Challenging Gabriel (Knight Security 2) by Carole Mortimer Page B

was surrounded by the two Knight brothers before being bundled into the back of a black SUV. Gabriel climbed in beside the driver, leaving Ash standing on the pavement as the vehicle sped off into traffic.
    Someone had actually shot at them? At her? In the street, in broad daylight?
    Unbelievable.
    Like something out of one of those thrillers her father used to so enjoy reading.
    She hadn’t been aware of the shot at all, with the noise of the traffic and people milling around them. Not that she doubted Gabriel for a moment. He had far more experience with this sort of thing than she did, and if he said someone had shot at them, then she believed him. Besides, Ash agreed with him. As did Zander, the man driving the SUV.
    Several minutes of speeding through the streets later, and her hands were still shaking, badly, but at least her heart had stopped racing. She distracted herself further by glancing curiously at the man sitting behind the wheel.
    Gabriel was big, but this man was huge. His shoulders were so wide, he must have trouble getting through doorways without turning sideways, all the defined muscles, across those shoulders and his arms, visible beneath the short sleeves of his black T-shirt. He had overlong, messy dark blond hair, chopped untidily, as if he cut it himself when it became too long rather than visit a barber. She couldn’t see all of his face from this angle, but what she could see looked chiseled and hard as he stared alertly at the road and traffic ahead.
    “Angel, meet Zander. Zander, this is Angel,” Gabriel introduced dryly, obviously having noticed her curious glance in the other man’s direction.
    “Zander,” Angel acknowledged.
    He nodded briefly in acknowledgment but kept his attention on driving through the heavy traffic.
    “Zander is a man of few words.” Gabriel grinned, causing the other man to scowl.
    “And I can still beat you to a pulp if I have to, Major,” Zander rumbled.
    “That’s why I prefer having you on my side,” Gabriel mused.
    “Always.” Zander nodded.
    Major? Gabriel hadn’t only been in the army, he’d been an officer? Something else Angel didn’t know about him. They really should have spent more time talking to each other eight years ago!
    Their desire for each other had just been so all-consuming, there had never seemed to be the time to actually talk to each other. Maybe if they had, Gabriel might have felt more inclined to confide in her as to where he was actually going and why on that last mission? Maybe. But it really was too late for maybes or what-ifs for them. Their past was, as Gabriel had already stated, history.
    “Okay now?”
    She forced herself to focus on Gabriel as he half turned in his seat to look at her. The concern in his gaze caused her to realize his lighthearted bantering with Zander—even if it was mainly one-sided—had been meant as a diversion. To soothe her nerves after what had happened.
    As if that was going to happen any time soon. Gabriel might be used to being shot at on a daily basis but she certainly wasn’t. “Do you think Clive sent someone to shoot me?”
    “Unless you know of anyone else who wants you dead?”
    “Gabe!” Zander rebuked quietly after giving Angel’s pale face a glance in the rearview mirror.
    He sighed. “Sorry. We won’t know for certain until Ian reports in after checking out the roof. I was more interested in getting you away from there than in who was responsible.”
    There could be no doubt, really, could there? Clive obviously wanted her dead. Less messy for him. No divorce. No dispute over custody of Daniel. No— “I still have the evidence against him…”
    Gabriel shrugged. “I’m guessing the plan was for the shooter to take us both out and for his accomplice to pick up the envelope in the mayhem that would have ensued, before going merrily on his way.”
    Her eyes widened. “There was someone else involved? Down on the street with us?” Somehow, that seemed even worse than