Page 66 of Vicious Devotion

GABRIEL

As soon as Bella mentions the possibility of someone following them, I’m on high alert. “Did the security say anything?” I ask, glancing at the other car parked nearby. I know they’ve been following Bella and the children all day, on my instructions. “Or did you maybe mistake one of them for someone else?”

Bella bites her lip. “Maybe,” she admits. “I could have. I was focused on loading up the car. I just heard footsteps behind me and turned around—and then there wasn’t anyone.” Her cheeks turn pink. “Maybe it was just someone passing by, and I was being jumpy.”

I can hear the hopeful note in her voice. I know that’s what she wants it to be—just a mistake. Because if it’s not, then the other option is that Igor has followed us here, just like we’ve feared he would.

And that he’s stalking my wife.

That possessive feeling rolls over me, making me want to crush Bella closer to me. Instead, I force myself to take a step back, looking around. “Let’s get back to the house,” I tell her, as calmly as I can manage. “And then we’ll go from there. I’ll call Gio and see what he’s heard. I want you and the kids back in the house as soon as possible, though. I’ll feel better then.”

Bella nods her agreement, and we both get into the car.

The ride back is tense. Cecelia and Danny chatter on about their day, gleefully oblivious to mine and Bella’s worry—which I’m glad of. I listen to them talk about the adventure in town with one ear, nodding along, and all the while run over the possibilities in my head, and what I need to do to keep them safe.

Once we’re back home, I send Bella in with the kids. “I’ll get my guys to bring in the groceries,” I tell her firmly. “I’ll check in with you after I talk to Gio.”’

She nods, heading inside with them both. I reach for my phone, glancing up the long, winding drive as I find Gio’s contact.

He answers on the first ring. “Hello?”

“Gio.” I lean back against the Land Rover, still watching the drive. It’s a ridiculous feeling—if Igor attacks us, it won’t be a frontal assault right up my driveway—but I can’t help the feeling that I need to watch it like a hawk. “Bella thought she heard someone following her and the children in town today. Is there anything you’ve seen to suggest Igor might have sent men here?”

Or that he might be here. I can’t even voice that possibility aloud.

“I’ve been doing some digging since we last spoke.” Gio’s voice is careful and slow, methodical, as always. It’s why I’ve always kept him as my security, even back when I didn’t really feel that I needed it. “The families are aware of your marriage to Bella, as you wanted. From what I’ve heard, Igor is angry. The marriage has only made him more determined to get her back, quite literally, over your dead body.” He pauses. “I know that’s not the answer you were hoping for.”

“It is what I expected, though. And the other families?”

“Bella’s father is furious. The don is also displeased—this means that they can no longer completely ignore your requests for help in protecting her. Before this, the opinion of the don was that she should have been returned to her father, when the danger was apparent, and protected there. That you had no right to protect her yourself. But now?—”

“Now she’s my wife.” I bite off the words, that possessive anger filling me once again.

Gio sighs. “I was about to call you this evening, before you reached out. I can ask the don to send men to Italy, to help protect the estate. He doesn’t like it, but I have it on good authority that he will do so, regardless. Bella is a distant relative, but she is his family, and he no longer has the right to say that she should have been returned to her father for safekeeping.”

“Good. Tell him I want that. As many as he can spare. There’s no other word of Igor?”

“He’s laying very low. The men that I posted haven’t seen any movement at his private hangar. But that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t found other ways to put men on the job of tracking your family.” Gio lets out a sharp breath. “Be careful. He’s no one to take lightly.”

I can hear the quiet censure in his voice—I did that before, and very nearly paid dearly for it. “We’ll be cautious,” I assure him. “No more trips into town for Bella and the children, until this is dealt with.” I know Bella won’t be thrilled with that, but she’ll understand. She wants the family kept safe every bit as much as I do. “Keep me posted on when the don will be sending us back up.”

“Will do.”

As soon as I hang up the phone, I head inside to find Bella. It takes me a little bit, but I finally track her down to my—our—bedroom, and find her sitting on the bed, staring down at the floor with her hands wedged between her knees.

“Bella,” I say her name softly as I step into the room, not wanting to frighten her, but she jumps anyway. She bites her lip as she looks up, her expression apologetic, but thankfully, she doesn’t actually say that she’s sorry.

I want more than anything for her to stop blaming herself for things that aren’t her fault. I don’t know what it will take to accomplish that. Igor being gone for good, certainly. Then, maybe, she can start down the path of no longer thinking that all of these things that have happened can be traced back to her.

“Gio said that the don will send more security for the estate. But until Igor is dealt with, I don’t want you and the children leaving the property.”

Bella nods. “I figured as much.” She chews on her lower lip, letting out a sigh. “It’s fine. After today, I just kind of want to stay here for a while, anyway.”

“Understandable.” I cross the room and sit down next to her on the bed. I want her to lean into me, to accept comfort from me, but she stays stiff and still next to me, her gaze fixed on the wall. “I’ll keep you safe, Bella. I’m going to do everything in my power to stop him from coming after you. And now I have the don backing me. We?—”

“Are going to end up starting a war.” She looks down at her hands. “All because of me. More people are going to get hurt?—”

“And what else do you think should have happened? You staying with him?” I shake my head. “That wouldn’t be an acceptable outcome for anyone, Bella. You shouldn’t be expected to stay in the hands of a monster just because it will take violence to ensure that you’re kept free from him. It’s not just you, either.” I let out a sharp breath. “He’s hurt others. He’s responsible for all those deaths at the church that day. He’s responsible for many, many more on top of that. You might be the catalyst for this, but it needed to happen regardless. And none of it should fall on your shoulders.”

---