by Tawny Weber
“And you’re back home? The old man finally coaxed you into the fold, huh?”
Caleb’s grin was just as wicked as Gabriel’s own. With nothing but a slight inclination of his head, he invited his younger brother to look over his shoulder.
Glancing past his brother, it was all Gabriel could do not to cry. He actually felt the tears welling up behind his eyes.
“Say it ain’t so,” he murmured with a pathetic shake of his head. “You’re trying to kill us, aren’t you?”
Caleb laughed, following his gaze to look at the sheriff’s car parked behind the ’Vette. “Once a rebel.”
“Yeah, but at least before you had the decency to rebel elsewhere. Now you’ve brought it home? You hate Dad that much?”
It’d been bad enough when Caleb had come home right after college graduation to announce that he was joining the DEA.
At least that’d taken him away from California. But now he was back, rubbing his legal activities in Dad’s face day in and day out? And they thought Gabriel had issues?
“Dad always said we all have to take our own path,” Caleb said with a shrug.
“I don’t think he meant for those paths to cut his off at the pass.”
“He can take care of himself.”
Gabriel considered his brother’s face. Caleb had always had a very concrete sense of right and wrong, made all the more obvious since the rest of the family’s was so fluid. Given the problems Hunter said were facing their father, which path would Caleb choose? The one that defended family, no matter what the evidence? Or the one that locked the cell door?
“Maybe Dad can take care of himself,” Gabriel acknowledged slowly. “But he’s got his blind spots. His kids being the main one.”
The warning hovered for a long second. Then Caleb gave a shrug, as if batting it away. “You’re awfully defensive of a man you haven’t bothered to see for yourself in almost a decade,” he pointed out.
It was like getting hit in the face with a bagful of guilt. It wasn’t as if he’d abandoned his old, decrepit father in a sewer somewhere. Yes, he’d left after an ugly fight, determined to prove himself. Sure, he’d been pissed that Tobias had let some trampy bitch horn her way into the family business. But that wasn’t a big deal, dammit. He wasn’t ashamed of the vow, or the drama of it. He was irked that he hadn’t kept it, though.
“I swore I wouldn’t come back until I’d made my point,” Gabriel muttered.
“Tough luck, little brother. We all vowed to stay away and we all blew it. Might as well prepare to take Dad’s gloating like a man.”
“Like you took it?”
“Yep.”
Caleb’s angry vow had been to never return to Black Oak and look at him now, all spiffed up and in charge of the town’s law. Gabriel grinned, feeling a little better. Then the full impact of his brother’s words sank in.
“All of us? Maya’s here, too?” As he mentally watched the stakes climb higher and higher, the tension returned to Gabriel’s shoulders in tight knots. Sure, Hunter had threatened him with trouble for his dad, his brother and sister. But he hadn’t realized they were all cozied up together here in Black Oak, easy targets to that trouble.
For Hunter and the FBI.
Or for whatever asshole was trying to ruin Tobias Black.
“Maya’s in town for the wedding,” his brother stated, the hard line of his jaw softening.
“I can’t believe you’re really getting married.” He didn’t quite know what he thought about the prospect of his badass older brother settling down. “And on Valentine’s, no less. Isn’t wrapping a noose around your neck enough? You have to do it with cupid aiming his arrow at your ass, too?”
Unoffended, Caleb laughed and shrugged. “Pandora’s worth it.”
“Pandora?” Gabriel prompted.
“Pandora Easton.” With a slight inclination of his head, Caleb indicated one of the stores across the street.
Gabriel’s gaze cut across the street to the clever display in the window of Moonspun Dreams. It, too, was all decked out for Valentine’s, although the hearts in that window were crystal and the signage shouted a sale on love potions. Shocked, he glanced back at his brother for confirmation. “The woo-woo queen’s daughter?”
The bar on unbelievable just kept getting higher and higher.
“Yep. That’s Pandora. You’ll like her,” Caleb decreed. “There’s a party at the store tonight. Something about welcoming spring or…” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Whatever it is, you need to come. You can meet her. See Maya. Deal with Dad.”
The twist of Gabriel’s lips was more grimace than smile.
“As you yourself pointed out, I haven’t seen Dad in a while. With good reason, given that things are pretty ugly between us. I doubt you want to ruin your party with our reunion.”
“Pandora’s used to bad behavior,” was all Caleb said.
Gabriel debated. A part of him, the part that missed his family like crazy, wanted to go. Wanted nothing more than to relax, set the games aside and just be himself for a couple hours. But there was too much at stake.
“We need to talk,” his brother said quietly.
Gabriel frowned.
Talk about what? How much did Caleb know about the crime ring playing house at the manor? Did he have a clue that Tobias was being set up for an ugly fall? And how much would he share?
He could push. But his brother used to have the disposition of a granite wall and there was no reason to think that’d changed.
Before he could decide which direction to take, he felt heat. Like the sun breaking through clouds, warming his back with a tingling awareness.
“There you are, sweetie,” a husky voice purred just over Gabriel’s shoulder. “I was starting to worry that you’d gone off to have a good ole time without me.”
Gabriel’s spine turned to steel and he gritted his teeth so hard, he was surprised he didn’t bust one.
He hadn’t fooled her for one damned second, had he?
Turning slowly, he noted the triumphant look in her big blue eyes, the slight mocking tilt of those glossy lips. And realized that instead of fooling her, he’d played right into her hands.
“I missed you,” she said, pressing her body suggestively against his side as she reached up one red-nailed finger to give his chin a chiding tap. She was playing her role to the hilt. “You’re a bad boy, running off without me like that.”
“Maybe you can spank me later,” he suggested dryly.
Amusement broke through her cover for just a second, making her eyes gleam and her lips twitch. But she reeled it in, her eyes taking on that hard edge of a professional. Professional what, he wasn’t sure. FBI agent?
He realized she was playing this for Caleb’s benefit. But what he wasn’t sure of was whether she realized the sheriff she was acting for was yet another of those bad Black boys.
“Did you miss me?” she purred, sliding her hand down his chest with the hint of fingernails. The light scraping, along with the temptation of her touch, put all his senses on full alert. Damn, she was good.
Good enough that Gabriel was having trouble resisting the temptation of her body as it curved into his. She fit perfectly against him, her heels bringing her mouth within kissing distance of his. Her eyes, still tarted up with smudged liner and a heavy coating of mascara, warned him to keep his distance even as her breast warmed his chest.
“You going to introduce your friend?” Caleb prodded, his words just this side of a laugh. Gabriel glanced over to see his brother’s eyes glinting with that evil older-brother glee. Maybe he hadn’t missed family quite as much as he’d initially thought.
Gabriel gritted his teeth, not sure who he was more annoyed with. Danita for acting all sexy to try and force his hand, pushing him to cement her role as his companion publically. Or Caleb for enjoying this so much.
From the look on Blondie’s face, a mix of triumph and absolute confidence that she had his number, she figured she’d won this round.
Which meant she thought he’d lost.
And that wasn’t going to happen.
As much to shake her confidence that she was calling the shots as to throw his brother off track, Gabriel pulled Danita against him. Her eyes rounded, tossing all the angry barbs his way he knew she was dying to say but couldn’t.
He hadn’t planned to go any further. But once her curvy body was hot against his, he couldn’t resist. Their eyes locked on each other, Gabriel lowered his mouth to hers. Just a soft brush of the lips. Once, then twice.
If she’d stayed angry—all the way irritated—he’d have let it go at that. But he saw something deeper in those big blue eyes. Heated desire, mixed with just enough curiosity to push all his buttons.
He couldn’t resist.
He forgot this was a game of one-upmanship. He forgot she was trying to con his family. He even forgot that his brother was standing there.
All he could think about was Danita. His tongue along the soft cushion of her bottom lip, sipping at the sweet flesh like she was the answer to all his dreams.
The desire in her blue eyes flared.
But she was still playing the game. He could feel it in the way she held her body, the provocative angle that gave the impression that she was curled into him, while in reality she was holding him back. Pushing him away.
He slid one finger along her jaw, down the sweet softness of her throat. And took pleasure in the shudder she couldn’t hold back.
Needing more, needing desperately to push her for more, he took the kiss deeper. His mouth slid along hers, coaxing and tempting. After a brief hesitation, her lips softened, her tongue tangled.
Drowning, was all Gabriel could think. He was drowning in her. That thought terrified him. Slowly, reluctantly, he pulled back. And watched her blue eyes blink the passion away in one sweep of those thick lashes.
In an instant, she went from hot to cold. From passionate to calculating.
God, what a woman.
Unable to stop his grin from spreading, Gabriel wrapped one arm around her shoulder to keep her close and turned so they faced his brother.
Caleb was watching, one brow arched and a look of amused patience on his face. Gabriel knew what Danita expected of him. He thought of that clever FBI trap Hunter had outlined. He had a pretty good idea of what his family was up to and just what they were risking here.
He quickly calculated the risk of running a con with the odds this high. With so much at risk.
Then, Blondie’s body warm and soft against his side, he figured what the hell.
“This is Danita,” Gabriel introduced. “She’s my fiancée.”
4
“WHAT THE HELL WERE you thinking?” Danita ranted, pacing the frustratingly short space between the window and the bathroom.
She’d been bitching the same tune for the past half hour. Ever since they left his brother in town. A brother who had a gorgeous smile, a body to rival Gabriel’s for hunky-man-of-the-month, and a look of suspicion so strong in his eyes, she was surprised he hadn’t tried to fingerprint her then and there.
But so far, none of her bitching had resulted in anything other than a shrug out of Gabriel.
“I’m serious,” she insisted. “Why would you tell your brother something like that? Do you not care what’s at stake here?”
She didn’t know if her voice had finally wore him down or if Gabriel had just finished whatever it was that he’d been concentrating on while staring out the window. Either way, something made him turn to face her. One shoulder leaning against the window frame, he gave her a long, bored look.
“What?” he asked. “I was supposed to introduce you to my brother as my hooker? A high-end call girl with a taste for crime?”
Even in her anger, she had to appreciate that he didn’t toss in the third option—to out her as an FBI agent there to break a crime ring. After all, they didn’t know for sure who might be listening. And while Hunter’s files cleared Caleb Black, they didn’t indicate whether he would support the FBI or whether he’d side with his father.
“You were supposed to stick with the relationship we agreed to,” she snapped. “We’re here to gather information, not to weave a wider web of lies.”
“That might work for here,” he said waving his hand around the room to indicate, she supposed, the entire manor and the cover they’d agreed to use for the meetings. “But it wouldn’t work in town and it won’t work for my family.”
“Why? Because they expect you to be cozily settling into domestic bliss with me?”
God, why did that image terrify and exhilarate her in equal parts?
“No. But they don’t expect, and won’t accept, the inclusion of a cheap—or in your case, Blondie, expensive—bimbo at any family events. And since I’m here to clear my father, I’ll be attending a great many family events. Were you planning to wait here in the room?”
Danita hissed, as much over his description, accurate though it was, as for his insight. And his thoughtfulness. He hadn’t hid his feelings. He hadn’t wanted her here, nor had he wanted any part of the case itself. Hunter had blackmailed him, using that family Gabriel was so hot to protect as a lever.
But he was taking steps to make sure she was included. Not only tolerated, but welcomed to whatever family gathering he might attend.
Even though she knew he hadn’t done it to make her life easier, or to help with the case, it was still a nice thing to do. It’d make things easier on his family, and on her.
“It could ruin our cover here,” she said quietly, not letting go of her frown completely. Just because he did something thoughtful didn’t mean she was letting him call the shots on this case.
“Nah. Not when my esteemed colleagues here find out I’m lying about you in order to set my old man up. They think I’m here to screw him over and I’ll be a shoo-in as president of their West Coast criminals club.”
Had she considered him thoughtful?
Horrified, she had to drag her jaw shut.
“You’d do that? Use your family to con these criminals?”
“You are,” he pointed out.
Danita wanted to protest. She was doing her job. She was trying to break a crime ring and maybe, just maybe, catch a notorious con artist.
That the notorious con was Gabriel’s father was beside the point. She wasn’t trying to use him. Just to arrest him.
Before she could decide how to respond to Gabriel—before she could even figure out what she felt about it—there was a knock on the door. Training chilled her eyes and calmed her mind. Confusion cleared, worry disappeared.
This would be contact.
This was why she was here.
Giving Gabriel a warning look, she gave her reflection a quick glance in the mirror. A second to fluff her hair, another to slide one ankle against the other as a reminder that her gun was readily available, and she was ready.
She arched another warning look at Gabriel, then tugged the door open with a sultry smile.
“H’lo,” she murmured.
“Meeting time,” the goon said, ignoring her to look across the room at Gabriel. “Ten minutes. Dining room.”
“We’ll be there.”
Danita held her breath, watching the goon’s frown crease his wide face. She and Hunter had suggested Gabriel try to bring her to the meetings, but they knew the probability he could pull it off was slim. She’d planned for him to wear a wire, at least until she had a chance to bug the meeting room.
“Not we. Just you.”
Gabriel shifted away from the wall, straightening to his full height. It was like watching a warrior pull on armor. He became dangerous. Intimidating. Danita licked her lips. And so damned tempting.
“We. She’s a part of my plan.”
“You’re not here to pitch your plan. You’re here to listen.”
“I have inside connections and pull that none of you could even dream of.” Gabriel’s words were so strong, so assured, that Danita wondered just w
hat he had up his sleeve. “Your little club needs me. So we do things my way. Or I leave.”
It was like watching an ocean liner try to turn on a dime. The guy’s brain was just too slow to keep up, and wasn’t programmed for options other than relaying orders.
“Your neck,” the goon finally said with a shrug. Then he glanced at his watch and said, “Nine minutes.”
Danita closed the door on his retreating back. She took a deep breath, suddenly worried about Gabriel’s safety. Only because he was basically in her custody, she assured herself. Not because she actually cared about the guy.
“What are you planning?” she asked.
“I told you, I’m going to con them all. Make them think I have the inside info to set up my old man. If that’s really their goal, they’ll snap me up. If they want more, I have a few other ideas to play with, too,” he said as he shrugged out of his leather jacket and hung it up.
She wanted to ask what ideas. She needed to know what he was planning.
But then his fingers went to the buttons of his shirt.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Each button revealed more skin. Gorgeous, silky golden skin covered with a light dusting of black hair. Her mouth watered. Then he pulled off the shirt and she swore she felt the room spin a couple times. Gorgeous. Subtle muscles made his broad shoulders and well-toned chest a work of art. His biceps flexed as he bunched the shirt up and tossed it in the laundry bag hanging in the closet before flicking open his suitcase to pull out a fresh black shirt. A quick shake of the fabric to release wrinkles made the muscles of his back dance in the mirror.
She wanted, desperately, to run her tongue over that skin and taste him in tiny, nibbling bites.
“What are you doing?” She hated that her words were breathless, but her mouth was too busy trying not to let the drool slide down her chin to worry about sucking in air.
“Getting ready for the meeting. Appearances are everything, Blondie. You should know that.” He slanted her an amused look that made it clear he knew how he was affecting her. Then, as he pulled his shirt on and strode toward the bathroom, he arched one brow.