Page 111 of Jake's Angel

I pick her chin up. “It was him? You’re sure?” Avery nods her confirmation.

Son of a bitch!

Grabbing her face in both of my hands, I wipe away her tears with my thumbs and kiss her forehead.

“Miss West,” Vincenzo says from behind his desk. Fuck. I was so worried about getting to Avery, I forgot we were in Vincenzo’s office. The head of the fucking Parisi family has been sitting on his throne, silently watching everything unfold before him.

He clears his throat. Avery turns her head slightly, enough to see him.

“Can you tell me what happened downstairs with those men?” He keeps his voice calm, but his face shows he’s leaning more toward murderous.

Avery doesn’t respond.

“Miss West. Avery. Do you know those men?” He tries again.

She nods.

“They went to school with us in Baron’s Edge. Trust fund assholes,” Sadie provides, putting her hand protectively on Avery’s shoulder.

“And can you tell me what they wanted with you girls? Did they say anything to you?”

Avery shivers in my arms. “I-I’d rather not say,” she whispers.

“Jayde?” Pop comes barging into the office. “Jayde, baby.” She runs from beside me and slams into Pop. She hadn’t criedone tear until she saw him. Now she’s crying in his arms. He wraps her up tight, and it’s then I realize what a prick I am. My sister was groped by some asshole, and all I could think to do was get to my girl.

Shit.

Hawk’s hand comes down on my shoulder. I turn to where he’s standing next to me beside the couch. He must’ve been hugging Jayde. I was so focused on getting Avery less lethargic, I completely ignored my own sister.

“Don’t,” Hawk says sternly. “I had her. Jayde’s good, brother. But I’m not so sure about your girl.” He nods toward Avery. She’s moved her legs to straddle me, placing her head in the crook of my neck, pushing her torso into my chest. Her body has gone limp, and she's shivering. She feels heavy against me, as if her body is too heavy for her to hold up on her own.

“Someone better tell me what the fuck is going on here,” Gabe shouts, shoving through the door and past Vincenzo’s men.

“Ah, Gabriel. Come in, please. Sit,” Vincenzo says, calm as you fucking please. “We were just getting to the heart of the matter. Perhaps you would care to take a seat? Join the discussion?”

Pres looks like his head may just explode. He grunts at Parisi but stays standing with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Who are these fuckers, and where are they? I want them moved to the basementyesterday.”

“They only caught one,” Hawk says. Gabe glares at him, then shifts his scowl back to Parisi.

Vincenzo leans back, his fingers tapping in sequence on the arms of his chair. He smiles politely and says, “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait your turn, Gabriel. My men would like to ask him a few questions first. When they’ve finished their conversation, I’ll have my men bring him to you.”

“What the fuck do you mean—wait my turn?” Gabe growls. “Someone assaulted Jayde and my …” He doesn’t finish his sentence. Vincenzo raises a knowing brow.

“Yes. I understand. I can assure you, any man who laid a finger on my daughter would suffer endless amounts of pain for as long as possible until he eventually made his descent into the pits of hell. Unfortunately for him, we will inevitably meet again when the devil comes to claim my life and the process would start over.” Vincenzo’s words, though not a threat to any of us, leave an ominous air in the room.

Gabe narrows his eyes, his hands now tightly gripping the back of the chair across from Vincenzo’s desk. The vein on the side of his head is visibly pulsing.

“How?”

Vincenzo shrugs. “Remember the last time we met underunpleasantcircumstances? I told you I knew about your businesses with Mr. West and the arrangements you had made that others are not privy to?”

“If memory serves, your exact words were, ‘You and Mr. West own businesses together, have arrangements made that others are not privy to,’” Gabe says, his eyes never leaving Vincenzo’s. “I also remember you saying you, too, have similar business arrangements. Some—others may know about—but they do not haveallthe details. Some details need to remain close to the vest.”

Vincenzo throws his head back and laughs. “Touché.”

Gabe straightens, folding his arms over his chest, waiting impatiently for Parisi to elaborate.