Read Online Carol Finch by Lady Renegade - Free Book Online

misunderstanding that I came to Gideon to clear up, but he won’t listen to reason,” she protested. “And it is nice to make your acquaintance, Galen, Sarah. My name is Lorelei Russell. If you’ll kindly hand me your weapon I’ll turn it on Gideon. That should put him out of your misery. And mine.”
    Galen managed a goofy-looking grin as his gaze slid back and forth between Lori and Gideon. “I like her. She has sass and gumption.”
    “You like anyone who defies me like you do,” Gideon muttered. “Now lie the hell down and shut the hell up! You won’t do anyone around here any good if infection sets in or you bleed to death because you refused to take time off to recover from injury.”
    “Thank you,” Sarah said with a gusty sigh. “Now listen to our brother, Galen. He only wants what is best for you.”
    “No, he doesn’t. He just likes to boss me around because he was the firstborn. Doesn’t make him smarter, just older.”
    “Mind your manners in front of our guest,” Sarah reprimanded as she eased down beside her husband.
    “Prisoner,” Gideon corrected, tossing Lori a sideways glance that sought to intimidate. He wasted his time.
    “Seriously, Galen, toss me a gun and I’ll shoot the tyrant for you,” Lori persisted, tongue in cheek. “He’ll never boss you around again.”
    Another lopsided grin touched Galen’s lips as he relaxed on the bed for the first time. Sarah bit back a smile as her gaze leapfrogged back and forth between Lori and Gideon, who scowled darkly.
    “I hope you can back up that snippy mouth, hellion,” Gideon grumbled at Lori.
    “With guns or knives,” she sassed him. “Take your pick.”
    Gnashing his teeth, Gideon stalked over to grab hold of her elbow then nudged Glenn out of his way. “ You stay away from Lori.” He glared at Glenn then pinned Galen with a hard stare. “And you stay in bed.” He focused icy blue eyes on Lori. “ You are coming with me, hellion.”
    “I’d love to, since you asked so nicely,” she retorted, wondering why she couldn’t guard her tongue when it came to dealing with Gideon.
    Swear to God, he did bring out the worst in her.
    The instant they were out of sight and walking down the hall Gideon leaned close and said, “If you don’t stop undermining my authority with my family I’ll—”
    “You’ll what?” she shot back when he paused to take a breath. “Give me fifty lashes? Hang me high? Shoot me down? I am not a criminal, even if you prefer to think I am. If you can’t treat me with the slightest courtesy in front of your family then do not speak to me at all.”
    “Just shut up for once,” he growled as he loomed over her like a thundercloud.
    “No, you’re insulting and mistrusting. You make me furious and I—”
    His mouth came down hard on hers, effectively shutting her up. Lori cursed herself a dozen times over for responding to him rather than gouging him in the groin and making a run for it. Honestly! How could she react so fiercely to his kisses when most of the time she wanted to strangle him? It just wasn’t fair. No man had ever held this kind of power over her and Gideon Fox was the last man on earth she wanted to have it. It was infuriating, humiliating, baffling.
    “Hell and damn, woman, see what you made me do?” Gideon whispered against her lips. “I don’t want to like you.” He kissed her again, negating his gruff comment.
    “I don’t want to like you, either,” she said when he allowed her to come up for air. “In fact, I don’t like you. You possess all the annoying qualities that don’t appeal to me. You make me say things I wouldn’t say to anyone else. You make me just plain crazy.”
    “I prefer sweet-tempered, docile women who don’t defy me at every turn,” he said, then kissed her again—and she let him.
    “That’s why you have to pay by the hour for devoted attention,” she couldn’t resist saying.
    He lifted his raven head a fraction then stared down at her from