 
# Tempting Gabe

### The Hawke Fortune

## Victoria Pinder

### Contents

Copyright

Join Victoria Pinder

Series information

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

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Also by Victoria Pinder

About the Author

# Copyright

Tempting Gabe

Copyright©2017

* * *

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemble to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

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Published in the United States of America.

Copyright © 2016 Victoria Pinder Love in a Book

All rights reserved.
This book is dedicated to my daughter, Diana, who is the joy of my life. Her coming into my life has been a life changing for the better event and she inspires me to prove to her that she can follow her dreams by being an example.

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The Hawke Fortune

Tempting Gabe

Tempting James

Tempting Conner

Tempting Harry

Tempting Navid

# Chapter 1

Megan's brother, Maddox, had her mother's ring and she wanted it back. The will left it to her. It was all she had left now. Megan Murdock brushed her dark brown hair behind her ears and straightened her shoulders that slumped from the weight of her large, heavy pocketbook. She closed her eyes, swayed on her feet as the palm trees swayed in the wind behind her. Lawyers hadn't helped her get the one thing she wanted to keep, forever.

Once she felt stable, she was ready.

She knocked on the door and crossed her arms. A few seconds later, her brother's voice pierced the air. "Megan, go away."

Normal people didn't talk to siblings through the intercom. She glanced at the door and wondered where the camera was while she crossed her arms. "I want Mom's ring, Maddox."

"I'll send it in the mail."

No. She refused to lose another day. Her mother had left everything to her brother, except the ring. On her hospital bed, their mother had said Megan was capable of taking care of herself. She had always wished her mother saw more than raw strength, but the promised ring meant she at least left her something personal that she had worn every day of her life. It had to mean she saw more in her. Megan knocked on his door again. "You haven't in the past month. I'm here to collect it."

"Go."

Her face felt hot as the hottest day in South Florida where the air itself felt like hot soup that covered the skin. Soon, she'd lose her cool. She pressed her feet into the cement ground through her high heels. "Open the door and give it to me. I'm tired of waiting."

"Are you alone?"

"Clearly." She turned so he could see beyond her and onto the street. This was insane, but again it seemed so was her brother, after the war. She pressed her hand to her temple. Somehow she had to get through to him. He needed help. She softened her voice. "Maddox, let me in."

"Okay fine." The jingle and click of metal knobs told her that her brother was working on his half a dozen locks. The door opened to darkness, but then she saw the brown eyes that almost glowed from the sun beaming in the door. He wiggled his finger and indicated that she should come in.

To get the ring, she followed. The second she was inside, he locked all six of his door locks. Once done, he pointed her toward the living room and a gray couch that had seen better decades. "Wait here and I'll find the ring."

"Thanks." She brushed the goosebumps off her bare arms and stared at the mess in the room. Maddox had papers everywhere and the dust that came from her just walking in told her that he hadn't cleaned in years.

He stormed down the hall and left her there. She refused to even touch that couch and moved toward the closest pile of papers.

The same man's face was on the first half a dozen articles. She peered closer and read Gable Hawke. Her mind clicked that the Hawke name had something to do with computers, but she wasn't a techie like her last boyfriend. Neither was her brother, for that matter. She walked toward a different pile but stopped when she coughed on dust.

At least her brother had made an appearance at the funeral, though he had only stayed for a half an hour and had jittered the entire time. Before he served overseas, Maddox never sent chills throughout her body.

She called out, "Mom would have been happy you came."

"I was always a disappointment."

* * *

Bored, she glanced at the papers on the coffee table. Again Gable Hawke's name was highlighted, as was information about his family. He had two sisters and it seemed his parents were close to dying from an assassination attempt. Her brother doodled stars all over the news clipping. The back of her neck grew cold. "Did you find the ring?"

"Almost."

Good. She needed to go. Then she opened the red folder next to the news articles. The folder was like one of the ones they had used in school years ago, but inside she saw his handwriting and a print-out of an almost dead couple. Her stomach churned as she picked it up and read closer. She stared so hard at the papers until the words blurred into black pools. This letter with her brother's name on it couldn't say that her brother had murdered the couple on their way to help at a soup kitchen.

No. This wasn't possible. Maddox wasn't that bad. He could have written a confession note for a number of reasons, right?

Beads of sweat grew on her forehead.

* * *

In her hands she held her brother's assassination plans. The drawings showed where he intended to stand, where the old couple went to buy Christmas presents and their route to deliver them to needy children at a shelter. Everything clicked in her head at once. The news article had said Mr. and Mrs. Hawke were hospitalized and in comas from gunshots near a homeless shelter and soup kitchen. Her heart raced.

Her brother had tried to murder innocent people. Her hands curled on the folder. All those years as a sniper in the Marines could mean he was interested in the murder that had his expertise written all over it. She stuffed it in her pocketbook and then wiped her sweaty palms on her yellow sundress. Perhaps outside, she'd read this differently, but right now her breaths became shorter. She edged to the door.

Something fell in the other room and it felt like her heart might stop. She called out, "She'd want you to see a doctor regularly, Maddox."

"Doctors can't help me."

Despite how she shivered inside, she remembered how she'd promised their mother she'd do what she could for Maddox. She licked her cold lips. "Is there anyone that can?"

"I think I put the ring in here. Give me a moment."

Right. The ring. Her hands shook and she clutched her bag. Perhaps the schematics were of a football game or anything else and that her mind made up all those conclusions as she glanced to her right and saw another picture of the Hawke family. "Who's Gable Hawke? That's an unusual name."

"He ruined my life."

The statement hung in the air. All she could think was that her brother had intended to harm them. The papers against her chest might as well be bricks. They weighted her to the floor and she couldn't move. She pushed her hair back again. Perhaps she should ask her brother, "How?"

"He and his crowd left me for dead."

"In the desert?" Footsteps echoed while he came closer to her. Bile filled her throat. Once she was home, she could look up what happened and perhaps, hopefully, her instincts were way off. As children, she'd never suspect her brother of murder, but the hollow ghost of a man that haunted this old house never felt like he was her brother. Course she hadn't seen much of him in years, but her instincts screamed it was possible that he was an assassin.

"Yeah," he called down the hall.

She stumbled backward closer to the door and knocked over a pile of papers. She knelt and picked them up to put them back. Even more pictures of Gable Hawke and his family. Her heart sped faster again. "A doctor would be..."

Her teeth chattered so much that she stopped talking and stared at her brother's outlines.

"I found the..."

"I knocked it over with my bag and I was putting your pile back together. She stood and willed her hands to not shake and she put them out palm up. "Do you have it?"

"Are you sure..." He scratched his head.

"You have the ring?" No. Every cell in her body screamed to run. If she did, he'd know for sure what she thought. Okay probably not, but he'd figure her out too fast. Her fingers began to curl as she waited. To pretend she wasn't affected, she tapped her shoe and glanced at him and her empty hand.

He dropped the diamond ring in, and she clutched it like it was a life preserver. Her breaths were still coming too short but she turned toward the door.

"Were you going through my papers?"

The image of being locked in a basement like those people in the last movie she'd seen ran through her mind. She shook her head and twisted the first lock. "I was looking for the ring. I want to go."

He put his hand on the lock and stared at her. "Megan, you're lying to me."

Coldness ate at her from her gut. The man staring at her wasn't her brother. Not anymore. She pushed her lips out. She had to get out of here. _Now_. In pretense, she shrugged. "I don't care what you think. I have the ring and now I have to go to work."

"Go." He unlocked the other five locks.

Her legs practically ran by themselves to her Mercedes. As she walked away, one by one she heard the multiple locks slip into place like they were bullets aimed at her chest. The sound made her jumpy, but she steeled herself. Her brother had locked himself and now the sunlight beamed over her head.

Inside her car, her fingers wrapped around the steering wheel and she held tight. Breathing was a challenge, but in the rearview mirror she glanced at her brother's house surrounded by the weeping trees. Her heart was practically frozen, but she turned the key and listened for the sound of the engine that sparked her car to life. Her foot pressed the pedal harder than normal and she drove fast to get away.

On her way to work at Morgan Enterprises, she picked up the phone. She needed to talk to someone, but there was no one to confide in about her brother. She told the phone, "I can't call Tess or any of my friends."

Then her phone said, "How may I help you?"

She laughed to herself and knew she looked foolish if anyone passed her, but she didn't care. Se parked in her spot in the employee parking lot. She stared at the faceless phone and realized it was the artificial intelligence, so she asked, "Who is Gable Hawke?"

"Here is what I found about Gable Hawke."

Information about the CEO of a computer tech firm filled her phone. She glanced at her pocketbook to check on her brother's confession letter. Her face felt cold, but she used her phone to research his parents' recent attempted murder and how the police had no suspects.

If she went upstairs, she'd sit at her desk and stare at her pocketbook.

Tires squealed past her and adrenaline rushed through her body. She grabbed her bag and dug in for the folder while she tried to shift into her seat like it might mask her. She looked around the lot and saw no one, so she read.

These were the schematics of an attempted hit and she reread the details about how the parents of Gable Hawke were practically executed. This wasn't an unknown assailant to her like the news report read. The boy who'd rescued frogs from the road after it rained so they wouldn't get run over by cars? Had he been so screwed up by what he'd seen in the war to commit such an atrocity? This was her brother's work. Why else would he have written such a letter and signed it? She swallowed.

If she didn't turn this in, she was now an accessory. Her heart slammed in her chest. She'd not go to prison, not for something her brother might have done. Her mother's words echoed in her brain to protect Maddox. In Florida, they had the death penalty. If she turned her brother in, she'd have to make a deal. She swallowed and tried to get a grip. She only had one hope and it was probably stupid. Her mind eased and started her car again until her courage grew and she told her phone. "I'll need driving directions to the Hawke Inc."

# Chapter 2

"Scarlett, James is going to protect you just as I asked Conner to watch out for Olivia." Gable answered his sister for the tenth time with the same sentence. His sister, Scarlett, lived up to her namesake. He stared out the window in the high-rise office building that overlooked both Biscayne Bay and the Intracoastal waterways. The expensive yachts looked like rowboats from his current window. He turned away from his black Italian marble desk and stared at the blue waters. "Mom and Dad would expect me to protect you."

He massaged his temples. After what had happened and with their parents in either a coma or fighting a raging infection, he'd like to think that Scarlett wouldn't mind extra security, but then his sister was beautiful, but never predictable.

He brushed against the ugly skin under his shirt and knew no one saw how damaged he was. Scarlett, Olivia, and his parents deserved to keep their bodies without scars.

Instead he heard the pout in her voice through the phone. "You're not hiring a bodyguard for yourself."

Something buzzed inside him and his skin felt like he was near static electricity. He ignored the instinct. "I have a security team and unlike you, I'm not trapezing around the globe."

"I'm not trapezing. That's a stupid word. I have a business meeting."

The light flashed on his desk that he had another call. He clutched his cell phone but stared at his office phone. "Hold on, my secretary is calling in."

"We're not done," Scarlett started before he cut her off with the mute button on his cell and placed it on his desk.

He put his secretary on speaker. "You have a visitor, sir. She's quite insistent that she speak only to you."

No urgent meeting came to mind, and his mind was blank. "Who is it?"

"A Miss Megan Murdock."

Murdock. Maddox Murdock had died. The image of standing near a blast site while Belle Jordan pulled Colt Collins out of the ditch as he tried and failed to grab Murdock replayed in his mind. Instead of pulling him to safety, his former friend was caught in enemy fire and had died a foot from him. His own skin burned from the heat while he fell backward. This time he recalled a gun pointed at him, but he blinked and that memory disappeared. He'd probably imagined it anyhow.

His secretary coughed, which brought him back to the here and now. He sat stiff in his chair until he patted his side where the burn scars were. "Who is she?"

"An accountant at Morgan Enterprises."

His heart began to beat again while he took a deep breath. "I don't want to see a banker today. I'm not interested in whatever stock option they want to sell me."

A fast discussion between women echoed through the phone. Then his secretary said, "She says that you'll want to see her."

Perhaps she was Murdock's family and she wasn't here to sell him something. If this was because of what happened years ago, then he should at least listen. He closed the files on his desk. "She's that insistent?"

"Yes."

"Send her in." No memory of a memorial flashed in his mind as he stood to greet the woman. If he had, he must have skipped out when he returned and threw himself into work to build his company into a technology giant and tried to bury his memories.

A young woman with dark hair and a body that curved in all the right places walked in. He leaned on his desk and picked up some papers, in case he had any evidence of how turned on he'd become. "How may I help you?"

She walked and stepped right up to stand in front of him. The air smelled of rose petals. "Are you Gable Hawke?"

"Yes." She held out her hand to shake. Her palms were cold in his warm and strong grip. He narrowed his gaze. "Are you related to Maddox Murdock?"

She stopped shaking his hand and froze for a second. Her face was white, like she was hurt or scared of him. He narrowed his gaze and brushed his hand on her arm, to sooth whatever was wrong, and she finished shaking his hand and nodded. "He's my brother. How do you know him?"

He stood and directed her to business chairs closer to a side office, where they might talk easier. "We served together. He died."

She sat but clutched her bag in front of her like it was a shield. "He didn't die. He was taken captured."

That made no sense. He pulled the chair closer to her. "I'm sorry. Repeat?"

He placed his hand on her knee and she practically jumped out of skin while she pushed him off. "Don't."

"Don't what?" He tucked his hand back onto his own seat and his heartbeat grew faster. "I'd never do anything..."

She lifted her chin though she trembled. "I want you to call the police and tell them I asked you to call while I have information on your parents' case."

There was no way he was attracted to his parents' potential killer. His eyes widened. "You do."

She hugged her bag as she sucked in her breath. "Yes."

Unless she was packing in that bag, he wasn't afraid of her. Though he stood, walked to his desk, and called the detective that was working his parent's case. A few seconds later, he returned to the chair across from her. "Done. Why are you here?"

She nodded and rifled through her pocketbook. He stilled until he saw the red folder in her hands. Despite how her legs trembled, she leaned forward and placed her bag beside her. "I wanted to meet with you to ask for mercy."

His body filled with ice that seemed to rush through his veins. "Your brother is involved then?"

She winced. "How did you guess?"

"Your name." He scooted away and wished he had called security. "You're here."

Her fingers trembled while she held out the folder, like she wanted him to have it. "I went to his house this morning to retrieve something of my mother's and I found this."

No. Despite how he wanted to flip open the pages and find how and why Maddox attempted to kill his parents, he made his hands into fists. He shook his head and tucked his hands to his sides. "Your fingerprints are all over that. I'm not touching anything."

"Fair enough." She swallowed, gripped the folder until her hands loosened and she opened the main page with Maddox's signature on the bottom. "This is his confession letter and this is a schematic which showed how my brother planned everything. I found it when I searched his house for my ring." A tear slid down her face. "I know you must have loved your parents..."

"Don't. They aren't dead yet." He dropped his hands to his sides as his every focus was on her tears. If Maddox had tried to kill his parents, this was all related to him and what happened overseas. The newspapers had no idea the exact state of his parents was and he'd keep that information to himself until they arrested whoever had shot at them.

She folded the papers back. "Don't what?"

"Don't ask me to forgive this." He leaned forward and pressed his palms together like he was in prayer. "I'm not that nice."

Her face went white as she lowered her gaze and pressed her knees together. "I'm not. I'm asking for your help."

No. If Maddox was involved whatever resulted next would be what he deserved. He sat backward in his chair while the memory of his parents and the police calling him to identify them replayed in his mind. The image of the gun also floated in his mind again, but he ignored it. He shook his head. "I can't be involved."

She reached out and pressed her hand to his knee. "My brother is sick. He needs to go to a hospital, not death row."

And his parents deserved to be on vacation and enjoying that cruise they had planned, not fighting for their lives in ICU. Her fingers on his body, even through the black wool suit pants, set off a spark that shattered the ice in him. "I'm not making a deal with you."

She let go and kept her head down. "You called the police as I asked?"

"Yes."

Of course he did. He was sane. She hugged her waist and knew her face was white because she felt cold. "I've said what I needed to say. I'm really sorry for what my brother did to your parents."

"Don't pretend you care about my feelings."

She gazed at him while her cheeks had a tinge of red that matched the folder she held. Without waiting another second, she pushed her hair behind her ear. "I don't know you or anything about you, Gable Hawke. What I do know is that I had nothing to do with this and only found out before work today."

If that was true, she had more to worry about than she realized. His eyebrows narrowed. "It's ten o'clock, well past work time beginning."

She let out a soft sigh and relaxed in the chair. "It's been a long morning."

This time he leaned forward and touched her arm. Her skin was silky soft and smooth. Instinct took over that made him want to hold her and keep her close, though for all he knew, everything she did or said might be a lie. His heart drummed in his chest. "Why did you go to your brother's house today then if you never knew?"

She put her hand on his and held his fingers while she met his gaze and said, "I've called him every day since our mother died for the one thing I was left in the will. I warned him in my last call and email that I was coming over. There were papers everywhere with your name on it. I think he blamed you for something that happened at war."

If Maddox was alive, questions swam inside his mind because his own memory of that day in the desert was faulty. He had been distracted with Belle screaming as she dragged Colt out. The memory and the smells of that moment burned through his skin like he was near the firestorm again. He pressed his shoes together and stared into the brown eyes of an angel. "You do realize you can go to jail yourself for visiting me today."

Her free hand went up her chest and neck and covered her lips while her eyes widened. "Why? I'm not threatening you."

His fingers curled into hers and he wanted to take a chance. What if she told the truth? What if all of this was real? If anything happened to her, it would haunt him that he hadn't done more. He waited for her to drop her hand from her face and find her composure. As she took her hand back and broke their connection, he straightened his tie. She stood, so he chased her and asked, "Megan?"

She blinked and stilled. "Yes?"

"When was the last time you saw your brother then?"

"He showed up at our mother's funeral last month. Before that was when I went to the airport with my mom to pick him up. He walked away from medical help when he was recovered from where he was tortured."

The bomb that exploded in that moment had caused every bad thing in his life, but the smell of roses kept his mind clearer. "That's partly my fault for leaving him."

She packed the folder in her pocketbook and turned like she was going to leave. "I'm sure you did what you could. I can't imagine you'd just ignore calls of help."

"I want to make a deal with you."

They stood fast, and she turned on her high heels and stared at him with her lips parted. "You do?"

If there was one thing his father, the lawyer, would say was 'don't treat the innocent like the guilty.' His father wasn't around to ask for advice, but the words haunted him. He stared into the brown eyes of Megan and knew she was innocent. "You trusted me to come here."

She lowered her lashes. "Yeah."

He took a step closer. "And I remember every detail of that day in the desert."

With a soft breath, her shoulders slumped. "Then you know more about his motives than I do."

His sisters had James and Conner. If Megan walked out the door after she spoke with the police, she helped him but put her own life in danger. Nothing about her seemed like a setup, but he'd be stupid not to check out her background. "We meet the police together and after you'll stay with me until your brother's in jail and can't hurt you."

She stepped backward but never turned. Her entire body trembled. "He won't hurt me."

"You believe he attempted to murder my parents outside of a homeless shelter but that he won't come after you?"

Her face was white and her teeth chattered. "He's my brother."

"He's been tortured. There is no telling how he will act toward you."

Despite her words, she understood. He came closer and placed his hand on her shoulder. He'd not let her shake like that, when he could hold her.

Her hands trembled as she reached out and grabbed his arms. "I was so scared today. I have no idea what I'm doing. Maybe this isn't the best idea, but I would like to sleep knowing someone is watching my back tonight other than my cat, Anakin Skywalker."

"Yes, your cat will be fine for the night." Her fingers locked on him made him sure. "You are way more reasonable than my sister. Until your brother is in jail, you're with me."

"Thank you." She clung to him and in that moment, nothing else mattered. He'd help her and bring his parents' attempted killer to justice. With evidence, this might all be over today.

# Chapter 3

Her entire body felt rattled and empty while the door closed. Megan glanced out the window at the moon and darkness except for the distant cruise ships in the ocean. She slumped in the chair she'd been sitting in for hours and let her head drop backward. "I half believed they were going to arrest. What time is it?"

"It's after nine."

"They questioned me for eleven hours?" That was later than she imagined. Her lips were parched but she hardly had time to sip water. She glanced up and saw how his blue eyes sparkled as he stared at her. She grabbed onto the arms of the seat and at the same time her face felt hot so she turned away.

He stood and walked in front of her. Then he offered his hand and asked, "Yeah, they did. Are you hungry?"

The muscles on his body made him swoon-worthy as did that thick blond hair of his. She blinked because there was no way her mind should go down that route, but she took his hand and stood to join him. His skin was warm, but she tried to pretend indifference so she took her pocketbook and smoothed over her wrinkled work skirt. "I don't think I should go to a restaurant, not if the police are en route to arrest my brother. I should probably go find a rock and hide there."

He offered his arm. "Then let's go home."

Home wasn't something she'd had in years. Her apartment was suitable, but not a home. She blinked and let the thought dissipate as she took his arm. "You don't have to protect me. I appreciate the offer and how you stayed with me today. That should be enough for any man."

He petted her hand like she needed soothing. "Your brother is on the loose. I'm not leaving you alone."

No. He should not be that nice to her. She reached into her bag and took out her mother's ring to hold in her palm. He opened the door for her and she met his stare while she passed him. "How do you know I'm not some criminal mastermind?"

The halls were barren so his employees must have gone home for the night, including his secretary. His eyebrow shot up. "Then how did you get a 'C' in sociology?"

He hit the elevator button and dropped her arm as her gaze narrowed. "How thorough of a background check did you do on me?"

The ding echoed through and they walked into the empty elevator. "Enough to know you broke up with your boyfriend, Emmanual, three months ago because, according to his Facebook posts, you're a cold fish."

The doors closed while her hand went to her heart. "What? That's not true!"

The moment he placed his hand on the small of her back, her body zipped with new life. She steadied her feet. "Yeah, he wasn't worthy of you. It was his status when he posted he was single."

She turned closer to him and smelled the woodsy aftershave that made her mouth water to taste him. She'd never do that, but she lowered her gaze. "I hate the Internet sometimes."

The elevator slowed and dinged so they were silent until the doors opened. He led her toward a different door. "You're into clickbait quizzes when you're home and alone."

"It's meaningless." She shrugged. "What about my car?"

"I'll have someone bring it to you." He continued to lead her. She hesitated until he asked, "What are you in the mood to eat?"

Near the new door, she stopped walking entirely. "Wait, where are we going then?"

He brushed his chin as he stayed close. "To my house. It's the only place I know with enough security that you'll be able to sleep and know you'll wake up the next morning."

The sense of home hit her hard. She swallowed and the taste of it was in her mouth. She nodded and reached out for his arm. "Okay, just for tonight, until the police arrest my brother and then I can go back to work and live my life again."

He led her to his silver Mercedes. "So as I asked, dinner?"

Home was one thing. A restaurant full of people would make her cringe every time someone picked up a fork and made a noise. Her lips pressed together while he opened her door and let her slip inside. Once he was in the driver's seat, she asked, "Are we ordering in?"

"I don't have a cook, only a maid service."

Her mother had been a cleaning lady and her skin felt like razor blades for a second. She lifted her chin and refused to think about the past. "Let's go with sushi."

Her nose turned and his face almost went green. "Ugh. Anything else."

"See, we'd never get along for more than a day. What kind of food do you eat?"

While he drove toward Collins Avenue and the Atlantic Ocean she wasn't surprised. Billionaires littered the seaboard coast while the rest of them lived in nice communities much farther west. With this in mind, she had no idea about the restaurants in whatever part he lived in. He'd have to choose.

"Usually I'm happy with a grilled steak."

That wasn't an option for her. She shook her head. "Your poor arteries. I'm sure you can find a grilled chicken with spinach and feta wrap."

While he turned and she saw the palm trees that covered the beach between the sky rises, he shook his head. "You are complicated."

Grilled chicken needed flavor too. Her hand went over her lap at the same time her stomach growled. "Being healthy isn't complicated."

As he drove, he rolled his eyes. "Now you sound like my sister."

"Good to know your relatives are smart." She winked and stared at the Porsche building. She heard it was designed by an Italian designer who was flown in just for the marble installation. The owner drove the car in and, somehow, it was magically transported with some modern technology to the floor the owner lived. He drove into the building and right into a spot.

He helped her get out of the car. "Most women agree with everything I say."

This time she squeezed his arm before she let him go while she made a _tsk_ sound. "Must be nice to surround yourself with 'yes' men."

His phone went off as he guided her into the building and toward the elevator. "There is news coming in about your brother."

Her heart pounded while her face felt hot. Maddox must be in the process of being arrested now. Her hands clenched because she imagined her brother shooting back at the police officers. He wasn't well. As they stepped into the elevator, she placed her hand on her heart while holding her mother's ring again. "What?"

"Police have surrounded the house."

Again her imagination created a gun fight where the police shot and killed her brother. She reached out and put her hand on Gabe's arm as she tried to stop the adrenaline that rushed through her veins. The elevator stopped on their floor, but she refused to move. "Turn it off. We can check in an hour. If we go minute-by-minute, I'll break out into a sweat and get myself all worked up. I just want to know what happened."

He held the button on the top of his phone and a moment later showed her the 'power off' screen. While he clicked it off, he nodded and offered his hand. "Fair enough."

In silence they walked around his home. She saw the pale blue walls and the Renaissance couples that seemed like original paintings on one wall and a tapestry hanging on another. The chandeliers made this room look more like a palace then a home. She followed his direction though her gaze stopped on the granite appearing Italian marble though he continued without one glance in any direction. They passed a closed door which she assumed was his room and a few seconds later he opened the second door. "This is your room for the night."

More pale blue and tapestries. The guest room was fit for a queen. She tugged at her black skirt and stared at her serviceable high heels. "I don't have anything with me."

"The service should have left you toiletries. You can sleep in one of my tee-shirts for the night."

He leaned against the door, and she returned to stand in front of him while she batted her eyes. "I didn't think when I went to see you that we'd be roommates."

He stepped out of the way to let her pass. A moment later when she was next to him, he closed the space between them. "What did you think when you met me?"

His full lips made her own pulsate with a desire for a kiss. Her face felt warm as she stepped away and let the space between them cool her down. "That you were nicer than I assumed. And you?"

"That Maddox had a pretty sister."

"Seriously?" He placed his hand on the small of her back again, and again she felt a spark.

He dropped his hand and stepped forward. "Clearly that was one-sided."

"No. It wasn't." She swallowed and stepped closer to him. Attraction zipped in her blood, but there was more to being near Gabe. With him, she felt cared for, which was probably silly. "The zap that hit me when I first met you threw me off. I assumed you'd be a spoiled rich man who was older than the pictures I saw today."

He stared at her and she closed her eyes while she tilted her face. Every instinct in her said he'd kiss her. The seconds ticked by until he stepped away. She blinked and pretended to follow him. "I'm in a lot of magazines as the face of my company."

"Those can be old. I find a lot of CEOs put out profile pictures from when they were attractive." The dark ocean in the bay view caught her gaze and she measured the entire home had an almost 180 degree view. In the morning, this would be gorgeous. She clutched her mother's ring that was still in her palm while she walked into the living area to explore.

He followed. "So you do find me attractive."

A huge grin appeared on her face while she turned to face him. Then she pocketed the ring in her bra as it was the only thing close to a pocket she had. "Relentless flirt, I see."

His gaze had followed her hand and her face felt red. He wasn't supposed to see that, but he licked his lips and she knew he liked what he saw. "No. I just always get what I want."

Right now she felt like she was the dinner. Her heart beat but this time it was pleasant and exactly what she wanted. "Even the sister of the guy who might have killed your parents?"

His breath hitched and a millisecond later, he closed the space between them again. "Which should have put you in the _no_ category right away."

To hold steady, she reached out and placed her hand near his heart. "I'm not?"

"Not unless you want to be." He tilted his head and again her entire body electrified, like she waited for a kiss.

Her skin felt alive and wanted to touch all of him, and have his hands roam her body. Her imagination had her close her eyes again. "I think I should be though. You and I are from different worlds."

"Just for the record, you can go into your room and I will keep you safe, for as long as you need. You can walk away and not kiss me."

"This is a bad idea." She nodded and parted her lips and waited.

"Very," he whispered and then he kissed her. He tasted better than chocolate. Part of her blended in him in a way that made her feel both alive and part of some bigger mystery that she couldn't explain. Her hands curled around the lapel of his suit jacket and hoped this kiss lasted forever.

# Chapter 4

The doorbell chimed like a grandfather clock. Megan swayed on her feet while Gable left her side. She couldn't quite think, as Gable's dimples captured her attention. "Dinner has arrived."

Her stomach growled at the same time she steadied herself. She could always stand on her own two feet. She lifted her chin and nodded. "Good. I am hungry."

He walked toward the door and glanced over his shoulder. "Turn on some music. I'll set the table."

She'd help with cleaning after. It was the least she could do. She made her way over to his iPad that was set up on iTunes. "Okay. I'll be right in to help."

While she scrolled through music, her fingers itched to know if anything had happened to her brother. Her heart beat faster. With a click, she was on Safari and searched out the news. Once in there, she found the local news, and her entire body stilled and chilled when she read the headline: Two officers were shot in a sting operation.

"Maddox." She clicked and read about how the police had surrounded his house earlier. "Is he dead?"

"What? Is something happening?" Gable called out from the kitchen and she glanced up to see his strong shoulder that came toward her. "Is everything okay?"

She turned it off and hugged her waist while she stood. "Check your phone."

"You should eat first."

Nausea grew in her stomach while she stared at his pocket and waited. He came up beside her and dug out his phone. Without a word he turned the power on to listen to his voicemail, and she closed her eyes and curled into his arms. "I'm scared."

"We'll find out together." He massaged her neck and listened to his voicemails. His face turned white. A minute later, he hit play and handed her the phone.

_The suspect has fled. We have collected more evidence from the house, but your family needs to remain secure until we have arrested Maddox Murdock_.

Her stomach churned. He had shot at police officers but escaped without leaving a lead. A headache began to grow. She couldn't handle reality at the moment. She massaged her temples as she stood straighter and stopped leaning on him. "Gabe, tell me something about you. Why did your parents name you Gable. That's not common."

His face twitched for a second, but a moment after he tilted his head and reached out for her hand. "My mother was obsessed with _Gone with the Wind_. My sister is Scarlett. I'm named after the actor who played Rhett. My other sister is named Olivia."

She stared at his palm like she wasn't sure what he wanted, but a second after she took his offered hand. "If she was obsessed with _Gone with the Wind,_ why isn't your name Rhett then?"

He winked. "My father refused. The actors were a compromise."

At least he had a cool personal reason for his name other than it was a great-grandparent's name which was always the common answer when she asked her mother why her name was Ashley or why Maddox had his name. Tradition was what her mother had always clung to whenever she was scared about a life-changing event. Her headache lessened from thoughts of her mother. "He compromised on all except your sister."

"Yes, and Scarlett is the dramatic one."

At least his sisters still had their brother to depend on. Again, her stomach felt like she'd drunk gasoline. She tried to ignore it and lowered her gaze. The reality of the news and his voicemail collided into a picture where her brother was still alive. She took a deep breath. "I am sorry for what my brother did to them. Do you need to check the hospital?"

He placed his phone on the table in front of them. "Olivia will call. It's her night to be with them."

If her mother was alive, she'd want to spend every second with her. Her eyes misted while she remembered how her own mother used to give her a pain reliever and pet her hair on days she had been sick as a girl. She'd never have her mother back and it was possible her brother had ruined Gabe's family too. A cold ice pick jabbed up her spine. "You must want to call her and check in. Don't let me being here interfere."

The moment he squeezed her hand, she felt a warmness that soothed her. "I will soon. Let's eat and then find out."

Again her stomach growled. Perhaps if she ate, she might feel better. She nodded and followed him into the kitchen to gather plates. In sync they put their to-go meals on the porcelain and ate in silence.

As she wiped her face with the napkin and swallowed her last bite, Gabe asked, "How is the Greek Feta Wrap?"

"Delicious." She smiled and watched him finish his gyro.

His phone rang. They both craned their necks and stared into the living area. The air singed with questions. "Go. It might be important."

With a nod, he walked away. She picked up the plates and brought them into the kitchen. She turned on the faucet and ran the hot water while she found the soap and sponge. She wouldn't listen to his conversation so she cleaned the plates and put them in the dishrack until he walked in and leaned against the kitchen door.

Her heart sped up as he stared at her. She finished the last dish, turned off the water and faced him. "I think you need to be prepared to stay here indefinitely."

Her brother. This wasn't good. She glanced at his phone and saw he had a screen open for her. "Why? Let me see."

He swallowed and turned his screen to show her. _I know you're with my traitor of a sister. Neither of you will be safe._

Maddox knew. She leaned against the kitchen cabinet for support and hugged her waist. None of what happened today made any sense. "How did he get away?"

"Check your email." Gabe came toward her and put his hand on her shoulder.

She felt paralyzed and her throat felt like it squeezed together. Gabe let her go and walked away. She placed her palm on the nearby counter to hold her. A second later, he came back with a laptop and motioned for her to join him near the kitchen island. Her knees felt like they trembled, but she stumbled forward and hoped she walked normal. Finally she leaned forward as he pushed the screen toward her. She looked at the screen and at him with her eyes narrowed until the colors of her email login page blurred together. "Why?"

He placed his hand on her back. "If he's contacted you in any way, we have to know right away."

Exactly what she didn't want to know, but with a sigh she nodded and stared at the screen that asked for her password. "The police will probably suspect me."

Then his fingers tapped against her skin and her body felt slightly warmer. She logged in and the screen changed to the list of her new emails, so she looked away. "You were with me."

"I don't think he'd email..." Her brother's handle was on the screen on a list of unread messages. Her heart beat faster. "Wait." The threat was also directed at her. She turned the screen toward him. "He knows it was me."

His voice message to her had been the same as what he wrote. There was nothing new. Gabe leaned closer and shut the screen, irritated. "He won't harm you."

She imagined for a second them on a deserted island, but she blinked the dream away. "How can you be sure?"

"My home is more secure than the White House."

It wasn't his security that made her feel anything. She swallowed as she peeked at his lips until she looked away. "I can't stay here forever. I have a job."

"Call in sick."

Depending even for a second on Gabe was a bad idea even if this was what she wanted. Strength meant she was supposed to survive on her own, but she smelled the scent of a home she had never truly had. But this was impossible, so she licked her lips and made an excuse. "I used my time when my mother died."

"Then lose your job. I'm sure there is something you can do for Hawke Inc."

The image of seeing him every day in a business setting when she was this attracted to him would be a recipe for disaster. She stood straighter and stepped out of his arms. She tugged her ear and tried to think of something to say. In silence, she walked toward the living room and the massive windows that overlooked the evening ocean. "Is it strange to hear your last name as incorporated or does that give you a sense of power?"

His footsteps echoed on the floor during the seconds he came toward her. "What? I thought we were talking about your sick time."

He wanted to protect her. She stared at the ocean and knew there were waves down below. The ebb and flow of the current made her think she too would survive. She turned and realized he was right behind her. "I'm over it. I'll call in and hope I don't lose my job."

"That's good."

Earlier his kiss set her off course. Her lips tingled, again, as she stared at him. "Yeah, I don't want to die by going back to my place, but I do want my cat. Maddox knows I care about Anakin and that he's all I have."

He crossed his arms and braced his legs wider. "So what do you want me to do?"

If she had to, she'd have to go home and hope her brother was too nervous, but her cat deserved to be with her now. "Can you get one of your security guards to go get him? I have the key. Once he's here, I'll sleep better."

"Sorry." His body became lax. "I wish you thought of it before."

She swallowed. "I thought I'd be home in the morning and that he'd be in jail."

"I don't know if the building allows cats."

She'd have to go and be scared, alone. "Seriously?"

"Okay. We won't worry about it. Give me a minute."

So he'd get Anakin. Perfect. She lowered her shoulders that she hadn't known were stiff and nodded. She turned toward the ocean to get a handle on herself. Nothing made sense in her life. "Thanks."

"Give me the key." Right. She walked away and went toward the door to her huge pocketbook. As she dug into the side pocket, she wrapped her fingers around the keys.

She handed the set to him.

"Anakin will be here in an hour."

"Great." Perhaps space was a good thing. Space would let her stop imagining what it would be to wake up next to Gabe. Her face felt hot as she shook her head. "Maybe we should go there? I would like a few clothes."

"No."

"Huh?" She stopped moving but felt her eyes widen.

"I can have clothes delivered. We don't want your brother tracking you here."

Tracking. Emails. Gabe ran a tech company. She narrowed her gaze. "Aren't you tracking that email?"

"How did you know?"

Right. At least her logic wasn't entirely gone near him. She licked her lips and tried to ignore the tingles. "You're Hawke Inc. The only thing I know about your company is that you do computer-based stuff. So how did someone like you serve in the military?"

"My parents own an oil company, but in family tradition, the sons always serve. I grew up in New York, but my parents had me understand what was expected of me since birth."

Her mother had been dirt poor in comparison, but they always said middle class. "So it was a rich man's way to prove himself to the world. Got it."

A small laugh escaped his lips. He reached out and hugged her. His arms around her gave her a sense of safety. He pulled away and straightened his spine. "Speaking of, I want to call my sister to check on my parents."

"Of course." She stepped away. His family mattered. She said a silent prayer that he heard good news.

He reached into his pocket and dialed. She returned to the sink and finished with the dishes.

"They're what?"

She dried the plates.

"That's amazing."

As she put it back on the rack, he smiled at her. "Be right there."

A second later she returned to his side and waited. He clearly had good news. Without warning, he hugged her and she swayed with her, like he wanted to dance. "My father is out of the coma. My mother is responding to his voice. I have to go."

"Thank God," she shouted and hugged him. Her brother had failed. On impulse, she kissed his cheek. "I'm so happy for you."

He let go of her. "I want you to come with me to the hospital."

A tremble rushed through her and her face heated. "I don't think I should."

"I don't want to leave you here alone."

Now coldness returned and she straightened. "Don't trust me with your tapestries?"

"I want you with me. I'm slightly nervous."

Want? Goosebumps grew on her arms. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

With security all around them, there was no way her brother would find them at the crowded hospital. She nodded. "Okay, let's go."

She lowered her head, until he brushed the skin of her cheek and his lips met hers for another mind numbing, needing more of him kiss. Though it was brief, she was now fueled with energy. If his parents were alive, anything was possible, including the two of them dating.

# Chapter 5

Gabe held Megan's hand while they rushed through the hallways. Orderlies pushed patients on beds in front of him in a line for a CT scan, but with luck the crowd dispersed the moment they tried to maneuver around them. He held Megan closer and guided her past the security people he'd placed near their private wing.

As they made it to the entry, Gabe nodded to two other men he'd served with overseas, Conner and Harrison, who each had taken a job in helping him protect his family. His sister, Olivia, walked out of the room and wiped her eyes. She took a deep breath and motioned for him to go.

Gabe took a step forward, but held Megan's hand and refused to let go. He held the door for her but his gaze immediately fell on his mother and next to his father who sat beside her sipping a small water cup. He let go of Megan's hand and hugged his mother. "Mom. Dad. I'm so happy."

As his mother's wrinkled arms wrapped around his neck, he felt like he could breathe. These two days had been horrible, but now that they were awake and responsive, he could live again. They seemed healthy. He let go of his mother and walked around the bed to hug his father. From behind him, his sister said, "Mom's doctor said the infection is over its worst and she's responding to medication and Dad woke up thirsty and demanding water, now."

Now was a word his father enjoyed saying. The moment his father let him go from the hug, Gabe stood taller and asked his burning question. "Mom, why were you both wearing bulletproof vests that day?"

Megan's face went white as she leaned against the wall.

His mother glanced at Megan who she stared at quizzically and answered, "Your father told me to."

He turned toward his father and asked, "Why, Dad?"

He sat straighter and nodded. "We had anonymous letters. I refused to let anything happen to your mother."

"Well you were still unconscious for days." His lips curled and he crossed his arms. Weeks earlier, Maddox had sent a warning before he tried to kill them. This behavior was a tell. He had threatened Megan too.

His father tried to end the questioning. "Neither of us are spring chickens anymore, kiddo."

Megan stepped forward but kept her head down. "You were wearing bulletproof vests?"

"Yeah." His mother stared with a quizzical look in her eye.

"Oh thank goodness." Megan swallowed and she sucked in her breath.

His mother turned toward him and asked, "Who is this young lady?"

Right. He expected the question sooner, but Olivia had been too preoccupied. He glanced at his parents and sister and let how healthy they looked sink in. A second later, he motioned for Megan to join him. She hugged her waist and followed him to the center of the room. Once he had his hand on her back, he hoped she relaxed. "Mom. Dad. This is Megan Murdock. I served with her brother during the war."

His mother gave her the 'welcome smile' as best she could in a hospital bed. "Nice to meet you."

Megan stared at him and her face went white. He then said, "Megan's in danger too for telling us who fired at you and I'm trying to keep her safe."

"How did you know?" His mother asked and stared at Megan.

"I found my brother's confession." Megan backed into him. " The second I found out, I contacted Gabe and the police."

"Mom, Megan's scared too and she's been more than helpful. I intend to keep her safe." So the cat was out of the bag. He had texted James, Conner and Harrison everything he knew about Maddox to protect his family, but he hadn't told his sisters, not yet.

His father stared at him and asked, "Why would he...?"

"He blames me for being captured and getting tortured, Dad." Gabe interrupted while the memory of a gun pointed at him blazed through his mind. His head throbbed until he met his friend's gaze. "It was in the desert."

A nurse entered the room with her traveling kit to check on both of his parents. His mother clenched her heart as his father shook his head and said, "I never wanted you to join."

No one said anything until the nurse left. Once the door closed, Megan added, "My brother has not been well in a long time. I'm so sorry."

"You seem lost, Megan." His father stared at her but briefly glanced at him. A second later, he lowered his head on his pillow and seemed tired, though he softened his gaze and asked, "Did he hurt you?"

His entire body froze. He looked away from Harrison and gazed at the first woman who had made him crave for more than anyone else in years, if he told himself the truth. He hadn't asked Megan if she was ever hurt by her brother.

Then her face turned red. "No, but he's not the same guy he was before he left."

_Traitor_. At least he hadn't said that out loud. The silence in the room was palpable. No one said anything, and the sound of hospital equipment filled the silence. "Give me one second to talk to Harrison and Conner."

Conner and his sister Olivia shared a look and the three of them walked toward the window. Gabe kept his voice low. "Did Maddox point a gun at me the day we almost lost Colt?"

"I wasn't close enough to you to see," Conner said.

Harrison wrapped his hand around his waist. "You screamed traitor right before the bomb exploded."

Again he thought about the gun that was pointed at him, but this time he remembered a USB in Maddox's hand. Suddenly the scene played out and the entire moment clicked in his head. Maddox had set Colt up to die though Belle pulled him out. Conner had chased Maddox to get his hands on the USB that had his information when the bomb detonated, and they were all almost killed.

He gazed up at his friends and whispered, "I don't think Maddox was taken to prison that day, if ever. Everything was a blur."

Conner nodded and glanced at his sister Olivia. "True and we all moved on, intending to forget."

"Agreed. I started my tech firm in Internet security because I kept seeing codes in my head that could hurt our country's Internet infrastructure. Banks are my biggest clients. Maddox took a program I had worked on at the time."

Harry then asked, "His sister is looking at you with wide eyes. Are you sure she's not a spy for him?"

The thought hadn't crossed his mind about Megan. He'd been fascinated with the curve of her hips. As he thought about her, nothing came to mind but she was being honest. "I don't think so, but I ran a background check on her to be sure."

"Let us know if anything changes," Harrison said.

Conner stared at Olivia who blushed and turned her attention toward their mom.

Gabe needed to get Megan out of here before anyone asked him about them. He had no answers at the moment other than he wanted to spend more time with her and there was no way she was a willing spy for her brother. He shook his father's hand and once he finished, he turned and hugged his mother one more time. "Mom. Dad. I'm glad you're good."

His father said, "Take care of Megan, Gable. In turning in her own family, she chose to do the right thing. I admire courage in a woman."

_Wise words_ though his father lived in a different era with his comments sometimes. Gabe choked on his thought. "I will, Dad."

With a yawn, his father said, "Come back tomorrow. We're both tired, but we want to talk at length with your pretty woman."

How he didn't blame Megan at all was exactly what he always expected of his father. He nodded and said, "Yes sir."

"Your father seems nice." Megan followed him to the door.

"Now." He nodded at his friends who waited in the hall. He'd speak to them tomorrow about the jobs they were doing for him. Right now, he held out his arm that she latched onto from the simple gesture. "Growing up he was demanding. Age has mellowed him."

As they cleared the first door and headed to the elevator, her face went white and she stopped midstride. Then she tugged his arm. "Wait."

"You're pale." He placed his hand on the small of her back.

She pointed toward the elevator corridor with a lot of people who passed each other. "My brother. He was just there."

He glanced everywhere but saw no sign of Maddox. With all the people, it was hard to see everyone. He turned her around and walked her toward his parent's room. "Let's get back. Olivia and Conner and Harrison are there."

She nodded and tugged on his shirt. "Call 911."

He picked up his phone and dialed as he glanced at Megan's pocketbook. If Maddox was here, he knew they were here. He opened the door to hold it. "Conner, guard the door."

His former Marine friends all stood taller and on edge while he explained to the police.

Harrison ensured his parents beds were together and asked, "What's happening?"

Megan answered his friend at the same time he talked to the police. "Maddox is here."

"What's going on?" His mother asked with a yawn.

Megan hugged her waist, but his mind raced. "This is all my fault."

"How?" Megan placed her hand on his back the moment he hung up the phone. He stared at his mother and father who held hands.

The image of standing in the desert as he reached for Maddox. In that flash, Belle screamed and he turned. A second later in his memory the explosion rocked and he fell backward. When he had looked for Maddox, he was gone.

"This is not your fault. I'm sure you did everything you could." Her words brought him back to the present.

His friends guarded the door until the police knocked.

After the police took their statements, and they went to check, Megan whispered to him, "I should have put him in a mental institution or something. Now I'm afraid of what he'll do and afraid of what happens if he's not arrested."

He reached out and took her hand. "You're with me now. I'll keep you safe."

It seemed too soon as his family and friends and Megan huddled together to play cards. Minutes ticked past until his sister put her hand down and said, "The police are back."

The officer nodded. "We've checked the halls and have police assigned everywhere. We haven't seen Maddox Murdock. He must have escaped."

Or he knew he couldn't get through his defenses. Again he glanced at Megan's pocketbook. If he wanted to track someone he'd use their phone. He hugged his parents and placed his hand on his friend's back to "Harrison, you're in charge of my parents. Stay in contact with the police. He cannot get to them."

He picked up his hand of cards and said, "Relax, Gabe. Go home with your girl. I've got this."

His jaw ticked, but seconds later he turned to his friend guarding his sister. "Conner..."

Conner waved him off and stared at his sister. "I'll keep Olivia safe. Go."

Everything was in order. He placed his hand on her back and asked, "Ready, Megan?"

Without a word, he guided Megan through the door, with security. In silence they made their way to the parking garage. "Where are we going?"

She must be scared. He winked at her. "Home, to check on your cat."

The moment he opened her door, she said, "Gabe, I swear I saw him."

"I believe you." He closed her door and hopped into the driver's side. He started the engine. "The bigger question was why was he at the hospital."

She placed her bag on the floor. "I don't know."

He glanced at it one more time. "Has he ever used your phone?"

"My cell phone?" She reached inside her bag and fished it out. As she stared at it, she bit her front lip lightly. "I think he did at Mom's funeral."

He reached out and took it from her. "I'm going to trash your phone and we'll buy you another."

Without more explanation, he opened the car door, placed it under the tire, closed his door and reversed. The crack of electronics rang in the air. "You ran it over."

He opened his door and confirmed he'd smashed it into shards. Done, he closed the door and drove off, "I think he installed a tracker."

She glanced backward. "If he's following me then he knows we are in the parking lot."

"Buckle up." He sped faster.

If Maddox had a tracker in her phone, he'd already know he'd take her home, but starting now, Maddox would have no idea of his next move.

# Chapter 6

"Is Anakin here?" Megan asked at the same time Gabe opened the front door to his palace of a home. She left his side and searched the house. Near the door and the closet, she spotted a litter box. The moment she came to the kitchen, she saw a stainless-steel tray with cat food. Her cat should be here, somewhere.

"He should be," Gabe called out as he went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She continued to search and opened her bedroom door. Anakin was nowhere to be found.

The day she took the cat home, he stayed hidden for three days until he figured out his surroundings. He was a stay-at-home type.

She pressed her lips together and stood in the hall. A fraction of a second later, she saw how his door was slightly opened. It must be the master bedroom. She called out, "Gabe."

"Yeah?" He came around the corner holding a glass of water.

She pointed to the door that she didn't dare cross. "Is that your room?"

He gulped his water, briefly disappeared from view, and finally returned to the hallway without the glass. The moment he opened the door, she held still. His eyes widened and his pupils grew smaller. "He's on my pillow."

Anakin was there. She breathed and finally dared to pop her head in for a second. While her gaze adjusted to the dark room, she saw her cat was fast asleep on his white sheets. With her lips pressed together, she turned and stared at Gabe as she gripped the door frame. "He's just a cat."

The second he shrugged, she relaxed. "Let's get a beer, relax and I'll figure out how to wrestle my pillow back."

Once he returned to stand near her, she pressed her hand on his wrist. "Thank you for letting my cat stay with us. There are many people who hate cats."

He winked and watched her. Her face must be red, but he kept his lips closed and led her into the kitchen. Near the island, he let her go, and went toward the food. She stayed near the counter. "I never had one, but the rumor about women with cats permeates our culture."

The tiles were cold under her tired soles. She slipped a foot out of her shoe and let it curl higher on her other leg. "Then maybe you can kiss me and judge for yourself whether I fit the profile?"

The door to the refrigerator closed. He came closer and his finger brushed against her cheeks. "Are you sure?"

Her heartbeat sped up. Tonight she was here and safe. She opened her lips and closed her eyes. "I know this just for the night and there are no promises..."

"Don't..." He said as he massaged her shoulders.

She opened her eyes. Once again, she imagined more than he offered. She let out a soft sigh. "Gabe, I just need to feel your warmth next to me. We don't have to do anything."

He let his hands fall to the sides and pointed her toward the couch. "Then let's not rush. Do you want beer or a glass of wine?"

She slipped her shoe on but followed directions, though she couldn't sit on the couch. She went toward the windows and stared at the night sky and how it blended with the ocean in the horizon. "Beer is good. Sometimes wine can go straight to my head."

He came and placed a Corona with a lime next to him. She glanced at the usual light beer served in Florida under the heat and sun and met his gaze while he sat. "Megan, I know you're an accountant. Where did you go to school?"

She hugged her waist but left the window. Next to him would be warm, but she couldn't decide. "FSU. You?"

"Columbia."

_Of course. New York all the way_. She stood in front of him but swayed on her feet. "So what made you move from New York to Miami?"

"It's cheaper to incorporate in Florida and I like it here."

She dropped her hands to her sides while she descended into the seat next to him. "What did you major in?"

All around her, she could smell cedar and her heart slammed in her chest. "Computers..."

"Right." She interrupted but her skin felt electrified and warm. She pushed her own hair out of her face. "I get nervous near you when you look at me like that."

He blinked and put his drink down. "Like what?"

Perhaps he flirted with everyone he ever met, but the buzz inside her pushed her to continue. "Like you want to kiss me."

With his lips close to hers, he let his hand drop in her lap. "You asked me..."

Her face grew hot as she lowered her lashes. Her trip over the hot coals continued, so she shifted uncomfortably and slipped her shoes off. She decided to sit on her feet, but it didn't help her. "I did. Every time you kiss me, I want more."

His blue eyes grew darker as he stayed close, like he wanted to touch her. Again she felt the energy that he'd kiss her, but this time she kept her gaze on him. "Megan, we probably shouldn't."

Everything she felt must be one-sided. She stilled and tried to dampen her attraction. "You're right. We shouldn't. You and I will never work."

"Not what I meant." He cupped her face.

Before she could ask a question, his lips met hers and it felt like he branded her. Her legs uncurled from under her and she leaned in for more. His arms held her tight, like she was the Christmas present he wanted to unwrap all at once, while his lips trapped hers.

"Wow," she said, once the kiss ended. She meant to lower her legs toward her shoes, but somehow she spread her legs across his lap and he massaged her heels.

He continued the circular motion. "I've not acted myself since I met you."

Goosebumps coated her arms and body again. The admission lay between them. She sat straighter and inched to take her legs back, but his massage made her soles feel fresh. "How?"

"I never let a woman get under my skin." He moved his hands higher on her legs.

Soon, he'd get to her skirt. This was it. She swallowed and said, "I would never hurt you."

She blinked as she tugged his shirt off and saw the old wounds that he had on his left side that traced around to his back. She placed her hand on it and felt his warm skin ripple under her touch. "I like your battle scars. It's sexy."

"I don't like talking about what happened," he admitted but a second later he leaned forward and kissed her. In his arms, she was safe and felt she was comfortable with him in a way she hadn't been with anyone else. His strong shoulder muscles trembled under her soft grip. His lips tasted like honey and she craved more. The moment they came for air, she tasted him on her lips still, like he was a hot drink made just for her. "Mmm-hmmm."

Dimples appeared on his face when his hands traced her legs. Everything felt perfect, and she liked how her body bloomed from how he glanced at her waist and chest.

_Yes_. Tonight she was his. She moved her hands to brush against his face and her fingers traced his lips.

He lifted her shirt and kissed her stomach. No one ever made her feel this warm.

# Chapter 7

Megan stretched, opened her eyes, and glanced at the window. It was bright outside, but there must be a filter that blocked those heavy rays. She heard the door open and close her eyes to pretend to sleep. A moment later, she felt the mattress sag next to her hip. She shifted, but she felt Gabe's warm hand on her arm as he asked, "Megan, are you awake?"

"I am now." She smiled as she stretched her arms for the second time. "Is everything okay?"

He nodded. "Your brother..."

"What now?" she interrupted and sat up. Her heart beat a mile a minute and it felt like the air around her refused to go into her lungs. She reached out to hold Gabe's hand.

"He hacked your work email."

Suddenly she could breathe again.

At least he wasn't dead, but she pressed her lips together to not even whisper that out loud. Her brother needed to be stopped. She tilted her head and blinked, as she wasn't ready to think. "What?"

He sat at the edge of the bed. "I set up a trace for how he found us at the hospital. I assumed it was your phone, but did you get your work email delivered there?"

"Yeah." If Gabe could trace her phone to her email, all digitally, then she understood why data mattered and why his company was relevant in today's world. "But I was told to keep in touch with my boss through emails at all hours."

He scooted closer and she felt warmer from his nearness. "I have to call Morgan Enterprises and speak to the CEO but I wanted to let you know first."

He stood and she followed. He could see the huge T-shirt of his that she borrowed to sleep in last night. "Why?"

He reached out and traced the sleeve of her—well his—shirt. "My corporation charges a lot of money for Internet security and I'm going to have to use your name in my recommendations to them."

She lowered her face. This wasn't that exciting and she had no right to hope for a kiss. "Is that why you woke me up?"

He pressed his hand on her shoulder and she looked at him. "No, I wanted to see you."

"Now that sounds good." A huge grin grew on her face and she came closer.

His lips came close to hers and she closed her eyes. Then he lightly kissed her, and she felt safe. For a second, everything else didn't matter, but the feeling dissipated the moment his lips left hers and he stepped away. He stood with his feet pointed to the door, but turned his neck and gave her a small smile. "No, I don't think you understand. Get dressed. I want to talk to you."

"Okay." She gazed at his strong shoulders as he walked toward the bedroom door. She called out, "Let me get dressed."

At the door, he reached out into the hallway and moved a few plastic bags on the desk in his bedroom. She wondered where those bags came from for a moment because they were not there last night. Once he put them all down, he said, "I had my assistant drop off clothes for you. Please pick something new and meet me for breakfast."

"Really? Okay. Give me a minute." Whatever was in the bag, hopefully this fit better than the last outfit she'd bought online, and her eyes widened because she opened and stared at the first label. Valentino. Her hand trembled. This was not in her budget. Her heart sped up, but Gabe was already outside and she couldn't protest the purchase.

She left the packages on the bed and went to clean herself. If she wore these, she could pretend to be in his world easier. She went out and selected white pants and a blue, flowy shirt that made her feel soft. If she had to, she'd dip into her savings account to pay Gabe back. Right now, she wondered if he thought she looked good. She opened the door and followed her nose that instantly smelled coffee and made her stomach grumble.

"I'm here."

Gabe returned to the kitchen and placed his hand on her back as he leaned forward and handed her a cup. "Megan, last night..."

"We don't have to talk about..." She licked her lips and focused on the coffee. It would taste heavenly.

He walked next to her while they made it to the kitchen nook table and he pulled out her chair. "We do though. I have something I want us to be clear on."

She sipped the coffee finally, and the taste made her forget where she was for a split second. The moment passed so she blinked and stared into those sexy, blue eyes of his and asked, "What?"

He reached out for her hands. She stared at his palms, put her coffee down and reached out for him. Then he traced her knuckles. "First, I want to let you know I'm running a background check on you."

His fingers made her skin pulsate with desire, even as her eyes widened. "What do you think you'll find?"

"Nothing except how much more I want to know about you." He kissed her hand. She felt branded. No one had ever kissed her hand before. It was only a moment she ever saw on television.

He let her hands go and she curled them around her glass at the same time she looked away. "Ask me anything."

"I haven't had a steady girlfriend since I returned home." Wow. Her heart beat faster in her chest while she thought that he was asking her.

She flipped her hair behind her ears as she tried to silence the thunder she felt inside. "You haven't?"

He scooted closer to her and she could sense her desire growing, which made no sense, except that she more than liked him. "Megan, I know we just met and that your brother wants to kill me, but I hope when this is all over you'll consider sticking around and just be with me when it's quiet."

Anything he wanted. She lowered her head and reached out for his hand. "Yes. I'll be your girlfriend."

"Good."

He was so close. In that white T-shirt of his, he was sexy and adorable. She leaned closer to kiss him, when his phone beeped out an alarm. She sat straighter but she clutched the table like it might help her. "Why is it going off now?"

"I don't know. Let me check." He said and jumped out of his seat and reached for his laptop.

Right. The bell was his phone and not on the smoke alarm so there was no fire. She uncurled her hand from the table and picked up her coffee cup. She poured more coffee for both of them while he returned with his laptop and typed fast. She gave him a few minutes, and she finished her second cup fast. Thirty seconds later, she took the seat next to him.

"What's happening?" she asked as she curled closer to him.

He glanced at her and gave her leg a squeeze. "Give me a minute."

"Okay." She stared at the screen, but to her the words on the screen seemed gibberish. If he looked at her accounting files, he'd probably think the same, so she waited.

He typed fast and finished in a blink. "Someone is cyber-attacking Hawke Inc. I have to go to the office."

Her own job was how she paid her bills so she completely understood his rush to his job. "Ohh. Well should I go to work then?"

"No." He reached out, held her closer and kissed her forehead. "This is an old military maneuver where you hit both sides of the army at the same time to throw off the planks."

"I don't understand."

"I have an emergency situation. I'd bet money that you're about to get an emergency that will separate us and it's better for both of us if we stick together like glue."

With Gabe, she'd have a shot at not spending her life alone, which was where she assumed her life was heading toward. She nodded and he let his hold on her lessen. She turned her chair toward the kitchen. "This is a lot of food we haven't touched."

He put his head on her shoulder and hugged her over the chair. "Does that mean you agree?"

She turned back toward him and nodded. Then she kissed his cheek. "As long as there is time for me to eat. I'm famished."

Before she could scoot her chair toward the table, Gabe shoved a laptop in front of her. "Okay, please check your email from this computer."

She narrowed her gaze while she rested her fingers on the keyboard. "Why?"

"I have a tracker on this that will reverse any worms you have."

With a deep breath, she logged on and found the email service. She clicked in, placed her hand on Gabe's thigh. "There is an email from Maddox."

"Read it but remember it will be news that will want to separate us."

She held her breath and read. _Sis, I'm sorry about yesterday. I went to Mom's grave before I left town and someone had vandalized her headstone._

She felt an electric zap and fisted her hands. "My mother doesn't deserve to be part of this."

"Whatever happened, I can get it fixed."

Gabe and his money hadn't given Maddox any right to do this. This was wrong, and Gabe should not have to fix what her brother had done, vandalizing their mother's eternal resting place. She scooted out of her seat. "That's not the point. Maddox shouldn't..."

"You can't control him." Gabe said as packed his laptop and fixed their chairs to face their breakfast that had been pushed aside.

If she went to work with him, she was dressed already. "After your work, we'll go to the graveyard?"

"Yes. Together."

"And I will talk to the caretakers on the phone."

"Good plan."

Her thoughts cleared. At least this way they would get everything in order and be together. Her stomach no longer rumbled for food. She pointed to the front door. "Better get going."

He arranged the plates in front of them. "Relax, you're with me now and you were hungry."

She let him guide her to sip her coffee without complaint. While he folded her napkin in her lap, she tugged at her ear. "Gabe, why me of all women?"

He winked at her. "Because you make me feel like I'm home."

Perfect answer. She picked up a piece of toast as she felt her face grow warmer. "I feel the same which is funny because my mother told me I was the strong one who could survive anything."

"We can both be strong, together."

For once, she had a partner and this was great. If only her brother hadn't ruined her chances to be happy and fall in love because Gabe Hawke was amazing and the best man she'd ever met.

# Chapter 8

Gabe held the front door for Megan that she walked past him and into Hawke Inc. He placed his hand on her lower back and led her to the elevators. No one said anything to them, but he saw his employees glance over and then look away.

Megan had agreed to be his girlfriend, and he worried he couldn't offer her all she deserved since they were starting off on this path with her brother between them. Once her brother was captured, he'd make the time to whisk her off to Venice for the weekend where they could eat at his favorite restaurant.

The elevator beeped and opened which brought him back to the present moment. No one joined them, so he leaned forward and smelled the roses of her skin that made his body ache for her. Then he stood straighter and admitted, "Memories of what happened in the desert are coming back to me."

"Are they about my brother?" she asked the moment the doors opened to his office floor.

"Yes." His secretary stared at the pair of them, but she lowered her head immediately. Megan kept her question to herself, but he smiled and showed her the way to his office. She stayed in step with him.

The second the doors closed to his office and they were alone again, she asked, "What happened?"

He led her a chair across from his desk, but she picked it up to move it closer. He held out his hands and took it from her and then placed her seat next to him. Once they were settled and he sat at his desk, he turned toward her, hands together. "Even as a Marine, I intended to take a loan from my father and start Hawke Inc. as a computer security service. I was stupid at twenty-two and decided to create a hack that would grant me information about almost any company or government organization that would mutate until it found a point of entry."

Her brown eyes seemed to assess him, like one of his computers. She nodded and said, "Sounds like a virus."

"Yeah. I'm using non-tech terms, but that's a good comparison."

She leaned forward. "Okay, so you created a virus hack, and?"

Memories flashed in his mind of the explosion, of how Belle screamed and pulled Colt toward her, of dust and rocks that flew in his face the moment, and the shards of that metal fence that poked at his skin. The images blurred in every thought, but he focused on the USB and said, "I told James, Conner, Colt, Belle, Harrison and Maddox my plans and what I had done while we were on a mission. A few days later Maddox stole my hack on a USB on the day we were attacked."

Her eyes widened. "He what?"

"I thought he died."

With her nod, he felt calmer. Good. Memories of the desert and what had happened to him drained him.

Silence clung in the air and he took the moment to regroup his energy for the day. The second ended when she asked, "So what do you plan to do now?"

Right. Focus on today. He reached out and patted her hand. Her email was for Morgan Enterprises and that was how her brother traced her. He swallowed and said, "My clients are safe because I created a way to block my own hack years ago, but your boss is not my client and he's under attack. I have no idea how many other companies or organizations Maddox might have hacked."

She reached out and held his wrist while her gaze read that she was almost pleased with him. "Did you feel guilty this morning when you asked me to be your girlfriend because of what you did?"

"Absolutely not." He tugged her closer and then kissed her forehead because he didn't have a clear shot at her lips. "You're the prettiest and most interesting woman I've met in a long time."

A slow smile emerged as she lifted her chin. "Good answer. Did you forget all of what you said?"

"About you being my sexy girlfriend, no."

"I meant about my brother and what you said about the desert."

Later, he'd get that kiss from her. For now, he sat farther back in his chair and pointed toward the door. "Yes and no. I blocked all thoughts about him until I heard your name from my secretary and you jogged my memories. Megan and Maddox sounds like matching twin names."

"So you'd want the first letter to be the same if you had twins. Got it."

Megan's offbeat sense of humor made her charming. His stare went lower and he peeked at her chest for a second. Megan was a few years younger and her lips were too kissable. He needed to keep his distance or he'd follow through on his instinct. Instead, he opened his computer and continued the conversation. "Wait. Your brother has blue eyes."

"Wait. Many Cubans are blond and blue-eyed."

"Sorry." His face felt hot while he realized he was way too distracted from wanting to touch her and keep her close. He turned toward her. Right now, he needed to not think about fixing the potential threat. He focused on bringing her into what weighed on his mind. "I wanted you aware of what this is before I tell your boss, Peter Morgan, that his financial empire has a security problem."

She stood, like she should leave. "Do you want me to wait outside your office?"

"No." He stood and gestured for her to stay and sit next to him. Once she followed, he retook his seat and said, "I told you this morning, we need to stick together."

"Even in the same building?"

He typed on his keyboard and saw his secretary's message that Peter Morgan was in the building. They had minutes, so he answered Megan fast. "I believe your brother wants revenge. It's easier to accomplish if we're alone."

He clicked on the proposal and hit print as Megan crossed her arms. "Why revenge then? Sounds like he stole from you though I was under the impression at his house that he hated you because of something you did to him."

He stopped and again the memories of the dust in the air that burned his lungs threatened to overtake the present moment. "I left him to die."

"What?"

The tone in her voice told him she hadn't believed him. He turned toward her, took her hand in his and took a breath. Megan was a sweetheart and believed in the right thing. He swallowed his pride and tried to explain. "In the threats against my parents and sisters, it was all about taking the people who were important to me away. Now that I know it was Maddox, my friends who are guarding my family and were there now understand this all relates to the day we were ambushed and I couldn't get to your brother before the bomb went off."

A shadow of a man came through the window near the door and Megan tensed. "Which is how he was captured and tortured. Got it." She took her hand back and scooted her chair away the moment she finished, "Okay. I'll sit in on the meeting."

"Thanks." He stapled the proposal and stood to greet their visitor. Megan's boss walked through the door and Gabe walked around and offered his hand to shake. "Peter Morgan."

He shook his hand. "Gabe Hawke." He tipped his head toward Megan and said, "Megan Murdock. Did you quit your job at my company?"

She placed her hands behind her back and shook her head. "No, sir. I needed time off, not that I thought you noticed me ever there."

"I had my security firm run background before the meeting, and your name came up." Peter gestured toward his seat and they all sat straighter. "So my question for the two of you is what's going on and how does this relate to Morgan Enterprises?"

Gabe placed the proposal in a folder. "Your company has been hacked. We're working to catch the criminal, but you are technically not my customer so I can't fix your problem."

He sat like he was a king of the world. "How do you know it affects me?"

"I found it on my computer after Megan logged into her work email."

Peter glanced at Megan and returned his attention to him as he lowered his head. "Gabe, I am sorry for what happened to your parents."

The police were keeping what happened a secret so no one knew his parents were fine. He nodded. "Thank you. The man who shot them in the street is the same one who is stealing from your company."

Megan held both of her hands in her lap. "The threat came to me from my email that I check all the time per my boss's opinion that we always know what's going on in the office."

"Fair enough." Peter gestured for the contract. Gabe handed it to him and he read fast. A few seconds later, he nodded. "I'll have my legal department look at the contract today and get back to you. We will help in any criminal investigation but my company's priority is the privacy of information about our clients."

"I understand." Gabe stood and shook his hand. Eliminating and changing the code to reverse the virus itself to destroy the information it collected would give Morgan Enterprises total security from this theft. Hawke Inc would benefit so this was an easy win-win.

Peter said, "Expect to hear from me today."

Then he walked out the door. Gabe stayed still until the door closed behind him. In the same moment, Megan came beside him, tucked her hand under his arm and held him close. "That was easy. Now we deal with my mother's grave?"

Today hadn't been what he feared. In fact, near Megan, his mouth watered. He wrapped his hands around her and drew her closer. "Yes, after you kiss me."

Her sweet lips tasted like heaven itself and he forgot about the day.

# Chapter 9

Megan had worried the entire time that if she saw the grave then she'd break into tears. After Gabe parked in the driveway and they stepped onto the gravel road, she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. Now she'd see firsthand how Maddox had changed from a bullied but still sweet teen who ensured she'd had her packed lunch to someone who murdered and knocked over their mother's grave.

Part of her hoped he hadn't.

Gabe put his hand on her back and walked with her toward the grave. At least his warmness gave her a sense of home and belonging. She stayed in his arms.

A caretaker stopped them in the office. He stepped in front of them and said, "Miss Murdock?"

She blinked but held Gabe close. "Yes?"

The caretaker lowered his head. "I'm sorry that someone targeted your mother's grave. We are repairing all the damage now and hope to take care of everything as soon as we can."

Numbers ran through her head. A few months ago the figures of how much dying cost astounded her. She pressed her lips together until the figures dissipated from her brain and she asked, "Did the insurance payment cover damages?"

"Yes." The caretaker glanced up and met her gaze.

At least she wasn't going to be charged another exorbitant amount. She swallowed and then glanced behind the guy and to the door. She had to know what her brother had done. "Okay. Thank you."

The moment they walked out the front door of the small office and toward the graveyard, they heard blue birds singing. The grass was freshly mowed and the cemetery seemed peaceful instead of fearsome. Her mother had always loved nature and the distant palm trees and butterflies would make her smile.

They walked closer to the corner lot near the palm trees enclave and the tightness in her chest grew as she pointed to the split tombstone where someone likely used a jackhammer and then chicken blood and heads to act like this was a Santeria ritual. Her mother would hate this. Tears washed down her check and she turned into Gabe's shoulder and hugged him. "This is where we buried my mother."

He patted her hair and held her tight. Having him here with her helped her trust. Being alone would have been unbearable. She left the hug and wanted to say _I love you_ but instead said, "I needed your shoulder for a minute."

He tucked her hair behind her ear. "We'll come back and pay homage to your mother once all of this is repaired and cleaned."

"Thanks." The gleam in his gaze made her hope that he'd feel the same. Once her brother was captured, perhaps they could go on a date, relax and learn about each other like normal people. Right now her feelings were intense.

She turned to walk away, but he tagged behind her, for a second until he caught up and took her hand in his. "Glad I could be here with you."

"I'm glad too." She turned away from the grave that was knocked over with some heavy, mechanized hammer. The moment they were about to walk away, her stomach went into knots. She swallowed and her throat felt bitter, like acid. She took another step forward and said, "Something is in the air. I feel uneasy."

Gabe held her hand close to his heart. "We'll pay someone to clean all this up. Let me get you home."

A twig snapped behind them. The moment became crystal clear in that second she heard the unmistakable voice of her brother. "I thought you'd come alone, sis."

"Maddox!" She turned around and stared at the barrel of the rifle that her brother pointed at them.

Gabe stepped in front of her and tried to block her. "Let your sister leave and we'll keep this between the two of us."

Maddox flicked the barrel of the rifle at her head and then toward Gabe again. "You left me for dead and now you've stolen my only family."

"Maddox, it's not like that." She tried to step around Gabe. He wouldn't die because of her.

Gabe refused to let her go around and he stayed in front of her.

Maddox aimed right at Gabe. "Sis, stay out of this. Your boyfriend left me to die and now he's stolen you too."

No. She couldn't lose Gabe too. She cried out. "This doesn't have to end in violence."

"Tell that to my parents." Gabe refused to step aside.

"No." Megan screamed for the two of them while sirens echoed in the distance. "Don't. Stop. The police are here."

"I had called them earlier, Megan." Gabe told her without one glance in her direction. "I thought this might happen."

"Gabe, for you touching my sister, I will repay you in kind. You have two sisters." Maddox shot.

Gabe threw her on the ground in the same second. The shot hung in the air—then she felt warm goo on her hand. Gabe still blocked her, but she moved her hand up from his thigh and saw blood on her fingers. She knew it wasn't life-threatening, but she cried out, "Gabe!"

"You've chosen the wrong side, sis." Maddox said.

At the same time the police circled around them in their cars.

She sat forward and was stunned. Gabe's wound oozed more than she realized and he needed to get to a hospital, soon. Right now he was still alive, but her brother was her issue. She held Gabe in her arms. "The police have you surrounded. There is no escape. Maddox, don't do this."

While the police began to open their doors, her brother put his rifle on his back, grabbed her off the ground, wrapped his arm around her neck and held a small gun toward her temple. "Sure there is. I have you."

He began to drag her toward the trees. His skin smelled like gun residue and all traces of her once good brother were gone the moment he squeezed her neck. She struggled and yelled, "Get off."

He continued to drag her away while the police all pointed their guns at her. Every inch they took felt like an eternity, but then she glanced down at Gabe and he wasn't where he'd been slumped over, shot. Her body felt numb but her mind raced.

Everything was a blur.

A twig underneath her brother's feet snapped as they were close to the palmetto trees. The sound hadn't warned her. Suddenly she was shoved to the ground. She grunted and realized that someone jumped both her brother and her from behind.

The weight on her lifted. She lifted her head, but felt the men struggle beside her. Dirt splashed in her eyes and she twisted away. A split second later, she felt cold metal next to her knees while she stood.

She glanced down at the gun next to her.

Maddox reached for it. Her heart pounded, and she kicked it farther away. She stood taller and was ready to help more.

Her heart beat throbbed in her ears when she realized that Gabe had tackled them. He punched her brother hard against the jaw.

She winced and her own jaw throbbed from pain, when she wasn't even in the fight. Her mother would want her to stop this. She felt the presence and she screamed out, "Gabe!"

He stopped the next punch midair. "I couldn't let him hurt you."

Gabe was her hero. Her heart fluttered. The moment was almost surreal and black and white, but it became vivid and bright the moment the police came and read her brother his rights.

The instant the police took Maddox into custody, Gabe limped toward her and hugged her.

In that flash of color, nothing stirred. She could smell the testosterone and the sense of belonging she felt in his arms made her forget everything except they were together.

She felt in his arms that the world circled around them. Her body ached for him, but she pulled away. The world came back into its intense hue while the police blue and red lights shone in her eyes and the clatter of her brother being handcuffed into a car broke the peace of the cemetery. She sighed and grabbed Gabe's arm. "Let's get you to a hospital."

"Only if you're right next to me." Gabe fingers intertwined with hers.

Good. Yes. There was nowhere else she'd be. His fingers warmed her.

A police sergeant nodded like he had some voice in their lives. "We can question you both there."

Right. At some point they'd give statements and this might seem real. She unlaced her hands and held a finger up. "I need to talk to Maddox."

As she walked away, Gabe called out, "He's in the police car."

"One second." She turned around and met his gaze. A huge part of her wanted to stay in his arms, but this was her last chance. Maddox was her brother and once upon a time, he'd protected her from school bullies that tried to knock over her lunch tray. She walked toward the car that her brother was in and talked through the open door, "Maddox."

He refused to look at her. "I have nothing to say to traitors."

In his profile, she still saw flickers of the boy she remembered. She felt her eyes begin to swell with tears. "You will always be my brother. Our mom loved us both, and you were her favorite."

He turned and his blue eyes met hers. "You don't know what family is."

Right and wrong sometimes swirled in her head, but she had done everything to do the right thing but at the same time protect him. Her mother had instilled in her that she would always find her way, and that she needed to help Maddox.

She hugged her waist and tried not to let his words act like a slap to her face. "Maddox, you're wrong. I will see to it that you're offered help. I miss the boy who used to protect me."

He turned away. "Go away, Megan."

The police slammed the door closed and she felt her entire body drag until she returned to Gabe. Then he leaned on her for support. In unison, they walked, and she held him tight. "Let's go."

She walked him toward an ambulance and felt a peace growing inside of her. She was with the right man. Alone, she'd tell him that she was in love with him. Right now she kept the conversation light. "How did you call the police? I never saw you make a phone call."

"I had an app built on my phone. I don't have to dial 911 now. The app sends my exact location to my security team and the police. I hit the button when we arrived at the cemetery because I guessed your brother's every move."

"You're a genius. That app alone will probably net you millions." Numbers swam in her head and her logical brain wanted to crunch the numbers of how much that could earn him. This thought helped her carry more of his weight and become numb to what her brother said earlier. Right now she was helping everyone she loved.

He pressed more of his weight on her until the stretcher with the EMT came toward him. "I created it fast when my family was being targeted."

Someone reached out and helped him onto the ambulance bed and he didn't struggle. She let go and hopped in once the crew member invited her. The team of people who helped him worked on stabilizing him. She took his hand while they placed his leg in an orange brace to keep him still. The EMTs worked, but she stilled and patted his hand. "How is your leg?"

"At least it wasn't my chest." He tilted his head and ground his teeth.

Goodness. This was her fault. The thought weighed on her while she massaged the side of his face. If she could've stop what happened, she would have. At least the threat was over. She lowered her gaze as he face felt hot. "Maddox was arrested."

"And I kept my promise not to kill him." He took her hand in his again.

The ambulance blazed down the street, away from the grave. "Gabe, your family will be worried."

The second the ambulance made a turn, the crew held all the equipment despite how everything was strapped into place, and she swayed.

"Wheel me into their room later, but right now, don't leave me."

"Never! You're my hero." She kissed his forehead. Today he'd saved her. She'd never leave him.

He mumbled, "I'm no one's hero."

On that he was wrong. Gabe Hawke was the best man she'd ever met.

# Chapter 10

The orderly brought Gabe back to his room for now with the promise he'd bring him the paperwork to go home within minutes. Now he'd find Megan and leave, but as the doors opened to his room, he saw both of his parents holding each other and resting on two chairs next to the window. The second he was wheeled closer to them, his parents stood.

If he didn't follow protocol at a hospital, they might not let him leave. Once the orderly left, he stood and hugged them both. "Mom, Dad. I'm okay."

His mother brushed her hands against his cheeks, but he stilled, and she checked his head and continued lower. She assessed him all the way down to his toes. "You just came out of surgery."

The bullet grazed him, so physically he was fine. Mentally, was another story. He needed to talk to Megan. Her brother triggered more memories that came to him hard on the drive. His pulse began to race again while he thought about her sweet face and how she was almost killed in this mess until he answered his parents, "I wasn't in surgery. It was a thorough examination."

"And?" His father placed his hand on his mother's shoulder and she stepped back.

He grabbed his ripped shirt from the bed and tugged it back on now, so no one else saw his scars. "And they are releasing me. I'm having you both moved to your home tomorrow with Harrison as your bodyguard."

His father said, "We can leave now. Maddox Murdock was arrested. We are free."

The police arrest should have satisfied him, but images of the desert while he struggled to get his USB from Maddox replayed in his mind. Again he saw in his mind's eye where Belle screamed to get Colt out of the wires, this time had even more faces in the moment. James and Harrison had fought a man clearly trained in martial arts who then disappeared. The memory then flashed to when Conner had pulled him out of the fire and the same time Conner screamed about Jax Romero.

More had happened out there that he pushed from his memory. All of this might affect his family. Until he figured everything out, his family needed protection. Hopefully he was just being overboard and his parents were right, but right now he needed to find Megan but he answered, "No. I don't want his lawyers to find out you're alive. Not yet."

His father patted his shoulder. "None of this matters, son. We have security. We will be fine."

No. Everyone in his family needed protection. He had to talk to his friends who were protecting them but most of all he had to ensure Megan was safe. "Humor me. Tomorrow, follow Harrison's instructions."

"What about you? Whose taking care of you when you get home?" his mother said while he finished with his shoe lace.

Megan's voice rang in the air. "I am."

Gabe jumped off the bed, but his heart thumped. She was here. She held a brown paper bag in her hand that must be her lunch. His lips ached to kiss her again and again.

But the moment lapsed and he glanced at the clock behind them. She was early, though with her here he felt a sense of belonging. "Megan, I thought you went to get lunch."

"I'm back." Her gaze narrowed at him and he felt like he said the absolute wrong thing. Then she shrugged and held out her hand to greet his father and mother. "Nice to see you both again."

"Nice to see you too." His mother ignored the handshake and hugged Megan. "Gabe hasn't looked at a woman like he looks at you before."

Megan swayed on her feet as the hug ended. "What do you mean?"

Gabe stepped closer to them and put his hand on Megan's back. "Mom!"

His mother winked and turned toward his father. "He likes you. It's good to see. We'll leave you both now."

Gabe's eyes widened.

His father kept his hand on his mother's back but met his gaze. "Don't worry son. Harrison ensured the public believes us to be out of the country on an extended holiday and he told your board of directors you went out of town on business."

Good. He trusted his friends and it was good they all remained underground.

Neither Megan or he moved until the door closed. Silence stayed for another few moments until Megan adjusted her brown paper bag with her lunch and the crinkle echoed in the room. She coughed and asked, "Why don't you want your parents to go home or talk to lawyers?"

He sat on the edge of the bed while his mind imagined how his parents were nearly gunned down in the middle of the street, again. He massaged his temples to make the image disappear but nothing did. In the corner of his vision he saw how Megan put her things down, smoothed out a wrinkle in her pants, and sat next to him. "They will. I just want to know they are safe. Once I hear them bickering about the same old things and they offer me a cup of coffee on a visit, I'll probably start to lose the knife I feel in my stomach every time I think they might have died on me."

She held still and though she sat close, she felt far away to him. He reached for her hand. She sighed and held him close. "My brother was wrong. If you don't want to see me anymore, I understand."

Now he grew cold at the idea she might leave him. He turned his good leg onto the bed and stared at her. "I thought you were taking care of me when I check out of here."

Megan reached for his hand, but the orderly who wheeled him here and returned in a huff and shuffled the paperwork from the nurse's station. Megan tugged her hand away and folded them in her arms while she looked at the linoleum floor.

Gabe stood and read the nurses papers. "Thanks."

The orderly left.

Without supervision, Gabe stood and offered his hand to Megan. She raised herself but locked her arms under his. "You're getting out?"

Good. When she was with him, the world was right. Now he needed to go home. "The bullet did not penetrate the skin. I was grazed and didn't need surgery."

"That's great." She reached out and opened the door. They walked in step to elevators and neither said anything with the crowd around them. Once the elevator arrived and they were alone, she shook her brown bag in her hand. "So why did you want me to go get lunch when the doctor arrived?"

The last time he saw a doctor about his burns, they told him it was time to leave the Marines. He had to face the doctor alone. All of that scared him. "I didn't want you to worry."

"I was more worried because you didn't want me here." She patted his arm.

"I wanted you." There was no one else in his life that made him feel complete. The past blurred, because his only focus was her. The elevator dinged and the doors were about to fly open as he asked, "Are you coming home with me?"

"Is that what you want?" The fluorescent lighting of the first floor flooded the elevator.

"Yeah."

They walked in step together but the moment they passed the emergency room he saw a skinny teenage boy with a fresh burn on his upper arm and a frantic mother who spoke to the nurse. His own scar felt the heat of what happened to him instantly.

Megan checked his forehead and with her palm on him, she stepped right in front of him. "Is everything okay?"

He needed her with him. The moment she lowered her hand, he reached out and pressed his forehead on hers. "We'll talk when we get home. I hate the sound of machines that make me feel like I'm sicker than I am."

"Is that because of what happened with my brother in the desert?"

"You've seen my sides and chest so you know I was burned."

Her gaze flickered to the boy and, during the moments until they passed she held her breath. Further away, she regrouped, laced her arm with his again and guided him to walk forward. He followed her directions. "Yeah, but I told you that your battle scars were sexy."

He led her and followed the exit signs. "It didn't feel sexy at the time and I hate hospitals."

"Then let's get you home."

Home was only good if she was there. "Megan, I've never met anyone like you. Don't change."

As they walked outside, he hailed his car service from work. At least being the CEO had perks and they didn't wait.

Seconds later, the driver was there and opened the black town car door for them. Megan scooted in. "We'll have to learn to live without the adrenaline rush that came from my brother and just be peaceful."

His usual methods with a woman were gifts and he'd take his physical pleasure. All of that seemed surface level compared to Megan, though he needed to be with her. He traced her leg while he whispered in her ear. "You'll have to learn what it's like to actually be mine."

A smile grew on her lips. "Now that sounds promising."

Agreed. He'd have to do whatever it took to ensure she was his. He'd not let her go.

# Chapter 11

During the car ride, Megan stayed close to Gabe but felt he had withdrawn. If they had a shot at happily-ever-after then he needed to speak, but she'd wait till they went home.

The rest of the ride was pleasant the moment he kissed the side of her face.

The car rolled to a smooth stop and the driver opened her door. She scooted out and waited for Gabe who led her into his building and up to his floor. As he opened the door, she saw that candles were lit and everywhere. She turned and saw that a meal was laid out on the table, and that a blue ball gown was hung on a mirror. She stepped back but noticed the bouquets of flowers. She placed her hand on her chest to stop her heart from racing and turned toward him. "What is all of this?"

He picked up a flower and handed it to her. "I wanted you to feel special."

He must have learned that move from a knight in an old movie. She put the flower into the vase he found, though her cheeks felt warm. "I don't need special. I want to know what's going on with you? In the hospital you were quiet and became less talkative."

He pointed with his nose to the flower petals on the floor that Anakin rolled around in. "Your cat likes the flowers."

Cute, but off topic. She reached out for his hand and led him to the couch. "Please, Gabe. What's going on?"

He sucked in his breath like he was about to dive into the ocean and wanted the air in his lungs. He took a second and then said, "I keep having more visions of what happened in the desert and I think your brother was part of the ambush."

Maddox. There was no excuse for what happened to his parents or if he was part of something years ago, no redemption might be found because he was lost even longer than she imagined. She rested her hand on his knee. "You think he betrayed you?"

He pressed his hands to his nose like he was in prayer. "He stole my USB, but I think it was coordinated with help. I was so focused on healing that I put everything out of my mind."

True, but he was in jail now and nothing was left. They were safe and it was time they moved on. Gabe seemed locked in a prison of his past. She had to choose her words carefully. She kept her voice low. "Glad you fixed everything. The man who joined the Marines and the man who came out were two different people. In your case I would say your character grew. For my brother, something snapped in him and he's not well."

He turned and she saw a storm of emotions flash in his blue eyes. Then he reached out and kissed her forehead. "I don't want to talk about him anymore with you."

Agreed. The topic was heavy and her lips craved his kiss. She adjusted her shirt. "Fair enough."

Without another word, he reached forward and claimed her mouth. She melted like butter left out in the humidity.

All she could do because thinking wasn't an option was curl into him and deepen their kiss.

However she wasn't a teenager and she wanted more. Her fingers curled under his shirt to touch him, but he reached out and stopped her. They both sat as he explained, "The scars on my body remind me every time I'm home alone that I'm not the same person and I've thought for years that I was ruined."

Ruined? Gabe? The thought was hysterical; he was perfect. She kept her hand near his body while he held her. "Are you joking? You're my hero and you are perfect."

"I'm not a hero." He shook his head, but slowly he relaxed his hold on her. "I am more at ease with you."

Denials never meant anything. He was her hero. She moved her hand and touched his stomach and changed course to rub his side with the scar. "Good because you asked me to be your girlfriend and I..."

He interrupted. "I asked you that because I was shy about saying _I love you_."

Seriously? Without a thought she said, "I love you too."

"Really?" His eyes widened, but his hands curled around her thighs.

Too much talking. She could smell home and wanted to be fully with him. "Kiss me, Gabe, and make me forget the rest of the world."

"Done." He said and kissed her again.

This time they needed no more words. His kiss set off a heat storm. All she wanted was him. To give him access to do whatever he wanted, she simply laid on the couch.

He brushed her hair out of the way while he continued to kiss her. Then he went lower and kissed her neck. Her shirt felt awkward and tight and in the way.

With a shift, she reached down to lift her shirt.

He moved his weight, but the moment she freed her belly, he planted kisses there.

The ache inside her understood that joining with him was all the medicine she needed.

Needy and wanting were never part of her normal. Now she was Gabe's and this had to last forever. Love won.

# Chapter 12

The next morning, she woke in his bed, curled into him. Last night had been taxing but delicious. Her body still had muscle memories of how good she felt and pleasure still raced throughout her body. She turned and gazed out the window. The blue ocean swelled with waves and her heart grew in rhythm.

Gabe shifted in the bed beside her. She flipped and stared at his Roman like nose and whispered, "Good morning."

"Morning." He reached out and tugged her closer.

Without a word, she snuggled into his chest. She licked her lips as she tasted him there. "So how do we begin a simple day together?"

His eyes widened. "I don't know about simple, but I was hoping you'd move in here, permanently."

"That fast?" Her pulse began to race though she knew she was safe.

"I want to ask you to marry me, but that might be too fast, so I was thinking of a way to slow down but still keep you close."

Marry? To stay with Gabe forever gave her a place where she belonged. Her eyelashes fluttered but she pulled away. "That's sweet, but I think..."

"Yeah?" He leaned forward and his head joined her pillow.

She opened her eyes and sat. "Fiancée is a nicer word than roommate."

He pushed up and sat next to her but a smile slowly appeared on his face. "It is. If I bought a ring, would you say yes?"

Everything was perfect in the sunlight. She turned toward him. "Why don't you try and ask without it? Don't be shy."

"I'm not shy and you're right." He then took her hands in his.

This was it. Her heart raced. "I am?"

"Will you marry me?" The words came out of his lips.

"Yes." An explosion of the same word reverberated through her. She was his. Forever. With Gabe, she had a home and a happily-ever-after.

_Thank you for reading._ I hope you enjoyed Gabe and Megan's story as I did. The next story in the series is Scarlett and James's tale. Scarlett needs a fake husband and James is not telling her he's actually a billionaire . Order Tempting James NOW.

If you loved Tempting Gabe, you'll love the continuation of danger and romance in the Brothers-in-Revenge drama- where the Hawkes continue to make appearances. The Prequel novella Irresistibly Lost is available for free! _I never thought the man who jilted me at the alter would come back to me._

Or check out the preview below for Secret Cinderella and order your copy now.

And if you're looking for a sweet family drama where characters continue to interact in one big family that needs romance to cure their upbringing, where the first book in the series is absolutely free Secret Crush!

And to find out about new books, sign up for my newsletter: <https://victoriapinder.com>

# Tempting James Preview

Scarlett needed a husband, now. She paced the boardroom of her company and tried not to think about how her parents had been almost mowed down by a gunman on the street. At least they had been wearing bulletproof vests and were fine. The pressure of 'what if' had kept her up all night. She hadn't been able to focus on anything, and right now, for work, she needed to find a temporary husband for herself.

Outside, people walked in from swimming back to the beach in bright daylight while the palm trees swayed in the breeze. It was just another day in Miami for those people, but her mind swirled with the 'what if' questions that never stopped. If her father hadn't taken precautions against an assassination attempt, she might not have seen them ever again. Her last stupid fight with her mother over her choice of a blue or red skirt seemed so stupid now.

Her secretary buzzed in and said, "He's back."

Right. James, the guy who'd showed up an hour ago without references, and told her secretary, Maria, that he was here to be her bodyguard. She'd instructed her secretary on the intercom send him away, but now, Maria assured her that he checked out.

Maria had even called her brother, Gabe, who confirmed he'd hired him.

And of course her brother thought she wasn't capable on her own. Her hands went into fists, but then she unclenched them. Gabe wasn't here to tell off. She crossed her arms, ready to meet this doughnut-eating, wannabe cop.

Then her gaze met the blue eyes of one of the most attractive, rough around the edges bad boys she'd seen in a long time. In her makeup company, Sundarata, she was surrounded by physically perfect male models, but they all lacked something tangible. This bodyguard, was all testosterone and sex on a stick. Her breath caught in her chest but then caught herself. Serious businesswomen didn't flirt, and she was the CEO of a legitimate business. "I don't need a bodyguard."

"Princess..."

"It's Scarlett or Ms. Hawke." He was her brother's friend, clearly. To avoid him, she flipped her hair and turned toward the window. She had no time for someone who talked down to her, in the same way that she had no time for one of her siblings who tried to annoy her. "Use my name or see yourself out right now."

He stepped closer and her pulse ached for his touch. Bodyguards were _not_ supposed to turn her on, especially not when she had all these fires to put out in her life. The contract with Max Shepard would help grow her company, and work was all she could handle at the moment.

"Scarlett, your brother hired me to protect you, and despite my better judgment, I agreed because someone tried to assassinate both your parents and there are threats against your entire family. Your brother trusts me, and only he tells me when to leave."

Her head was full of pressure that was about to explode, but her anger would be directed toward Gabe when she saw him next. She swallowed her pride, straightened her skirt, and remembered that the island resort where her business conference was to be held would be full of makeup executives. Assassins tended to stay local, or at least she'd like to think so. She crossed her arms and tried to speak with as much determination as she could muster. "Gabe means well, but I'm going on a business trip where I'm not leaving the hotel for a week. By the time I get back, this will all be over."

"Everyone I know can buy a plane ticket, and you're not exactly low profile, Ms. Hawke."

Right. She was known as the daughter of the Hawke fortune and an international shopper with expensive tastes, welcome in every exclusive shop. This time she was going to be more, though, and the contract would put her company on a world map _without_ her daddy's credit card.

James moved closer and something sent a lightening bolt of awareness through her. She saw the hint of a tattoo under that blue t-shirt of his. As a girl, she'd wished for a dreamy-looking guy like him to come and find her at her prestigious academy, to show her the world. No guy ever measured up to fantasy. She dropped her arms from her waist, but held her wrists together to ensure he had no clue how he affected her pulse. "Where on earth did my brother meet someone like you?"

"Marines."

"Naturally." She took a deep breath and wished it was a cold shower. She needed to stop imagining that Marine equaled strength or that he might protect her. No one could. Then she brushed her hair out of her eyes. "The way you stand should've given that away."

"Excuse me?"

Right now she had to find a husband, not a bad-boy bodyguard who must love flag and country over protecting someone like her, a socialite originally from New York. His kind hated her. She needed to find the buttons to push to make him go away. It was for their own good. Rolling her eyes, Scarlett mustered up her acting chops. "However, the scruffy five o'clock shadow shows you gave that lifestyle up, and that tattoo on your arm tells me you no longer care about anyone or anything. Look, you were probably good at security while serving overseas, but I run a business."

James didn't even blink. "Gabe warned me that you were high maintenance."

"My brother doesn't know me anymore." Her hands balled into fists. Everyone in the Hawke family took Olivia and Gabe seriously, but they still expected Scarlett to be the one out shopping. No one understood that her makeup business was important to her and the hundreds of people she now employed. That number could soon be in the thousands, if she scored the contract with Shepard. "And your services will get in my way."

"Then explain to me why you'd rather continue your life as you know it, without anyone next to you, when you know an assassin shot at your parents from the top of a building. If you're next on the list, why would you even take a chance, Scarlett?"

"Because..." He'd be a complicated husband and confuse her. He'd not be worth the trouble. She couldn't say that, so she had nothing to say. Drat.

"I'm listening."

The truth was the only thing in her mind. She'd have to tell him. Images of them in bed while he kissed her, hard and demanding, flooded her thoughts and a sigh escaped her lips. "I'm going to an island resort to settle a deal, and I need a husband, not a bodyguard."

His eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

Nothing drove a bad boy away faster than the thought of marriage. She stepped away from him and felt cold, air-conditioned air hit her overheated body. She stared out at the swaying palm tress and the people walking by. "My makeup company is still in its infancy, but we use organic products and we have a cult-like clientele that buys everything we produce. I built my brand on the idea that a beautiful woman can have anything she wants, and that includes a man. My investors want to merge Sundarata with a larger conglomerate, but I have to be the face of my company."

He crossed his arms and stood beside her. Quietly, they both gazed out the huge bay windows of her beachfront premise.

"I'm not following," James said after a moment.

If she used him for this trip, he'd ask so many questions and fill her head with thoughts she had no time for. Being attracted to her brother's friend meant her brother would try to influence her life again.

It was best for both of them if she pushed him away and never admitted how her body ached to be closer to him. She lifted her chin, mentally said a prayer to help her, and thought of the rudest way to phrase what she was going to say next. "I'll use easier words, then. I don't need a bodyguard. I need a husband, and you're not even close to what might qualify as a good candidate. You look blue collar and smell like sin on a motorcycle."

He blinked. "What? Sin on a motorcycle?"

That was what he chose to focus on? She was never going to explain the fantasy of sex on a motorcycle that had popped into her head the moment she saw him. Never.

Everyone assumed she was the privileged daughter who spent her days and nights in the finest of luxury, haughty and spoiled like a princess. Well, it was time to muster up the princess act. She peered down her nose. "Did I insult you, Mr...? I don't know your last name, James."

He bowed, mocking her. "James Clancy, your highness."

"Scarlett Hawke."

"I know. I know your brother."

"Look. I don't have the time to play semantics." The name Clancy took her by surprise, but she merely held out her hand like the reigning monarch in this play. Clancy was a common name, and it was unlikely he would be any relation to her father's friend. She'd know him if that was true, so she dismissed the thought and focused on getting rid of him. Once he left, she'd hire her own bodyguard and temporary husband, most likely a pretty model-type that she'd never be attracted to. "Now, Mr. Clancy, I have to continue my interviews for this husband I need."

She could take care of herself, and she didn't need Gabe's interference in her life. Trying to pay as little attention as possible to James, she walked to the boardroom table that was set up for interviews and opened her folder. He followed her.

Taking a seat next to her, he blatantly stared at the names on her list. "How long do you need a husband for?"

James qualified for sex, and heartache when he left. He might be a good bodyguard, but husband material was out of the question. She picked up her pen. "Are you volunteering?"

"How long?"

Her mind raced to think of something clever to say, but she wasn't capable of thinking on her feet like that. He'd never volunteer anyhow, so she settled on the truth. "A week at least, though I'd rather a month to ensure all the contracts are signed and no one takes anything away."

He leaned backwards in his chair and rocked it. "I'd scare off any man who walks in for that job."

True, but secretly that was fine with her. She fixed her necklace around her neck. She hadn't counted on him making her want to run her hands through his hair and strip off all his clothes. Most attractive men left her cold and indifferent, and she had to remind herself that James was her brother's friend. She pointed toward the door with the pen. "Which is why you should leave."

He shook his head. When was the last time she'd even thought about a man like this? College, maybe, but she'd never actually dated anyone who made her body this hot from simply being next to him. His presence was so distracting she almost missed what he said.

"Scarlett, I promised your brother that I'd protect you."

The words took a second to register. She dropped her pen and turned toward him. "Why?"

"Why what?"

He might look like her dream bad boy, one her parents would never approve of, but he was a boring boy scout at heart. She crossed her legs. "Why would that promise matter to you?"

"Ms. Hawke, you want your head in one piece. So I suggest we come to an agreement."

That wasn't an answer. Her head in one piece was her goal too, but more important was building her company with none of her parent's money. Her company wasn't tied to the Hawke name, and she wanted to keep it that way.

She gazed into those baby blues of his again. "James, you're not bad looking, but we both know you being a Marine and boy scout means you hold honor in high regard, and my blasé attitude toward marriage right now probably offended your morality."

"That sounds like Gabe."

Her brother always was the moral one. She turned and picked up her pen again. "He hasn't changed."

James placed his hand on hers, making her jolt as he said, "I'm not your brother, Ms. Hawke. A month-long marriage and my job to protect you go together. I'll marry you, and we'll set the date and time for the divorce on our honeymoon."

Business. That was all this was. She had to think those words to stay sane, because the way the words 'marry you' played in her heart like a stringed bow playing a love song on repeat wasn't good. "You didn't ask what the pay will be."

"I owe Gabe. Protecting you might be payback."

Owe Gabe? Her brother typically only associated with billionaires who thought money was the only way out of a situation, and James Clancy wore jeans that had seen better days and a threadbare t-shirt. She unbuttoned the top button of her blouse while she imagined his lips on her exposed neck. This wasn't good. She played with her necklace again. "What did he do for you that you're not asking for payment?"

"He didn't let me go back to prison. Now if that's all, Scarlett, it seems I need to shave before we say _I do_."

"Don't. I like scruffy-looking. Gives you an edge." She watched him walk to the door and check it out. Then he held out his arm for her, like he wanted her to follow him. She stood up. "And I'm sorry I was rude earlier. I thought it would send you away."

"Takes more than words to send me packing."

Unsure what else to do, she picked up her folder and joined him. "Okay. Let's do this."

He winked at her. "This might be my only wedding, ever. So humor me: wear white."

"Of course."

Today they'd be married and tonight they'd fly to Grand Bohemia. That was the plan, but with James, she couldn't imagine the plan staying on track. Desire shook her on the inside and knocked her right off course.

_I hope you enjoyed this preview. You can get the whole story_Tempting James _now._

# Secret Cinderella Preview

"Charlotte, move the boxes." Her stepmother's announcement echoed overhead on the speaker. Thankfully there were no customers in the store yet while Charlotte choked down her morning oatmeal in the employee break room.

She hopped up fast, always ready to work. This superstore had once been her father's pride and joy. Now it was her prison, but maybe one day she'd own it like he'd intended for her.

Tossing half of her breakfast in the trash, she nodded at her stepmother, Nancy, whose black eyes seemed like evil incarnate. Her black eyeliner and black outfit added to the effect. Nancy watched Charlotte grab the red pull cart that held the new deliveries with an expression of malicious joy.

One day, Charlotte hoped those witchy eyes would stop staring into her soul as she imagined Nancy always nearby, ready to pounce on any mistake. That would be great.

As she moved the first box in the stack to the aisle to restock the rice boxes, she shook her head. Her father in heaven wouldn't want her to turn mean, not like her stepmother and stepsisters.

She wished that all three of them would marry rich men and leave her and this store alone.

Maybe then she'd add bigger windows. The cement-entombed store only let light in through the glass up front, a place she rarely saw.

They had to move on some day and then their mistreatment would just be a distant memory.

Dark haired and always sweet Jack, who'd grown so muscular that all the girls who'd ignored them in high school, and now only ignored her, joined her next to the boxes. "Charlotte, I saw the schedule in the break room when I clocked in. You haven't had a day off in months."

Her stepsisters, who worked in management, most often 'supervised' the cashiers...when they even showed up. She shrugged. "Linda needed to get her hair done."

Jack scoffed, his blue eyes narrowed. "And the day before?"

The slightly nicer stepsister used her pretend management skills to party plan and thought her job was just to bring the birthday cake and balloons to work on special days. But at least Mickey had never pulled her hair or laughed when Charlotte had cried. "Mickey had a doctor's appointment."

Jack towered over her like he'd protect her from her family as his lips thinned. "Charlotte, you need to quit. It was one thing in high school to work here, but now it's sixty hours or more a week and you're not even getting paid overtime."

Her best friend had gone from gangly to buff, and was smart too. She knew he was right. He'd stayed beside her even while he finished his college degree. "I'll be fine."

He motioned with his head toward her stepmother, who never laughed or smiled, at least toward her. When Nancy had first come home as her father's new wife, she hadn't been completely horrible. Charlotte was glad that Nancy hadn't kicked her out after he'd died.

"No, you're not her slave," Jack said dismissively. "You need to just walk out the door and toss your blue vest at her feet."

The image of tossing the vest played in her mind, but what would happen out there? She'd end up in another store, working for someone else. At least here she had hope, a place to sleep, and one day soon... this would be her store. Nancy, Linda, and Mickey were not made for manual labor, something they said every night.

Charlotte continued to unpack a container of rice pilaf boxes.

Maybe it would be nice to start her own store, somewhere far away, possibly near a beach. But then she'd never see her father's grave again. She turned toward Jack, who had already emptied one cardboard box of rice pilaf. "I can't... my father built this place. One day they will all be gone and this store will be mine."

He let out a small chuckle. "You're dreaming."

His comment made it seem like her plans were impossible when it was the opposite. One day this would be all hers again. She lifted her chin. "My father promised me."

Jack slowly opened the next large box. "My father promised to pay for college but then he disappeared, never to be seen again, not that I ever saw him much before then. You can't live based on promises from childhood that won't happen."

From what she'd inferred, his father had walked out on his mother and never called any of them again. She and Jack had different stories. "My father's will was black and white. I will get this store."

"The will hasn't been found for you to trust that."

"I have my memories," she said. "I believe my father."

"Fair enough." He met her gaze and spoke like this was a conspiracy to escape class to go talk somewhere as he said, "If they leave... And they aren't going anywhere."

Mickey shuffled past the aisle with a cake and balloons in her hand, clearly heading to the break room to celebrate a part-timers birthday to make them feel special.

Linda's laugh was in the background as Barbara, the full-time customer service agent, announced a sale on towels.

The click of heels sounded on the laminate floor behind her. She glanced around and met Nancy's impossibly black eyes that never showed expression. "Charlotte, clean up on aisle nine."

Nancy walked away.

Charlotte let out a sigh and wished she could have finished her breakfast as she said to Jack, "It's not even seven in the morning. They normally don't wake up till ten."

He nodded, his scruffy jaw enhancing his strong frame, and shook a package of rice. "I'll finish stocking these."

"Thanks." Aisle nine was the cereal section. She grabbed a yellow hazard sign from the supply closet on her way. When she saw the aisle, her stomach churned.

The boxes had been torn, with cereal and throw-up from a child in the middle of the aisle.

She left the yellow sign, gathered the cleaning supplies, and returned to the scene of the crime.

Shoppers filed past her as she finished, sweat on her brow.

Sometimes Jack bought coffees for them from the café and she hoped that today might be one of those days. She put the cleaning cart back and the idea of a minute's rest with coffee played like a dream. But the second she turned around, Nancy was staring at her again—her cold expression sent a shiver through her. "Charlotte, you're going slow this morning."

She tensed. "I'll pick up the pace."

Once Nancy passed the end of the aisle, Charlotte dropped her shoulders, thinking she was home free, but as she made the center aisle to go back, Nancy stood right in her way.

Why hadn't she left? Goosebumps rose on Charlotte's arms. Her stepmother said, "I need you to sign off in the delivery area for the produce in the truck."

Charlotte pointed toward the back. "On my way."

This time Nancy's heels clicked in the other direction of Charlotte's tennis shoes--the hole in her sole meant she'd need a new pair soon. As she made it to the loading dock, she grabbed a work jacket to avoid the nip in the autumn air along with the order sheet and relaxed. Produce. Apples. Perfect. She smiled as she greeted the driver, Paul.

"Charlotte, you're looking good. Are you ready to drive away with me yet?"

The trees around the store were full with leaves. Pittsburgh was rural enough to where deer, coyotes, or wild turkeys still roamed. Any day now the leaves would change color and fall. She zipped up her jacket. Paul was twice her age and missing his two front teeth, but kind. Charlotte retrieved the gift she'd wrapped for his daughter from the work desk. "And what would your wife and children do without you, Bob? Here..."

He refused to take the bag and said, "You don't have to."

She'd bought the adorable outfit yesterday, and pressed the silver box tied with pink ribbon into his hands in exchange for the delivery sheet. "I do. A first birthday is special."

Bob checked inside and said, "Thank you." He set the box on the passenger seat of his truck to bring home.

Charlotte inspected the apples and signed off that the order matched.

Bob left and Charlotte filed the paperwork, motioning for the delivery to be added to blue carts so they could be brought into the store.

As she came inside to breathe warmer air, Nancy waited for her. She stopped at the water cooler to fill a paper cup and sipped. "Flirting with married men again, Charlotte?"

She lowered her head to avoid a confrontation. Arguing with Nancy never worked out in her favor. "It's nothing."

Nancy pointed to the departing truck. "That outfit comes out of your paycheck."

Charlotte's cheeks heated despite the cold air. "No need. I have the receipt. I paid Mickey cash yesterday."

Nancy didn't even blink as she stared at Charlotte. Her insides had little tremors until Nancy said, "Very well. Don't you have boxes to unpack?"

Today Charlotte needed a clear reminder of her goals. She lifted her chin and asked, "Did you have any luck last night at the casino?"

Nancy had gone to the river casino to see if there was a man she wanted to gamble on herself, though she'd called it 'slumming.' A few years ago, Nancy wouldn't have been caught dead in a place like that. "No, there were no men of quality... like your father."

Charlotte smiled at that. Everyone, even Nancy, had the same memory of Rob Masters. Her smile fled. Nancy was no closer to leaving the store to her than yesterday. "I see. Well, I have to go."

She turned so fast that her sneakers squeaked on the floor but Nancy's voice cut right through the skin when she said, "Tonight's dinner better be good."

"I made stew in the slow cooker."

"I have guests coming so I expect you to wear your... uniform."

Finally. Guests. The maid uniform meant Nancy wanted to impress and the staff for the house was long gone, except the maid's outfit fit her. Hopefully this was a romantic prospect that took her stepmother and her daughters out of Charlotte's life forever. "I'm on it."

She headed to the produce section and met Jack, who was unpacking the apples that had just arrived. She pitched in, opening a crate. He said, "You need serious help. None of this is okay."

Her sister Linda giggled with her phone in her hand, clearly not working as she stood in the center of the store aisle. Charlotte stayed in the side aisle, dug into the box, and moved the apples faster while she said, "Jack, it's not forever and I'll beat her in the end."

Jack tapped her arm, reminding her without words to slow down. "How?"

Mickey sashayed out of the break room and met Linda like they had no worries in the world, and they both laughed at whatever Linda pointed to on her phone. Charlotte stacked the apples. "Because she won't make me abandon my inheritance."

Jack stopped and glanced at the drafty back delivery door, where a shaft of light drifted into the dark shadows. "There is a world outside these walls. You can live your own dreams."

She didn't know about that, but her only hope was if she stayed and outlasted the others. Unlike her stepsisters, she didn't bank on something artificial, like good looks. And in the end, she'd win. Charlotte held her head high. "Look, in high school the guidance counselor met with me weekly to talk me out of my plans. Ms. Pitts urged me to go to college."

Jack elbowed her and said, "Ms. Pitts is why I enrolled to get a mechanical degree. In one year, I'm out of here."

And probably leaving Pittsburgh and her too. If he found a job that is. Maybe if he gotten into the plumbing trade...that industry wasn't going away and local so he'd be near her always. She needed to let that wish go fast as it wasn't what he wanted. She forced her shoulders to relax. Charlotte wouldn't have anyone to talk to during the day, but she'd survive. This past year he'd had a string of girlfriends, leaving her alone a few times anyhow. She'd learned a long time ago that she was the kind of girl who bounced back. "That's the only thing I'm jealous about."

His gaze narrowed as he asked, "What's that?"

She continued moving the apples from the box. "I wish I had an end-date for when everyone finds love, marries, and gets out of the store. A deadline."

Jack shook his head like he didn't approve, but that didn't matter. One day it would happen—she'd run this store and improve it. Jack would eventually fall for some girl so hard that he left too. She'd learned to ignore the pings of jealousy. When she had a minute for herself, she jotted down her ideas, they ran from simple to complex, in order to turn the store around.

They finished the apples and Jack carted the empty boxes away.

She intended to get a coffee with Jack and stare into his empathetic brown eyes for a while, but Nancy had her arms crossed and the bathroom cleaning schedule in her hand. "Charlotte, please clean up the toy aisle."

At least she wasn't on toilet duty today as someone else on staff had that fun assignment. She nodded fast. "Yes, ma'am."

She started to leave but Nancy raised her eyebrow so Charlotte stayed put. "And Charlotte?"

Charlotte batted her eyes as adrenaline rushed through her. "Yes?"

Nancy held the schedule at her side and Charlotte glanced at it, hoping she wasn't back on bathroom duty. "I wanted to talk to you for a minute."

Her heart raced fast. "Yes?"

Nancy folded the paper in her hand and Charlotte stilled. "I know I'm hard on you sometimes."

Understatement of the year, but Charlotte simply said, "Yes."

Nancy's voice softened and she leaned in, almost like they were family as she said, "I know the store has suffered because I'd never managed a store before I married your father. Until he died, I never had to work on anything but supervising my hair stylist."

Right. Charlotte knew that, and it was why she'd pitched in so much but she hadn't expected her "help" to turn into forever work. She swallowed and said, "I understand."

Nancy's lips pressed together and she stared so hard at Charlotte that Charlotte's face heated. "I don't think you do," her stepmother said. "I need to ensure my daughters enjoy the life I lost when I married into middle class."

Charlotte had heard the stories Nancy had told her daughters about a life with mansions and servants, but that all seemed so... strange. Her hands had only ever known work, not expensive manicures. "And I wish you, Mickey, and Linda every success."

Nancy tilted her head in shock. "Why?"

Seriously? Charlotte lifted her chin. "Because then I get the store and we'll all be happy."

Nancy snapped to end their tête-à-tête. "Well, get back to work in the toy section."

Her stepmother strode off with that bathroom schedule in her hand. Maybe Jack was right that there was a world outside the store. Maybe life would be better if she just walked away, but she couldn't let her father's store turn into another failed shop. Charlotte would have nothing left. So, she'd win against her stepmother and her stepsisters. There was no other choice.

Preorder Secret Cinderella Now!

# Also by Victoria Pinder

Returning for Valentine's (FREE if you go to my website)

**The House of Morgan**

Secret Crush

Secret Baby

Secret Bet

Secret Wish

Secret Dad

Secret Heir

Secret Tryst

Secret Date

Secret Romeo

Secret Caress

Secret Match

Secret Bridesmaid

Secret Admirer

Secret Cowboy

Secret Mistress

Secret Cinderella

The House of Morgan Boxed Set 1-3

The House of Morgan Boxed Set 4-6

The House of Morgan Boxed Set 7-9

The House of Morgan Boxed Set 10-12

The House of Morgan Boxed Set 13-15

**Princes of Avce**

Forbidden Crown

Forbidden Prince

Forbidden Royal

Forbidden Duke

Forbidden Earl

Forbidden Monsieur

Forbidden Marquis

Forbidden Count

Forbidden King

Forbidden Bastard

Forbidden Noble

Forbidden Lord

Princes of Avce 1-3

Princes of Avce 4-6

Princes of Avce 7-9

**Steel Series**

Legendary Rock Star

Rocking Player

Ruthless Financier

Wicked Cowboy

Powerful Prince

Cocky M.D.

**The Hawke Fortune**

Tempting Gabe

Tempting James

Tempting Conner

Tempting Harry

Tempting Navid

Hawke Series

* * *

**Brothers in Revenge**

Irresistibly Lost

Irresistibly Found

Irresistibly Charming

Irresistibly Tough

Irresistibly Played

Irresistibly Rugged

Irresistibly Strong

Irresistibly Dashing

Irresistibly Boxed Set 3-5

Irresistibly Boxed Set 4-6

* * *

**Hidden Alphas**

Hidden Gabriel

Hidden Raphael

Hidden Michael

Hidden Dane

Hidden Rocco

Hidden Alphas Boxed Set

* * *

**The Marshall Family Saga**

Favorite Crush

Favorite Mistake

Favorite Sin

Favorite Scandal

* * *

**The Collins Brothers**

Chaperoning Paris

Borrowing the Doctor

Gerard

Liam

Eric

* * *

**Then if you also like**

**Science Fiction/Fantasy Romance**

**Hidden Dragon Series**

Call of the Dragon

Dawn of the Dragon

Escape of the Dragon (Coming Soon)

**The Queen Gene**

Whispers of a Throne

Storm of the Throne (coming soon)

**Earthseekers Mission**

Makeup May Change Your Life

The Zoastra Affair

**Ancient Greek Heroes**

Romancing Theseus

Mything the Throne

# About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author, Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston then moved to Miami. Eventually, found that writing is her passion. She always wrote stories to entertain herself. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, but when she sat down to see what she enjoyed doing, writing became obvious.

_Visit my website and download a free novel_

www.victoriapinder.com

victoria@victoriapinder.com

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