Violent Ends

“That’s not possible.”

“It is.”

“But we’ve known each other for so long. You’ve never even shown an interest until now.”

“I’ve been fighting it. It’s you. I’m not lying to you. It’s you that I love. You that I want.” He hated this feeling right now.

This wasn’t part of the plan, and it was falling all around him.

Just as he was going to try to rectify it somehow, his cell phone buzzed. Gritting his teeth, he pulled it out of his pocket and answered.

“You’re seriously taking a phone call right now?”

“I’ve got no choice.” It was part of the Denton agreement from now on. Everyone answered their cell. No one went radio silent.

“Hello,” he said.

“Gideon, you need to come home now.”

“What? Why?” He was shocked that Jacob was calling him.

“Sarah’s been killed in a car crash in England. We just got the call. Landon’s losing his shit. You need to come home.”

“Holy shit,” Gideon said.

“What?” Emma asked. “What is it?”

“I’ll be there as quick as I can.” He hung up before his brother could ask any more.

Chapter Four

They had no choice but to give Landon a sedative to knock him out for the night. The doctor didn’t look hopeful.

Emma sat on the sofa in the main sitting room as most of the Dentons were in residence, even Gabriel. Her brother hadn’t looked at her though since she walked in with Gideon.

Sipping at her water, she saw the concern in Maddox’s eyes as he stared at the retreating doctor’s back.

“What are we going to do?” Charlotte asked. She was Maddox’s wife, Gideon’s mother, and from what Emma recalled, a force to be reckoned with. Right now, she didn’t look the part. If anything, Charlotte looked broken.

“There’s nothing we can do.”

“Haven’t you heard of anything like this?”

“If I’d heard of something like this, don’t you think I’d have fucking told you?” Maddox growled the words as he paced the length of the sitting room.

“Don’t be an asshole.” Charlotte stormed out of the room, and Emma saw Maddox watch her go.

“Dad, this has never happened before?” Jacob asked.

“You mean one of our women just dying like that? Being killed? No. It hasn’t.” Maddox ran a hand down his face.

“Landon’s going to blame himself,” Gideon said.

“We don’t need you being a wiseass,” Gabriel said.

“You’ve been a Denton for two minutes. You’ve not spent nearly enough time to have a vote at this fucking table. Keep your mouth shut,” Gideon said.

“I have every right to speak.”

“Shut up, Gabriel,” Emma said. She didn’t want to hear her brother right about now.

“You were on a date with him?” Gabriel turned his glare to her.

“Don’t even look at her like that.”

“Enough!” This was Jacob. “I’ve had about enough of the arguing. Screaming and shouting is not going to solve anything. Right now, our brother, our baby brother, has just had his entire world turned upside down. Imagine losing our women, think about that. You know what it’s like to be with them. Abel, Damian, and Oliver, imagine your woman being run down. You remember what it was like to find them. To finally feel their love wrapped around you. Take it all away, and what are you left with? Nothing. Landon is left with nothing. His very reason for living, for being anything, is gone, and we’re bickering. Dad, go and deal with Mom. You know you want to.”

Emma watched as Maddox didn’t even question his son. He just turned on his heel and left.

“This is bad,” Oliver said. “Landon has always been … unpredictable. He’s not going to take it well.”

“I want him on suicide watch,” Jacob said.

“Don’t you think that’s a bit drastic? He’s a young boy,” Emma said. All their eyes turned toward her.

“You don’t have any idea what it’s like to find the one destined to be yours. To be in love, to feel that love with every single fiber of your being. We do. We’ve felt it. It’s not something you just switch on and off. It’s a feeling. It’s intense and scary. You wait for your woman to enter a room, and when she does, it’s like you can finally breathe because she’s part of your world. It consumes you. Drives your need to do better, to be better.”

Silence met his words, and her own little world was reeling right now.

Grabbing the tray of drinks, she made her excuses.

Gideon had told her that she was his woman.

Did he see her like that?

Did he want her like that?

He knew she wanted out of this life. She didn’t know what to do. Entering the kitchen, she saw it was empty, which she was pleased about. Bumping into Maddox and Charlotte was not high on her priority list right now.

“I figured you needed a hand,” Gideon said, entering the kitchen seconds later.

“It’s fine. I’ve got it. I can handle a few drinks.” She hated how bitchy she sounded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to sound like that.”