Page 37 of Shifter Island


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I didn’t know if we could really bait someone like Victor. But the plan was worth trying. If it didn’t succeed, we would just have to think of another one. I hoped, if push came to shove, we could come up with something else that made sense. No matter what, I wanted us to bring down Victor quickly so that we could rescue Hanny before he killed her.

Chapter Eighteen

Gabriel

We came to the meeting place twenty minutes before the promised time. We had fourteen of Santuario’s best fighters hide in the bushes a short distance away from the crossroads. Ban and I stood at the end of the road leading to Santuario, a few steps from where the intersection began. We had Daphne in between us.

As per the rules of the meeting, we had come here unarmed. Though a bear shifter was never entirely without a weapon, of course, their animal side was always available to protect them if the need arose.

I tried my best not to fidget with my fingers. I had a lot of nervous energy pent up. Soon I would finally get rid of Victor and get Hanny back, as long as the villain had really listened to our request and actually showed up.

There was a bend in the road leading up to Fort Torres. I stared at the spot intently. I wouldn’t be able to see Victor until he came around that bend, and then he would be right at the crossroads; no dramatic entrance. I felt even more agitated by the fact that I could only stand here and wait for his sudden arrival. I bounced on the soles of my feet.

Daphne put a hand on my forearm. When I glanced over at her, she gave me a small smile. “It’s going to be okay.”

I returned her smile, but the edges of my lips quivered. I closed my eyes, taking a few deep breaths. I couldn’t be such an open book, my emotions so easily readable. I had to get a hold of myself.

After a few minutes, I got my breathing and fidgeting under control. Then I waited for Victor to arrive more patiently. Five minutes passed, then ten, fifteen.

Finally right when the meeting was supposed to start, a person came around the bend in the road but not the person who we expected.

“Fuck me sideways,” I cursed under my breath.

“That’s quite unexpected… or is it?” Ban replied to me in a quiet voice.

“Who is that?” Daphne looked at Ban and me, confusion painted on her face.

“Fabiana Jimenez. So she works for Victor now,” I spit out.

Daphne arched her eyebrows. “Is that someone you know?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” I let out a long sigh.

Ban snickered. Daphne looked even more confused. She bit her lip, probably to stop herself from asking questions. I did my best to look like I didn’t want to talk about this person, because I didn’t.

Fabiana approached us, the high heels of her black combat boots clicking on the asphalt. She wore tight-fitting ripped jeans and a red tank top which showed her impressive cleavage. Her straight black hair fell all the way down her back past her waist in a gentle waterfall. Her face was painted, her full lips a prominent red.

She had always nailed that sexy look. Even on the day when our relationship had ended and she had set fire to the Santuario warehouse as a parting gift to me, she’d always made sure to look her best.

Fabiana Jimenez, convicted and sent to Isla Paraiso for arson, had previously been my sex partner for a few months. Then a year ago she had pushed me for a romantic relationship, which I had no intention of pursuing with her, and so I had finally ended things between us.

She hadn’t taken the breakup well. That day I found out just how much she liked fire, and so did the other members of Santuario. I didn’t know what happened to her after she fled from the village until a few months later when she was sighted at Victor’s side.

I didn’t care much for what she was doing, but I had never expected Fabiana to become important enough to Victor to send her to talk to us in his place.

I looked behind Fabiana as she stood in the intersection, an insincere sweet smile plastered on her face but Hanny was nowhere to be found. This meeting had barely started and already things weren’t going to plan. Should I consider it a failure already?

“Not happy to see me, are you, Gabriel?” Fabiana prolonged my name in her sing-song voice.

What had I ever seen in this woman, to want her so close to me that I would share a bed with her? I glanced over at Daphne, who was looking between me and Fabiana, an unreadable expression on her face. Fuck. Someone I had fucked in the past was the last person I wanted my mate to meet.

I considered my options. In a moment Fabiana would be sure to rub in the fact that we had something in common, and she would probably lie about how important our relationship had been. I didn’t want Daphne to be upset. I needed to tell her the truth myself before the bitch messed everything up for me.

“Daphne, this is Fabiana Jimenez. Until a year ago, we used to sleep together.” The words didn’t come easily to me, but I made myself say them anyway.

“We did more than just sleep together! I wanted to mate with you!” Fabiana screeched, her sweetness instantly disappearing.

“But I didn’t have any romantic feelings for you and when I told you that I didn’t want you as my mate, you set fire to the Santuario warehouse before running off to Victor.” I kept my tone emotionless, even though inside I was boiling with rage as I remembered again vividly the day we had lost so many supplies.

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