Page 57 of Vengeful Devotion
I nod. “Handle the rest of the search. I need to get home.”
“You mean you need to get to Gemma?”
“That’s what I said, Dean. Home.”
I leave them standing there, walking towards the SUV. Climbing into the driver’s seat, I waste no time pulling away from the scene. Kane said everything was good. But I know I won’t relax until I see Gemma for myself.
My father used to say that a man without fear is not a man worth knowing. I always thought it was such a stupid saying. Shouldn’t I want to be a man without fear? Isn’t that what a leader is? But I understand his meaning now. Men who are motivated by love, who are afraid of losing what really matters, are stronger. More ruthless than some kid who has nothing to lose. Just the thought of losing Gemma is enough to make me feral. There’s no telling the amount of damage I would cause.
I pull into the driveway. My footsteps on the concrete are the only sound at such a late hour. Kane opens the door for me before I get to it. He inspects me as I walk into the house. I’m covered in dirt, sweat, and the stench of death. All the signs of a massive failure.
“Is there anything I can get for you for, Mr. McBride?”
“No.”
Kane tilts his head down to his chest. I go deeper in the house. Focused on one thing. Getting to Gemma. As I turn down the hallway, a scream pierces the air. The hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up.Gemma.
I take off running. Kicking the door open, I walk in with my gun drawn. I don’t see anyone but Gemma. She’s rolled into a ball with the sheets crumpled on the floor. Her face is streaked red with tears.
I cross the room, grabbing her face with both hands. “What is wrong? What happened?”
She opens her mouth but only a whimper comes out. My heart is pounding. I keep my head on swivel, searching for the threat.
“Tell me what scared you, baby.”
Her tears fall faster. She looks down to the floor, a choking sound coming from her. Like her throat is paralyzed with fear. Her own voice gagging her. I follow her line of sight. There’s a scorpion on the floor, a foot or so away from me.
“Is that what you’re afraid of?”
She nods. I go to stand. Her fingers clutch my arm. Her short nails leaving marks.
“I’m going to take care of it, Wildflower. Don’t worry.”
She slowly untangles herself from my side, jumping back onto the bed and curling up in a ball. I squash the scorpion with no fanfare. Climbing onto the bed, I pull Gemma into my lap. She’s as scared of scorpions as she is of Lonny. I wonder why.
“It’s gone,” I tell her.
“There’s always more than one,” she whispers.
“What do you mean always?”
She lifts her head from my shoulder. “They’re his calling card. He’s coming for me, and he wants us to know it.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
Gemma
I can feel it.The sea of terror pulling me down. Drowning me. Filling my lungs with panic in place of air. It’s a familiar feeling; one I’d hoped never to feel again. But that was a stupid thing to hope for. Tears slide between my closed lids. This torture will never end. All of my hopes—my dreams—were snuffed out by a simple skitter across the sheets. Leaving behind the promise that I’ll never be safe.
“Gemma?” Francine’s voice disrupts the blur.
My eyes open, squinting in the sudden light. The sounds of the room assault me as my surroundings come back into focus. My eyes stray down to the mangled scorpion corpse on the floor. Somehow, it’s scarier here in Declan’s room. A sign of what’s coming. A bad omen with eight legs, shattering the little peace I’d found here in Vegas.
“Gemma,” Francine says again, pulling my attention towards her.
She pushes a large black mug into my hands. “Drink this tea. It’ll help.”
“I doubt it,” I whisper, looking down at the caramel-colored liquid.
