A harsh tug of my neck nearly has me falling to the ground.
“Come, pet,” Kendrick’s command brings me out of my dream-like state as I stand in the middle of the crowd, holding my leash like a good girl.
I glance around for Sebastian, blinking, as the real world moves around me, but I’m glued to the spot. I saw him, I know it. I had to have, but now he is gone, along with the hope of being saved from the monster who led me down the street by a leather leash.
If a dream is all I have of Sebastian, it is better than nothing.
Chapter Seven
SEBASTIAN
“Don’t trouble yourself for me, Sebastian. I’m not worth it.”
I hate that she views herself that way. It isn’t true. I know that. I hadn’t stayed faithful to a woman I couldn’t have for the last seven years if she wasn’t worth it. There hasn’t been anyone else. No one compared. Kendrick wears her down, and I had my chance to make her shine again, for her to see that she wasn’t an object, but a person—my person.
The woman I searched the top and bottom of earth for every second of every day. “I don’t ever want to hear you talk about yourself like that again, okay? You aren’t worthless, and you aren’t broken—you are good enough. You’ve always been good enough, and destined for more than whatever Kendrick has planned for you.” I trail my finger along the bruise of her neck, damning that collar and him. I hope my brother dies from his injuries, and if he doesn’t, I will fucking kill him. Now that I know he is in Trinidad, he can’t hide from me. I have a few ideas in the back of my head to ruin him.
Death, which is the easy way out.
Or set him up for a crime he didn’t commit and have him rot in prison. I like the sound of that one more. I should do to him what he did to me. It would have to be something serious, something so heinous that he would spend the rest of his life behind bars, but how much reach does he have? Will he know people on the outside and try to plan to get Gabriella back?
I’m not sure what to do now.
“We’re here,” Owen says, and I forget that I have yet to introduce Gabriella to him. My mind is too busy.
“Where is here?” Gabriella’s voice is muffled as her head lay against my chest, her breath sweeping across my neck just like the wind from the farmer’s market carrying her scent.
I bury my hand in her hair and place my chin on top of her head. “Home, Gabriella. We are home.”
“When we get inside, I’ll check her over to make sure she has no injuries and to make sure she’s healthy.”
“She’s right here. You don’t have to talk about me as if I’m not present,” Gabriella’s eyes widen, and then she curls up in a tight ball, protecting herself from being hit. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I won’t talk back. Please, I’ll be better.” Her body trembles with fear, and her eyes are closed tight, waiting for the blow to come.
Yeah, I am going to torture him and then kill him. Kendrick has achieved his goal. Gabriella has significant trauma. Owen meets my eyes in the rearview mirror as he reaches toward the visor to click the garage door opener. His gaze softens on her, as he enters the garage and parks the car; he unbuckles his seatbelt and turns around.
His hand hovers on her shoulder, debating if he wants to touch her, and she flinches. My arms tighten around her, and she lets out a breath, digging her fingers into my chest to try to calm herself.
I’d take the pinch of pain while she gets over a lifetime of agony. It’s what I am here for.
“Gabriella? My name is Owen. I’m a good friend of Sebastian. I’m not going to hurt you. You’re right. I should have addressed you instead of talking about you like you weren’t here. You were in your right to stand up for yourself.”
Especially when she hasn’t been able to for years.
She lifts her head from my chest, and I brush away a tear from her cheek. She is killing me with those. How can I prove I’ll keep her safe and she no longer has to shed another tear?
“Really?” she asks, a hint of wariness in her voice.
“Really,” Owen agrees, and the softness in his eyes remains, something I’ve never really seen before. The man is so angry all the time, his face pinched, like every day is a battle, but here he is, being a teddy bear.
I know there is a pile of goo down deep in his heart.
“You aren’t going to punish me?” she asks. “Is anyone going to punish me?”
“I’d like to see anyone try because I’ll kill them, baby,” I bring my lips to her forehead, fucking overjoyed that she is here in my arms. What a fucking strike of luck that she would be at the market. I knew it was her. I knew it. I’ve never smelled that perfume on anyone else before.
“I’m safe,” she says with wonder and confusion. The crease between her brows tells me she is trying to wrap her head around the idea. “Sebastian.” Her eyes widen before they roll to the back of her head and blood spreads along the middle of her gown, staining the light purple with a horrid red.
Her face goes pale, her skin translucent, her lips turn blue, and I shake her with so much violence to wake her up, I cause the wound to bleed more. “Gabby! Gabby! Baby? Wake up! Come on, not now! You can’t give up on me now.”