Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
He was classified now, and the things he did were classified. He couldn’t give her that. He would share if he could, but he had sworn an oath, and until she was with him as a GhostWalker, he had no choice but to keep what he did now confidential.
“I went after Barone and his brothers. Systematically. One by one. Then their men. I killed them. Murdered them. They didn’t stand a chance against me. I sent the birds into the air during the day to spy for me, to tell me where they were. I sent the owls at night to show me. I was small enough to get into spaces they never would think I could be in. They couldn’t see me because I could blend into anything and be part of it. There was no way to keep me out of a fortress or a house. No lock was strong enough. I didn’t blow up cars dramatically. I didn’t do it with fanfare. I entered their bedrooms and cut their throats. If they were in a bathtub or shower, I ended their life there.”
He refused to bow his head or turn away from her. He didn’t feel remorse. He felt guilt for not having done it sooner.
“Didn’t they try to find you?”
“Yes. But I always knew when they were coming for me because my birds let me know.”
“Did they go after the others? Your street family? They must have been vulnerable.”
“I had Mack and Kane hiding them. They knew what I was doing.”
He’d wiped out the Barone family’s reign of terror. It had taken time, but he’d done it, and he’d known his family was safe. Mack’s street family had established a reputation, and no one was going to mess with them, no matter how tough a rival gang might be.
It always surprised him how the city had its music. He could hear the water lapping at the piers even though they were a few blocks away. There was little traffic on the street close to them. He heard the flutter of wings. Through it all, Gideon waited for her judgment.
“You did what you felt you had to do to keep everyone safe,” she murmured softly.
He sighed and ran both hands through his hair. “I don’t want there to be any misconceptions here, Red. I killed a lot of people. I don’t feel any remorse over killing them. I feel guilty because I didn’t kill them when I should have. My nightmares aren’t because I killed them. I never dream about them. I dream about the things my father tried to make me do. I dream about my sister and how I didn’t save her. I dream about Jaimie’s mother and Mack’s mother. How they should still be alive. Those are the people I feel guilt over.”
Rory nodded her head. “I’m well aware what you’re saying to me.”
“I just don’t want there to be a misunderstanding.”
“There isn’t. I understand you so much better, Gideon. You really had no childhood at all, did you?”
He wished he could say he understood her so much better. He did know more about her childhood. She didn’t have one either. Whitney had robbed her of any chance of one, yet she was loving and compassionate. He knew he had been born with protective traits off the charts, and Whitney’s enhancements had just added to those elements. No doubt Whitney had enhanced all of Rory’s best qualities as well. He didn’t see many of her negative traits.
Rory laughed. The sound played along his nerve endings, making them sing.
“We’re connected, Gideon. I can catch parts of what you’re thinking. I do have a bad temper. And I’m not at all trusting.”
He inclined his head, trying not to smile, because he didn’t consider Rory’s temper atrocious. She had good reason for her trust issues. He hadn’t helped in that area.
“Stop blaming yourself, Gideon. You take on everyone’s problems. You don’t need to fix everyone and everything.”
He loved the way her eyes went dark green when she became passionate about anything—especially when it had to do with him.
“You’re impossible. I don’t think I can do anything wrong in your eyes. You’ll be in for a shock one of these days.”
Rory sank into her chair and tried glaring at him. She wasn’t very good at it.
“Wrap the blanket around you, sweetheart. You’re beginning to shiver. I’d like to move on to Harvey and the conversation you had with him.”
She made a face as she pulled the blanket around her. “Harvey thinks he’s being set up to take the fall for killing Detective Ramsey, and frankly, I agree with him. Sadly, I’m worried my friends and I might be somehow targeted for that as well. The more I’ve been thinking about the questions the police have asked us, the more it feels as if they seem to believe we knew the dead men and Harvey a lot better than we did.”