Chapter Twenty-four
Utah
Grey arrived the next morning with a box of pastries and an agenda of getting to know Gabriella better. He had some preliminary suggestions on her next move, but he hadn’t made any definitive plans for her yet. Creating a new life for someone wasn’t the hard part. He had the money and contacts, plus a whole slew of experts who could make it happen. What he did need to know was what kind of life she wanted.
Rarely did he get so deeply involved in a relocation. There were dozens of people in his employ who could have come here and interviewed Gabby. For a couple of reasons, he was taking a hands-on approach. For one, Gabriella Mendoza had done him a great favor. Not only had she provided the opportunity to bring Carlos to justice, she had provided incredible intel that would put a stop to some very bad people. It might not completely destroy Luis Mendoza…time would tell. However, the information would damn well put a crater-like hole in his illegal activities, along with those of several of Mendoza’s associates. Gabby deserved preferential treatment.
Another reason was because of the man he’d assigned to protect her. Jonah had been on the edge for so long. Last night, Grey had given him news that might just tip him over that edge into an abyss from which he might never return.
Jonah had been living for vengeance. Now that the chance was gone, his world could go dark again. Grey didn’t intend that to happen. Assigning him to a new, dangerous job would give him the adrenaline rush he craved. Grey knew better than anyone that being in the line of danger kept the demons at bay. It was also a way to get yourself dead. When you stopped caring about life, death was an attractive alternative.
Few people knew that he’d once been in the very same place as Jonah. Living only for vengeance was a cold, barren place to reside. It had taken years to overcome the need. In truth, there were still dregs that popped up occasionally and corrupted his thinking. This was something Irelyn knew far too well.
Grey took a swallow from his mug and eyed the couple through the steam of the coffee. “Did you both sleep well?”
“Yes, thank you,” Gabriella said politely.
Jonah grunted a yes.
They were both lying. Gabriella looked more exhausted this morning than she had last night. The grim man sitting next to her looked as though he’d swallowed a tub of cement. His face was carved in granite.
Grey hadn’t expected cheerfulness from either one of them, but their expressions told him something had happened after he’d left last night. They both looked miserable. And that made him want to smile.
“I thought, over breakfast, we’d talk about your future.”
Gabby cut her eyes over to the too-silent man sitting beside her. Was he even remotely interested in her future? He had barely even glanced at her this morning. Was what happened last night so terrible? Admittedly, she wasn’t well schooled on the rules of this type of thing, but had it been that wrong? A kiss between two hurting people, each giving comfort in their own way. Okay, yes…it got a little heated. Okay, a lot heated, but still, was it a crime?
He certainly hadn’t complained while it was happening. In fact, he’d participated quite eagerly. Her hands hadn’t been the ones to pull up her nightgown and roam all over her body. It hadn’t been her mouth that had bruised her lips, licked her neck, or suckled her—
Blushing to the roots of her hair, she ripped her thoughts back to the present. Remembering what had happened while Grey Justice sat in front of her, his keen eyes assessing, was not the appropriate time or place.
“Jonah said you’ve been making a list?”
A list? Her brain scrambled to get back on point. They were talking about the future. Her future. Get with it, Gabby!
The chair beside her squealed as Jonah pushed it back and stood. “Since this doesn’t concern me, I’ll go chop some firewood.”
Ignoring Gabby’s hurt eyes and Justice’s angry glare, Jonah headed toward the door. Grabbing the ax leaning against the wall, he walked out.
After last night, he needed to get the hell out of here as soon as possible. Once Justice and Gabby discussed her future, he would have his own discussion with the man. There had to be a job coming up where his skills could be put to use. He’d done the job here, and it was time to leave.
Gabby had barely looked at him this morning. Not that he could blame her. What he had done last night was unconscionable. She had been offering him a gesture of solace, of comfort, and he’d turned it into something else. Didn’t matter that she’d responded. Didn’t matter that after a second, she had seemed to want more. That she had wrapped her arms around him and practically melted into him. It’d been a stupid-assed thing to do. And it could not happen again.
No use trying to deny something else that was eating at him. Only an hour after learning that the man who murdered Teri was dead, he had been kissing another woman. Just what kind of low-class sleaze did that make him? He had sworn he’d bring her killer to justice. And what had he done? Nothing. Exactly nothing. The bastard had escaped Jonah’s vengeance. Instead of mourning that outcome, he had kissed another woman.
Lifting a log from the stack, he placed it on the chopping block and swung. The slam made a satisfying noise, echoing through the small canyon. Grabbing another log, Jonah swung again. He repeated the motions over and over, working up a good, solid sweat but only slightly easing the ache in his chest.
An hour later, he had a stack of wood before him and a satisfying burn in his shoulders. Wiping the sweat from his brow with his forearm, Jonah turned to find a pissed-off man standing behind him. Only, Grey Justice didn’t show his anger in a normal way. The man was too controlled for that. But the icy blue glare left no doubt to his real feelings.
Jonah turned back to his pile of wood. “You and Gabriella get things worked out?”
Justice’s silence was as loud as another man’s screaming rage. Yeah, he was pissed. Well, so the hell what?
Turning, he glared at his boss. “You got a problem?”
“No, you do.”
Jonah wasn’t even going to pretend he didn’t know what the man meant. “What do you expect me to do? My part is over. She’s ready to move on. I need to do the same.”
“I do have a new job for you.”
“Good. Where and when do I leave?”
“You don’t have to leave. The job’s here.”
“What the hell are you talking about? This job is over. She—”
“Is still being hunted. And depending on the results of the test she’s going to have to take, she may need even more protection.”
Jonah whirled around and hurled the ax, getting no satisfaction when the blade landed in a fallen tree several feet away, deeply embedded. Turning back to face Justice, he said, “What aren’t you telling me?”
“We got word that Bianchi showed up at Mendoza’s estate yesterday.”
“The man never leaves his home. Why the hell would he risk it?”
“Could be nothing more than two megalomaniacs having a friendly get-together. Based on what they planned for Gabby, I’d say the reasons for a meeting were quite clear.”
“Yeah,” Jonah said. “Nothing messed up about that at all.”
The tension in Grey’s muscles eased a little. Jonah might not be happy that his job here was being extended, but he saw the seriousness of the situation. Until they knew exactly what the two equally evil and powerful men were up to, Gabriella needed to stay hidden away. Jonah could protect her better than anyone right now. She trusted him, and considering what she had gone through, that was a miracle in itself.
“Okay, you’re right. I need to stay here. Hell, we’ll bake cookies and watch movies.”
“Oh, I’m sure you both can find something more productive to keep you occupied.”
Jonah’s expression went darker. “But first I have to tell her.”
“Yes.” Grey sighed. There was no easy way to do that. “Do you want me to stay?”
“No. I figure once I tell her, she’ll either rip my head off or burn the place down. Best if only one of us is around.”
“Just make sure she understands she’s got friends. People who are here for her. She’s not alone in this.”
“I will. So where are you off to now?”
“Morocco.”
“What’s in Morocco?”
“Not what. Who.”
“Irelyn’s in Morocco? What’s she doing there?”
“Other than pretending that I don’t exist or that she ever knew me?” Grey shrugged. “Who the hell knows? Irelyn Raine is an enigma even to herself.”
“If you find her, tell her...”
Jonah didn’t finish the sentence, and Grey was glad of it. Yes, he had a right to be furious, but having anyone hurl insults at Irelyn, no matter the reason, would never sit well with him. He ignored the little voice that reminded him of all the times he’d hurt her himself. Their story was a complicated one that few, if anyone, would understand. They’d hurt each other as badly as could be done, but they always found their way back to one another. Eventually. It’d just been too damn long this time.
“I’ll give her your regards.”
“Yeah, you do that.”
“I’ll talk to you soon.” Grey turned away. Both he and Jonah had a hard task before them. Jonah’s was going to possibly destroy a woman who’d done nothing to deserve the pain she had coming. And Grey’s job? To find the one woman he couldn’t let go of or forget. In his heart, he knew that if he didn’t find her soon, it was going to be too late for both of them.