Page 54 of Salvation

Shaking my head, I laugh. “No, of course not. Help yourself. You know that, Davey. You don’t need to ask me. Your boss pays for it.”

I step around him and he takes my place at the counter. Leaning against the doorjamb, I wrap my hands around the hot “In a world full of Hermione Granger’s, Be a Luna Lovegood” mug and ask him, “Where is Gabrial anyway? I haven’t heard from him in a few days. Everything okay?”

His back is to me, but I see it straighten and I’m instantly alarmed. Maia looks at Davey peculiarly, too.

What the hell? Something has happened.

A sick feeling enters my chest and I blurt out, “What’s happened? Tell me!”

Turning reluctantly, he looks at me sheepishly. I can see the pinched look on his face. Whatever has happened, he does not want to disclose it. He actually looks uncomfortable, but he says, “He’s fine, Hope. Really.”

What happened?

Why would he say Gabrial was fine like that if he was actually fine?

My eyes instantly narrow on him. He squirms beneath my unrelenting gaze. The color in his cheeks heightens and he fidgets. I’m little, but when I want answers, I can be intimidating. “Tell me, Davey! Now!”

He sighs. I hear the resignation in the sound. He’s about to sing like a canary. “There was an incident a few nights ago…

“Er, he was shot.”

WHAT?

What did he just say?

He was shot.

He just said that Gabrial was shot.

I gasp, dropping my mug on the ground. The cup shatters as it hits and the hot coffee splashes onto my feet. It burns me through my black Converse shoes. Yelping from the heat of the coffee on my ankles, I jump back; but ignore the mess as I stare at Davey in absolute horror. I feel lightheaded as I shriek, “What the fuck do you mean he was shot?”

Davey reaches around and grabs his neck. His fist is squeezing, showing his discomfort at having to tell me this. He’s probably worried Gabrial will be livid.

I don’t give a shit!

I’m livid!

How could he not tell me Gabrial was shot?

How could Gabrial not tell me himself?

I’m going to kill him.

He may have just been shot, but I’m going to be the one who murders him for keeping that fact from me.

Maia glares at Davey and he shifts uncomfortably beneath her anger. He shrugs sheepishly as he looks from her to me. “I’m sorry. I was instructed not to tell you. He’s okay, really. It didn’t hit anything major. He didn’t want you to worry.”

My eyes flash in my sudden rage.

The fuck?

He didn’t want me to WORRY?!

He was shot and he didn’t want me to know because he didn’t want me to worry…

I’m literally going to fucking kill him.

Someone else shot him, but I’m going to be the one to murder that asshole.

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