Badger stopped chewing and stared at Gabriel. “You’re shitting me.”
Gabriel took a long pull of his coffee. “Nope. What’s more, she had another vision while here. Harley found the body. A hit man going by the name of John Crump.”
“You’re buying this fucking story?”
Gabriel sighed. “Not at first. And I admit I still have a few doubts whether or not someone is out to kill her. But I’m not a real big fan of coincidence and I’d have to be to totally dismiss her claim of visions. Kalesia had a vision of her murder and reported it. Within a week someone, pro enough not to leave obvious clues, breaks into her home. She has another vision and the body of a hit man is found.”
Badger poured syrup over the fresh stack of pancakes. “Look, Gabe. How do you know she isn’t playing you? Didn’t kill the man herself?” He stabbed the fork in Gabriel’s direction. “I mean, sure, she’s pretty and looks like she wouldn’t say boo to a gnat. But she’s fucking you, man. How can you be sure she isn’t fucking with your mind too?”
Gabriel reminded himself that Badger was his friend. Had been for years. The urge to smash his face didn’t fade. “Let’s get one thing very clear.” He spoke very softly. “You will treat her with respect. If you can’t, get the fuck out of my house now.” He flattened his palms on the table.
Wolf spoke up. “Take it easy. It’s a legitimate question.”
Gabriel faced Wolf. “Kalesia didn’t murder anyone.”
“How do you know?”
“My word isn’t good enough?”
“You know it is.” There was no room for doubt in the reply.
Something inside Gabriel relaxed. “I know because she was with me during the period Crump was murdered.” He held up a hand. “And before you ask, she spoke or contacted no one.”
“You really think she’s psychic?” Sam’s hazel eyes were curious.
“Let’s just say I’m open to the possibility.”
“And she believes someone wants to off her?”
“Yes.”
“What do you want us to do?”
Engrossed in outlining his strategy, nevertheless Gabriel wasn’t surprised when Kalesia placed a hand on his shoulder. He seemed to have developed a sixth sense, some weird kind of radar, where she was concerned. He looked up, sliding his arm around her waist.
“This a private conversation or can anyone join?”
Amusement lightened his mood at the amazed blink of eyes at Kalesia’s attire. This morning she’d chosen skin-tight jeans in a vivid shade of yellow. Her shirt was a loud pattern of turquoise and green. He noted with satisfaction that she’d once again wound her hair in a neat braid on top of her head.
The surge of possessiveness he felt about that silky length of fire surprised him. He didn’t want other men admiring it. Not even his friends. Hell, who was he kidding. Especially not his friends. He pulled her closer, choosing to ignore the other men’s open amusement at his blatant show of possession.
“We were just discussing how to go about tracing John Crump’s movements.”
“I need a place to spread out and to set up my laptop.” Sam stood. He tossed his jacket over his shoulder and snagged his hard-shelled computer case from beside his chair. Already, his hazel eyes had that familiar intent, focused expression Sam got when on a new case.
“Last room on the right. It has a fax and a dedicated line.” Gabriel planned to turn the bedroom into an office. When he got around to it.
“I’ll get started immediately.” Sam left the room with a swift, silent glide.
A crease formed between Kalesia’s brows. “Why do I get the feeling I’m going to seem as graceful as a flounder on a waxed floor compared to everyone else in this group?”
* * * * *
Tears streamed down Kalesia’s cheeks. Gasping with laughter, she held one hand to her side. “Stop,” she pleaded. She wiped beneath her eyes with her fingers. “Did you,” she twisted so that she faced Gabriel, on the sofa beside her, “did you really—” She went into gales of laughter again. Gabriel waited with stoic patience for her to regain control. It had been like this since they’d all gathered for supper.
Damn. What was the reason he wanted Sam here again? At the moment, it escaped him.
“Did you really pose as a eunuch in a sheik’s harem?” It was clear she was choking back laughter. “I was under the impression eunuchs had gone the way of top hats and dodos. You know, extinct.”
“So was I until the sheik found me in his third and youngest, wife’s bedchamber.”
Sam started chuckling.
A dull heat climbed his neck as Gabriel realized how that sounded. “It wasn’t like that, dammit,” he growled, a reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I was trying to hide hotshot here.” He leveled a ferocious frown at the unrepentant Sam. “I should have left you there. See how amusing you’d have found it when the sheik discovered you under his bed! Tell her the rest. Tell her how you were as weak as a kitten when we ducked into the sheltered courtyard to escape a patrol.” Sam had been beaten half to death and starved. Gabriel had to carry him from the prison after breaking him out.
Sam held up on hand and placed the other over his heart. “Honest to God’s truth. Gabriel only went into her room to save me. Why, you should have seen his face when he came across the lovely lady in her bath. Didn’t even peek once.”
“Shut up.”
“I was just telling her the full story.”
“Well, stop.”
“Ignore him. I want to hear the story.” Kalesia shot Gabriel a significant look. “The full story.”
Gabriel gave in to the inevitable. No one was going to listen to his protests anyway. He settled her more firmly against his side and leaned back. Might as well be comfortable. He had the sneaking suspicion it was going to be a long night.
Over an hour later, Gabriel groaned silently. Son of a bitch. He hated it when he was right. All three men, egged on by Kalesia’s eager questions, damn near came to blows to see who could tell the most outlandish tale. It might have been amusing if most of them hadn’t been about him.
To think he’d worried his friends might embarrass or insult Kalesia. No, he shouldn’t have worried about that at all. Instead, he should have worried about how to keep Kalesia from corrupting his friends beyond recovery.
Gabriel’s attention snapped back when he heard Badger saying, “And then this REMF told Gabriel—”
“What’s a REMF?”
Gabriel slapped his palms over Kalesia’s ears before Badger could answer. He shot his friend a glare that shut the man’s mouth with a snap. “Don’t. Don’t even think about it,” he advised.
Kalesia pulled free. She looked from one man to the other. “I want to know what a REMF is.”
Badger held his hands in the air. “Hey, don’t look at me. I want to live to see morning.” He grinned, obviously enjoying her frustration.
Kalesia turned to Wolf.
“Uh-uh. Not me. I’ve seen Gabe fight.”
“Well, what about you?” she asked Sam. “What excuse are you going to use?”
“Me? I’m a peace-loving guy. I don’t like the sight of blood. Especially my own.”
Kalesia snorted. Before he could stop her, she grabbed his wrist and removed his arm from around her shoulders. She stood and surveyed the group of men. One toe began to tap. “Are you really going to let Gabriel intimidate you all like this?” As one, they nodded.
“Men,” she sniffed. “My Siamese, Tia, has more backbone than any one of you. You,” she pointed at Gabriel as he gained his feet, disturbing said Siamese curled on his leg in the process, “you can stay here with your buddies. Male bonding and all that. I,” she informed him, “am going to bed.”
He watched the sway of Kalesia’s hips until she was out of sight.
Wolf let out a long, low whistle. “A temper to go with that red hair. Got your hands full with that one.” Tia, crackle-blue eyes glaring, jumped onto Wolf’s lap. She
turned around twice then curled into a ball, her nails out just enough to make it clear she was not going to tolerate her bed getting up and walking away again.
“A witch with an attitude. She’d run me ragged if I let her.” Gabriel smiled, a predatory showing of his teeth. “Fortunately, I find that I have an aptitude for witch-taming.” Gabriel started up the stairs, the sweet fire of anticipation tightening his gut.
Damn, it felt good knowing she was waiting for him. It was a unique feeling. Strange but satisfying. One that he could get used to all too easily.
One he would miss when she was gone.
Gabriel shoved that depressing thought into a mental closet with all the other depressing thoughts. Thoughts like how much it was going to hurt when she left. If he felt alone before, what would it be like when she was gone? And with still other, more dangerous thoughts, like what if she didn’t find out?
He shut and locked the bedroom door. The bedside lamp was on its lowest setting. His clothes straggled in an untidy trail to the bed. Gabriel was in bed, his mouth on her breast when Kalesia said, “Rear Echelon Mother—” He sealed her mouth with his own, smothering her delighted laughter.
Not until laughter had turned to pure, hot need did he lift his head. A hint of lingering laughter vied with passion in the vivid green eyes. “Okay, spill it. How did you learn the meaning of REMF?”
Kalesia scooted down until she could touch the tip of her tongue to his nipple. Gabriel refused to be distracted.
“I,” she announced against his skin, “have connections.”
His nipple puckered as each word puffed warm air over the sensitive nub. He managed, barely, to retain his train of thought. “Don’t keep me in suspense.” He restrained a shudder when she bit down with exquisite care.
“I called Tom Harley.”
“You what?” Gabriel came up onto both elbows, disbelief pulling his brows together. “At one thirty in the morning?”
“Uh-huh.” She sucked on the spot between the swell of his pectoral muscles. “By the way, you better go see Tom and apologize. I might have,” she moved to the other nipple, one tiny kiss at a time, “implied you said to ask him.” She shimmied to the side, a look of impish innocence on her face.
“Damn, woman, that was just plain mean. After years of working the graveyard shift, Tom likes his sleep. Not to mention,” he growled in mock displeasure, “you’ve landed me squarely on his shi— On his list of least favorite people.”
She didn’t look the least bit worried. Small, neat teeth flashed. “Oh, before I forget. Is he married?”
“No, not anymore. Why?” he asked. A distinct tinge of wariness sprang to life at the mischievous gleam in her eye.
“Oh dear. In that case, it might be safer if you called instead of seeing him in person. Tom wasn’t asleep. Nor was he alone.”
Gabriel couldn’t help it. He began laughing. He was still laughing when Kalesia slid one silky thigh up the inside of his and pushed on his shoulders. He obligingly rolled over, bringing her with him so that she ended up on top. He cupped one hand around the back of her head and exerted just enough force to lower her mouth so that he could take it.
Slow. Deep. Thorough. He tasted her, teasing her tongue into playing with his. His free hand palmed her breast, savored its weight. She arched, pressed deeper into his palm. Tonight he planned to take his time. No headlong rush into the fire but a long, slow fall.
Gabriel looked forward to the drop.
Lips pressed to his, she asked, “Why are you smiling?”
Smiling? Hell, he was probably grinning like an idiot. Gabriel found he didn’t care. He couldn’t ever remember being this contented. “Because I want to.” Their breaths mingled. The moment had a heart-stopping intimacy he’d never experienced before.
She pulled back little, searched his eyes. “You say that like it is unusual.”
“It is.”
Her voice deepened, became sultry. “Then let me see if I can make you smile again.”
It wouldn’t take much, he knew. Already, he could feel a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Hmm.” Kalesia folded her hands on top of his chest. She propped her chin on them and stared at him solemnly, as if she were contemplating the mysteries of the Sphinx. Her eyes, though, were sparking with mischief.
“You have to promise not to move.”
Now, that sounded downright promising. He spanned her waist with his hands and waited to see what she’d do.
“Can you do that?” she purred, her voice deep and throaty.
Oh, hell yeah. He could do that. “Sugar, I can take whatever you dish out.”
One elegant brow arched. “Is that a challenge? Are you certain you’re up to it?” Slender fingers twirled and tangled in his chest hair. She acted as though she didn’t realize what she was doing. The little witch knew exactly what she was doing. And the effect she was having on him. It wasn’t like he could hide his growing erection.
“Up to it?” One of them was up, that was sure. He stifled a groan when she put her index finger in her mouth and sucked on it. He couldn’t take his eyes off her mouth as her cheeks hollowed around the slender digit. The inside of his mouth went as dry as dust at the crystal clear memory of the last time he watched her cheeks work around something.
She pulled her finger out of her mouth with a soft pop that made his cock jerk and swell even more. In the muted light of the bedside lamp, her finger glistened. She swirled it over his collarbone, painting him with moisture. She leaned down and blew softly.
Damn, who knew his collarbone was an erogenous zone. Fine chills raced across his flesh and his cock nudged her thigh, begging for attention. He buried his hands in the cool fire of her hair and tried to guide her mouth down to his aching flesh.
“Ah, ah, ah. You moved.” Her eyes laughed down at him.
Son of a bitch. That quickly, he’d forgotten. Gabriel dropped his hands back to her waist. “I won’t again,” he promised.
She was shaking her head. “Too late.” She tilted her head to one side. Her hair flowed across his chest, tangled in the dark hair on his chest and pooled across his throat in a fragrant, silken puddle. Gaze bright, she grasped one of his wrists in each hand and sat up. He sucked in a breath when he felt her wet heat against his stomach. This close, he could smell the sweet scent of her arousal, see the drops of moisture gleam in the deep red hair of her pussy.
She shifted forward, urging him to wrap his hands around the carved posts in the headboard. Gabriel heard the slide of a drawer. His attention was focused elsewhere, though. Like the luscious breasts swaying in front of his face, the tight nipples just begging to be taken into his mouth.
“Son of a bitch!” In the blink of an eye, his passion was replaced by cold, lethal rage. “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Kalesia froze mid-tie, one end of the scarf in each hand. The cheerful yellow and white swirl looked ridiculously feminine against the hair-sprinkled width of Gabriel’s wrist.
She looked down, into a cold, completely contained expression. She forgot to exhale.
“Get. It. Off. Me.” Each word dripped with lethal intent.
Air rushed out of her lungs as she scrambled to remove the scarf. The tips of her fingers brushed the ridges of old scars as she fumbled with the half-formed knot.
Kalesia closed her eyes in remorse. Oh, sweet mercy. How could she be so stupid?
Opening her eyes, she finished untying the scarf. The delicate material caught on one of the intricate carvings and ripped in half. Just like her heart. Kalesia swore she actually felt her heart tear as, behind the contained rage in his silver eyes, she saw panic. And pain.
Stupid, thoughtless fool. How could you not remember? she berated herself as she crumpled both halves of the scarf into a ball, hand clenched into a fist behind her back as if she could hide the evidence of her stupidity. Astride him, his heart pounded like a trapped animal against the inside of her thigh. Each rapid, ragged beat
ripped her heart anew.
Kalesia stared down into the eyes of a stranger. No longer the warm, eager gaze of a lover but that of a man struggling to survive. Tears burned the back of her eyes. Dear God, she’d do anything to erase the past few minutes. Take that look from his eyes. As she watched him, she saw his right hand flex, close into a tight fist, then slowly straighten.
Control.
Almost more than he needed his next breath, Gabriel needed to be in control.
She had taken that control away.
Now she had to find a way to give it back.
Kalesia brought her hand out from behind her back and opened it.
The two pieces of delicate silk lay on her palm like an offering. A tiny ray of sunshine to vanquish a nightmare.
Comprehension seeped into the tarnished silver gaze. An understanding that beat back the panic and pain.
Kalesia waited, her heart in her throat. Desperately, she wanted him to understand what she was offering. All she was offering with that simple gesture.
He closed one large hand over hers, folding her fingers over the silk.
Her hand began shaking. It spread up her arm until her entire body was trembling. Did he…did he mean what she thought? She was almost afraid to hope. “Gabriel?” Try as she might, she couldn’t read the expression in his eyes.
His grasp tightened a fraction causing Kalesia to glance down. She couldn’t look away. The sight of his hand, dark and strong from work, enclosing her more fragile one caused her stomach to flip-flop. He could so easily crush her hand. Instead he held her with a gentleness that brought tears to her eyes. As she watched, he released her and moved until he once again gripped the thick spindles.
One tear ran down her cheek. Sweet mercy. He did.
Beneath her, his rib cage expanded. Breath shuddered from the depths of his soul before he went perfectly still.
But Kalesia felt the hard, staccato slam of his heart against her thigh.
As she selected one silky strip, his eyes followed her every move with an intensity that she could actually feel.
Tapestry of the Past Page 12
