by BJ Brandon
"Are you telling me that you saw this interrogation?" He calmly asked Chayle.
"Well of course I did. He came after me, so why wouldn't I watch it?" Kayne realized she was perfectly serious and convinced that there was no earthly reason whatsoever why someone should have not allowed her in the viewing room. He could feel his blood pressure rising as she talked.
"Kayne, you cannot kill Gabriel." Rafe said it very calmly and carefully, like it was every day he told his twin something like this.
"Why in the world would you want to hurt Gabriel?" Chayle asked, moving away from Kayne and looking up at him. She noticed instantly that his eyes were a dark, stormy blue-grey, and his neck muscles were bulging.
"Gabriel can take care of himself," was all Kayne said as he took off out the side door. It was at that point Chayle realized Gabriel was no longer in the room with them, and Rafe was shaking his head.
"Why is Kayne angry at Gabriel? He saved me from that man, he shouldn't hurt him." She started to go after the men and Rafe grabbed her around the waist, barely holding her.
"Kayne won't hurt him - much. He's just mad because Gabriel didn't get you out of the viewing room and allowed you to stay through the interrogation." Struggling to hold her in place.
"He didn't have a choice. I made him take me in there and I wouldn't leave." She screamed, trying to stomp on Rafe's foot.
Rafe took her back to the chair she had been sitting in and made her sit in it, standing in front of it so she could not move. When she could finally breathe, Chayle looked up to see a faint smile on those lips so much like his twins.
"What?" she growled.
"You will give my brother a run, but he so deserves you. Come, let us get you back up to the house before it gets too dark. The men are checking all of the grounds and check points. Kayne should be back within the hour."
Rafe took her hand and guided Chayle back into the house. Something smelled good coming from the kitchen and she realized just how hungry she was now. The kitchen was bright and filled with people as preparations were being made for supper. An older lady worked at the double stove stirring a couple of large pots. One looked to have pasta and the other a wonderful smelling sauce.
"Well, young lady. You must be Kayne's girl. I'm Clara and I do most of the cooking around here." Clara's motherly arms encircled Chayle and pulled her against an ample bosom. "Welcome and come give a hand. These guys all have two left feet and several thumbs but they can help, too." Clara handed Chayle the large spoon she was stirring the sauce with and moved over to one of the ovens.
One of the younger men came over to assist her in taking out several large sheet pans of what smelled like garlic bread and Chayle's stomach growled again. In less time than it took to set the table, the bread was cut and ready for dinner, the sauce and pasta plated, and drinks poured. Just as everyone was washing up Kayne and Gabriel came in the back door.
Gabriel was sporting a black eye and a spit lip but he had a smile a mile wide when he saw what was for dinner. Kayne did not look much better. His clothes were ripped and muddy where Gabriel's were not and his mouth looked swollen.
"Oh no you don't, scamps. You are not sitting at my table all muddy and bloody. Off with you and wash!" Clara made shooing motions to both grown men.
"Well, are you happy now?" Chayle said loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.
Both men looked embarrased for only a minute before bursting into laughter. She only shook her head and told them to go wash up before sitting down. It was a unique experience sitting at the large table with so many huge men eating. Clara sat next to her so she did not feel like the only female at the table. However, talk was of weapons and training, programs and sports. Typical testosterone-type conversation, to say the least, but once everyone had eaten Rafe motioned for silence.
"We need to double security for a bit, and check on the other outposts to ensure no one has tried to breach them." He looked around the table as everyone nodded except Chayle, who was stunned by the silence.
"What outposts?" she asked but no one answered.
"Kayne, you need to keep a closer eye on your woman. She is a handful, to say the least. Especially if they still want to get their hands on her!" The grin Rafe shot Chayle was payback for the foot stomp, she was convinced but she did not take offense.
"No worries, brother. She's mine. They can't have her!" was all Kayne growled.
"Good, because I'm afraid we haven't heard the last of the one called the Master, and we still have to figure out what they wanted with Chayle and those other young girls."
Everyone agreed as they helped clear the table and drifted in their own directions for the evening.
Chapter Sixteen
Chayle leaned against Kayne's broad chest as they curled up on the chase lounge under the stars on the balcony, listening to night sounds on the warm evening. Somewhere in the distance, an owl called its mate and was answered not long after. Chayle shivered, and Kayne wrapped his strong arms around her. She could not believe that only a short while ago she was alone and terrified, unable to free herself. Now she had a mate, someone who could feel her inner most emotions, thoughts, and dreams. It terrified her even more that she might not measure up to what might be ahead of them.
"What has you so quiet, Corazon?" Kayne's warm breathe brushed her ear lobe and made her shiver again, this time with something more.
"You know I have to find this maniac, don't you?"
"Love . . . "
"No!" she stopped him. "I have to be a part of this, no matter what, Kayne!" Chayle turned so she could look into those unique blue eyes that had captured her soul so he could see how serious she really was about this, how much it meant to her.
"He tried to take something from me that wasn't his to take and I have to make sure he can never do that to another person again! You have your honor that you live by! So do I." She touched his cheek and kissed those lips that drew her every time she looked at them. "This is my honor code, and I have to be a part of it, too."
"On my life, I will protect you no matter what happens. You know that, right?" he whispered, taking her lips in a crushing kiss. When they could breathe once more, Kayne realized his woman was smiling up at him.
"Well of course! Why else would you be my hero?"
Kayne proceeded to remind her of just why she loved this man of her's so much.