sake.
Glancing toward Mark, Jaxon adds, “You’re coming too. Whatever happens, I want you to witness the consequences of betraying our trust. And I suspect they’ll have a few choice words for you as well.”
Mark nods solemnly, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows hard.
Tenderly, Gabriel guides me back to the truck. A surprise because I would have thought he might go for his Night Train. Maybe then we could make a run for it. But perhaps that’s just wishful thinking on my part. Besides, I can’t expect him to do that for me. It would put us in more jeopardy than we’re already in, and no doubt his club would be able to hunt us down. That’s their job, after all.
The door slams shut, and I’m left in momentary silence as Gabriel walks around to the driver’s side. I take those seconds to draw upon my strength. I’ll need it for what’s to come. Fortifying my emotions, I remind myself that I’m capable of fighting to the very end, that I’m stronger than people think. Now, I have something worth fighting for. Pressing my palm to my belly, I reassure my little peanut that everything will be okay. I won’t let anything happen to them.
The truck door creaks open a moment later, and Gabriel clambers into his seat. Wordlessly, he slams the door shut and cranks the engine to life. The stony expression on his face makes my insides quiver, and I wonder if he’s mad at me for agreeing to go with Jaxon.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. I don’t want him to be angry with me if these will be our final moments alone together.
Gabriel turns to face me, and suddenly, his expression is filled with pain. “You have nothing to be sorry for,” he says adamantly. Then he puts the truck in reverse and rolls out onto the curving roads of Blackmoor.
26
Gabriel
The driveto the King residence is torture, but at least Jaxon let Winter ride with me. I seriously debate whether I should race for the town limits, outrun Jaxon and take Winter away with me, right here, right now. If I thought I could actually escape Jaxon for any length of time, I would do it without hesitation. But I know the moment I gun it, he’ll be on my heels, with the Devil’s Sons backing his decision. Even if we manage to outdistance his bike, which I doubt, seeing as I’m using the truck and not my Night Train, they would know how to track us down. And then we would be dead for sure.
Grinding my teeth, I grip the steering wheel with an intensity that turns my knuckles white. Winter’s pressed close to my side, but the moment of contentment we’d shared only moments before is gone, eviscerated by my carelessness. I should have been paying more attention to our surroundings. I should have seen Jaxon’s bike, remembered he had a meeting at the club. This is on me, and I hate myself for putting Winter’s life at risk.
“It’s going to be okay,” Winter reassures me as if she can hear the conflict waging in my brain.
“You don’t know that,” I growl, the pain of what’s to come overwhelming me, making my voice hoarse with strain.
Winter leans her cheek on my shoulder, her fingers resting lightly on my thigh, and I wonder how it is that she’s comforting me when it’s her life and our baby’s life at stake here.