Page 92 of Preying Heart
Remi shakes her head. “I’m never going to be okay. It hurts so bad. He killed my baby. He kicked me this morning. Put his knee into my belly.”
Lucy and I stare at each other over Remi’s hunched shoulders. If looks can kill, I’m sure Gavin would have been electrocuted had he been anywhere near.
“We’re going to get you out of here to a safe place,” Lucy says. “I’ll go get the truck.”
“I can’t leave without Slade,” Remi sputters. “Gavin has him imprisoned in a shed in the forest. He has my mom in a basement. If we don’t do what he wants us to do, he’ll kill her.”
“We’ll find them, but first, we need to take care of you,” I say. “Figure out a way to trap Gavin and have him lead us to Slade and your mom. Don’t worry. We won’t leave anyone behind.”
“Yes, you’re right. You’re always right. I should never have left without you and Lucy, but I didn’t know when you’d be back. I’m so relieved you two are safe. Tell Lucy I prayed for her. Prayed for all of the women and for the posse—mostly, for you.”
She sounds delirious, and I wonder if they gave her painkillers. But her words are music to my ears, and I kick myself again for having doubts. I let out a long breath and bow my head, grateful she’s in my arms again.
“We’ll get through this together. We always will.” I sweep the long, silky hair from her face and kiss her, good and thorough. “I love you, Remi. No matter what.”
“I know.” She returns the kiss, saying without words what I need to hear. And even though she’s bowed over with grief, she nestles herself in my arms, protected and safe.
ChapterThirty-Five
Remi
It’s hard for me to let go of Heath. I keep touching him and huddling close to him like cling wrap. I afraid that if I close my eyes, he and Lucy will disappear. It’s jarring to see them inside my sterile and cold apartment when I associate them and Glock with Heath’s fortress with its stone walls, hewn wood trim underneath the dense tree cover. Yet their presence gives me the sensation of being home among family and the clutter of useful things rather than the purely decorative or fashionable sterility of my penthouse.
“I’m so sorry. Sorry,” I keep repeating myself. “I didn’t know you’d be back. I should have waited for you.”
Heath holds me close and tilts my face to look at him. “Nothing to be sorry about. I just wish you texted me.”
“But you might have left off saving Lucy. I didn’t know.”
“I’m sorry you lost the baby.” He touches the bruising over my left eye. “Did Gavin do this?”
“Yes, he tried to use a coat hanger on me this morning. When I resisted, he hit me. Then he tried to rape me, but I threw up on him.”
Lucy returns from the bedroom. “There’s evidence of a fight in there. We should call the police.”
“We should, but let me call my former partner, Detective Justin Quon. He’s one of the few honest ones still on the force.”
“Is the chief crooked?” Lucy asks. “It’s her word against his.”
“Not necessarily. There’s physical evidence and the apartment lobby’s security camera,” Heath replies. “I hate going to the police personally, but I want to do what’s best for Remi. If we can keep Gavin behind bars for twenty-four hours, we can whisk her away to a safe place.”
“What about Slade and my mom?” I cry out. “Gavin’s plan is to kill Claudia by using Slade. He has Slade imprisoned in a shack and our mother hostage in a basement. I can’t just go away and do nothing.”
“You need to rest,” Lucy says. “I’m assuming the hospital gave you antibiotics. You’re still under the influence of the anesthesia. You’re in no condition to do anything but rest.”
“Yes, but it was horrible. They had to scrape out the rest of the tissue.” I’m shaking from the memory. “It hurt, even with the anesthesia. I don’t think they were very careful. I was already bleeding heavily, so they just went in. They didn’t even try to stop it.”
“At this stage, they couldn’t have stopped it,” Lucy says. “The baby was likely dead after the trauma this morning, and your body had to get rid of the tissue or you’ll have massive infection. You could even go into septic shock and die. You still have to be careful. You’ll need to rest and heal at least two days. Heath and I will take you back to the Fortress.”
“I can’t leave. I can’t. Slade is in danger. My mom. Claudia.” I push off the couch too fast and stumble. Black and white stars twirl around my head.
Heath catches me. “We’ll save them, but first, we need to get you out of here before Gavin comes back.”
“But I want to take him down. I want to see him arrested.”
“We can do that once you’re safe,” Lucy says. “Heath is going to call his buddy to take a report.”
“I should be here for him to interview me. I’m not going to hide behind you two.” I suck in a deep breath and dump the burner phone from my purse. “I have text messages and a picture of where Gavin’s keeping my mom.”
