"I wasn't close enough to you to see," Conner said.
Harrison wrapped his hand around his waist. "You screamed traitor right before the bomb exploded."
Again he thought about the gun that was pointed at him, but this time he remembered a USB in Maddox's hand. Suddenly the scene played out and the entire moment clicked in his head. Maddox had set Colt up to die though Belle pulled him out. Conner had chased Maddox to get his hands on the USB that had his information when the bomb detonated, and they were all almost killed.
He gazed up at his friends and whispered, "I don't think Maddox was taken to prison that day, if ever. Everything was a blur.”
Conner nodded and glanced at his sister Olivia. “True and we all moved on, intending to forget.”
“Agreed. I started my tech firm in Internet security because I kept seeing codes in my head that could hurt our countries Internet infrastructure. Banks are my biggest clients. Maddox took a program I had worked on at the time."
Harry then asked, "His sister is looking at you with wide eyes. Are you sure she's not a spy for him?"
The thought hadn't crossed his mind about Megan. He'd been fascinated with the curve of her hips. As he thought about her, nothing came to mind but she was being honest. "I don't think so, but I ran a background check on her to be sure."
"Let us know if anything changes," Harrison said.
Conner stared at Olivia who blushed and turned her attention toward their mom.
Gabe needed to get Megan out of here before anyone asked him about them. He had no answers at the moment other than he wanted to spend more time with her and there was no way she was a willing spy for her brother. He shook his father's hand and once he finished, he turned and hugged his mother one more time. "Mom. Dad. I'm glad you're good."
His father said, "Take care of Megan, Gable. In turning in her own family, she chose to do the right thing. I admire courage in a woman."
Wise words though his father lived in a different era with his comments sometimes. Gabe choked on his thought. "I will, Dad."
With a yawn, his father said, "Come back tomorrow. We're both tired, but we want to talk at length with your pretty woman."
How he didn't blame Megan at all was exactly what he always expected of his father. He nodded and said, "Yes sir."
"Your father seems nice." Megan followed him to the door.
"Now." He nodded at his friends who waited in the hall. He'd speak to them tomorrow about the jobs they were doing for him. Right now, he held out his arm that she latched onto from the simple gesture. "Growing up he was demanding. Age has mellowed him."
As they cleared the first door and headed to the elevator, her face went white and she stopped midstride. Then she tugged his arm. "Wait."
"You're pale." He placed his hand on the small of her back.
She pointed toward the elevator corridor with a lot of people who passed each other. "My brother. He was just there."
He glanced everywhere but saw no sign of Maddox. With all the people, it was hard to see everyone. He turned her around and walked her toward his parent's room. "Let's get back. Olivia and Conner and Harrison are there."
She nodded and tugged on his shirt. "Call 911."
He picked up his phone and dialed as he glanced at Megan's pocketbook. If Maddox was here, he knew they were here. He opened the door to hold it. "Conner, guard the door."
His former Marine friends all stood taller and on edge while he explained to the police.
Harrison ensured his parents beds were together and asked, "What's happening?"
Megan answered his friend at the same time he talked to the police. "Maddox is here."
"What's going on?" His mother asked with a yawn.
Megan hugged her waist, but his mind raced. "This is all my fault."
"How?" Megan placed her hand on his back the moment he hung up the phone. He stared at his mother and father who held hands.
The image of standing in the desert as he reached for Maddox. In that flash, Belle screamed and he turned. A second later in his memory the explosion rocked and he fell backward. When he had looked for Maddox, he was gone.
"This is not your fault. I'm sure you did everything you could." Her words brought him back to the present.
His friends guarded the door until the police knocked.
After the police took their statements, and they went to check, Megan whispered to him, "I should have put him in a mental institution or something. Now I'm afraid of what he'll do and afraid of what happens if he's not arrested."
He reached out and took her hand. "You're with me now. I'll keep you safe."
It seemed too soon as his family and friends and Megan huddled together to play cards. Minutes ticked past until his sister put her hand down and said, "The police are back."
The officer nodded. "We've checked the halls and have police assigned everywhere. We haven't seen Maddox Murdock. He must have escaped."
Or he knew he couldn't get through his defenses. Again he glanced at Megan's pocketbook. If he wanted to track someone he'd use their phone. He hugged his parents and placed his hand on his friend's back to "Harrison, you're in charge of my parents. Stay in contact with the police. He cannot get to them."
He picked up his hand of cards and said, "Relax, Gabe. Go home with your girl. I've got this."
His jaw ticked, but seconds later he turned to his friend guarding his sister. "Conner..."
Conner waved him off and stared at his sister. "I'll keep Olivia safe. Go."
Everything was in order. He placed his hand on her back and asked, "Ready, Megan?"
Without a word, he guided Megan through the door, with security. In silence they made their way to the parking garage. "Where are we going?"
She must be scared. He winked at her. "Home, to check on your cat."
The moment he opened her door, she said, "Gabe, I swear I saw him."
"I believe you." He closed her door and hopped into the driver’s side. He started the engine. "The bigger question was why was he at the hospital."
She placed her bag on the floor. "I don't know."
He glanced at it one more time. "Has he ever used your phone?"
"My cell phone?" She reached inside her bag and fished it out. As she stared at it, she bit her front lip lightly. "I think he did at Mom's funeral."
He reached out and took it from her. "I'm going to trash your phone and we'll buy you another."
Without more explanation, he opened the car door, placed it under the tire, closed his door and reversed. The crack of electronics rang in the air. "You ran it over."
He opened his door and confirmed he’d smashed it into shards. Done, he closed the door and drove off, "I think he installed a tracker."
She glanced backward. "If he's following me then he knows we are in the parking lot."
"Buckle up." He sped faster.
If Maddox had a tracker in her phone, he’d already know he'd take her home, but starting now, Maddox would have no idea of his next move.
Chapter 6
"Is Anakin here?" Megan asked at the same time Gabe opened the front door to his palace of a home. She left his side and searched the house. Near the door and the closet, she spotted a litter box. The moment she came to the kitchen, she saw a stainless-steel tray with cat food. Her cat should be here, somewhere.
"He should be," Gabe called out as he went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She continued to search and opened her bedroom door. Anakin was nowhere to be found.
The day she took the cat home, he stayed hidden for three days until he figured out his surroundings. He was a stay-at-home type.
She pressed her lips together and stood in the hall. A fraction of a second later, she saw how his door was slightly opened. It must be the master bedroom. She called out, "Gabe."
"Yeah?" He came around the corner holding a glass of water.
She pointed to the door that she didn't dare cross. "Is that your room?"
He gul
ped his water, briefly disappeared from view, and finally returned to the hallway without the glass. The moment he opened the door, she held still. His eyes widened and his pupils grew smaller. "He's on my pillow."
Anakin was there. She breathed and finally dared to pop her head in for a second. While her gaze adjusted to the dark room, she saw her cat was fast asleep on his white sheets. With her lips pressed together, she turned and stared at Gabe as she gripped the door frame. "He's just a cat."
The second he shrugged, she relaxed. "Let's get a beer, relax and I'll figure out how to wrestle my pillow back."
Once he returned to stand near her, she pressed her hand on his wrist. "Thank you for letting my cat stay with us. There are many people who hate cats."
He winked and watched her. Her face must be red, but he kept his lips closed and led her into the kitchen. Near the island, he let her go, and went toward the food. She stayed near the counter. "I never had one, but the rumor about women with cats permeates our culture."
The tiles were cold under her tired soles. She slipped a foot out of her shoe and let it curl higher on her other leg. "Then maybe you can kiss me and judge for yourself whether I fit the profile?"
The door to the refrigerator closed. He came closer and his finger brushed against her cheeks. "Are you sure?"
Her heartbeat sped up. Tonight she was here and safe. She opened her lips and closed her eyes. "I know this just for the night and there are no promises..."
"Don't..." He said as he massaged her shoulders.
She opened her eyes. Once again, she imagined more than he offered. She let out a soft sigh. "Gabe, I just need to feel your warmth next to me. We don't have to do anything."
He let his hands fall to the sides and pointed her toward the couch. "Then let's not rush. Do you want beer or a glass of wine?"
She slipped her shoe on but followed directions, though she couldn't sit on the couch. She went toward the windows and stared at the night sky and how it blended with the ocean in the horizon. "Beer is good. Sometimes wine can go straight to my head."
He came and placed a Corona with a lime next to him. She glanced at the usual light beer served in Florida under the heat and sun and met his gaze while he sat. "Megan, I know you're an accountant. Where did you go to school?"
She hugged her waist but left the window. Next to him would be warm, but she couldn't decide. "FSU. You?"
"Columbia."
Of course. New York all the way. She stood in front of him but swayed on her feet. "So what made you move from New York to Miami?"
"It's cheaper to incorporate in Florida and I like it here."
She dropped her hands to her sides while she descended into the seat next to him. "What did you major in?"
All around her, she could smell cedar and her heart slammed in her chest. "Computers..."
"Right." She interrupted but her skin felt electrified and warm. She pushed her own hair out of her face. "I get nervous near you when you look at me like that."
He blinked and put his drink down. "Like what?"
Perhaps he flirted with everyone he ever met, but the buzz inside her pushed her to continue. "Like you want to kiss me."
With his lips close to hers, he let his hand drop in her lap. "You asked me..."
Her face grew hot as she lowered her lashes. Her trip over the hot coals continued, so she shifted uncomfortably and slipped her shoes off. She decided to sit on her feet, but it didn’t help her. "I did. Every time you kiss me, I want more."
His blue eyes grew darker as he stayed close, like he wanted to touch her. Again she felt the energy that he'd kiss her, but this time she kept her gaze on him. "Megan, we probably shouldn't."
Everything she felt must be one-sided. She stilled and tried to dampen her attraction. "You're right. We shouldn't. You and I will never work."
"Not what I meant." He cupped her face.
Before she could ask a question, his lips met hers and it felt like he branded her. Her legs uncurled from under her and she leaned in for more. His arms held her tight, like she was the Christmas present he wanted to unwrap all at once, while his lips trapped hers.
"Wow," she said, once the kiss ended. She meant to lower her legs toward her shoes, but somehow she spread her legs across his lap and he massaged her heels.
He continued the circular motion. "I've not acted myself since I met you."
Goosebumps coated her arms and body again. The admission lay between them. She sat straighter and inched to take her legs back, but his massage made her soles feel fresh. "How?"
"I never let a woman get under my skin." He moved his hands higher on her legs.
Soon, he'd get to her skirt. This was it. She swallowed and said, "I would never hurt you."
She blinked as she tugged his shirt off and saw the old wounds that he had on his left side that traced around to his back. She placed her hand on it and felt his warm skin ripple under her touch. "I like your battle scars. It's sexy."
"I don't like talking about what happened," he admitted but a second later he leaned forward and kissed her. In his arms, she was safe and felt she was comfortable with him in a way she hadn’t been with anyone else. His strong shoulder muscles trembled under her soft grip. His lips tasted like honey and she craved more. The moment they came for air, she tasted him on her lips still, like he was a hot drink made just for her. "Mmm-hmmm."
Dimples appeared on his face when his hands traced her legs. Everything felt perfect, and she liked how her body bloomed from how he glanced at her waist and chest.
Yes. Tonight she was his. She moved her hands to brush against his face and her fingers traced his lips.
He lifted her shirt and kissed her stomach. No one ever made her feel this warm.
Chapter 7
Megan stretched, opened her eyes, and glanced at the window. It was bright outside, but there must be a filter that blocked those heavy rays. She heard the door open and close her eyes to pretend to sleep. A moment later, she felt the mattress sag next to her hip. She shifted, but she felt Gabe's warm hand on her arm as he asked, "Megan, are you awake?"
"I am now." She smiled as she stretched her arms for the second time. "Is everything okay?"
He nodded. "Your brother..."
"What now?" she interrupted and sat up. Her heart beat a mile a minute and it felt like the air around her refused to go into her lungs. She reached out to hold Gabe's hand.
"He hacked your work email."
Suddenly she could breathe again.
At least he wasn't dead, but she pressed her lips together to not even whisper that out loud. Her brother needed to be stopped. She tilted her head and blinked, as she wasn't ready to think. "What?"
He sat at the edge of the bed. "I set up a trace for how he found us at the hospital. I assumed it was your phone, but did you get your work email delivered there?"
"Yeah." If Gabe could trace her phone to her email, all digitally, then she understood why data mattered and why his company was relevant in today's world. "But I was told to keep in touch with my boss through emails at all hours."
He scooted closer and she felt warmer from his nearness. "I have to call Morgan Enterprises and speak to the CEO but I wanted to let you know first."
He stood and she followed. He could see the huge T-shirt of his that she borrowed to sleep in last night. "Why?"
He reached out and traced the sleeve of her—well his—shirt. "My corporation charges a lot of money for Internet security and I'm going to have to use your name in my recommendations to them."
She lowered her face. This wasn't that exciting and she had no right to hope for a kiss. "Is that why you woke me up?"
He pressed his hand on her shoulder and she looked at him. "No, I wanted to see you."
"Now that sounds good." A huge grin grew on her face and she came closer.
His lips came close to hers and she closed her eyes. Then he lightly kissed her, and she felt safe. For a second, everything else didn't matter, but the fee
ling dissipated the moment his lips left hers and he stepped away. He stood with his feet pointed to the door, but turned his neck and gave her a small smile. "No, I don't think you understand. Get dressed. I want to talk to you."
"Okay." She gazed at his strong shoulders as he walked toward the bedroom door. She called out, "Let me get dressed."
At the door, he reached out into the hallway and moved a few plastic bags on the desk in his bedroom. She wondered where those bags came from for a moment because they were not there last night. Once he put them all down, he said, "I had my assistant drop off clothes for you. Please pick something new and meet me for breakfast."
"Really? Okay. Give me a minute." Whatever was in the bag, hopefully this fit better than the last outfit she bought online, and her eyes widened because she opened and stared at the first label. Valentino. Her hand trembled. This was not in her budget. Her heart sped up, but Gabe was already outside and she couldn’t protest the purchase.
She left the packages on the bed and went to clean herself. If she wore these, she could pretend to be in his world easier. She went out and selected white pants and a blue, flowy shirt that made her feel soft. If she had to, she'd dip into her savings account to pay Gabe back. Right now, she wondered if he thought she looked good. She opened the door and followed her nose that instantly smelled coffee and made her stomach grumble.
"I'm here."
Gabe returned to the kitchen and placed his hand on her back as he leaned forward and handed her a cup. "Megan, last night..."
"We don't have to talk about..." She licked her lips and focused on the coffee. It would taste heavenly.
He walked next to her while they made it to the kitchen nook table and he pulled out her chair. "We do though. I have something I want us to be clear on."
She sipped the coffee finally, and the taste made her forget where she was for a split second. The moment passed so she blinked and stared into those sexy, blue eyes of his and asked, "What?"
He reached out for her hands. She stared at his palms, put her coffee down and reached out for him. Then he traced her knuckles. "First, I want to let you know I'm running a background check on you."
Tempting Gabe (The Hawke Fortune) Page 4