Challenging Gabriel (Knight Security 2)

by Carole Mortimer

  Rather than put all his weight on her, Gabriel carefully disengaged and moved to lie beside her. “That was—that was—”

  “It was far from gentle,” she acknowledged, frowning. “I think you may have several scratches down your back to add to your other injury.”

  “What’s a few more scars?” He shrugged. “Besides, I think I inflicted a few telling marks myself.” His fingertips moved lightly over her shoulder, where he could already see a bruise forming on the flesh.

  “I guess neither of us felt like being gentle.” She gave an involuntary yawn. “Can I stay here with you tonight?”

  Gabriel’s arms tightened about her. “No way I’m letting you sleep anywhere else.”

  “Good,” she murmured sleepily as she snuggled closer in his arms.

  It was good, Gabriel realized.

  Better than good.

  Chapter 8

  “What the fuck…?” Gabriel glared across the bedroom the following morning as Ethan let himself into the sunlit bedroom after the briefest of knocks. “Is there no fucking privacy to be had anywhere in this villa!” he muttered as Angel woke and instantly drew the bedclothes up to her chin, a red bloom of color in her cheeks at this intrusion.

  “With thirteen other men in residence? Not likely,” his brother said without apology. “Hi again, Angel.”

  “Hi, Ethan.” She gave a halfhearted wave with her fingers, still clutching the sheet under her chin. “Zander introduced us when we arrived yesterday,” she explained as Gabriel scowled.

  “Ethan?” he barked as his brother continued to stand in the doorway looking at the two of them with obvious amusement.

  “Sorry.” He grinned. “I was just enjoying seeing my big brother look uncomfortable.”

  Gabriel narrowed his eyes. “Well, get over it and give me your report.”

  Ethan sobered. “Sinclair is on the move.”

  Gabriel felt Angel’s tension in the bed beside him. “On the move where? And what the hell time is it?”

  “Nine o’clock in the morning. Must have been some night, huh?” He arched mocking brows.

  “Don’t make me come over there, Ethan!”

  His youngest brother straightened. “A convoy of three black SUVs left Sinclair’s estate a few minutes ago. Ian and Liam are following at a safe distance.”

  “Direction?”

  “Away from the airport.”

  “Misdirection, do you think?”

  “Unconfirmed.”

  “Is Daniel with him?”

  “Not confirmed either.”

  “Do you think Sinclair knows we’re here?”

  “Doubtful.”

  “But not impossible.”

  “No.”

  “Fuck!” Gabriel threw back the bedclothes before standing, unconcerned with his lack of clothing; Ethan had seen him naked dozens of times. Although his brother’s gaze did linger on the gauze dressing on Gabriel’s side. “It’s nothing,” he assured.

  “Doesn’t seem to have slowed you down any, I give you that.” Ethan looked amused as he visually acknowledged Angel’s presence in Gabriel’s bed. “Gabe seems to have a few scratches on his back too—”

  “Ethan!” he grated between clenched teeth.

  His brother held up his hands in surrender. “Just saying.”

  “Then don’t.”

  “Do you think Daniel is with Clive?” Angel prompted worriedly from the bed.

  Gabriel wished he had the words to reassure her as to Daniel’s safety, but until they knew where Sinclair was going and why, they had no way of knowing whether or not Daniel was with the other man. “Have Ian and Liam report in every few minutes,” he instructed Ethan.

  “Already done.”

  Gabriel nodded, having expected nothing less. “I’ll join you as soon as I’ve finished dressing.” He pulled on black boxers and then a pair of black jeans. “This is a good time, with half the security guards accompanying Sinclair, for us to infiltrate the estate and take a look around for ourselves.”

  “I agree.” Ethan nodded. “’See you later, Angel.”

  “Later,” she returned distractedly. “Gabriel?” she prompted once the two of them were alone again.

  He looked up after pulling a black T-shirt on over his head. “I know your first instinct is to want to come with us, that you’re desperate to know if Daniel is still at the villa, but for everyone’s sake, I’m asking you to stay here.”

  Her eyes widened. “You’re asking?”

  “Yeah.” He grimaced. “I’ve realized that giving you orders is counterproductive when it tends to make you do the exact opposite of what I want you to do. So yes, I’m asking you to remain here with a couple of my men for protection.”

  She chewed on her bottom lip. “If Daniel has been left at the estate, he might be frightened when you and your men break in.”

  “Is he most like me or like you?”

  She smiled ruefully. “A lot like both of us…”

  Gabriel nodded. “Then he’ll be fine. As soon as I know anything, I promise you’ll know too.” He crossed the room to sit on the side of the bed, one of his hands lifting to cradle the side of her face. “I promise, Angel.”

  “Okay.”

  “Did you just say okay?”

  She gave a wan smile. “Have I really been that uncooperative?”

  His mouth quirked. “Not all the time, no.”

  Her gaze dropped, and the color deepened in her cheeks. “Go find our son and bring him back to me.”

  Gabriel’s jaw tightened as he rose to his feet. “I’ll make you another promise. If Sinclair has harmed one hair on Daniel’s head, I’ll take him apart piece by piece.”

  Angel felt a shiver down the length of her spine as Gabriel left the bedroom, knowing he meant every word he said.

  Gabriel didn’t know Daniel yet, had never met him, and yet he obviously already felt a paternal protectiveness toward him.

  The next hour of silence, of waiting, was almost as bad as the ones Angel had suffered after Daniel was taken. Last time, she hadn’t doubted for a moment Clive had taken Daniel, and so she had waited to hear from him. To listen to what he wanted in exchange for returning Daniel to her. This time, there were far more unknowns for her to feel anxious about.

  Whether or not Daniel was even on the estate, or if he had been in one of the SUVs with Clive.

  Whether Clive had returned while Gabriel and his men were breaking into the estate.

  Whether anyone had been hurt if he had.

  Whether Gabriel had been hurt.

  So much had happened since she walked into Gabriel’s office at Knight Security two days ago, she’d barely had time to catch her breath.

  Prowling the villa, anxiously waiting to hear from Gabriel, she had nothing but time.

  Seeing Gabriel again after all these years had felt as if she had received a heavy blow to her chest, robbing her of breath for several seconds.

  He was the same Gabriel, and yet not the same. Was no longer that savage warrior who lived his life as if every moment might be his last. There was a veneer of sophistication to Gabriel now, in his tailored suits and silk shirts and ties. A controlled coldness rather than the raw emotion which had once seemed to drive him. To drive them, as they lived and breathed every moment of their brief relationship.

  If Gabriel had changed in the last eight years, then she had changed even more. Once so young and full of anticipation for the future, she had learned to temper her emotions into a cool acceptance, turning herself into the ideal wife of a man as wealthy and powerful as Clive Sinclair.

  Only two days had passed since she had walked into Gabriel’s office, and yet all those changes, the barriers she had built up over the years, had come down last night as they once again made love with that same wild, almost feral, passion.

  Angel, because she knew now she was still as much in love with Gabriel as she had ever been.

  Gabriel, because…

  She knew Gabriel still want
ed her, but she had no idea how he really felt about her now.

  She had misjudged him in the past, distrusted him, and doubted he would come back to her.

  Worst of all, by doing those things, she had denied him the first seven years of his son’s life.

  Gabriel might still desire her, but inside, he must also feel angry with her. Resentful of all she had denied him.

  When this was over—

  The sound of men shouting interrupted her soul-searching as she realized those voices were coming from the courtyard of the villa.

  Gabriel and his men were back.

  With Daniel?

  Oh God, she hoped so.

  There were lots of muscled men in the courtyard when she got downstairs, all of them once again dressed in black, some she recognized and some she didn’t.

  There was no little boy amongst them, just thirteen men.

  Thirteen men.

  And none of them was Gabriel.

  “What do you mean, Gabriel has been taken?” Angel’s eyes were wide in what she was sure had to be her very pale face. “Ash?”

  All three of the Knight brothers had gathered in the coolness of the sitting room, Angel along with them, the rest of the men having dispersed after receiving instructions from Ash. All three brothers were slouched in chairs or on the couch, while Angel remained standing. She was far too tense to sit down.

  Ash returned her gaze calmly. “Exactly what it sounded like, Gabriel was taken by Sinclair’s men.”

  “How?”

  “Obviously, we were expected.”

  “Was Clive there too?”

  “He came back as we were leaving.”

  “Without Gabriel.”

  “Yes.”

  “I thought Ian and Liam were following Clive. Didn’t they let you know they were all on their way back to the estate?”

  “They did, yes.”

  “Then why the hell didn’t you get out of there sooner?” Angel allowed her fierce gaze to roam over Ethan, Ash, and Caleb. They looked far too calm and unconcerned for her liking. “What is wrong with all of you? Why are you all sitting here doing nothing?” she accused. “Gabriel is your brother, and now Clive has him!” And she was now well aware of what sort of monster her estranged husband was.

  Ash nodded. “It all went pretty much according to plan.”

  “To plan?” Angel was aware she was shouting, she just couldn’t seem to stop herself. Clive has Gabriel.

  “Gabriel’s plan,” Ethan confirmed. “What were the chances that, within hours of your arrival in Majorca, Sinclair would decide to leave his estate, taking half his men with him?”

  “I… Well—”

  “He knew we were coming, Angel,” Caleb said quietly.

  She glared at Ethan accusingly. “But you said he didn’t know!”

  “I said it was a possibility.” He shrugged. “Gabriel doesn’t work well with possibilities.”

  “So what you’re saying is, he knew all the time that it could be a trick?”

  “Pretty much.” Ash nodded.

  “And he planned on being taken?”

  “Pretty much,” Ash confirmed dryly.

  “Why would he do that?” She began to pace the tiled floor. “Why would he put himself in danger— Daniel…” She came to an abrupt halt as the realization hit her. “He allowed himself to be taken in the hope he would be able to confirm Daniel’s presence there.”

  “Pretty much.”

  She glared across the room at him. “You may be at least a hundred pounds heavier than me, Ash, and at least a foot taller, but if you say pretty much one more time, I swear I’m going to hit you!”

  “How much do you know about Gabriel’s…previous career?” Caleb interceded.

  Angel frowned. “He told me he was in special ops.”

  “That’s it?”

  “He said he couldn’t tell me any more than that.”

  Caleb grimaced. “But you’ve realized by now that Gabriel is highly trained? Above and beyond any normal soldier?”

  “Isn’t that what special ops means?” she returned impatiently.

  “Would it surprise you to know that Gabriel single-handedly infiltrated the terrorist camp where I’d been held and tortured for over two months and got me out?”

  “He told me he had, yes.”

  “Infiltrated the terrorist camp or got me out?”

  “Surely he had to do one to do the other?” Angel had no idea what this conversation had to do with what was happening now.

  “It’s how he did it that’s important.”

  “He didn’t give me the details.”

  “He wouldn’t have, no.”

  “Well?” she snapped as Caleb added nothing to the statement.

  “Angel…”

  “Don’t use that placating tone with me, Asher Knight, because it isn’t going to work.” She narrowed her gaze on him.

  He sighed. “Gabriel infiltrated the rebel camp by allowing himself to be taken prisoner too, and then freeing Caleb and himself.”

  “Are you saying that’s what he intends doing this time too?” She stared incredulously.

  “Pret— Yes,” Ash corrected as her eyes narrowed in warning.

  “But Gabriel was serious injured rescuing Caleb!”

  “That won’t happen this time.”

  “How do you know?”

  Ash shrugged. “Gabriel won’t allow it.”

  “Won’t allow— Were you all dropped on your heads as babies?” Angel’s disgusted glance swept over all three brothers. “Clive has at least as many men on his estate as you have here, and there is only one of Gabriel.”

  Ethan snorted. “If all Sinclair’s men are like Kramer, then Gabriel could take the lot of them with one arm tied behind his back.”

  “You’re all insane!” Angel threw her hands up in despair. “Clive doesn’t hire men for their ability to play fair. If Kramer is an example of them, then they’re all ex-cons, and they don’t care what Clive asks them to do as long as they get paid for doing it. Gabriel could be being tortured right now.” She turned that last appeal on Caleb, who knew firsthand what it was to be tortured. “Have you all forgotten we were shot at yesterday and Gabriel is already injured?”

  “It’s a scratch,” Ash said.

  “You have to calm down, Angel,” Caleb soothed before she could launch into another attack. “Kramer told us about some caves down on the beach that go directly up into the house, probably used by smugglers in the past. We deliberately didn’t enter the estate that way earlier, so as to leave it as Gabriel’s escape route.”

  “Even supposing he managed to escape—which is a big if—and indestructible as you all seem to believe Gabriel is, I sincerely doubt he can walk on water!”

  “We have one of our men and a boat waiting in the cove just around the headland from Sinclair’s private beach,” Ethan supplied.

  “And how is Gabriel going to get there? Swim?”

  “That’s the plan.” Ash nodded.

  Angel was having trouble breathing. “Gabriel’s plan?”

  “Yep,” Ethan confirmed unconcernedly.

  “You do know that the waters around Majorca have been infested with Portuguese Man o’ War the past few years?”

  “You seriously think Gabriel is going to be bothered by a few jellyfish?” Ethan scoffed.

  She seriously thought these men expected too much of their elder brother. Gabriel was only human, not some sort of superhero, as his brothers seemed to think he was. “These aren’t just jellyfish. Their sting can be lethal. Several people have died this year alone from being stung by them,” she persisted.

  “I’m sure Gabriel took that into account when he came up with the plan. Besides, he’ll have Daniel with him— Ouch!” Caleb broke off as Ash gave his ankle a sharp kick.

  Angel’s eyes widened. “Gabriel is intending to bring Daniel out with him?”

  “That’s the— Yes.” Ash eyed her warily as she gave another warning glare.


  “And what happens”—she forced her tone to remain even, when inside she was screaming—“if by some miracle he and Daniel do get out, what happens then? Because Clive sure as hell isn’t going to take any of this lying down.”

  “Our men are already packing up to leave,” Ash explained. “The jet is waiting on the tarmac to take us all out of here.”

  “You really think that’s going to happen?” Angel asked the question half in hope, half in disbelief.

  “I think you should have a little more faith in Gabriel and his abilities,” he bit out.

  Her chin rose. “I have complete faith in Gabriel. It’s the rest of you I find questionable.”

  Ash snorted. “You and Gabriel are so alike, you were obviously made for each other!”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You had better pray Gabriel makes it out safely, along with Daniel and his nanny, if she’s there. Otherwise, you’re going to find out just how alike we are!”

  Ethan grinned. “I like her.”

  “Me too,” Caleb agreed.

  “As if the opinion of a family of lunatics matters to me!” Angel gave them all one last scathing glance before stomping across the room.

  “Where are you going?” Ash called after her.

  “Down to the beach,” she called back.

  She had no idea why she was going there, because there was no way Gabriel was going to come around the headland in a boat in the next couple of hours with Daniel and Lena seated beside him.

  Chapter 9

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” Gabriel eyed Angel warily once he had ensured Zander had pulled the boat up onto the beach securely, not having said a word before he strode off toward the villa. “Never mind.” He gave a shake of his head. “We can talk about this later, right now we need to get to the airport as quickly as possible—and get the hel—heck,” he substituted quickly as he glanced down at the dark-haired little boy currently being crushed in the arms of a tearfully ecstatic Angel’s, “out of Majorca.”

  “What about our wet clothes?”

  “We can all get changed on the plane.” He ensured she had Daniel safely in her arms before taking a firm hold of Angel’s arm and walking up the beach to where he could see the SUVs were already waiting in the courtyard ready to leave. “What?” he snapped as Angel continued to stare at him as she stumbled along at his side.