Page 87 of Vengeful Lies

“Right. So I looked into him a little more, and he matches the description and sketches both Gabriella and Essie did after they were rescued, and he matches the one who wasn't there when we rescued you.”

They’d known one man had escaped, he wasn't amongst the ones Cade himself had killed, and he wasn't the man that had come seconds away from shooting him. They’d theorized that he’d gone with John Gaccione to the meeting but hung back so he wouldn't be spotted.

Knowing he was out there, another threat, had been adding to his stress, but now they had a name they could round him up, bring him in, and interrogate him. Chances of him knowing the name of the fourth rapist were slim, especially since John claimed he didn't and was yet to give in under intense interrogation, but it was worth a shot.

“Cade, there’s more,” Cooper continued, his voice tightening, and Cade’s stomach tightened as he braced for bad news. “He works as a nurse. At the hospital.”

Fear slithered up his spine. “What hospital.”

“The one you're currently inside.”

Already he was turning, hurrying back to Gabriella’s room.

She wasn't safe.

And she was alone.

He’d been going to call Jax, who was next on the babysitting Gabriella roster, and have him come in, then pass the time in the waiting room down the hall where he’d have a clear view of the door to Gabriella’s room. That way he could watch over her while still respecting her need for time and space.

But he’d had his back to the door while on the phone.

It couldn’t have been more than a couple of minutes, but that was enough time for someone to sneak into her room.

Nobody would think twice about a nurse going into a patient’s room. Particularly one who had official hospital identification.

Maybe Cooper continued to talk, Cade had no idea, his entire focus had shifted to getting back to his girl.

If he’d left her alone and she was hurt—or worse killed—because of him, he’d never forgive himself. As it was, he was having a hard enough time forgiving himself for firing her and he’d done that specifically because he was trying to protect her and get her out of the line of fire his family was sitting right in the middle of.

As soon as he reached the door, he knew something was wrong.

He could hear muffled sounds coming from inside and they weren't the sounds of Gabriella crying quietly to herself.

Flinging open the door hard enough that it slammed into the wall, red-hot rage clouded his vision as he took in the scene before him.

Gabriella was still on the bed where he’d left her, but instead of being curled up against the pillows looking so fragile and vulnerable all he’d wanted to do was drag her into his arms and hold her until the haunted look left her eyes, she was flat on her back. The blankets were tangled around her body, half on the bed and half on the floor.

And there was a pillow covering her face.

At the sound of the door opening, the man leaning over the edge of the bed pressing the pillow to Gabriella’s face as she did her best to fight him off, lost his concentration.

That was all the advantage he needed.

If there was one thing you didn't do it was hurt the woman a man loved when that man was trained in a thousand different ways to kill someone, including many of those with his bare hands.

Any thought of keeping the man alive to try to get answers from him flew out of Cade’s head as he launched himself at Gabriella’s would-be killer.

Fury gave him extra strength and he picked up the man several inches shorter than him, weighed in at fifty pounds or so lighter, and threw him across the room.

Connecting with the wall with enough force to break through most of the plaster sending it flying everywhere, the man groaned as he slumped to the floor.

Apparently, he wasn't very bright because he staggered to his feet, swaying precariously, and attempted to charge at him.

Idiot.

Grabbing the man’s head on both sides when he got within arms’ reach, Cade leaned in close. “Never touch what's mine and try to take it away from me,” he snarled, then with one simple twist of his hands it was done.

The man’s neck snapped, and Cade tossed his now dead body on the ground and hurried back to the bed where Gabriella had pressed herself up against the headboard and was staring at him with wide eyes as she sucked in gasping breaths.

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