Chapter Seventeen
Gabriel’s family had gathered around the table in the great hall and they were sampling dishes that were to be served at the wedding reception. Kelly stood back by the wall and watched.
The fact that she’d very likely sensed the Dragonsblood Ruby had rattled her far more than she’d expected. The problem was, she actually liked Gabriel’s family. Sure, they were a crazy bunch of criminals. But they were also warm and good-hearted and accepting, and they made her feel welcome and wanted in a way she never had before.
She liked Gabriel. Okay, more than liked him. She loved the way that he made her feel. He made her feel sexy and funny and desirable. She loved how loyal he was to his family, how he always stood up for her. She loved…him?
No, definitely not. Impossible.
But whatever her feelings for him were, she still couldn’t be with a man who made a practice of stealing from other people. He claimed that the family was on the straight and narrow, but he’d stolen the Dragonsblood only a year ago, and his father had been arrested for breaking and entering eighteen months ago.
“You’re still awfully quiet,” Gabriel said to Kelly. “Dragonsblood got your tongue?”
“Oh, you’re hilarious.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “I don’t suppose you’d like to just secretly turn in the Dragonsblood and be done with it?”Please, please let him say yes.It would be an acceptable compromise. Her firm wouldn’t have to pay the insurance fee, Gabriel wouldn’t have to go to jail…
“What’s a Dragonsblood again?” Gabriel said with a perfectly straight face.
“For the love of God, you are so irritating. You guys aren’t broke,” Kelly said in exasperation. “So why would you steal that ruby?”
“Exactly.” Still with the straight face. Fine, if that was the way he wanted to play it.
“You guys go ahead and figure out what you want to eat at your reception. It doesn’t matter to me, because I won’t be there,” Kelly said, and turned and walked away, leaving Gabriel staring after her in confusion.
She couldn’t keep doing this. She couldn’t keep falling deeper and deeper for Gabriel, and for his family, when she knew how it would all end. With Gabriel in prison. With her heart broken.
Gabriel followed her out of the room and grabbed her by the arm.
“Hey,” he said. “You’re upset about something new. You weren’t upset like this before. Is it something that someone has done or said to you? Talk to me. Please.”
She yanked at her arm, but he held on.
“We’re in a relationship, right? When people in relationships have problems, they talk.” He glanced at something behind her. “Oh, great. Incoming.”
Teresa stormed down the hall towards them. Her face was pale. She’d been crying; her mascara had run down her cheeks leaving gritty black trails, and her eyelashes stuck together in little spikes.
Winthrop was trailing behind her, looking distressed. “Miss Henderson… Oh, Miss Henderson…”
Teresa ignored him and stormed up to Kelly and slapped her face. Kelly gasped in shock and took a step back.
Gabriel stepped in front of Kelly, and the air around him rippled and shimmered as it grew hotter. He towered over Teresa, jabbing his finger into her shoulder.
“The only reason I didn’t fry your face off for that is because you’re her sister,” he growled at her. “Try that again, and I will end you.”
“What the hell?” Kelly said furiously, rubbing her stinging cheek.
“This is all your fault,” Teresa spat at Kelly. “Chad’s family found out you got arrested and they insisted that he break up with me. They’ve packed up all my things and they’re shipping themhere.”
Kelly was sick of being on the receiving end of Teresa’s abuse. “Excuse me, it’smyfault that Chad has no balls and his family are a bunch of snobby dickwads? First they make you suffer for the fact that our father was a criminal – something we have no damn control over. Now they insist that Chad has to dump you because of something thatI’vedone?”
“So you’re trying to say it’smyfault?” Teresa glared at Kelly.
Kelly shook her head in exasperation. “Why do you always need it to be someone’s fault? If you really need to assign blame, Chad’s the wuss who dances whenever his mommy and daddy jerk his puppet strings. And you know what? Yes, this is also somewhat your fault. You chose to be with a guy whose family treats you horribly. And you let him sit there like a big passive man-baby, never once speaking up in your defense. Frankly, that’s on you. You don’t want to be treated like dirt, then don’t stay with a guy who treats you like dirt.”
Teresa gasped in outrage.
Kelly shook her head. “You’re pretty, you’re smart, you’re talented, and you let a guy treat you like crap. I’m sorry that you’re upset, but I’m not sorry it ended.”
Winthrop walked up just then, holding a kerchief, which he offered to Teresa. “Can I do anything to help?”
