Page 8 of Hansel
“Of murdering women.” I said it as matter of fact as I could because if I showed my feelings, I would break.
“Fuck.” He let go of me again, stepping back and running his fingers through his hair. When he turned back to me, his face was twisted in pain and anger. And I could understand that. He was hurt that Fang himself, the man he had known as a brother for years, would suspect him of such a thing. “What the hell is going on, Gretal?”
“Gio took over The Family, you know that right?” I gave a tinkling little laugh at the look on his face. “Of course you know that. But did you know that he brought me in to help the women his father had working for him?”
That was a polite way of putting it. Gio’s father hadn't been employing women into the sex industry. He had enslaved them. Much the same way as my adoptive mother had enslaved me. I had spent most of my adult life since I had been freed helping women just like me. Like I had been.
“Yeah, I know, I didn't agree with getting you involved then but Gio swore to me that you would be safe and I didn't think I had a say in the matter.” He shrugged. It was clear that he definitely wanted a say in it. “I sure as hell don't agree with what they are asking you to do now, Gretal. It’s too dangerous.”
“I don't have a choice, Hansel. Someone is picking women off one by one. I've seen the pictures of what was done to those girls, Hansel.” My voice shook. “They were raped and then shot. They were executed by Hansel. I can’t just let that lie.”
Hansel stared at me. And the silence stretched between us until I shifted uncomfortably.
“It’s too dangerous, Gretal. I can't force you not to do this, hell, I've never been able to force you to do anything you didn't want to. But I'm asking you. No, I'm begging you not to do this.”
The pain in his voice made me do a double take. “Anyone would think you still care, Hansel.”
I expected him to gather me into his arms. He didn't. He just stood there in front of me. There were only a few inches between us but it might as well have been a chasm.
“Of course I care. I never stopped caring about you and I never will. Not ever. I don't know why that is so hard for you to get into your head.” His eyes clouded. “I love you, Gretal. I always have. I don't want you to get hurt.” His words were fierce but there was a softness in his eyes. A softness that screamed of pain and suffering. And I knew I had put it there.
The fact that we loved each other had never been in question, but we were no good together. We were toxic. And we made each other miserable. We hurt each other just by being together.
“I'm not going to get hurt, Hansel.” Slowly, I slipped my hands around his neck, drawing his head down to mine. It was a mistake to kiss him, but I did it anyway. I would do anything to take the pain out of his eyes.
It was a chaste kiss. A barely there touching of lips. But it was like my whole life flashed before my eyes.
We could have been so good together. We could have been amazing.
“No, you're not.” Hansel's thumb brushed against my bottom lip, pulling it down. “Because I'm going to make sure you are never in harm's way.”
“Hansel, you can't do that. No one can know that I told you.”
“And they won't, Gretal. No one will even know that we spoke tonight. People can carry on believing that you hate my guts. But I'll be watching out for you. I'll watch your back like I always have.”
“Hansel, I can't ask you to do that. I might have to…”
He cut me off. “I know what you might have to do to get answers, Gretal. Believe me I know, but it doesn't change the fact that you are mine.” He took a shaky breath and the grip on my bottom lip became almost painful as he pinched it between his thumb and finger. “But when this is all over, you come home to me. Home where you belong. That's not negotiable.”
***
I danced with everyone, everyone except Hansel. And no one even mentioned it. They were so used to us hating each other that they didn't even bat an eyelid. But I didn't hate Hansel. It was quite the opposite, I loved him with everything I had.
Being alone with him, having him brush his lips against mine had proven that. It was taking everything I had not to glance over at him.
It was Hansel that I wanted to dance with. Hansel that I wanted to lay next to that night.
Hansel I wanted to…
“Why don’t you just go and talk to him?” Pope’s voice cut though my daydream and I shook myself back to reality. Pope’s arms around my waist were tight but not too tight. He was a married man after all. And although I didn't know Sylvie well, I did respect her. I respected any woman who could deal with a long-term relationship with any of the Savage Sons. Not many could. It took a special type of patience.
“Who?”
Pope rolled his eyes. “Hansel of course. You keep looking at him from the corner of your eye, Gretal. It's pretty clear you want to dance with him.”
“I'm dancing with you.”
“And I'm saying I don't mind if you want to dance with your husband. It would be good for both of you to talk, I think. Hansel's been a mess since you left and he's not getting better. If anything he's getting worse. The drugs, the drink...the never-ending stream of women.”
