Page 175 of Healed

I drew in a shaky breath. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like this.

“Okay?”

“Nico he’s… he’s not safe, Gabby.”

“I know that,” I almost laughed.

“No. Listen to me. Please.”

I had never seen him like this before. He looked almost… panicked?

“The other night we received a tip that there was a body at the park. Our park.”

“Our park?” I frowned.

“The one where we met. We raced over there and… fuck, there’s no easy way for me to say this, but it was Michelle.”

Shock slammed into me with the force of a train.

“My mum?”

Why was I even surprised? We’d left her body behind the night we’d rescued Vienna.

“Yeah, and—”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I interrupted. “Why didn’t you tell me at the time?”

He looked sheepish. “I didn’t want to cause you any unnecessary pain. We cut her body down and brought it back here. It’s with the funeral home at the minute, and they’re doing what they can to make her presentable for you. I will—”

“Then I don’t need to know,” I interrupted again.

“What?” He looked utterly astounded.

“I don’t need to know. You’re a lot of things, Vienna, but you’ve never been cruel. If you kept that information from me, you did so for a reason. I already know he’s violated my mum. I heard and saw what he did to her. I don’t need to know the aftermath.”

“But—”

“No buts,” I whispered, raising onto my tip-toes to kiss his cheek. “I’m not mad, Luke, I promise.”

He expelled a heavy breath and linked my fingers.

“So… Is that all you needed to tell me?”

“He also watched us have sex,” he said in a rush, almost as though the dam had broken and now he needed to get it all out.

I closed my eyes. “When?”

“In the garage. He flew a drone over.”

“That’s why you sent me for a bath?” I demanded.

He flinched. “Yeah.”

“Good,” I said, nodding my head.

“Good?! What do you mean, good?”

“I’m glad he watched. I’m glad he saw what it’s like when I actually want to have sex with someone. I’m glad he saw me with you.”