Page 20 of Missing Marcus

“Thank you, Marcus,” she whispered as she attempted to keep him from coming inside.

His hand slapped on the door, and his nostrils flared as he glared at her. “Did you bring me to your lover’s place?”

His words caused her to wince and jump before final acceptance replaced it. “As usual, Marcus, you’re astute. Thank you for bringing me home.”

13

Shaking his head, Knight started down the stairs, then stopped. The hurt expression on her face when he asked the question cut him to the core. Why in the fuck did he even say it? Because she fought him every step of the way to keep him from bringing her here. Then, she refused to let him in.

He glanced back at the door and watched two rough-appearing men emerge from one of the apartments below. If they decided to hurt Gabby, she didn’t stand a chance and he refused to leave his wife in this dump.

He stomped back to her apartment and knocked when he heard a stifled cry.

Fear bolted through him, thinking someone hurt her and he flung open the door.

Surprise made him halt. The rooms appeared in shambles. Gabby didn’t appear in sight as he desperately scanned the run-down apartment and saw the couch cushions shredded and all the damage. When his eyes landed on her, he rushed toward her, concerned for her safety. She seemed terrorized as he approached her. When she scrambled away from him, it nearly tore his heart in two, especially when she cut her hand on the broken glass.

She softly closedthe door behind her and turned to see her entire apartment in ruins. The curtains hung at a weird angle. The sofa appeared slit in several places, with stuffing covering the dingy carpet. Pictures lay smashed, and her clothes dumped all over the floor.

Gabby covered her mouth in shock as she viewed the broken dishes. Tears welled up in her eyes. How much could a girl take in one day? She ran to her hiding place, where she hid her home computer and gave a little cry. The rotted cabinets held a wooden bottom out of a crate she brought home. She left the computer in there and placed her pans on top.

She started pulling out the cookware and lifting the box and sighed with relief when she glimpsed the laptop computer.

The door burst open and Knight scanned the room until his eyes landed on hers.

He slammed it shut as he walked around the miniature table she used in the kitchen and approached her. His expression told her of his fury, and Gabby cried out as she attempted to back up and cut her hand on a piece of glass.

“Shit,” Knight muttered as he grabbed her hand and searched for a towel. Helping her to her feet. He took the computerand set it on the table. Running water in the sink, he held her hand under it. With her injured shoulder, she dared not jerk away from him.

She whimpered as the cut stung as he pulled pieces of the glass from her hand. Then wrapped a towel around it.

“Damn it, Gabrielle. Something’s going on here and I’m not leaving until I have some answers,” Knight demanded. He searched for a chair, but whoever entered her apartment broke the only two.

“What the hell is going on?”

Gabby placed her hand on her stomach. “I live here,” she confessed.

Knight scanned the destroyed room and his eyes met hers.

“We’ll talk about this later. Tell me what you need and we’re leaving.”

“I’m not?—”

“You are even if I have to carry you out of here fireman’s style. This isn’t up for discussion. It’s the last time you lie to me,” his voice turned deadly.

Gabby moved about the room and searched for her suitcase. She found it shredded to pieces.

Her legs trembled as she hung on to the back of the couch, trying to devise a plan when she wanted to run into the safety of his arms.

“Fuck this,” he cursed as he stalked toward her. He scooped a reusable grocery bag from the floor, placed her hospital paperwork in it, grabbed the computer from the table, and handed it to her. He gently picked her up and walked out the door.

Knight felt her tremble as he held her before she laid her head on his shoulder and cried. Anger flowed as he listened to her sniffles. Gabrielle rarely wept. Whatever happened frightened her to the core.

He set her beside the truck, scanned the area, opened the door, and lifted her inside.

When he got in the driver’s seat, Gabrielle shivered. He turned the heat up, leaned over to buckle her in and covered her with his jacket as well.

“Where are we going?” she asked as he pulled onto the street.

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