She turned to look at him again, a note of seriousness lingering in her eyes. “When you love someone, tell them. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks or how crazy it seems or how high the odds are stacked against you. Don’t even worry about whether they’ll return the feelings.”
Gabriel forced a smile, hoping to hide the fire burning in his heart. “Sounds dangerous.”
“Oh, it’s totally dangerous. But if you keep it all locked up, every moment you spend with that person is just perpetuating a lie. What’s the point?”
He drew a breath to deny it, but there was no use. Women always seemed to have this shit figured out. She’d probably predicted his feelings for Jacinda that first fucking night at Bloodbath, long before he could even admit the possibility to himself.
“So what’s the second lesson?” he said instead.
“Loving a vampire comes with a lot of risks. Especially loving a Redthorne vampire.”
Gabriel nodded, fresh pain searing his chest. In a defeated whisper, he said, “I’m not sure why she’d ever take such a risk.”
Charlotte stretched up on her toes and kissed his cheek, then pulled back with a soft smile, her eyes shining. “Because you’re worth it.”
A swell of affection for the woman rose in his chest. “Dorian’s lucky to have you, Charlotte D’Amico.”
She wiped away a tear that’d slipped out and laughed. “Damn straight he is. And you’re lucky to have Jacinda. So please do us all a favor and don’t fuck it up, or I’ll have to tear outyourthroat.”
“Noted. You really like her, don’t you?”
“Meh,” Charlotte teased. “I just don’t want to redo the seating chart for the reception. I’d have to switch you with Aiden, and then Sasha would throw a fit and it would turn into a wholething… Better for everyone if you just behave yourself and—”
The office door opened, calling them both to rapt attention.
Colin looked like he’d aged a decade in the span of an hour, but when he finally met Gabriel’s eyes, a soft smile touched his lips, and Gabriel almost wept with relief.
“Jacinda’s going to be okay,” Colin said. “Her body has extraordinary healing properties—just needed a bit of encouragement. Well, that and Isabelle’s magic, along with some very strong painkillers.”
“Can I take her home?” Gabriel asked.
“Of course. But…” Colin touched his shoulder, his eyes holding a warning. “She needs rest, Gabriel. And no added stress. I know everyone’s working hard to stop Viansa—and tonight only proves how imperative that is. But Jacinda needs time to fully heal.”
“I won’t let her lift so much as a cocktail shaker, brother.”
Beside him, Charlotte squeezed his arm. “I’m going to call Dorian and let him know what’s going on. Are you okay?”
He covered her hand with his and nodded. “Thanks in large part to your grade-A distraction skills, yes.”
They shared another smile, something raw and genuine passing between them. A new understanding, perhaps. A familial closeness arrived at grudgingly, painfully, but nevertheless real.
“Tell Jaci I’m coming over first thing tomorrow,” she said. “I’ll bring breakfast and stuff for mani/pedis.”
“Don’t you have to work?” he asked. Charlotte had a marketing job at FierceConnect, Dorian and Aiden’s social gaming company. “I’ve heard your boss is kind of a dick. Not quite the asshole his younger brother is, but close.”
Charlotte laughed again, the sound of it adding levity to a situation that had nearly gutted him.
“I’ll make it up to him,” she said. “Just don’t forget to tell Jaci I’m coming. Girls’ day or bust, okay?”
Gabriel promised he’d relay the message, then headed in to see his woman.
The child in the stained dress was thankfully gone.
Jacinda was still lying on the desk, but they’d cut away the blouse and bandaged her mid-section, all traces of blood eradicated, her breathing deep and even. Gabriel shrugged out of his suit jacket, and Colin and Isabelle helped him carefully wrap her up, situating her in his arms so he could carry her home.
“She saved Charlotte’s life,” he whispered, staring down at her pale lips, the hair plastered against her face. She was sleeping peacefully now, looking young and untroubled, but nothing could be further from the truth.
She’d nearly died tonight.
