So far, she had seen none of that. Less than none. She had seen the opposite. She still saw the opposite.
"Why are you and Angelo together?"
"I was trying to kill some asshole who deserved it but had the connections to have someone do something about it. They put Angelo on me. The rest is history."
"The rest is history?"
"He captured me. He took me to his place. He whipped my ass. He told me I would never leave, and I never did."
"You never wanted to?"
"At the beginning, sure. I fucking hated him. But you know, I was on my way to getting myself killed. Angelo keeps me safe. Mostly from myself."
"I feel safe with you."
Bobby looked surprised, and then pleased, and then smirked. "Well, maybe you're just too innocent to know better."
"Maybe," Gemma shrugged.
"Or maybe I'm getting old," Bobby mused.
"Maybe. You are really old."
He laughed. "Brat. I should whip you again."
"Please, don't. I don't have Willow's constitution for pain. I'm a wimp. I can tell you right now; it wouldn't be hard to break me. You so much as touch me, and I'm sure I'll…."
"ARRGHHHHH!"
There was a scream at the other end of the house, a high-pitched, frightened female scream.
Willow's scream.
Gemma was not brave, at least, not typically brave, but the second she heard Willow in distress, she had to do something. She dashed for the door, but Bobby caught her before she got there.
"Let me go!"
"Whatever is happening, you don't want to see it, I promise you," he said, holding her by both arms.
"Why? Because I'm next?"
"If you were, would you want to see it first?"
"I want to help Willow."
"She dragged you into this. You have no dog in this fight. Digby's not your brother. And she's just your friend. You're going to die for your friend?"
"She's more than a friend."
"Oh, I get it," he smirked. "You've got a crush on her."
"No."
"Yes. The only reason to be here is for love. Anybody who wasn't in love would have fucked off the second Angelo's name came up. We don't deal with a lot of hostile actors because most people don't dare fuck with us. Willow has gotten you into something that will get you far worse than killed…."
"I know. Believe me, I know. But there are other reasons to do things besides romantic love. There are other reasons to care for people. Like, I don't know, loyalty. Have you heard of loyalty before?"
Bobby pulled her up against his chest. The sudden feeling of broad, strong, young masculine flesh pressed against her drove all other thoughts from her head for a second.
"I've heard of loyalty," he said, reaching around to slap her ass firmly. It was just hard enough to impart some sting, though it also jolted her against him again, made her feel all of Bobby's… everything. "I've also heard of infatuation. And hero-worship. And blue balls. You must have the worst case of blue ovaries I've seen."
"I'm not in love with Willow!" Gemma pushed away from him. "I trust her, and she trusts me."
"I don't think you should trust either of us, but that's me." He turned and walked away, leaving her rubbing her heated cheeks. "I'm going to go and check on things. You stay here."
He walked out the door, leaving Gemma alone with her thoughts.
She lasted all of a second.
No. No, this wasn't going to end this way. She wasn't going to just sit here and let terrible things unfold somewhere down a twisted hall with Willow. She was braver than that and better than this.
She threw herself at the door, thoroughly expecting it to be locked. It wasn't, so she just sort of fell through it and ended up tumbling around at Bobby's feet.
He looked down at her, an amused smirk in his dark eyes.
"You don't follow orders. At all. Do you?"
"I don't," Gemma admitted, getting up slowly. She wished she could sweep places as impressively as Willow. Willow never looked stupid or awkward. She always looked perfectly composed, no matter what was happening.
There was another grunting, animal sound from somewhere in the distance. Gemma looked in that direction with horror.
"What's he doing to Willow?"
"I don't know. Shall we find out?"
Bobby offered her his hand, and for a second, she almost took it, trusting as little girl. Then she remembered who he was and where she was, and she swatted at it instead, making him laugh again. He liked toying with her far too much for her liking.
They both walked down the hall toward the door, which seemed more imposing and strange than all the others, though it looked exactly the same.
Willow's shrieks and screams grew louder the closer they got.
"My god! He's killing her!"
Bobby said nothing, but the outer corners of his lips curled in what might have been a knowing smile. Gemma really couldn't stand it one more moment. Willow was being hurt terribly. She was making sounds Gemma had never heard out of anybody before, in any stage of living or dying.