Storm Warning by Kadi Dillon Page A

used it in the wrong way. He had more than physical strength though, and that’s what pushed her to tell him the truth. “Vance—”
    “Vance is here? Where is he?” Gabe demanded.
    “No! His brother is here and he hates me!” Tory exploded in a rush of breath . “Vance lied about me and made me out to be some heartless tramp and he s- said that he left me . And Charlie’s mad—r eally mad at me!”
    Gabe ’s jaw was locked so tight she wondered how his teeth didn’t crack . He gave her shoulders a light squeeze, reassuring her in a thousand different ways that everything was okay and he was there for her. He grabbed a bottle of Coke from the refrigerator and wet dow n a rag . He brought both to Tory and sat down with her on the sofa.
    “Wh en and where did you see him?” h e asked more calmly . He applied the rag to her wrist, keeping his touch gentle and thorough . It felt so good to be touched by him.
    Tory shook her head at his question. “I don’t see how—”
    “Tell me anyway.”
    “ Right before I came in . I ran into him in the parking lot. ” She sighed and wrapped her fingers around the cool rag when he released her arm.
    “Stay her e,” h e told her and rose. The murder was still in his eyes when they met hers. She shivered, not out of fear, but out of the startling realization that she loved him. He was willing to fight her battles at the same time he was willing to hold a cold rag to her bruise.
    She loved him and she couldn’t let him get hurt because of her.
    “No, no! Gabe, where are you going?” She grabbed a hold of his arm and clung tight.
    “G et some rest. You’re white as a sheet.”
    “No, you’re not going out there! Please don’t. Please, Gabe.” She begged, pleaded, and sobbed , but he was out the door with a slam.
    Frantic, Tory ran out and knocked on Adam’s door. Before he could say a word, Tory yanked him out of the room by his shirt and was filling him in as they ran outside. Visions of Gabe broken and bleeding punctured her mind. Compared to Gabe, Charlie was a weakling, but there were seven men—eight with Vance—on their team who wouldn’t have any qualms about ganging up on one man. Tory didn’t like the odds.
     
    Gabe strolled back inside just as Tory bounded down the last stair. He nodded at Adam and caught her cleanly by the waste.
    “Come on,” h e said , pulling her in after him.
    “What happened?”
    “Charlie and I had a discussion.” He didn’t mention how the discussion ended with Charlie’s face on the pavement. He would just keep that little detail to himself for now . He glanced back and saw Adam— who ’d o bviously looked out the window— possessing a knowing smile. He followed behind them as they made their way to their rooms.
    “S orry for the trouble, Adam.”
    Tongue in cheek, Adam said, “That’s all right.”
    “What di d you do?” Tory asked him again. He unlocked his door and ushered her inside. The muscles in his chest tightened almost painfully as she brushed by him. All his nerve endings were frayed as he savored the jolt of awareness.
    “I already told you,” h e said , shutting the curtains one by one with a jerk.
    “What did you say?” Tory demanded as he crossed to room to her.
    “Don’t worry about this now.”
    “I am worried about this now.”
    Gabe was wound—whether from spending the past week acting like a choir boy or from knocking Charlie’s face in, he didn’t know. He felt like a tightly coiled spring on the verge of spiraling out of control.
    “ You feel all right?”
    “What?”
    “Your cuts, the headache. Are you feeling okay?”
    She shook her head, baffled. “I’m fine, Gabe. I’ve been fine. Why ar en’t you answering any of my questions? I have a right to know what happened.”
    “I’ve been waiti ng to do this for days now.” His voice was rough and almost burned his throat. He pulled her up against him, searching her eyes—and finding the desire there—before bringing his