“Wait, I have to grovel first.” Suddenly serious, she placed a hand on Erin’s arm to stop her. Gen faced her. “Gabriel is my family. All I’ve got left. It’s hard, going from a group of people you just know will always love you and will be there to waking up one morning to nothing.”

“I understand,” Erin said softly.

Genevieve believed she did. Sighing, she continued. “I’ve seen Gabriel do this before. Take on a problem and make it his. Like he really is supposed to be a guardian angel.”

“I didn’t ask for his help, Genevieve,” Erin said, protesting. “You saw me run.”

“Yeah, I did. And I know that once Gabriel decides he’s going to fix something, no one can stop him. Not even those who love him,” she added meaningfully.

“I don’t—”

Genevieve held up a hand. “Whether you admit it or not, it doesn’t matter. But you need to know, Gabriel’s in love with you.” She dropped her hand, tucked it into the pocket of her jeans. “It terrifies me, because my brother would die for the people he loves.”

Erin shook her head fiercely. “I won’t let him be hurt because of me. I swear it. Kenneth Bernard is behind bars. They found lashes on his back and thighs, fresh wounds. Sadomasochism is a warning sign in killers. Sylvie thinks she can get a warrant to search his place tomorrow. It could be over by morning.”

“So I heard.” Linking their arms, Genevieve towed Erin toward the trio that had gone ahead. As they joined them, Gen whispered, “I like you, Erin. I’m glad my brother likes you. But you break his heart and you answer to me.”

“What did she say to you?” Gabriel asked, taking in the shell-shocked look. “Dammit, she swore to me she’d apologize.”

“She did,” Erin replied. Taking a chance, she reached for his hand. When his fingers twined with hers, she smiled. “Don’t worry. We understand each other.” She looked back at the station. Kenneth continued to deny the allegations, but Erin hadn’t expected anything else. She had hoped, though, for some measure of relief. “I don’t want to go back,” she blurted out.

“Back where?”

“To my apartment. Not yet. I just—I just want to forget for a while, you know? Just for a night.”

Gabriel brought her hand to his mouth. “Why don’t we ditch the others and you let me show you New Orleans?”

With a slow smile that reminded Gabriel of sunrise, Erin agreed. “Yes, but you have to buy me a beignet.”

FOR THE NEXT few hours, Gabriel showed Erin a New Orleans she’d never seen. It seemed to her he knew every priestess, bookie, and charlatan in the town. And they all adored him.