19. Gareth

Doyle stumbled back a couple steps, the shock of me on his front porch without any alarms going off clearly surprising him. Not to mention the gun in my hand.

Immediately, I tugged Serenity behind me, the tension in my muscles only relaxing a fraction now that I knew she was safe. Her fucking note from this morning had been clear as day, despite all the words being wrong.

I didnt know what Doyle had on me, but it had been strong enough for her to come running back here.

I stepped into the house, towering over Doyle, my gun trained on him. “Just because Im not in this world anymore doesnt mean I wont make a special exception for you, you piece of shit.” I pointed behind me to Serenity. “Shes a Maxfield and carries the weight of that name.”

“You can’t break in and kill me in my own house,” he sputtered.

“No,” I said, lowering the gun. “I’m not that stupid.”

I turned my back on him and walked outside, wrapping my arm around Serenity as I led her farther down the sidewalk where Dante was waiting for us. Luckily I’d awoken only two hours after Serenity had left, finding her note. It’d been a quick rally after I’d called my brother and had my jet readied, but wed made it here as fast as we could.

Doyle stumbled out the front door, yelling after us. “Shes mine!”

I turned around, glaring at him. “She belongs to no one,” I said, putting every ounce of hatred into my tone. “Don’t make me fucking shoot you, Doyle. I will if I have to.”

“Quite a few people waiting in line for that.” Dante smirked at Doyle, shaking his head. “Funny thing, we ran into a couple of guys whove been looking for you,” he said sliding his hands casually into his pockets as if this were any other business meeting. “Theyre waiting just inside the gates. We took the liberty of inviting them in. Seems youve got some explaining to do. But well let them sort that out.”

All the color drained from Doyles face. He practically sprinted back inside, slamming the door behind him. He could try to run, but the Irish he’d betrayed had already surrounded his property. We’d taken the liberty to call them the moment Id found Serenity’s letter.

“Dante?” I asked after wed made it through the gates to our awaiting cars parked on the street. “You coming?”

His smirk deepened. “Nah,” he said. “Ill catch a different flight later. Ive got a front row seat to an invitation-only event, and the Irish want a sit-down after. I wouldnt miss it for the world.”

“Stay safe,” I said.

“Always, little brother.” He nodded to Serenity, who was still trembling beneath my arm, and I gently guided her into the back seat, climbing in after her and telling the driver to take us to the airport.

“You know,” I said once we were on the road. “I don’t remember reading infiltrating your father’s estate on your ‘must do’ list.”

“Im sorry,” she said through her tears, which were now freely flowing. “Im so sorry. I didnt mean anything I wrote. I wanted to protect you. He had this video,” she said, her words slightly chaotic as she reached into her pocket and pulled out an external hard drive. “But I got it. This is where he keeps everything of value to him that isnt a person.” She tapped on the external hard drive, handing it to me. “I couldnt lose you in that way. Im sorry,” she said again.

I cradled her face in my hands, smoothing away her tears with my thumbs as I laughed darkly.

“What part of me looks like I need protection, angel?”

She laughed through her tears, too, shaking her head as she leaned her forehead against mine. “I didnt want you to go to jail because of me,” she said. “Because of who my father is.”

“Ive never had anybody protect me before,” I said, catching her gaze. “And while I know you can handle yourself, Id really appreciate if next time you just tell me your plan. That way I can at least support you from a safe distance?”

“Next time?” She sighed. “I really hope theres not a next time.”

And then her lips were on mine, desperate and needy.

I held her against me, kissing her back, allowing myself to feel it, and let the panic ebb from when I’d found her note earlier. “I thought Id lost you,” I said between kisses.

“Never again,” she said, a promise in her tone.

“Do you think…” She hesitated, pulling back just slightly. “What do you think theyre going to do to him?” There was no concern in her tone, but I still made sure that mine was gentle.

“I honestly dont know what their plans are,” I answered.

She took a deep breath and nodded to herself. “But either way, you dont think hell come after us anymore?”

“Not a chance,” I said. “Even if they let Doyle live, theres no way hell have the power he once held. Youre free. Youre free to do whatever you want.”

She kissed me again, and I sighed between her lips, settling in the fact that she was safe and in my arms.

“So,” I said. “What do you want?”

“You,” she said. “I just want you.”

My heart expanded in my chest, and I grinned down at her. “That, I can handle.”