Gabe’s expression gave nothing away as I glanced at him. “Those words were beautiful.”
“Open the gift.”
The silver paisley wrapping paper tore easily and the image revealed itself. A gasp left me in a whoosh as I stared at the image. The image of a man walked through the forest toward a light at the end of the road. The hues became warmer as the light drew near. Darkness beckoned him from the other side. Though his hand reached toward the light, he was still only halfway to his destination.
This had been the painting I completed the morning after I made love to Gabe at the hotel. The night we conceived our twins. Now, it took on another meaning. A meaning Gabe knew at the art gallery at my show. I had thought it was Alex finding his way back from the clutches of PTSD when I initially painted this canvas. But it was Gabe finding his way back to me.
“Gabe…”
He turned me to face him. “I bought this before the art show started. When I saw it, I knew it was from our night together. That moment belonged to no one else but us.”
Gabe had seen what I hadn’t realized when I’d painted it. If I had known, I would have never parted with something so special.
Elated, I threw my arms around him. “Together we create the light to fight away the darkness and find our way with each other. Always and forever.”
“Always and forever.” His mouth found mine while he held me possessively. The feel of his hands were like molten lava. I needed him with a desperation I’d never known before. With a touch, I was a slave to the passion. Just as he had all the times before, Gabe pulled back. “Soon, sweetheart. Soon.”
The rapid heaves of his chest synced to my own. We were going to combust with desire.
After a quick peck on the lips, Gabe led me to the table. “Let’s eat before I lose all self-control.”
“You seem pretty controlled.”
The raised eyebrow challenged me. “Trust me, it’s taking everything I have not to strip you bare and claim you. I want nothing more than to feel your heat surrounding me.”
My nipples hardened and I took a step forward. His hands on my shoulders stopped my advance.
“Don’t ever doubt my need for you.”
I was grateful for this day of reprieve. Sometimes the importance of simply being with each other in all the madness was cast aside. “I feel like the most important person when I’m near you.”
“That’s because you are.”
My stomach growled and Gabe grinned. “I think our babies are hungry.”
Another growl answered and we laughed. “The kids have spoken.”
We sat on the couch and ate. The pear and brie sandwich with caramelized onions melted in my mouth. “Mildred thought you would like this. I told her you weren’t in the mood for sandwich meat.”
At some point, I needed to tell her and Chris about the pregnancy. For now, I wanted to keep it quiet with Alex still blowing in the wind. “Thanks. Does it bother you? I don’t want to tell anyone yet besides those who already know.”
Gabe swallowed his bite. “No, I prefer it until we catch my brother. I don’t want him to know. He’d use it against me.”
My pregnancy created a vulnerability. And Alex knew no bounds. An unpleasant shiver ran through me at the thought.
I needed a change in subject. “I talked to Carson this morning. They’re releasing him tomorrow. He has to keep his actions limited, but he sounded relieved to get out of the hospital. I thought they could setup across the house in the large bedroom on that wing. It’s not Carson’s normal room, but…” I wagged my eyebrows.
Gabe laughed as he said, “It’ll give us all privacy.”
The mental imagery of Carson doing the deed did not sit well with me. “Gross, he’s like a brother. He can worry about that on his own. It’s purely selfish based on my own lack of orgasm state.”
Plus, if he was cleared, which I didn’t want to know, hearing them would scar me for life and require immense therapy.
Gabe leaned over. His tongue traced the shell of my ear, effectively obliterating the unwanted imagery. A needy whimper escaped my throat, igniting the earlier need. “I think it’s a perfect idea. We’ll get the confirmation from Dr. Jamiston this afternoon that we’re cleared in three days.”
We were able to move our appointment up unexpectedly this morning at the request of the doctor’s office. Soon the ache would be soothed. “If he doesn’t clear us, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“You haven’t exhibited any signs they warned us about, so I don’t think you’ll have a problem getting cleared.”
A true blessing. With spotting being normal with twins and something to look for, I had been nervous and checked regularly. So far I hadn’t bled at all. “I haven’t, thank goodness.”
Gabe had been worried every time I checked—a silent burden we both carried. Once we got the official clear, the stress would lessen. “What’s on the agenda tomorrow?”
Setting his sandwich down, Gabe cleared his throat. “Nothing. I hope we can have another relaxing day.”
“What about the day after that?”
“I’ve discussed it with Trent. I think we should go talk to my mom.”
“We?”
He brushed his hand through his hair, making it wild and sexy, but the movement was nervous. “Yes, we. I thought about what you said and we are stronger together than apart. But, fuck, I don’t want her to mess with you.”
I set the tray aside and scooted onto Gabe’s lap. “She won’t. I promise. You’ll be there.”
Mentally, I added, and I’ll be there for you. Whether Gabe knew it or not, facing someone who was supposed to love him unconditionally would be harder than he imagined. Children were born to love their parents regardless of how shitty they treated their children.
The front pocket of Gabe’s jeans vibrated underneath me. With a little jostling, he fished out his phone. “Hello. You did? Yes. Okay, we’re on our way.” Gabe hung up the phone. “That was Trent. They think they have the person behind the blue cohosh on tape. He’s meeting us in the office right now if you want to come.”
“Yes.” Finally, we might get the answers to eliminate one of the threats.
At a clipped pace, we left the studio and made it across the yard. At the kitchen counter, Mildred expertly guided the flour dough into the pasta maker for homemade ravioli, Carson’s favorite. Nothing beat homemade pasta.
Carson was going to be in heaven with this surprise. Absentmindedly, I wondered when he would officially propose to Francesca. Nothing had been said.
We made it to the study where we found Trent dressed in a black polo shirt and jeans, standing in the middle of the room while he read something on his phone. He glanced up when the door creaked open as we entered and grinned.
“How’s it feel to be back home, Willow?”
“Wonderful. Thank you for all you and your team did to make it happen.”
He gave me a quick hug. After this mess, Trent would forever be part of our family. “I think being here has lifted your spirits.”
“It has. I painted all morning, which you probably already knew from your security reports.” A wink confirmed Trent had received the reports. “Do you have the tape?”
“I do.” He pulled a laptop from the satchel on a nearby chair. As he opened the computer and started a program, Trent explained, “This person used an employee’s badge. We’ve been cross-referencing badges that were reported missing. Emily Tapperson reported hers yesterday when she came back to work after being gone for a week on vacation. Sure enough, her badge was used the day of the incident a few minutes before you and Francesca arrived at the hotel.”
The program finished loading and a freeze frame of the outside of the hotel appeared. “Do we know who it is yet?”
“We’re running it through facial recognition. Her face is obscured from the hat. All we have is a woman with a petite build. The suspect matches none of the people on our list. Employees have been questioned but don’t r
emember anything.”
Of course, the kitchen feeds were knocked out. The suspect could have changed and disguised herself as an employee.
Trent’s fingers moved the mouse to hover over the Play button. Once pressed, the black and white feed moved. There wasn’t any sound. The footage was empty until a woman in a hat walked up to the keycard scanner where she easily gained access with the stolen hotel badge.
“This is who we believe the perpetrator is.”
The hat rode low on her head, obscuring her face. The one time her face angled even remotely to the side, large sunglasses covered any prominent identifiable features.
A weariness filled me as I remembered what it felt like to learn someone had tried to abort Carson and Francesca’s baby. Knowing if Francesca hadn’t called me into her room, I might have lost the two miracles inside me. Bile rose. Gabe laid his hand on my lower back. When I glanced his way, he looked murderous.