Page 65 of Lethal Salvation

She looked across at the man who seemed to have aged twenty years since the night began. The look on his face told of regret and the guilt she knew he had the responsibility to bear.

A commotion had Gideon’s arms tightening on her, his warmth seeping into her skin as Marsha rose. She stalked toward them and Gideon moved slightly to shield her when she wanted to do the very same to him. Marsha, even if she was the killer and had tried to have Gideon killed, wouldn’t be fool enough to do it with witnesses. No, she was savvier than that. Yet as she poked her finger in Gideon’s chest, Duchess wondered at the wild look in her eyes.

“You did this.” The look she gave him was filled with hate and malice.

Gideon remained calm, holding his hand up to ward off the woman who was attacking. “Calm down, Marsha.”

“You killed him, I know you did.”

“We both know this wasn’t my brother, Marsha, so back off before I explain to the nice police officer watching us who exactly it might be and your involvement in it.”

She rounded on Damon, who’d come to his brother’s aid so quickly, further cementing his place in Duchess’ heart. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“In a heartbeat.”

The fact Damon had no clue who Alex or the others she now recognised as Liam, Blake, and Mitch were, was more evidence of how far he’d go to protect his brother. They were a unit, and they may be different but when the chips turned they were unbreakable.

“I’ll kill you for this.”

“That’s enough, Marsha.”

Duchess turned at the harsh sound of Gideon’s father who’d joined them.

Marsha turned on him next. “He killed your son. How can you defend him?”

“He did no such thing, and he’s my son too. They both are and you’ll do well to remember that going forward.”

“How could you take his side? Carter is dead. My baby boy is in that room with a bullet in his head.”

Her voice cracked and if she’d been an innocent bystander to this Duchess would’ve felt a smidge of sympathy for her. But she knew how poisonous she was and how she’d been the one to draw her son into her games that, ultimately, ended his life.

“I know he is and my only regret is that I was too weak to stop you from dragging him into this nightmare. If anyone holds responsibility, it’s us.”

“Get out, get out of my house. I want everyone out of here now.” Her high-pitched screech drew the attention of Alex and Mitch. She assumed Liam and Blake were handling the removal of the body and evidence collection.

“Everything alright here, Mrs Cavendish?”

Marsha turned to Alex. “I want these people out of my house.”

“We have to clear the scene but as long as they leave their details, we can let these people go home.”

Marsha laid her hand on Alex’s chest and Duchess could just imagine Evelyn ripping her face off for the violation. Alex removed it smoothly, guiding her to a chair.

“You can leave but give your information to the officer on the door.”

“Let’s go.”

Gideon kept his hand on her back and held her close as they drove back to the safe house in silence. The game had just changed and now they needed to figure out where to go next.

Chapter 18

Changed into jeans and a hoodie, Gideon sat opposite his brother and waited for Duchess to come back from where she’d disappeared to with Bás the second she walked back through the door of their warehouse home.

He was still reeling from the conversation with Carter and his murder. His brain went in multiple directions as he tried to figure out how he felt. He kept coming back to the same one though, regret. The things Carter said to him sticking in his gut and twisting.

“This isn’t on you, Gideon.”

He looked up as Damon pushed a glass of scotch toward him before slugging back his own. “We could have been better brothers to him.”