Page 33 of Gentleman Wanted
I hadn’t just taken a nap. I had been asleep for hours.
Glancing at my phone, I groaned. Two in the morning.
I had been asleep for over eight hours. Curled up on the sofa in my clothes.
No wonder I was awake now. It was more sleep than I had had in months. Usually, Bobby woke up for a feed.
Sitting upright, I stretched, my back cracking.
The sound I had heard was obviously Bobby stirring. It was surprising that he wasn’t screaming the place down.
Wearily I climbed to my feet, dropping the phone back on to the couch cushions. I would answer the dozen or so texts once I had checked on Bobby and settled him back down.
That’s when I heard it again. The sound of low masculine humming and Bobby’s happy gargle.
Smiling, I made my way to the bedroom. No wonder he wasn’t screaming. Gent had come back and dealt with him. I made a mental note to thank him for letting me sleep.
“Gent?” I whispered his name as I came to a halt in the open doorway. The room was dark, but I could see his outline by the crib.
“Shhh.”
I frowned. My heart hammering against my ribs.
It didn’t sound like Gent.
It didn’t sound like him at all. I took a hasty step back. My hand gripping my throat.
It was only then that I forced myself to look around.
Gent always took his boots off and hung his cut by the door.
Always.
Turning my head back to the bedroom and at the shadowy figure holding my son, I forced myself to stay where I was. Even when every part of me was screaming at me to run.
“Don’t scream, Gemma.”
Brushing my hand against the wall, I switched the light on. Blinking rapidly at the sudden brightness.
I needed to keep my wits about me.
I stared at the man I knew well.
“What are you doing here, Young Blood?” Somehow I managed to keep my voice even and calm. “Why don’t you give me Bobby, and we can sit down and have a cup of….”
He didn’t let me finish. His grip on my son tightened, and Bobby let out a wail. “I don’t think so, Gem.”
“Gent will be home soon, and…”
“Stop lying.” He screamed it, and I swallowed back the lump of fear that had formed in my throat. “Gent won’t be back for hours. I made sure of that.” He sighed heavily. “Get your shoes on, Gemma. We need to be long gone before then.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Young Blood. Why don’t we talk like adults?.”
His eyes narrowed. “Go barefoot then Gem, I really don’t care. You shacking up with Gent has complicated matters.” He shrugged. “I liked you. I am sorry this has to happen.”
He sounded suddenly sad.
But if anything, that just made it worse.
“Young Blood, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. We are friends.” I tried again. Maybe if I kept him talking, someone would come along and save me. But even as I thought about it, I knew no one was coming.
I would have to save us.
“I’ll kill you if you hurt him.”
“I know you will try. Now put your shoes on, Gem, before I snap his neck.”
