Page 19 of Tempting Gabe
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 worriedthe 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 bullied but still sweet teen who ensured she 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 sayI love youbut 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."
