Kathleen Brooks - Secrets Collide

Gemma turned off the shower and slipped on a skirt and shirt before brushing out her hair and quickly braiding it. She knew she had kept him waiting. But quite honestly, she was scared to see him. What would she do if he looked at her with pity or worse, without that spark in his eyes?

Cy paced back and forth on the porch as his brother and sisters-in-law laughed in the parlor. He didn’t see what was so funny. He had never been this nervous before. Waiting to see if the woman he loved with all his heart would even talk to him was worse than the time he had to lift a passkey from a warlord in the Sudan.

The screen door opened and Cy turned around to see a freshly washed and barefoot Gemma standing shyly by the door. “Gemma, please believe me. There’s nothing going on with Taylor. I . . .”

Gemma cut him off. “I know. The girls told me. Can we forget it happened? I’m so embarrassed I don’t think I can stand it.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I would've done the same thing had a man hugged you like that.” Cy paused. “Well, after I punched him.” Cy opened his arms and relief flooded him when she tucked her head under his and placed it against his chest. He closed his arms around her and never wanted to let her go.

“Good. Glad that’s settled. Now we need to discuss something important,” Cade said as he pushed open the door. “Ow.” Annie and Katelyn both slapped Cade against the head at the same time while they shot Cy and Gemma an apologetic look.

“It’s okay. What’s going on?” Gemma asked from where Cy kept her tight against him.

“First, we discovered that Sarah is very popular. But, we found an IP address from Lexington. It’s registered to the same company that rented the house for the Goatee Man. Someone in that house saw the picture.”

“Mr. X?” Gemma asked.

“Someone did. I’m guessing you’ll find out soon enough if Cy’s plan works the way he thinks it will. Henry and Neely Grace are making progress, but it’s slow work. Maybe they’ll have something by Noodle’s wedding tomorrow, but Neely Grace warned that it could take time. I’ll let you know if we find anything else out.”

“We’ll see y’all there, won’t we?” Katelyn asked, as she looked him right in the eyes, making it more of a statement than a question.

“Yes, of course. Noodle invited me the other day and I happily accepted. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a Keeneston wedding.” Cy looked down at Gemma and smiled. “They’re a blast. The whole town is there and there’s food galore, music, dancing, and more gossip than you can shake a stick at.”

“Sounds fun. But what about Mr. X?”

“The whole town will be there. By the time the reception starts, we’ll know all of Dr. Francis’s family. It would be very difficult to slip in unnoticed. Hopefully, Mr. X will act before then.” Cy gently ran his hand down her back and wished this were over. He couldn’t move on with Gemma until it was.

* * *

Gemma stroked her fingers down the back of Cy’s neck as they swayed to the music. His hand gently rested on the small of her back as he held her to him. The wedding had been beautiful and packed with every person in town, half the hospital, and all the bride’s family. The reception, true to Noodle, was held outside in a field next to his favorite fishing spot. Trees surrounded the open area that had been decorated with beautiful lanterns casting a warm glow onto the happy group. Lanterns also lined the small waterway, causing the water to twinkle.

Gemma pressed herself against Cy’s hard body and ran her other hand from his chest down his stomach.

“You’re killing me,” he whispered into her ear as he pressed her bottom toward him so she could feel just how much she was killing him.

Gemma slid her hand down and as she let it fall, her nails skimmed the bulge in his suit pants. She enjoyed the hiss he made as he slid his hand around her upper back and gently used his thumb to stroke the side of her breast.

“Let’s get out of here. There’s a little spot in the woods I know, if you’re up for an adventure.” Cy’s suggestion had her heart pounding. It had been days since she’d been with him and it had seemed like an eternity.

After Cade and the girls left yesterday, she had met his friend Taylor. She couldn’t wait to talk to Gemma about this nice boy she had just met. And, grudgingly, Gemma had to admit she liked Taylor a lot. But when night came, Cy hadn't come to her room. Instead he had woken up every so often throughout the night to do his shift watching the house along with one of Ahmed’s men.

As they sat next to each other in church earlier listening to Noodle (known to the Rose sisters and his own mother as Eugene Miller) and Emma Francis exchange their vows, it had turned her into a romantic mess. Gemma had held his hand and watched the ceremony envisioning what it would be like to look Cy in the eyes and say those words. She decided then that life was unpredictable and she wasn’t going to waste a second of it. She was going to tell him she loved him.

“Okay, let’s go,” Gemma giggled as Cy grabbed her hand and tried to casually walk to the tree line.

Cy quietly led her to the punch bowl and then slipped behind the trees when no one was looking. She had to smother her laughter with her hand as he hurried down a path to a little clearing deep within the woods. She could still barely hear the strings of bluegrass music coming from the band as Cy spread his suit coat onto the ground.

“Dance with me,” Cy’s voice rasped as he held out his hand. She placed hers in his and laughed as he pulled her tight against him. “Gemma, there’s been something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

She nuzzled his neck with her lips and let him talk when in reality talking was the last thing she wanted to do. His hand slid down her back as they swayed to the music.

“I . . .”

“Well, isn’t this cute? The spy and the reporter.”

Gemma spun around as Cy shoved her behind him. She looked over his shoulder at a little man with big glasses and a crazed look in his eyes.

“Mr. Boss Man, I presume. To what do we owe this honor?” Cy asked casually as he rocked back on his heels.

“Honor, you have no honor. You and this bitch are the downfall of society. When a man can no longer earn a living because you’re arresting his people or writing an exposé on my group, huh, Gia? I thought I had gotten rid of you once, but you know what they say about evil—it never dies. Now I’ll make sure you die, Gia,” he spat.

“I feel introductions need to be made. I’m Cy and this is Gemma. And you are?” Cy’s casual voice turned hard and she felt him pushing her away. She looked down and saw him frantically motioning for her to run. But she couldn’t. She had to find out his name.

“Stop playing games. Just ask Gia who I am. She figured it out, just as you did when you found my daughter. But I’ll make sure you’re both dead this time.”

Cy shoved her and she started to run only to run straight into a solid wall of muscle. Gemma gulped as large hands clamped around her arms and she screamed in pain.

“Ah, there you are, Sergei. Bring her to me. Don’t even think about it, Cy. Sergei will snap her neck if you move from that spot.”

Gemma smashed her foot onto Sergei’s and fought with all she had. But Sergei just squeezed tighter; she thought her arms would snap under the pressure. Sergei shoved her into the outstretched arms of the mastermind behind her sister’s death and without thinking, she pulled back her arm and punched him in the face.

“Bastard!” she screamed but all too soon the back of his hand connected with her face so hard that she fell to her knees. She felt him grab her and haul her up as Cy ran forward.