* * *

Charlotte’s at home.

I message her thinking she was at the school and she texts back to let me know she went home early with a headache.

It takes me less than half an hour to get there. I get home and see her in the kitchen making a cheese sandwich then wrinkling her pretty nose when she takes a bite into it.

“Gabe what the hell kind of cheese is this?” She giggles when she sees me.

I can’t answer. I’m so fucking glad to see her that I just rush up to her and pull her into my arms. I hold her and I don’t want to let her go.

“I missed you too.” She holds me and presses her head against my chest. She smells like roses today.

“Baby, did anything happen? Anybody come here before me or anything happen at school?” I hold her out and check her over like I’m checking for injuries.

“No, I’m fine.”

“You sure? Nothing weird happen?”

She laughs. “Does the weirdness of you count?”

I release a breath and try to calm the fuck down. She’s alright, so he didn’t come for her. Doesn’t mean he won’t though.

Or maybe it is just me.

Worry washes over her face when she sees my reaction.

“Gabe did something happen? Tobias… did something happen with him?” Her eyes go wide with panic and I know not to say anything else. Women out of business. It’s the first rule in our world.

Women out of business and definitely when the situation at hand involves her.

“It’s okay baby, I thought I saw something. How’s your head?”

She seems to calm. “I feel weird, and everything tastes weird. Cordelia had this stomach bug last week, I think I’m getting it.”

“I’ll take care of you. What do you want to eat?”

“Pizza,” she says without thinking.

“Goddess you go put your feet up and I’ll order you pizza and whatever else you want.”

“Ice cream, cookie dough with that extra chocolate sauce.”

I laugh despite my inner turmoil. It amazes me how she can eat that kind of food and look as perfect as she does.

I pull her in for a kiss and smile a smile I don’t feel.

“I’ll get it all for you.” I promise and she gives me a kiss before heading into the sitting room.

As soon as she goes through the door my smile falls because I have to call Vincent.

I have a target on my back.

* * *

My instructionsfrom Vincent are to stay inside tonight with Charlotte while he goes to work on the streets to see what they’re saying.

I stay in but I make the request that no one tells Nick what happened until tomorrow because I don’t want him losing his shit and going on the streets with the boys.