Black Truth (A Twisted Fate 2)

The door opened slowly and Gabe crept in. “I’m glad you’re still awake. Sorry that took so long. What are you doing?”

“Looking at the scrapbook Francesca gave me.”

I turned it around for us both to see. The picture of Gabe and me from the studio was set at an angle on the last page. It was my favorite one of us. We had taken it right before he left. We were happy. In love. His arms were wrapped around my shoulders while my lavender gray eyes stared at the camera. I read the caption read.

“I remember this picture. Your eyes always take my breath away. They’re so expressive.”

“So are yours.” I ran my fingers over the picture. “She nailed the caption.”

Gabe’s smile widened as he commented, “She did. I used to think I didn’t deserve love.”

Putting the book aside, I reached up, asking for a kiss. “Everyone deserves love. It’s the one thing that can save a person.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Gabe gave me a quick peck.

On cue I yawned again.

“I’m glad I have that effect on you.”

“I’d rather you be in me.” I slapped a hand over my mouth. “Oh my gosh! Why?”

Gabe chuckled. “I like that effect a lot more.”

“At least I kept it together today at the doctor’s office. No slips.” Glancing at the clock, I realized almost three hours had passed. It was almost eleven. “Wow, I hadn’t realized how late it was. No wonder I’m tired.”

Gabe shucked off his shirt revealing his tan chiseled chest and dominant black sword tattoo. Instinctively, I licked my lips. My earlier statement was true about wanting him inside me. His strong arms went to the button of his jeans and he jerkily yanked them off. For the first time, I saw his anxiousness. The façade slipped momentarily. Gabe scooted in beside me and I molded to him and felt his escalated heart rate.

“Are you okay? Did something happen?” I asked.

“Not like you’re thinking. We finalized some details.”

By the tone of his voice, I wasn’t going to like the details. “And?” Sitting up, I waited for him to respond, my earlier sleepiness forgotten.

“This will hopefully give us some answers and end this mess sooner rather than later.”

My voice was hesitant. But the idea appealed me. “How is that?”

“Turn it around on Alex. Focus the heat on him.”

“And how are you going to do that?”

“Visit De Luca.”

“Gabe… what if?” I cradled my head in my hands. The repercussions spinning wild.

He brought his hand up to my face. “Sweetheart, we’ve been trying to figure out who our enemies are and how to take care of them. I’ve requested a meeting with De Luca. I think Alex is framing him. If that’s true, then De Luca will want him taken care of.”

“Gabe, what if he doesn’t believe you? What if he doesn’t care? What if one brother is as good as the next?” All of the scenarios of things going bad played through my head, ending with Gabe hurt or even worse.

I knew what it was like to not have Gabe in my life. And now I was pregnant with his twins. Being a single mother was not something I wanted to experience… ever. My children needed their father. I needed Gabe.

“Willow.”

My hands sliced through the air. “Gabe, I don’t like this. At all.”

“Willow.”

I got off the bed and paced. “Why in the world did the three of you think this was a good idea?” My voice rose. “I mean, this could leave me alone. Our children fatherless.”

“Willow.”

Another five steps and I turned back to face Gabe. “This is a bad idea. A really bad idea. Why in the world would you think I would be okay with this? De Luca is dangerous. He may not be after me, but the fact remains he is still a criminal.”

“Willow.” Gabe’s commanding voice got my attention as he rose from the bed.

I snapped. “What?”

In his black boxers, he took a few steps toward me—strong and powerful. “He isn’t going to hurt me. I’m going to have back up.”

“But—” Closer now, I looked up to his towering figure.

“Willow, I’ll be fine.”

I swallowed, not wanting to argue but apprehensive.

“Sweetheart, if needed I can be a dangerous motherfucker myself.” The certainty in his voice quelled my nerves a little.

I remained silent as I searched his eyes for any doubt.

“Willow, I will be here for you and our babies. I’ve got this. I know it’s the right move. I’ve known for a while but needed to wait to act on it.”

Meaning he needed the doctor to clear me because he knew this would stress me out. I took a deep cleansing breath. The least I should do was hear him out. And then determine if I wanted to argue about this further. “What’s the plan?”

“You’ll stay behind.” I went to rebuke his comment, but he held up his hand. “I need to make sure you are safe so I can do what’s needed.”

Meaning Gabe may need to turn into a dangerous person. A person I had yet to see. Someone he hoped I would never see. “Where am I going to stay while you’re there?”

“Here at the house. Trent and a few men will come with me. Andre and some men I served with will stay here with you, Carson, and Francesca. I trust these men, Willow. You will be safe.”

I kept searching his eyes. In that moment when his vivid green eyes met mine with certainty, I decided to trust Gabe’s instincts. “Okay.”

“Okay?” A raised eyebrow told me he thought I would put up a stronger fight. It pleased me to surprise him. Normally he read me so well.

Taking his hands in mine, I squeezed them. “I trust you. Do what you have to.”

His lips descended on me and I giggled.

“Good grief, I love you so damn much,” he murmured against my mouth.

Apprehension still lingered, but I wanted these problems behind us. “When are you doing this?”

“I don’t know when the meeting with De Luca will happen. We probably won’t have much time to get there. I’ll only have one shot with him. I still plan to visit Mom tomorrow. I need Alex off his game.”

Alex probably thought he knew Gabe. However, Gabe was doing the unexpected. Or at least that was my theory. If Alex fiercely protected his child and mother like we thought… this would send him off kilter.

There was one thing I had to have from Gabe. “I need you to promise me something.”

He knew exactly what I was going to ask by the loving look he gave me. “I promise I will come back to you, Willow. I will always come back to you. I swear to it.”

“That’s all I ask.”

Early morning light trickled into my room. I reached across the bed and found it empty. Cold. What time is it? Had I slept late? The clock read just after six. Too early. A feeling a déjà vu came over me as I remembered the morning he left me in the hotel room to confront Alex. That morning I felt abandoned and utterly alone. I shook my head to clear the thoughts away. Gabe loved me and wouldn’t leave me.

“I’m over here, sweetheart.”

Relieved, I turned, “Why are you out of bed?” I squinted. Gabe was dressed in black cargo pants and long sleeve matching shirt. “Why are you dressed? Like that?”

His appearance gave him a military vibe. He looked dangerous and my sex pulsed at the thought.

He came over and sat by my side. “I left in the middle of the night.”

The fog of sleep abated. “What? Why?”

“I left a note in case you woke up,” he said, nodding to a piece of paper on the nightstand. “You needed your sleep and I figured I’d be back before you woke.”

I grabbed the piece of paper and read it.

The note hadn’t revealed anything. “Where did you go?”

“I met with De Luca.”

I shot up and screeched, “You what! When? How did that happen? So fast?” That was not what I expected him to say.

He touche

d the side of my face and then traced along my jaw. “Willow, calm down. I’m safe. You’re safe.” Some of the tension eased when his words registered. “In the middle of the night, we got word De Luca wanted to meet. We only had a thirty-minute window to get there. No time to think it through. You were sleeping. I almost woke you, but decided against it. I didn’t want you to worry.”

“Oh, Gabe.” That was all I had to say not knowing if I was relieved or irritated I slept through the whole ordeal. Irritation won at the moment. “You should never leave without telling me. Seriously? What were you thinking?”

Pushing the covers away, I tried to move away but Gabe blocked me by forming a cage on either side of my body with his arms. With all my might I pushed but to no avail.

“Move,” I bit out.