Violent Ends

“Not into incest, but thanks for the offer.” He winked at his brother.

He walked to the sink and grabbed some soap, washing the blood from his hands. The water turned red within a matter of seconds. He released the plug and finished washing his hands with the water running.

In the mirror overlooking the sink, he watched as Gabriel called in the cleaners, and he smiled. When he first discovered the truth that Gabriel was in fact a Denton, he’d wanted to kill the bastard.

The Dentons were a united pack. Six boys and one girl, they were Maddox and Charlotte’s bloodline. Heirs to the Denton legacy, and they didn’t have room for one more. Gabriel, the truth about him, it had caused a ripple effect that had nearly cost them all their lives. Fortunately, that hadn’t happened, and that was why he’d punched a man to death. Still, it wasn’t a hardship, not really.

He’d been trained all his life what to do in this situation.

Where most kids had fun in high school, got laid, chased teachers around, they’d been learning to fight. To handle weapons, and to make sure no one could defeat them in a fight. The Dentons hired men to surround them, but that didn’t mean they weren’t prepared to handle their own fights. That was part of their added charm.

They were strong alone.

As a team when they worked together, they were fucking indestructible.

So long as they were a team, of course. Anything came between them, they fell apart.

“You sure you got this?” Gideon asked.

Gabriel stared at him. “You do realize I’m older than you.”

“Yeah, in Colton years. As a Denton, I’m likely to trust Tamsin more. She’s been a Denton for way longer.”

“Fuck off, Gideon,” Gabriel said.

“Excellent.”

He had to go and see a girl about a late-night stroll.

Whistling to himself, he left the warehouse, and climbed into his car. Putting his phone in the holder on his dashboard, he brought up the GPS and typed in her location. Within seconds he was on the road and heading toward Emma.

It had been a couple of days since he last saw her, and if it wasn’t for dealing with the traitor he’d have stopped by her apartment. He’d have used the excuse of seeing Owen and Wyatt, but the truth was, he’d be seeing Emma.

Rubbing at his chest, he felt that overwhelming urge to claim her as he did every single time he thought about her. Not a day went by when he didn’t want to go all caveman on her ass, dragging her off to his lair or, at least for him, carrying her. He was a gentleman after all, even though when he got near her, he wanted to pull her into his arms, claim every inch of her, and to have her curvy body riding him. He fucking loved her curves, and seeing her ass move as she walked away was a fucking dream.

Still, he hadn’t claimed her the first time he saw her or even mentioned his feelings to anyone. He was all alone in his devotion to Emma.

No other woman had been part of his life.

Of course, his brothers were always riding his ass about the fact he was not after another chick, but so what. Emma entered his life at the same time he brought about the truth of Gabriel. Everything had been fucked up, but now it was all settling down.

The thing was, the days without going to see her, made him feel sick to his stomach.

He was off his game and postponing the inevitable. Emma was no closer to wanting to know him, and he’d fucked up. He shouldn’t have been giving her time, but he had, and now he was fucked, because if he didn’t take her soon, he was freaking out about what the consequences were going to be. He’d not spoken to his dad about this either.

Driving across the city, he found the spot where her bag was, the little red dot vibrating. He found a parking space across from the café. Turning off his ignition, he turned to look at her. She was sitting near the window.

It looked like she had a milkshake that she was sipping from and turning the page of a book.

He saw the happiness in her eyes, and for a few seconds, he just watched her, soaking in everything, and he noticed her deep purple hair for the first time. He couldn’t help but smile. From some of the reports he’d gotten about her, she’d been buying hair dye for several weeks and had yet to pick a color. He liked it.

Unable to help himself even for a second, he climbed out of his car, and headed across the road. It was dark now, and even if she thought she was alone, she wasn’t. He had guys stationed nearby. He paid them to be her shadow.