Page 86 of Every Broken Piece
Tess steps in front of me and I immediately put my hands on her shoulders to move her out of the way. No way will I allow her to put herself between me and danger.
“Theresa, Theresa.” Sandra makes a tsking sound. “Have you learned nothing from me?”
“He’s not involved,” Tess says through clenched teeth.
Sandra assesses me, starting at my shoes and moving slowly up my body, making my skin crawl. “I’m in a bit of a tight spot.”
I don’t know if she’s talking to me or Tess, but Tess answers. “The last time you were in a bit of a tight spot I told you no more and I meant it. I don’t have twenty thousand to give you.”
My body jerks.What the fuck?Twenty grand? This woman wants Tess to give hertwenty grand?
Oh, hell no.
“They’ll kill me if they don’t get it,” Sandra says, eyes still locked with mine. Her words are delivered so emotionlessly that it takes me a minute to understand what she just said.
Tess takes a large step away from me to hold up her injured arm. “This is what they did to me, Sandra. Does that mean nothing to you?”
Sandra holds her hands out in supplication. “I know. I know it was bad, baby, but they weren’t really going to hurt you. That’s just a warning to me. They didn’t mean no harm and they didn’t kill you.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I step in front of Tess. “That was no fucking warning. She was beaten so badly she was hospitalized for five days with a concussion, an injured wrist, bruised ribs, and too many bruises to count.” My hands curl intofists. I’m going to blow any second, so I need to end this now. “Get the fuck out of here before I throw you out.”
Iknewthat attack wasn’t random. Now the question is why Tess hid the truth from me and Hardwick.
“Gabe, don’t.” Tess grabs my arm and tries to pull me back.
Sandra grins, finally getting the reaction she wanted out of me. “Go ahead,Gabe. Throw me out. I’ll call the cops on you so fast, tell them you’re keeping my daughter from me. They’ll haul your ass in and then what’re you gonna do, big man?”
“In case your drug-addled brain has forgotten, Tess is an adult now. She makes her own choices, but I have no problem protecting her from anyone who wants to hurt her.”
“Gabe,” Tess warns softly.
Sandra leans forward with a wicked gleam in her eye. “Didn’t do such a good job, did ya? Girl got beaten real bad on your watch, cowboy.”
Fuck this woman. Adrenaline has me taking a step toward her. Tess pulls on my arm to stop me. I have to get my shit under control before I do something I’ll regret.
“Or.” Sandra taps her chin, a small smile tilting her lips. “Why don’tyoujust give me thirty g’s and I’ll go away. Won’t bother you again. It’s the least you can do for fucking my daughter.”
Tess gasps.
My shoulders go rigid. It doesn’t escape me that she’s upped the total by ten grand. “Are you selling your daughter to me?” I ask quietly.
Her smile widens. All I see are jagged teeth and gaping holes, making her look like the monster she is.
She’s trying to sell her daughter to me.
I bare my teeth. “Get. Out.”
She laughs and I want to wipe the floor with her. Tess is practically hanging on my arm to keep me from lunging at her mother, but I barely feel her. I’m shaking with a rage I’ve neverin my life felt before. I’ve never wanted to kill a person, but I will gladly kill Sandra Jansen right here, right now, damn the consequences.
“Gabe, please.” It’s Tess’s desperate plea that brings me back from an edge I’d never thought I’d find myself on. My vision clears and my mind is more focused than it’s ever been.
Protect Tess.
That’s my goal. I can’t protect her if I have a murder charge hanging over my head.
I step right up to Sandra and glare down at her. Her taunting grin dares me to do something she can use against me. I won’t do it. I won’t risk Tess like that.
“Tell your dealer that you and he won’t receive a dime from either of us. And if he comes after Tess again, I’ll kill him. Then, Sandra, I’m coming for you. One hair is harmed on Tess’s head, I’ll use every one of my billions to hunt you down and make you regret every scar you put on this woman’s soul.” I use my bulk and height to loom over her. She finally flinches, her eyes widening in fear. “Not one word, Sandra. You are never allowed to say another word to Tess again. You’re not to search for her. You’re not to send your dealers after her or I will rain hell down on your head.” I’m so close now that I can smell the stench of fear on her. “Do you understand me,Sandra?”
