“I’ve never meddled in your little flings,” Gen began. “But you know you have a duty to your family. You’re a Russel, Gabriel, and that means responsibilities.”
“Responsibility has never been his strong suit,” Gemma said with a roll of her eyes. He and his second-oldest sister had an even more contentious relationship than his one with Gen. “That’s going to change soon.” She glanced at William and Vicky.
“You don’t understand,” Gabriel began. “She—”
“Son, you know how this goes,” William said gently. “Your father, God rest his soul, understood our ways.”
Vicky’s smile turned sickly sweet. “And you know what that means.”
“I’m never going to marry you, Vicky,” he spat. “And you can’t keep me away from Temperance.”
Gen harrumphed. “Gabriel, you must break things with her now. William and I want to begin negotiations about a possibly buyout of his company, and we both agreed”—she nodded at the older man, who returned the gesture—“things would be smoother if we had other … alliances in order first.”
Ginny snorted. “Good luck with that. Woolworth Inc.’s losing money faster than Ol’ William here is losing his hair.”
“What do you mean?” Gemma asked.
“Oh, I exist now, huh?” Ginny shot back. She had an even more volatile relationship with Gemma than he did. “Let’s see … when I heard that Vicky here has been trying to speed up her walk down the aisle, I did a little digging and found Woolworth’s financial statements—the real ones he didn’t want to show you. And things aren’t looking as rosy as they seem, are they?” she said to William, who instantly turned bright red. “I think that last expansion did you in. Couldn’t keep up with your creditors.”
Gemma’s eyes turned into razor-thin slits. “I think we may have to go back to the negotiating table.”
“We’ll settle this later, William,” Gen said to the older Woolworth as she shot him with a freezing glare. “In any case, Gabriel,” she began, turning back to him. “You know you can’t keep this relationship with this … human.” Her lips twisted distastefully.
“I will not break up with Temperance,” he said.
“I’m sure we can work this out, Gen,” Vicky pleaded. “You have to make him listen to you—”
“Shut the hell up, Vicky.” Gabriel faced his sisters, hands curling into fists. “Because I won’t give up Temperance. She’s my mate, and we’ve already bonded.”
The complete silence that followed his statement was deafening, broken only by a shriek.
“Mate?” Vicky cried. “No! That’s not true. There’s no such thing.”
“She’s your mate?” Gemma said. “A human?”
“You know it’s not farfetched. Matthew and Jason Lennox’s mates are human,” he said to Gen. “I swear to you, it’s true, Gen. She and I are bonded now, and if you try to split us up, I swear to God—”
“Stop!” She held a hand up, her lips thinning as she pulled them back in with a grimace. With a sigh, she massaged the bridge of her nose. “If this is true, then … then we must respect the mate bond.”
William turned even redder. “You can’t believe this nonsense,” he sputtered.
“My brother may be many things, William, but he’s not a liar.” William opened his mouth but clamped it shut when the Alpha lioness narrowed her razor-sharp gaze at him. “We should head back home. We’ve caused enough of a disturbance.”
“I’ll have our lawyers call yours,” Gemma added.
“You bastard!” Vicky railed at Gabriel. “How dare you!”
“Excuse me?” he said.
“I should have gotten rid of her myself.” Vicky’s face twisted into an expression of hate. “Instead of leaving it to incompetent males!”
“Vicky, pumpkin,” William said nervously, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s—”
“No!” She whirled around. “You said you’d take care of her! That that ex-boyfriend of hers would drag her back to whatever hellhole—”
“What?” White-hot rage coursed through Gabriel as he focused his gaze on father and daughter. “What the hell is she saying?” His tone was dead serious.
“Nothing,” William gulped.
Gabriel lunged forward, grabbing the old man by his collar. “You have two seconds to tell me the truth, old man.”
“Gabriel!”
He ignored Gen’s warning shout. “Tell me!”
William turned pale. “V-Vicky told me about your-your human, and so I had her followed and investigated. My PI found Mr. Morello and … persuaded him to come here so he could convince Miss Pettigrew to leave Blackstone.”
Gabriel could guess how Tony was ‘persuaded.’ “You motherfucker. He could have hurt her!”
“He was an idiot druggie who only wanted money,” Vicky spat. “When he failed the first time, he kept coming back around, promising he’d take care of her, one way or another. He hasn’t stopped harassing me, and he’s been blowing up my father’s phone all day, messaging him that ‘today was the day,’ and we better have his cash ready.”
Vicky’s words suddenly made the blood freeze in Gabriel’s brain and his lion’s hackles rose. He suddenly remembered his encounter with Temperance’s ex last week and the desperation in the other man’s eyes. “Fuck!”
“What’s wrong?” Ginny asked. “Hey! Where are you—”
Gabriel rushed back out to the patio, his eyes scanning the guests.
He didn’t know why, but he felt … something was wrong. Like he could feel fear and anxiety coming from somewhere, but he couldn’t say where.
Please, oh please, oh please let that feeling be wrong.
His stomach turned to lead as he realized that Temperance was nowhere in sight. The last time he saw her was when she danced with Damon, but he saw his friend was now sitting at the sweethearts’ table with his new wife. “Damn it!”
Panic and terror tore through him. He knew, he just knew she was in trouble. Like he was feeling what she was feeling.
He rounded the castle, heading out to the front. Cars lined the driveway, but there was no one else there. Where could he have taken her?
When the smell of gasoline hit his nose, he let out an enraged roar.
Chapter Twelve
Temperance had been enjoying herself at the reception immensely, much more than she thought she would. While she had been nervous all week about attending the wedding, J.D. and Anna Victoria had helped make her feel welcome into their little group. Of course, spending time with Gabriel and having him assure her of his love and support the whole time had also boosted her confidence. She wanted for him to be proud of her, and also, she thought maybe it was time to stop hiding herself—and her scars. A few people had stared at her cheek and hands, and though it still bothered her, she didn’t feel as self-conscious as before.
And now here she was, dancing with the groom in front of everyone. But she was eager to go back to her mate. As soon as the song ended, Temperance glanced around. “Huh, I don’t see Gabriel.”
“I’m sure he’s around somewhere,” Damon said as he released her hand. “Why don’t I keep you company while you wait for him to come back?”
“Don’t be silly, Damon.” She pointed her chin toward the sweethearts’ table where Anna Victoria was sitting by herself. “Your bride needs you. Now, scoot,” she gave him a gentle push, though he didn’t need any more encouragement to join his mate.
Glancing around her and seeing that Gabriel was still nowhere in sight, she decided to head to the ladies’ room to freshen up. Signs and solar-powered torches had been put up that led to the pool area off to the side of the great lawn, which had been set up to accommodate guests. As she walked the makeshift path, a stiff breeze made her shiver. Rubbing her hands on her arms, she felt something else, and it wasn’t just the crisp spring air.
“Tempe.”
Gooseflesh rose on her skin. “What—mmmph!”
A hand clamped over her mouth as she felt herself ha
uled against a hard, male chest. “Don’t scream, Tempe.” Tony’s sour breath made her want to gag and she tried to wiggle out of his arms. “Don’t make me use this.”
Something sharp poked at her side. A knife. She immediately stopped struggling.
“That’s it, good girl.”
A muffled whimper tried to escape her mouth, but his grip tightened. “C’mon, Tempe baby. Just relax.” He pushed her through the line of trees at the edge of the lawn, away from sight. When she attempted to drag her feet, he only pressed the knife deeper into her rib, slicing through the delicate fabric of the dress. She winced as she felt the sharp tip draw blood.
Helpless, she allowed him to lead her along the length of the reception area, her heart plummeting with each step as she watched the revelry of the wedding going on, no one the wiser as to what was happening in the shadows. She thought she heard the snap of a twig, but it must have been a small animal.
Finally, they slipped to the side of the castle and to the driveway where all the cars were parked. Tony dragged her along the gravel path to the bottom of the hill where his rusted-out sedan was parked in the middle of the driveway. He pushed her inside the passenger side and slammed the door shut.
Immediately, she went for the handle, but realized it had been sawed off. Frantically, she searched the other doors, hopping over to the back seat, but they too had their handles removed, as well as the locking mechanisms. “Let me out!” she screamed, slamming her palms on the glass.
“You should have just gone with me, Tempe,” Tony said, his voice sounding hollow. “I told you I’d find a way.”
What was he saying? “You can’t kidnap me!” she cried. “Do you think this is going to make me take you back? Make me love you?”
“Hah!” he sneered. “You think I want you back after you fucked that animal? No way. I might get some disease from you.”
“Then what do you want?” she asked. “I don’t have any money.” And there was no way she was going to let him extort money from Gabriel.
“I know that,” he said. “But someone else promised me big bucks to get rid of you.” He scratched at his arms with his dirty fingers. When her gaze lowered, he immediately dropped his hands.
Oh, how did I miss that? The track marks. The twenty pounds he seemed to have dropped. The general unkemptness and lack of hygiene. Her mother and stepfather had been the same. And since she’d stopped being intimate with Tony months before they broke up, she hadn’t seen his naked arms in a while. “Tony, please,” she said. “Let me go, and we can get some help.”
“I don’t need help,” he hissed. “Not after tonight.” Stalking over to the trunk, he opened it and hauled something large out.
“To—” No.
He lifted a gasoline can over his head. “I told that bitch and her father, today was the day I was going to get rid of you.”
“Tony, please!” She rapped her fists at the windows. “No!”
But it was no use. Tony uncapped the can and began sloshing the liquid out onto the car. The pungent smell of petroleum and ether hit her nose, making her gag. When she saw the lighter in his hand, she pressed her body as far away from his as possible. It was the last thing she saw before she was blinded by the blaze that lit up in front of her eyes.
In a split second she felt a myriad of emotions. Fear yes, as the memories came back. But also a desperation and anxiety surging inside her, coming from somewhere else.
The atmosphere grew around her, and she raised her arms to cover her face. Smoke was now starting to fill the inside of the car, and she closed her eyes to stop them from tearing up.
Oh God, this was it. She was going to die in this blaze, and her first thought was of Gabriel. She would never see his handsome face or—
The car shook violently, knocking her around on the back seat. Gripping the headrest, she hung on as the ear-splitting sound of metal being ripped apart nearly tore her eardrums. When it stopped, she opened one eye and gasped as she realized the entire roof had been shredded. Something large loomed overhead, then a massive animal’s head lowered.
Fear, hope, and relief surged through her, all at the same time.
She should have been scared by the sight of the lion above her, its giant maw gaping and teeth bared, but she knew who it was. Something stirred in her soul that whispered, Gabriel. Immediately, she sprang up and grabbed onto the lion’s neck. Her feet lifted off the back seat, and it was like she was flying, albeit for only a few seconds.
“Oomph!” Air rushed out of her lungs as she landed on something firm, but it wasn’t the ground as she felt fur under her. The lion had twisted them around so it hit the gravel instead of her. “Oh, Gabriel!” She scrambled to her feet and brushed her hair out of her face.
The lion rolled around and got up on all four paws, shaking its mighty mane and letting out an annoyed roar as it accidentally snorted a piece of ash into its nostrils. She couldn’t help the giggle as the animal looked adorable, and she reached out to pat away some singeing on the tips of its mane. “There now,” she said as it licked her fingers gratefully with its rough tongue. “Hey now! Stop, that tickles.”
Stepping backwards, the lion kept its glowing gaze on her as its muscles began to shift under its furry skin. Its limbs began to shorten, and its mane receded back, as did its mighty snout. As the lion shifted back into its human form, she never broke its gaze, staring deep into its sky-blue eyes until Gabriel stood before her.
“Temperance,” he breathed, his voice breaking as the glow dissipated from his eyes. “I—”
She launched herself at him. “Gabriel … oh, Gabriel.”
He lifted her up into his arms in a crushing embrace. “I thought I’d lost you. It was like, I could feel you were scared and then I couldn’t find you.”
“Me too,” she said. “I mean, it’s strange. Like I knew you were worried for me.” Could it be that bond they shared? “I didn’t think I’d see you again. That I was going to—”
“Shhh.” He stopped her with his lips. “You’re fine now. Everything’s fine.”
“I was going to the bathroom and Tony—” She inhaled a sharp breath. “Tony! He tried to kill me and—” She glanced around. “Did he get away?”
Gabriel’s face broke into an angry scowl. “I saw him run.” He set her down and dashed toward the trees.
She followed him, despite not knowing where to go. “Gabriel!” she called, scrambling in the darkness.
A loud growl echoed through the forest, and a bone-chilling scream followed. The ground seemed to vibrate, and she immediately stopped, her heart banging against her chest like a sledgehammer. “Gab—”
“I’m here, baby!” Strong arms wrapped around her as Gabriel’s familiar scent tickled her nose. “I’m here, we’re safe. You’re safe.”
She pushed her face into his chest. “Oh my God, I thought you … and he …”’
“It wasn’t me,” he said. “Tony … ran into someone else.”
“Who?”
“An old friend.” He kissed the top of her head. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Tony won’t be bothering us anymore.”
Her arms tightened around him. “Gabriel …”
“I thought I was going to lose you,” he murmured against her hair. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.”
“But you saved me,” she said. “And everything’s going to be all right.”
“Yes, baby,” he promised. “From now on, everything will be all right.”
And she believed him.
Epilogue
Three months later …
Gabriel let out a satisfied breath as he punched his time card to end his shift for the very last time. “And it’s official,” he said to no one in particular. Today was his final day with the Blackstone Rangers.
Sentiment ran through him, and some sadness, too. This place had been his second home, after all, and in some ways, what had started him on this path that led to his fate. The Blackstone Rangers would always
have a special place in his heart, but now that particular organ—and his soul—belonged to his mate.
Damon had been disappointed when he gave his notice a few weeks ago. “I’ll miss seeing you around every day, man,” he had said. “But I understand.”
The schedule had been taking its toll on him, even though he moved Temperance in with him two weeks after Damon and Anna Victoria’s wedding. She had protested at first, but it was driving him crazy knowing she almost died that night. Of course, he didn’t have to worry about that bastard seeing as Krieger had taken care of him—something he still hadn’t thanked the bear shifter for.
Vicky and William were still in the picture, though he had filed restraining orders against father and daughter. They were also facing charges for solicitation to commit kidnapping, but it still didn’t settle him and his lion. They had a big row over it, but after they sat down and talked, Temperance relented. They packed up her trailer, and she—and Fred, of course—moved into his loft.
Still, their shifts didn’t jive. When he would come home after his usual day shift at ten at night, she could barely stay awake. He’d wake up early to bring her to work and stay with her until it was time for his shift, but she was so absorbed while she worked, they didn’t really spend much time together. So, he knew something had to change and since Temperance loved her job, he decided to quit. However, not wanting to leave Damon in a lurch, he agreed to stay on part-time for a couple of weeks, with the understanding that he could clock out as early as he wanted.
“Yo, Russel!” Anders came up to him and slapped him on the shoulder. “So that’s it huh? You’re leaving us?” He flashed him a mock hurt expression. “I guess someone has to count the gold coins in your vault, huh?”
“Yeah, whatever, Stevens.” Despite being an asshole, Gabriel would always be grateful to Anders for letting him swap shifts so he could spend more time with Temperance.
“Seriously though, what are you gonna do now? Go into the family business?”
He would rather have his balls strung up, which frankly wasn’t far off from what would happen if he did take a job at Lyon Industries. “I’ll get by,” he said. Actually, he already had a plan, but he would need to discuss it with Temperance first. “Say, what are you doing here anyway? Your shift doesn’t start until later.”
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