Angel

Chapter 63

Nate

A loud crash brought us all out of our shocked states as Marc threw a chair across the room. Emilio sat shaking, his hands clutching the note, while the rest of the Toma men wore similar expressions of shock and outrage.

"What is Devil's Breath?" Sean asked.

"It's a drug that makes people more compliant. I...I used it when I forced her to marry me, on Tori too," Emilio said, shame covering his face.

Sean quickly searched for it on his phone and let out a sigh, "Okay, it's based on Scopolamine. In limited amounts, it won't impact the pregnancy or her permanently. Does Carlos know she's pregnant?"

Emilio shook his head, "No. After her...her attempt, we didn't tell anyone. She didn't want people to think she had tried to kill the baby."

"Victor, anything?" I asked as he worked with the footage.

"I have water and birds in the background, maybe an ocean. It's faint, but still there. Does that help?" he asked.

"I'll have my men start with small areas near the ocean. If they're wanting Violet, they won't have gone too far," Alberto said and left the room.

"The cuts aren't deep," Tori said hesitantly. "They won't scar."

"That's good, isn't it?" North asked.

She shook her head, "No, that's bad. It means he doesn't plan on letting her go even if the exchange is made. He's keeping her."

"The fuck he is!" Brandon roared. "I'll kill the bastard myself if I have to."

She threw up her hands, "You men don't get it! Kuso baka yarō! He means to deal her. A clean canvas sells higher, right Emilio?" She looked at him with daggers. "I made you six million in a single night, didn't I? Now imagine how much Carlos can get for the reina. He'll auction her off piece by piece."

Emilio's face paled, while ours contorted with rage. "You fucking sold her," Gabe seethed in a deadly calm voice. "You're no better than that piece of trash that took your wife." He moved faster than I'd ever seen and where the fuck did he get that knife? In seconds, he had Emilio pinned against the couch, the blade pressed against his throat. "How about I show you how skilled I am, Emilio? Perhaps you'd like to wear the scars Tori wears? I'd be more than happy to do it," he practically purred.

We all were frozen in place. I'd never seen Gabe like this and it was downright terrifying.

"Blue eyes, don't," her voice said softly. "It won't make my scars go away, and all it would do is hurt Mattie. Please, Gabriel."

He turned to her and his eyes lightened instantly. He flicked the knife back and walked toward her, pulling her into his arms. Both their eyes filled with tears as he whispered to her where we couldn't hear, then they left the room.

"I can't change who I was, or the vile things I've done," Emilio said softly, "but I can tell you I've changed. Hell, Mattie has changed me. I didn't even blink an eye when she asked her grandfather and me to stop trafficking." His shoulders slumped and he sobbed, "We fought. The last conversation we had was a fight over the blind eye I had turned to Carlos. She warned me about the things he did, his cruelty, and his obsession with Tori. I had ignored it over the years, thought it was agreed - like a role play of sorts, but she yelled and even slapped me, telling me what an idiot I was. Oh, god, what if I never see her again, what if the last words we ever have were spoken in anger?"

"Say something like that again, and I'll slap you as well," Corey growled. "We're going to find her if we have to tear the damn country apart building by building."

"Corey's right. We need to fall back on what we know. We need to divide into teams, with Sean staying here to attend to Tori's medical care," Kota said. "This isn't a normal mission, this is personal and we adapt as needed. Understood?"

We all nodded and replied, "Agreed."

Marc

I had asked for a few moments alone with Emilio. I needed to sort this shit and fast before it got out of hand. The moment with Gabe was enough to make me realize this was a very slippery slope.

"I need you to be honest with me," I said.

"I have been. I have admitted how horrible I was to her, the mistakes I've made in my past. Fuck, Marcus, I hated Father and I turned into him!" he yelled, running his hands down his face.

"Does she really love you, or did the drugs convince her?" I asked flatly. "How long did you drug her?"

The blood drained from his face, then it morphed into rage. "How dare you! How fucking dare you question her love for me! Never once did I force her to say it. I told her I would wait forever, but that I would prove how much I loved her."

"Then why drug her into marriage? Had she tried to escape, tried to hurt herself or someone?" I asked. It just didn't make sense.

He slumped into the chair again, "There were rumors of an attack. Rumors of factions wanting to take her away. I thought if she were officially Reina, then they would die down. It did seem to work, and I even confessed to her why I'd drugged her. I swear to you, Marcus, she was not under the drugs on our wedding night. That was real. The only time I forced her was the first night. I...I was so furious about the way I had to bring her here, then Trish tricked Tori into taking her to the Palmas and they almost abused her. I wanted the world to know she was mine."

"So you raped her on the table and then branded her like property," I snapped. "You're right, Emilio, you did follow in Father's footsteps. I only hope you aren't lying about the change in your relationship because make no mistake, I won't hesitate to put you behind bars with him."

His head snapped up. "What do you mean, behind bars? Father's dead."

I shook my head, "No, he's not. The Academy has him. I gave him up to get Angel and me out of the Palmas and away from the cartel, but she was gone before I could get to her. Of course, now I know why."

"But you said the Academy was corrupt," he gaped, "What if he's a part of this? What if he finds out about her?"

"Why do you think I stayed away? I never sought you out to keep you safe, Milo, to keep her safe. It killed me knowing she was here and I couldn't hold her. She was mine long before she became yours. Angel is my world. I spent six years trying to find her and then learned I had a daughter. Then you and her fucking grandmother come along and rip it all away from me again!" I yelled.

"I can't lose her, Marcus. I won't ask her to choose, and I won't ask you or your family to leave, but please, please don't take her from me," he begged, tears streaming down his face.

I groaned and sat next to him, "I don't think it's really up to either of us, Milo. Angel is going to do what she wants. She's a bit stubborn if you haven't noticed," I chuckled.

He laughed, "That's an understatement. I swear she could make the Pope flinch with that mama look she gets." He let out another sob, "What if Tori is right? What if he plans to auction her?"

I gave him a wicked smile, "Then I guess we have to buy our love back. We have eight men that Carlos has never seen before that can bid. My family has enough money to bid without using any of yours or Alberto's. That will help divert any suspicion." I gripped his hand, "We're getting her back. Don't forget, she's a fighter, Milo."

Author's Notes:  If you aren't surprised with Gabe yet...hold onto your pants, my lovelies...this isn't your sweet, innocent Gabriel...