AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Merc glanced back at her, and she saw the question in his eyes. Was she sure she wanted this? Did she really want Gabriel?
For the first time, the answer was crystal clear.
“Yes.” She mouthed the word, and Merc nodded, then stepped to the side so Gabriel could enter. He didn’t waste time on Merc and crossed the room to her. “Hi…”
“Don’t hi me,” he said with his characteristic smile and nearly no bite to the words. With exquisite gentleness, he lifted her legs and eased her back into the bed. Instead of covering her, however, he skated his touch lightly down her legs and checked each one. Moving to her hands, he lifted those and inspected the damage. They’d taken off her idiot mittens and left the palms lightly wrapped. His looked worse in places than hers.
“What are you doing here?” Here being the compound in Texas. The location wasn’t exactly available on Google, and they had security measures in place to discourage even the most casual of droppers by.
Seated on the edge of the bed, he met her gaze. He really did look ragged—wonderful, but ragged. The shadows beneath his eyes were swollen, and the whites were bloodshot.
“And why aren’t you sleeping?”
His answer? “A building fell on you.”
“I was there.”
“No,” he said. “You were under it. We were up top, and I couldn’t get to you. I have never felt so fucking helpless in my life.”
Yeah. She knew helpless. “Cobalt saved my life.”
“I know.” He touched a finger to her bruised cheek. The unbearably light touch drifted against her skin like a feather. “I’m sorry.” Not much else to say. Another body for them to bury. Another brother to bid farewell.
As nice as his touch and his nearness were, none of it explained his presence. “Why are you here? In Texas?”
“Seems like I have a useful skill set,” he said, quirking a half smile. “And your friendJohngave me a reference.”
John had?
“Look, I don’t have to stay. If you and him have a thing…”
“Me and Merc?” Copper snorted. “Yeah, he’s like my brother-best friend-Marine-team-family, all rolled into one. We bleed for each other, but he’s not my lover or my boyfriend, no matter what he may have implied.”
Relief shone in Gabriel’s eyes, and he grinned. “He just let me know he knew about a lot of untraceable poisons. Most of them would kill me, but if I hurt you…he had some that did more unpleasant things.”
“He must like you.” At his skeptical look, she said, “He warned you. If he didn’t like you, you’d just be dead, no warning required.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He threaded his fingers with hers.
“Sowhyare you here?”
“I’m here for you. I’m here because I can’t get you out of my head. I’m here because the worst hours of my life were after a building fell on you, followed by watching all of them take you away.” He shook his head, the emotion darkening his voice. “I’m here because I can love you, and I plan to prove it to you, if you’ll let me.”
Pretty words, except… “Gabriel, you don’t even know me.”
“Maybe not.” He didn’t argue with her. “Iwantto know you. You could be my puzzle for fifty years, and I don’t think I’d get tired of trying to solve you. You’re a complicated woman. Stubborn. Strong. Determined. Smart. God, you’re smart. I see that in how you respond to things, to adapt—to survive.”
Closing her eyes, she let her head sink into the pillow.
“If you’re tired, this can wait…”
“No.” She squeezed his hand. “Don’t go. I am tired, but when I said you don’t know me? You don’t know all the things I’ve done. The places I’ve been. The people I’ve lost.” Hell, a casino fell on her head. The attack had been against the little terrorist bazaar they’d stumbled across, but it didn’t matter. They’d be feeling the collateral loss for years yet.
And they were still no closer to Red Fucking Wolf.
“Let me tell you how this is going to go,” Gabriel began. “You’re going to recover. I’ll be here every day, and you can tell me what you’re ready to tell me personally. Your call. Professionally, if you can work with me, you’re going to brief me on all the angles, and I’ll be your hands, legs, eyes, and ears until you’re out of here.”
Her heart squeezed. “And after?”
