This Wicked Sin

Chapter 7: Gabriel

Why would you think I wouldn’t want you?”

My heart stuttered in rhythm. What was going on? Why was I letting this happen? Why did I want it to happen more than I wanted my next breath?

“What are-”

“Sorry to interrupt, my lords,” a voice said, breaking through the heated atmosphere between Dane and me.

Dane and I sprung apart. Any warmth I had turned to ice in my veins. One of the attendants of the tower had come up. I hadn’t even noticed. From the angry and slightly flustered look on Dane’s face, neither had he.

She was bowed slightly, her eyes on the ground in front of her. I clenched my fists to stop my trembling. What had she seen? How long before my father got wind of this? I tried not to start hyperventilating.

Her scent was calm and gave nothing away. I shouldn't have been surprised; the employees of the Tower were always well-trained and meticulous.

“The meeting will resume in a few minutes,” she said.

“Right,” Dane said. His voice was confident and strong, the complete opposite of how I currently felt. “We’ll be right down.”

The girl gave a polite bow and left as quickly as she’d come.

“s**t,” I said under my breath, “Do you think she saw anything?”

“Was there anything to see? As far as I’m concerned, we were just two clan members having a chat.”

I cleared my throat, “Right. Nothing happened.”

I felt like a fool for thinking otherwise. And felt like even more of a fool for caring that I had.

“Although,” he said. He stepped closer to me. His lips brushed my ear softly when he murmured, “I wouldn’t mind continuing this chat another time.”

I shivered. Just like before, he was gone before I could formulate a response. I was left feeling shaky and disoriented.

I didn’t follow him downstairs.

…

I was waiting in the car when Rowan found me. He looked at me for a long moment and then he sighed.

“So, this is where you were,” he said. He got in the car and moments later, we were driving out of the underground parking lot.

“This was me staying out of trouble,” I said, “Besides, I highly doubt I missed anything.”

“You didn’t. It was more of the same; arguing and sniping at each other until a consensus was reached,” he said offhandedly.

“The consensus being?”

“The clans have decided to close ranks and increase their security on everything. Dane and his group will work on the investigation.”

So not much had changed from when I'd been there. Syndicate meetings were always long and ridiculously drawn out. It took a lot of time to even come to a decision that all the Clan heads would back. It didn't help that most of the time agreement was withheld for petty reasons.

“Don’t you find that unusual? They’re basically hiding away. It’s almost like they’re scared or something. But they’re the most powerful people in the freaking country. Why would they do that?”

“The kidnapping of the Coyote leader’s granddaughter must have spooked them. Even with that, you’re right. It is unusual that this is the action they’ve chosen to take. In a normal situation, they’d be burning down the earth to find this organisation. But maybe this isn’t a typical enemy.”

“What do you mean?”

“Their reactions to the fact that the Amerys might be involved were very interesting. They might know more than they’re letting on.”

“So you think the Amerys might actually be behind this? But they were wiped out.”

“I don’t know for sure. But something is definitely going on. What I know for sure is that none of the answers will come from the clan heads.”

The clan heads had their own vaults of secrets. Secrets that only someone with a seat as a Syndicate head was privy to. I wondered what was really going on.

“I want you to move back in with the family,” Rowan said in the following quietness.

“What?” I exclaimed, sure I hadn't heard him right.

“It’s not safe for you out there living as you do. We don’t know what’s going on-”

“I’m not moving back into the compound,” I said. My tone made it clear there would be no compromise on this.

I thought about the compound. Those quiet halls. My mother’s blank stare; empty and vast as an abyss. Hunter with his too-wide grin. My father. I didn’t want to. I thought I’d honestly rather die.

Rowan must have seen something in my face because he let out a frustrated breath. He ran an agitated palm over his face.

“You need to think about your safety. You won’t be able to run off into the sunset if you’re dead or worse!” he said.

“I can’t. I won’t,” I said. I knew I was being stupid, but the alternative felt worse.

“I can’t promise to protect you-”

“You don’t need to protect me all the time. I can take care of myself.”

“We don’t know what we’re dealing with. I’d rather have you safe and alive, even if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Rowan,” I started, not even sure what I wanted to say.

“Fine. Move into my apartment in the city at least. Please.”

I swallowed hard. “Fine. Your apartment.”

“It’s not as safe as the compound but it has much more security than your place. I want you to move in tonight.”

“A week.”

“By the morning.”

“A week.”

“f**k. Fine. A week. You’re so damn stubborn. No one else would even dream of talking to me the way you do.”

I smirked at him, “That’s why you love me.”