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You have twenty-four hours, my love. I look forward to seeing you soon.
I drop my phone onto the table next to my plate, making the water in my glass ripple. A few seconds later, a final message comes through. An address to a highly sought-after apartment building on S Street.
“Gabriel?” Calla’s voice sounds muffled, as if she’s calling out for me from the bottom of a well.
I blink at the screen before tearing my eyes away and forcing myself to meet her soft brown gaze. Her eyes are slightly wider than normal and filled with concern. “Everything is going to be fine,” I tell her, needing that look of fear to disappear from her face. I never want to be the reason she looks like that.
Her lips turn down and her brows inch closer. “What did she say?”
I exhale a heavy breath, reading the text aloud.
Kade curses, while Lex slams his fist against the table, making the silverware clatter.
“Lex,” Atlas warns in a low voice, then turns his gaze to me. “How do you want to handle this? Say the word, and I’ll finish it tonight.”
Calla opens her mouth as if she’s going to protest that, and she’d be right to. We just said that killing Selene before we know what’s going on with the hunters is likely not our best option.
The pit in my stomach grows, and I grit my teeth. I’ve done many selfish things in my life, but I can’t bring myself to allow Calla to stand in the line of danger when there’s something I can do to ensure her safety.
I clear my throat, forcing bile down, and everyone turns their gazes on me. Taking a deep breath, I say, “I’m going to end this.”
Calla shakes her head. “Gabriel—”
“Enough,” I cut her off in a sharp tone, standing and ignoring the look of shock on her face. The thought of hurting her makes me want to put my fist through a wall, so I clench my jaw and walk away from the table.
Kade calls after me, but I don’t turn back.
My mind is made up. I won’t let Selene touch Calla again—even if that means I’m forced to face the nightmares of my past to make sure of it.
16
Calla
I’m getting to my feet before he disappears down the hallway, practically growling at Kade when he catches my wrist.
“Give him a minute,” Kade says.
“Let fucking go of me,” I say in a such a calm voice, it sends a chill through me.
His silver eyes narrow, and he holds on for a stretch of silence that seems to last forever. My gaze doesn’t waver. I tug on my wrist, clenching my jaw to keep from snarling in his face.
“This is fucking ridiculous,” Kade growls, turning to Atlas. “Let’s just kill the bitch now. Let her think Gabriel is coming, and then ambush her ass.”
“She’ll be expecting that,” Lex says, his voice laced with agitation; he doesn’t want Gabriel to go either. None of us do. “But we need to find out what she knows about the hunters,” he says in a level tone. “Whatever that meeting with Scott Ellis was about, we need to know.” His eyes shift toward Atlas. “You know we do.”
Atlas’s expression darkens, and he shakes his head but doesn’t disagree. “Kade.” His voice is firm. And when Kade releases me, I don’t stick around to question the surprising turn of events. If Atlas is on my side, hell must be freezing over. That, or he’s as worried about Gabriel as I am.
I hurry out of the room, jogging upstairs, not stopping until I’m standing outside Gabriel’s bedroom. The door is closed over, but not shut completely, so I knock once and push it open, letting myself in. When my eyes land on where Gabriel is folding a pair of navy dress pants into a black duffel bag, I slam the door shut. He keeps his back to me, but I watch his shoulders rise and fall as he sighs. Fear and anger go to war inside my chest, making my throat feel as if it’s closing in as I struggle to find the right words to express the emotions threatening to break me.
Finally, he turns to face me, his expression gentle yet sad. “Calla—”
“No,” I snap, walking closer. I keep a few strides between us. “You’re not going, Gabriel.” I’m fully aware I’m not physically capable of stopping him, but I still need to say it. He needs to hear the determination in my voice.
He glances at the floor, sliding his hands into his pockets. “There’s nothing I can say that will make you feel better about this situation. I’m sorry.” He lifts his gaze, meeting mine as he closes the short distance between us in unhurried steps. When he stops right in front of me, my breath halts, and he runs his hands up my arms, along my shoulders, then cups my face, his thumbs brushing over my heated cheeks.
“Kissing me right now isn’t going to make this better,” I tell him, swallowing past the lump in my throat and willing my heart to return to a normal pace instead of the erratic pounding currently filling my chest.
A faint smile touches his lips, and he tilts his head, his eyes searching mine. “You’re right. But I’d like to anyway.”
