aware of a Saint Sophia but that didn’t mean much since she also wasn’t a religious person.
“His sister. She was a sweet little thing who got dragged into a prostitution ring. They kept her there by forcing an addiction to the shit they supplied. V ID’d her body on one of his nightly rounds to the morgue almost a year after she disappeared. She was only sixteen.”
Her heart broke for his friend. “Oh my God. That’s awful.”
“Yeah, it was. She was a treasure lost. She gave me this.” He lifted the wolf tooth that hung around his neck. It had a bible verse inscribed on it. Again, one she didn’t know. “V has one, too. It was her way of telling us that no matter what we did, she, and God, would forgive us.”
Eva sighed, understanding the sentiment as Gabriel brought her into the shower and turned them so that his back took the brunt until the spray warmed up.
“V was never the same after that.” As he talked, he soaped and rinsed her from head to toe. “He’d taken care of Soph pretty much on his own from the time she was eight. Blames himself for…well, all of it, which is bullshit because he couldn’t have been with her every second of every day.” A ripple of tension passed through him. “He was actually with me when she was snatched, so I guess I should shut the fuck up because how can you not feel responsible when you basically are?”
As he rinsed the soap off himself, she reached forward and hugged him, pressing her cheek against his back as the water ran down their bodies. The more she learned about his life, the more she understood what drove him.
“I’m so sorry for all of you, Gabriel. Poor Vincente.” She touched the angel’s sad face. “I like Sophia. And I’m glad you have her watching your back.”
It was true. She’d be grateful to anyone for keeping him safe, because, apparently, it mattered very little that his brother was still out there and wanted her dead. It no longer mattered that Gabriel had kept life-altering secrets from her. It didn’t matter what he’d done in his past. None of it made any difference to the feelings steadily developing inside her.
NINETEEN
Vincente wasn’t shocked to find Gabriel and Vasily’s daughter already situated at the round table when he and Alek arrived for brunch the following day. Greetings were exchanged as they claimed a couple of chairs, and while Alek, ever the gentleman, started up with the social chatter, V watched the room slowly fill up.
Trisko came in looking like a UFC light heavyweight title holder, scarred and proud. It was good to have him back. Judging by the new attitude, the guy had brought home more than sand in his boots from Afghanistan. No surprise. But having a former special-ops soldier in their crew? A very fucking nice surprise.
Quan Mao entered behind Jak, and Vincente narrowed his eyes on the newcomer. So what that the Asian had been with G for more than four years now? Vincente didn’t know him well, so he was a newcomer who would have to prove himself before he was accepted fully into their circle. Maks had dug deep into channels that had earned the stubborn Russian a few warnings to keep out, but he’d managed to put together a striking history on the Asian. Quan had belonged to a ruthless organization, but had somehow been allowed an out after proving himself invaluable—very interesting. The fuckin’ guy was disciplined to the extreme. Hell, he’d already earned a Roku Dan and the samurai title Renshi. Damn impressive considering his age; he’d just reached his thirties.
Paynne came in next, strolling across the room with a round of nods and an open grin aimed at Eva.
“Talk to Nika yet today, Priss?” The biker took a chair two over from Vasily’s daughter.
Priss? Nickname?
“No. Why? Is she okay?”
“She’s good. I wanted to pick her up on my way back from seeing some of the boys, but she insisted—in that way of hers—that she’d get here on her own.”
“She’s coming here?” Eva said with a brow that arched in that perfect way only women could achieve.
“Yeah. Since she’s now involved, Fist said to invite her.” Caleb tipped his head Vincente’s way.
He nodded to the amusing biker in acknowledgment of his talents while noting how Gabriel’s shoulders kept stiffening during the brief convo. Because Stefano had pulled an innocent woman into their shit. Or was