received from a fan. Someone is out to harm you. If that ceiling had fallen on you…” He swallowed, as if he was having difficulty finishing his sentence. She reached for the glass cup. He closed his eyes, then continued, “You could’ve been killed.”
She sat back in the chair and looked at him. He was all banged up and bruised, and when he moved she could see the immense pain he suffered. He had saved her life. Saved her from some deranged obsessive fan. She couldn’t let his sacrifice be in vain.
Sighing, she pinched the bridge of her nose where her pulse was thumping hard. She was going to agree to something only because it was Gabriel asking her.
“Okay. There is this lovely villa I just bought out in the country.”
“Is it well-known?”
She shook her head. “Only a few people know I own it. I bought it under a different name to keep it private.”
“Good. Keep it that way.” He shuffled up in the bed trying to get comfortable. The blanket fell off and Elise saw his bandaged leg.
“I’m so sorry, Gabriel.” The tears fell then. She couldn’t stop them.
He reached across the bed and grabbed her hand. “Elise, this is not your fault. Don’t take the blame for what some unstable person has done.” He squeezed her hand tight. “I’m going to be fine. Nothing can keep me down for too long.”
“I know,” she sniffled.
“You have to promise me, though, that you’re going to look after yourself. Screw what people are going to think, and stay safe.”
She nodded.
But he obviously didn’t believe her. “I can’t do my job if I have to worry about what you’re doing all the time. Promise me.”
“I promise.”
“Good. I’ll hold you to it.”
He didn’t release her hand and in that moment she felt something building between them. They couldn’t be in the same room together for too long without something building. But this was different, more mature.
Her gaze never leaving his, Elise stood and, leaning on the bed, she neared his mouth. When she was only a breath away, she murmured, “Gabriel, I’m still—”
“I see you’re awake.” A nurse charged into the room and, almost shooing Elise to the side, began to take Gabriel’s stats.
Smiling wanly, Elise backed up and grabbed her purse from the chair. “I’ll let you get straightened away. I’ll go make arrangements.”
“Okay. Good,” he said. “I’ll make sure the superintendent sends someone with you, so you’re looked after.”
“Okay.” After a final awkward nod, Elise left the room. But what she really wanted to do was climb into Gabriel’s bed with him and tell him exactly how much she missed him and still wanted him.
Worse, she was afraid she’d never get another chance to do so.
Chapter 10
“T he mayor thinks that you’re the best man for the job.”
Gabriel couldn’t believe what the superintendent was telling him. He’d been back at the lab for maybe a half hour before the man had cornered him in his office and sprung the bad news.
His leg was still really sore. After being released from the hospital, Gabriel had quickly driven to his favorite park, shifted and gone for a run. He couldn’t run far because of his injured thigh, but just being in his wolf form had enabled him to heal a lot faster. After that, he ate red meat, then swung by the lab where he had hoped to catch up on the case.
Instead, he got sideswiped.
“You have got to be kidding me. I need to be here in the lab, doing my job. With Elise out of the city, she should be fine.”
“She asked for you, Gabriel. So the decision’s been made. There is no discussion.”
He rubbed a hand over his face, anger welling inside. “I didn’t realize I worked for Elise Leroy now.”
“You don’t, but you do work for me and for this city, which in turn, truthfully, is the mayor. She called him, and he called me. You know how it rolls.”
“Yes, obviously.”
Jakob rapped his knuckles on Gabriel’s desk. “Besides, you’re still injured. I would’ve
She sat back in the chair and looked at him. He was all banged up and bruised, and when he moved she could see the immense pain he suffered. He had saved her life. Saved her from some deranged obsessive fan. She couldn’t let his sacrifice be in vain.
Sighing, she pinched the bridge of her nose where her pulse was thumping hard. She was going to agree to something only because it was Gabriel asking her.
“Okay. There is this lovely villa I just bought out in the country.”
“Is it well-known?”
She shook her head. “Only a few people know I own it. I bought it under a different name to keep it private.”
“Good. Keep it that way.” He shuffled up in the bed trying to get comfortable. The blanket fell off and Elise saw his bandaged leg.
“I’m so sorry, Gabriel.” The tears fell then. She couldn’t stop them.
He reached across the bed and grabbed her hand. “Elise, this is not your fault. Don’t take the blame for what some unstable person has done.” He squeezed her hand tight. “I’m going to be fine. Nothing can keep me down for too long.”
“I know,” she sniffled.
“You have to promise me, though, that you’re going to look after yourself. Screw what people are going to think, and stay safe.”
She nodded.
But he obviously didn’t believe her. “I can’t do my job if I have to worry about what you’re doing all the time. Promise me.”
“I promise.”
“Good. I’ll hold you to it.”
He didn’t release her hand and in that moment she felt something building between them. They couldn’t be in the same room together for too long without something building. But this was different, more mature.
Her gaze never leaving his, Elise stood and, leaning on the bed, she neared his mouth. When she was only a breath away, she murmured, “Gabriel, I’m still—”
“I see you’re awake.” A nurse charged into the room and, almost shooing Elise to the side, began to take Gabriel’s stats.
Smiling wanly, Elise backed up and grabbed her purse from the chair. “I’ll let you get straightened away. I’ll go make arrangements.”
“Okay. Good,” he said. “I’ll make sure the superintendent sends someone with you, so you’re looked after.”
“Okay.” After a final awkward nod, Elise left the room. But what she really wanted to do was climb into Gabriel’s bed with him and tell him exactly how much she missed him and still wanted him.
Worse, she was afraid she’d never get another chance to do so.
Chapter 10
“T he mayor thinks that you’re the best man for the job.”
Gabriel couldn’t believe what the superintendent was telling him. He’d been back at the lab for maybe a half hour before the man had cornered him in his office and sprung the bad news.
His leg was still really sore. After being released from the hospital, Gabriel had quickly driven to his favorite park, shifted and gone for a run. He couldn’t run far because of his injured thigh, but just being in his wolf form had enabled him to heal a lot faster. After that, he ate red meat, then swung by the lab where he had hoped to catch up on the case.
Instead, he got sideswiped.
“You have got to be kidding me. I need to be here in the lab, doing my job. With Elise out of the city, she should be fine.”
“She asked for you, Gabriel. So the decision’s been made. There is no discussion.”
He rubbed a hand over his face, anger welling inside. “I didn’t realize I worked for Elise Leroy now.”
“You don’t, but you do work for me and for this city, which in turn, truthfully, is the mayor. She called him, and he called me. You know how it rolls.”
“Yes, obviously.”
Jakob rapped his knuckles on Gabriel’s desk. “Besides, you’re still injured. I would’ve
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