Page 134 of Promise and Punishment

Camilla: Just told the truth… Something you should have done a long time ago.

Parker: The truth is, you ever get in Gemma’s way, and you’ll answer to me.

Camilla: Oh. I like it when you talk like that. Promise me so I’ll know you mean it.

I tried not to throw my phone at the wall as I went back to the paper, its stupid headline like needles to my eyes.Alejandro Rivera-Marquez?I hated that he was the center of her even being in this article, that she was just the collateral damage of his bullshit. But most of all, I hated the label he gave them two.Exclusive?

“Well, Mr. Jones, like I said, we can meet if you want. This information may be better said in person than over the phone. In fact, I can even arrange for you to go to Jalisco if you’d like, and actually, there is someone there who would like to talk to you.”

“Me?” I asked, stopping at the odd mention that anyone from Jalisco would even know who I was.

“Yes. You, specifically. I can get you there, and we’ll pretend that you’re one of our own.”

My phone chimed again.

Mom: Don’t blow this Parker… Gemma is like a daughter to me, and you gotta protect what you two have. I’ve already told you kids before, it’s true love.

I scrunched my face as Quinn silently made his way through traffic, re-reading Mom’s message.

True love?

God, that was so different than what I heard as a child, encouraged to run towards love, rather than away from it, to protect it, not to be scared of it.

I wanted what my parents had, not what Claire warned me of, and honestly as Mom implied, Gemma was already family. We all loved her, but no one, and I mean no one, could ever love her as much as me.

“How big is this information?” I asked, assessing the power of this potential back up plan to Alex Rivers.

“Let’s just say, it changes everything for him. If you want to get rid of Alex Rivers, this will do it.”

Just then, the door unlocked behind me, stilling my answer as I looked back and calmed my eyes.

It was my Gemma.

Dressed like a dream, a surreal and delicate goddess, with tears in her eyes and heels in her hand.

And as she looked at me, her expression pouted from the night, I knew that things for us wouldn’t be easy, and that there’d be more storms ahead before there would ever be sunshine.

But I didn’t care.

I knew my answer to Quinn as Gemma dropped her heels and rushed into my chest, collapsing herself into my arms for the most desperately needed hug.

I held her, knowing I’d keep her here as long as I could, against the odds; against Camilla; against the press; and most of all, against Alex Rivers, who I’d undoubtedly destroy if he ever found his way back into our lives.

This was for us.

“Count me in,” I whispered to Quinn, my face dug into Gemma’s hair, “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

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