“Healthy lasagna,” Danny corrected, pulling out his chair at one end of the table. “Ever since Dad died, she’s banned fast food. Says we need to eat clean, but swear to God, she makes the shit taste good.”
Zeke eyeballed the two slabs of cheesy goodness. “That’s healthy?”
Gabe nudged him to one side and set about cutting big portions. “It’s low-fat mozzarella and turkey sausage, so the fat’s a lot lower.”
“Which means I can eat two helpings,” Danny said.
Not moving from his spot beside her, Zeke took a pull of his beer and leaned one hip on the counter.
“You can sit. I’ll bring you yours,” she said.
“I’ll wait for you.”
Well, that was different. Nice, actually. Although, having an audience while she tried to get the ooey-gooey pieces on the plates without ruining the overall appearance was a little disconcerting. She handed a plate to him and picked up the other two.
Zeke stopped her with a gentle touch on her arm. “Where’s your drink?”
“I’ll grab a water from the fridge,” she said. “Go. Sit. Dig in.”
Instead of heading to the table, he set his own plate down on the countertop and opened the fridge.
She slid Danny’s plate in front of him, pulled her usual chair out and eased into it, mindful this time of her ribs. The water bottle’s plastic seal cracked behind her.
“Here you go.” Zeke dropped into the seat opposite Danny.
“Thank you.” At least she hoped she said it out loud. For the longest time, all she could do was stare at the opened bottle. No one ever did things like that for her.
She peeked up to find him staring at her.
Shit. Not staring at her, but waiting on her. Unlike Danny, who’d already gobbled half an oversize serving. She snapped into gear and picked up her fork.
On cue, Zeke did the same and cut into his lasagna, his focus on Danny. “Your dad had a heart attack, right?”
“Yep.”
“Was it heart disease, or something else?”
The whole handsome, polite and thoughtful routine must have temporarily unplugged her anxieties, because the answer shot out of her mouth before she could analyze the action. “Cholesterol.”
Was it her imagination? Or did he almost smile again? “He take meds for it?”
“Yeah,” Danny answered, “but he didn’t diet or exercise. Said he got enough of that at the garage, and he’d rather eat what he wanted and die happy.”
Zeke chuckled at that and cut another bite. “You had yours tested?”
“Gabe did. Healthy as a horse, as always.”
“How was yours?”
Now there was an opportunity she wasn’t missing. “He wouldn’t go.”
Danny froze with a loaded forkful about four inches from his mouth. “There’s not a damned thing wrong with me. And I’m eating all the healthy stuff, so it’s all good.”
“You know I could run the tests,” Zeke said.
Danny shrugged and dug in for another bite. “No need for you to bother with that.”
“I ever give you any indication you’re a bother?”
Her whole life she’d trailed around behind her big brother, idolizing him and plotting his demise in equal turns, but never had she seen him so surprised. So openly vulnerable. He grabbed his napkin and wiped his mouth.
“Okay, so we’ll run the tests,” Zeke said, not waiting for Danny to say more. “Knowledge is everything. I’d think you’d know that after being around me and the guys this long.”
“Yeah.” Danny played it off as no big deal, but there was a raggedness to his voice that wrenched her heart. “Appreciate it.”
So did she. Big time. Ever since her dad had died, she’d tried everything from bribes to blackmail to get the same agreement, yet here Zeke had gotten it in under sixty seconds. More than that, he seemed to truly care about her brother. Maybe there really was something to Zeke and his friends being different than most.
Zeke turned his focus on her. “Danny tells me you’re an artist.”
“He told you what?”
Zeke’s gaze cut to Danny, then back to her. “That you’re an artist. He said it’s pretty cool. That you take your own pictures?”
Even though the room was cool and bright, her skin burned as though fifty spotlights with an extra ten degrees of heat were aimed on her at one time. She forced herself not to fidget and pulled in a slow, steady breath. She could do this. It was simple conversation with a man who’d been nice to her. “It’s not really art. More like messing around on the computer.”
“Knox would be all over that,” he fired back and took another bite.
“Who’s Knox?”
“One of my brothers. Total computer geek. Has a laptop within reach at all times. I’ll have to introduce you two.”
“Is he a real brother, or one of your friends?” How she managed the verbal volley, she couldn’t imagine, but she almost hit her knees in gratitude when he smiled big enough to show a dimple.
“He’s my brother by choice. I’m an only child.”
See? Not so bad. She moved a bite of lasagna around on her plate and tucked her free hand under her thigh so he couldn’t see how bad she was shaking. “How’d you meet him?”
“Jace and Axel. They were the ones you met the other night. Jace is the wild biker-looking guy and Axel’s the cocky Scotsman. We’ve got a place in the center of town we hang out at called the compound. Knox should be there, and Danny said he’s coming over. You can come too if you want. Hell, you might even score me points with Viv.”
“Who’s Viv?”
“Jace’s wife. They just got married a few months ago. She’d probably like having another woman around. She’s as cool as they come, but even she’s gotta get tired of hearing us yack about sports and cars.”
Gabe glanced back and forth between her brother and Zeke. “What’s wrong with sports and cars?”
Zeke laughed, set his fork on his plate, and pushed it a few inches away. “Okay, so maybe you’ll score more points with the guys than Viv.”
“Might be a good idea, Sugar Bear. You haven’t been out of the house much all week. And you’d like Viv. Nice. Down-to-earth. Easy to talk to.”
The down-to-earth and nice part she didn’t doubt. From what Zeke had shown of himself the past few days, everything Danny had said about him and his friends were true. Easy to talk to though? That was a stretch on a good day, no matter who was on the other end of the conversation.
Danny watched her, a wordless plea to play nice moving behind his dark eyes.
She had been bored the past week, and having more time around Zeke to fuel a jillion new fantasies was an added bonus. Assuming she could keep her shit together and not let her defensive coping skills out of the bag.
She tucked her hair behind her ear and ignored the fresh wave of panic blasting through her veins. “Okay, I’ll go.”
Chapter Six
Gabe white-knuckled the passenger’s armrest in Danny’s Chevelle and gaped up at the multi-million-dollar villa outside her tinted window. “I thought Zeke said the party was at a compound.”
“It is. That’s it.” Danny killed the engine and leaned over the center console enough to peer through Gabe’s window. “They’ve got another place on the outskirts of town called Haven. It’s a big ranch, but only family goes there. This place ain’t too bad, though, is it?”
“Danny, that’s not a compound. A compound is a metal warehouse. Or an old armory. This place is where the governor should live.”
“Nah.” He straightened, smacked her on the shoulder, and popped his door open. “Don’t let appearances fool you. The brothers might like nice digs, but they’re as down-to-earth as you and me.”
Da
nny unfolded himself from his seat, the leather groaning under his weight, but Gabe’s muscles were too locked up to move.
A shadow moved across her window a second before her door swung open. Zeke rested one forearm on the window and braced his other hand on the car’s roof. “Not thinking you’ll have much fun if you don’t get out of the car.”
“I was just...” Scared shitless? Thinking of hot-wiring Danny’s car and pulling a Mario Andretti back to her house? “I’m not so sure I’m dressed for a place like this.”
“What?” He checked her over then glanced back at villa. “Oh, you mean the house. It’s pretty, but I wouldn’t base dress code on the outside. It’s the people in it who count.” He held out his hand. “Come on, gatinha. It’ll be fine.”
Easy for him to say. His dinner wasn’t halfway up the back of his throat and threatening to spew all over someone’s fancy entryway. She put her hand in his and carefully wedged her way out of the bucket seats.
Up ahead, Danny opened one of the huge double doors and marched in like he owned the place. So much for him being a helpful buffer.
Zeke shut her car door and lowered his voice. “Don’t overthink this. There’s no one here that will make you feel uncomfortable. I promise.”
She swallowed to the extent her dry mouth would allow and met his steady gaze. “What makes you think I’m worried?”
“Well, for one, you haven’t taken a solid breath since I opened the door. And second, a crowbar couldn’t pry your hand from mine.”
Shit.
She relaxed her grip and smoothed her shirt along her stomach. “Sorry. I don’t do so good with new people.”
“You’ve met Jace and Axel already.” He splayed his hand across her lower back and urged her forward. “And you’ve gotten to know me a little. That’s a start.”
Before she could argue, he’d steered her up the beautiful rock-work entry and through the door Danny had left wide-open. To say the inside was breathtaking was a huge understatement. The entry alone looked like something from a Hollywood-insider magazine, complete with a sweeping spiral staircase and wrought iron balusters. A huge chandelier hung centered from a shallow dome accented with stone masonry moldings, its center painted to mirror a spring sky with white puffy clouds. The foyer floor was an intricate swirl of soft taupe and ivory marble, but beyond the huge archway opposite where she stood, distressed wood floors in deep chocolate stretched into what she’d guess was a formal living room.
“Don’t get any ideas. A few of the rooms are overwhelming like this one, but you’ll see most of the place is more in line with a bachelor pad.” He cupped her elbow and steered her to the stairs. “I’ll show you around later. Let’s head up to the game room first and see if they’ve got everything set up.”
Happy chatter spilled down the staircase. Most rumbled in rich baritones, but one feminine lilt mingled in between, all of it punctuated by light, carefree laughter. With each step her heart hammered harder, every nightmare scenario from high school replaying in her head in high definition.
They rounded the corner and stepped into a whole lot of unexpected. Where what she’d seen so far was refined elegance, the game room was a bachelor’s paradise. The hardwoods she’d glimpsed downstairs were repeated here, but the old-world Tuscan vibe was replaced with clean contemporary angles and lots of toys. At one end was a huge flat-screen TV with two smaller ones on either side and plush ivory leather recliners lined up like movie-theater seats. At her end of the room was a foosball table, a pinball machine, and a poker table to rival Vegas. Around the latter sat a whole slew of people, her brother already happily ensconced with beer in hand and one foot propped in the empty chair next to him.
“‘Bout time you got here, brother.” The Scotsman she’d met last week was just pulling out his own chair. As appearances went, Axel was the poster child for non-conformity—long russet hair like a barbarian straight out of the Highlands dressed in designer pants and a crisp button-down to rival fashion’s elite. He lifted his crystal tumbler and grinned at Gabe. “Though seein’ the pretty lass on your arm makes the wait worth it.”
Every head turned her way, curiosity etched on their faces. The conversation stopped.
Run.
Just turn around and go back out the way you came.
Keep your distance.
Zeke’s warm hand slipped beneath her hair and palmed her nape. “Jace, Axel, you remember Gabrielle from last week.”
“You mean, Gabe,” Danny added. “No one calls her Gabrielle.”
“So this is Danny’s sister.” A blond Adonis to rival Brad Pitt in his younger ponytail days stood and moseyed their direction. From his scuffed brown cowboy boots and faded jeans, to his chambray button-down and rolled-up sleeves, he was the ultimate sexy cowboy personified. “Personally, I think Gabrielle’s a lot better fit.” He stopped right in front of her and held out his hand. “I’m Trevor.”
“It’s okay,” Zeke said low enough it barely registered. “He’s harmless, for the most part.”
Gabe shook the hand he offered, hating how sweaty her palm was when their hands made contact.
“Danny, my man,” Trevor said. “You’ve been holding out.”
Zeke tugged her hand out of Trevor’s. “She’s been here three minutes. How about you hold off hitting on her for another hour or two?”
“He’s right. Give her some air.” The woman with long dark wavy hair sitting next to Jace stood and rounded the poker table. She stepped in close and gave her one of those sideways half-hugs Gabe had never been able to figure out. “I’m Vivienne, but everyone calls me Viv. I’m Jace’s wife.” She steered Gabe toward the table, tearing her away from Zeke’s steadying presence.
In the space of seconds, Gabe’s throat constricted and her skin grew clammy. The shapes and colors of the room were still there, but only as hazy blobs. Vaguely, she registered Viv talking beside her, but it resonated with a cave-like echo. Even if Gabe could make out the words, she wasn’t sure her mind could focus enough to wrangle a reply.
Zeke’s voice registered. “Hey, Viv. How about you let me show Gabe what we’ve got stocked in the bar before we get her situated at the table?”
Thank God. His subtle scent coiled around her, clearing her overloaded senses with its warmth the way a vibrant sunrise scattered what remained of night’s fog. His hands cupped her shoulders and the next thing she knew, her feet were moving one in front of the other. The chatter round the poker table resumed behind her and the long bar with its high barstools and mango pendant lights overhead came into focus.
One of the barstool seats pressed against the back of her thighs.
“Just slide back and rest.” Zeke guided one of her hands to the bar’s edge and curled her fingers around the black padded leather. “Keep your chin down for a minute and take slow deep breaths.”
Her fingers trembled and shivers wriggled down her back, spurred stronger as the room’s coolness pushed the last of her anxiety away.
“Better?” Zeke sat on the barstool beside her, one elbow propped on the bar.
“I think so.” Eyes closed, she blew a stream of air up toward her bangs and prayed the adrenaline surge would hurry up and work its way out of her system. “How bad was it?”
“Danny knew what was up. Maybe Jace, but everyone else just thought I was a hoarding bastard.”
Well, that was a plus anyway. “You knew what was wrong, didn’t you?”
“I’ve seen a few panic attacks, so yeah.”
She opened her eyes and met his calm, steady stare. Where she’d been afraid to really look at him before, somehow it was easier now. Like her mind had accepted he’d seen the worst of her and figured it wouldn’t matter what he saw going forward. “Danny told you, didn’t he?”
“That you’re not a fan of crowds?” He shrugged. “He might have men
tioned something like that.”
Which probably meant he knew a whole lot more than her being socially awkward. That alone said how much Danny trusted Zeke. Her brother might be the happy-go-lucky, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type, but he knew how embarrassed she was of her issues. One thing family didn’t do to one another was air dirty laundry, especially when said airing might cause a loved one pain.
She scanned the room, desperate for something to get the focus off what had nearly been a top-notch disaster with his friends. “I thought your friend Knox was supposed to be here.”
“He and Beckett are on their way. Knox called when we were about ten minutes out. They ought to be here anytime.” He stood and rounded the bar. “You want something to drink? Beer? Wine?”
“I think water might be the smarter choice.”
He grinned and dug a water bottle out of the small stainless steel fridge.
“So all of these guys are your brothers?” she said.
“Brothers by choice, yeah.”
“You know that sounds a little weird, right?”
“Not really.” He cracked the seal on the lid, twisted it off, and set the bottle on the bar in front of her. “Life gives you what you need when you need it. If it hadn’t been for Jace and Axel, my life could’ve gone a whole lot different.”
A big booming voice rang out behind her. “Okay, my brothers. Prepare to lose your bankroll.”
A man as tall as Danny and Zeke strolled into the room, his black hair trimmed tight enough it would almost pass military muster. While his gray T-shirt, jeans and boots were about as unremarkable as a wardrobe choice could get, the muscles underneath the T were oh-my-God eye-catching. It wasn’t overdone like in one of those bodybuilding magazines, but it was still enough to make even the cockiest of bastards take a step back and reevaluate getting in the guy’s face.
Beside him was what Gabe had always imagined a hot nerd would look like. Tousled dark blond hair, solid, but lean body, and sharp, aristocratic features.
The two waved at Zeke and Gabe and commenced much hand slapping and high fives with everyone at the table.
Wild & Sweet (The Haven Brotherhood) Page 7