urgency was to control the energy swelling inside. Letting loose wouldn’t be good. He didn’t kill innocents.
“Mutual? She was a virgin.”
“Yes.” Easy, kid. You’re not that innocent . He closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. It had been a long time since anyone pushed his temper like this. Most knew when to shut their mouths and walk away. Most stayed out of his sector.
“How could you? You’re going to take her soul and her innocence? What kind of a sick bastard are you?” Nate eyed the bat.
“Don’t do it, Nate. I’ll defend myself.” Gabriel felt a quickening inside. Energy pulsed through his blood, building and fighting to break free. He opened his eyes, knowing they glowed, and intentionally stared through the kid. He’d seen grown men wet themselves with a look less intense than the one he gave Nate.
Nate didn’t back down or hesitate. Instead, he pointed at the door. “Get out. I’ll take care of her from here.”
And that took a lot of balls. He could respect that. Gabriel rose to his feet. “I need my coat.”
“Leave it. You’re not seeing her naked.”
He opened his mouth to argue that he’d already seen her in that state and changed his mind. No sense in sending Nate into a frenzy. The kid would get hurt. He felt guilty for not protecting her all too well himself. That need to protect, even knowing there was nothing he could do. The kid wouldn’t back down, no matter the threat, and that he understood.
“Okay, keep the coat.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a primary account chip, tossing it on the bed beside her. “She’s going to need a large meal and lots of fluids when she wakes. Keep the room, keep her warm. I’ll get my chip when I come back in five days.”
“You’re still going to take her? This is unbelievable. We don’t want your money. My sister isn’t a whore you can buy. Take your flipping chip and get the hell out.” Nate pulled a revolver out of a drawer and pointed it. “Or I swear I’ll kill you.”
“It won’t do you much good without bullets.” Gabriel narrowed his gaze on the weapon. “Other than get you shot by someone who has them.”
Nate set the gun down. “That’s creepy, how you read minds.”
“I can’t read minds. I read your face. It’s why you’re still alive.” Gabriel walked out, leaving his chip, his heart, and feeling nothing but pain at what he’d done. It chewed away at his insides, gnawing him raw. When she woke, she’d hate him.
If she remembered him.
The door slammed and locked. He glanced over his shoulder, fighting the urge to go back.
Love sucked.
Why’d he have to fall in love? Things were easier without the complication. And, yes, he was in love. Fallen the moment he’d set eyes on her. It had never been his choice. He knew that now.
He eyed the office and glanced back at the room, where the light snapped on. He’d stay close and keep an eye on her. It was the least he could do for all the pain he’d caused.
***
Justinus eyed her from across the room. Handsome, powerful, and wealthy, everything she should desire. He’d been a friend from childhood. They used to sneak out and ride together, play in the fields, and they’d even come to know the joys of the body together. He’d been her first, and at one time she thought herself in love with him. But lately he’d taken on a serious air, watching her with hunger, always questioning where she went, and with whom.
“Where were you this night, Jocasta? I came by earlier.”
She shrugged and twisted a beaded bracelet on her wrist, a trinket Augustus had purchased for her earlier. “Taking in the celebration.”
“Did you attend with someone?”
She glanced up and caught the look in his eyes. Fire. Lust. Her stomach fluttered. “Alone.”
“You shouldn’t go out unescorted. A beautiful woman could find herself in trouble. I might lose you to another lover.”
Jocasta laughed. “You tease me, Justinus.
“Mutual? She was a virgin.”
“Yes.” Easy, kid. You’re not that innocent . He closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. It had been a long time since anyone pushed his temper like this. Most knew when to shut their mouths and walk away. Most stayed out of his sector.
“How could you? You’re going to take her soul and her innocence? What kind of a sick bastard are you?” Nate eyed the bat.
“Don’t do it, Nate. I’ll defend myself.” Gabriel felt a quickening inside. Energy pulsed through his blood, building and fighting to break free. He opened his eyes, knowing they glowed, and intentionally stared through the kid. He’d seen grown men wet themselves with a look less intense than the one he gave Nate.
Nate didn’t back down or hesitate. Instead, he pointed at the door. “Get out. I’ll take care of her from here.”
And that took a lot of balls. He could respect that. Gabriel rose to his feet. “I need my coat.”
“Leave it. You’re not seeing her naked.”
He opened his mouth to argue that he’d already seen her in that state and changed his mind. No sense in sending Nate into a frenzy. The kid would get hurt. He felt guilty for not protecting her all too well himself. That need to protect, even knowing there was nothing he could do. The kid wouldn’t back down, no matter the threat, and that he understood.
“Okay, keep the coat.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a primary account chip, tossing it on the bed beside her. “She’s going to need a large meal and lots of fluids when she wakes. Keep the room, keep her warm. I’ll get my chip when I come back in five days.”
“You’re still going to take her? This is unbelievable. We don’t want your money. My sister isn’t a whore you can buy. Take your flipping chip and get the hell out.” Nate pulled a revolver out of a drawer and pointed it. “Or I swear I’ll kill you.”
“It won’t do you much good without bullets.” Gabriel narrowed his gaze on the weapon. “Other than get you shot by someone who has them.”
Nate set the gun down. “That’s creepy, how you read minds.”
“I can’t read minds. I read your face. It’s why you’re still alive.” Gabriel walked out, leaving his chip, his heart, and feeling nothing but pain at what he’d done. It chewed away at his insides, gnawing him raw. When she woke, she’d hate him.
If she remembered him.
The door slammed and locked. He glanced over his shoulder, fighting the urge to go back.
Love sucked.
Why’d he have to fall in love? Things were easier without the complication. And, yes, he was in love. Fallen the moment he’d set eyes on her. It had never been his choice. He knew that now.
He eyed the office and glanced back at the room, where the light snapped on. He’d stay close and keep an eye on her. It was the least he could do for all the pain he’d caused.
***
Justinus eyed her from across the room. Handsome, powerful, and wealthy, everything she should desire. He’d been a friend from childhood. They used to sneak out and ride together, play in the fields, and they’d even come to know the joys of the body together. He’d been her first, and at one time she thought herself in love with him. But lately he’d taken on a serious air, watching her with hunger, always questioning where she went, and with whom.
“Where were you this night, Jocasta? I came by earlier.”
She shrugged and twisted a beaded bracelet on her wrist, a trinket Augustus had purchased for her earlier. “Taking in the celebration.”
“Did you attend with someone?”
She glanced up and caught the look in his eyes. Fire. Lust. Her stomach fluttered. “Alone.”
“You shouldn’t go out unescorted. A beautiful woman could find herself in trouble. I might lose you to another lover.”
Jocasta laughed. “You tease me, Justinus.
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