Page 96 of Wolf.e
“No need, it’s all for you.”
I swear Gabriel growls in response. He takes hold of my hand under his cut, pulling it down and holding my palm up. I watch as he reaches into his inside pocket and pulls out a knife, smaller than the knife he wears every day, the one that was inside me, but with the same kind of smooth bone handle and a leather sheath to match. It’s small enough to fit into my hand and still conceal it which makes me smile.
“What’s this?” I ask.
“The handle of my knife is made from wolf bone, huntedby my grandfather, as is yours now. I had this made from his knife. It’s strong, sturdy and the perfect size to fit your hand. I trust you’ll only use it if you absolutely need to.”
I look down at it, understanding what it means. I’m strong enough. He’s trusting me to protect myself. I take it from him and bend down to slide it into my boot, reaching up to kiss his lips.
“I’m a warrior now too, just like you?” I ask.
Gabriel pulls back and looks down at me as awe and admiration bathe his face. A flicker of light returns to his steely gray eyes, one like I saw in those photos from his younger years just before he bends to kiss my lips, people around us continuing to move and pay us no attention.
“You were always a warrior, little hummingbird, you just never knew it.”
Gabriel takes my hand and leads me into a large crowd of people near the main mess hall building and settles in around a large stone fire pit with drinks in hand. It’s unseasonably cool for late July so I’m glad for the fire as I sip my drink, spending the rest of the afternoon watching people from clubs all over America approach Gabriel and the rest of his crew.
I’m on my third or fourth butterscotch flavored shot when Gabriel whispers in my ear. “Slow down, you need to stay alert, and men tend to get handsy with women when they’re drunk. I really don’t want to have to kill anyone tonight.”
“I’m plenty alert,” I say back, but truthfully I’m a little tipsy. Layla giggles beside me.
I’m like a college kid having freedom for the first time, what does he expect?
Gabriel grabs my current shot from me and tosses it back just to prove a point. The face he makes when he tastes the sweet liquid makes me laugh.
“I wanted that,” I tell him, with narrowed eyes.
He grimaces at the flavor, pulling his bottle of water up, he takes a sip. I haven’t even seen him have a whiskey tonight. Probably for the exact reason he’s telling me to slow down. He has to be alert.
Gabriel will be watching me I know, but I’m not worried here. I’m on a stress-free vacation. Vacation from the four walls of his house, someone hunting me just to hurt him, the insanely surreal direction my life has taken in the less than two months since I’ve been home, all of it.
I let him win and don’t search for another drink, knowing someone will bring another round soon enough.
The rest of the girls in our crew have arrived too and are catching up with us when I hear the distant sounds of church choir music. It fades when our music kicks up again then returns when the song ends.
“Is someone holding a church service here?” I ask Layla beside me.
She looks to the field behind our cabins. “Neighboring farm. They hold massive outdoor church services, conveniently every year around the time we all roll in. It will go on for a few hours every night. They’re praying over us, praying we turn our lives around.”
I look over my shoulder in the direction I hear a crowd singing “How Great Thou Art” only to have it disappear again when Van Halen starts to play through the DJ’s sound system.
I pull my bottom lip between my teeth. I used to be in the crowd praying. Now, I’m being prayed for. Something about that feels unsettling as I try to push the hymns of my youth from my mind. I don’t want those two worlds to collide.
“Boss.” Sean motions to Gabriel, nodding to a group of menwaiting in the crowd of people. I look up at them as best I can without fully turning toward them. They all wear jeans and cuts, I have no idea who they’re with and won’t until they turn around.
“They can talk now. Otis has to go soon,” Sean adds.
Gabriel looks down at me, then across to Amber, Chantel, and Layla.
“Don’t worry, Pres, we’ll keep her safe.” Chantel smiles at him.
Gabriel rolls his eyes at her and turns to Chris. He points beside me.
“This is where you live until I get back, yeah?” he says patting Chris on the chest once.
“Sure thing, Pres.”
I have no idea what he’s worried about, this place is such a fun—
