Page 23 of Gabe (Blue Team #2)

My feelings shouldn’t be hurt. What the hell does ‘laid claim’ mean anyway? And why would I want Gabe to ‘claim’ me? That sounded like some macho bullshit if I’d heard any. So why did Gabe’s dismissal upset me so much?

And why was Gabe now looking at me like I’d wounded him ?

He was the one who rejected me. Not that I would’ve gone along with it but he at least could’ve argued.

And besides, even if I were totally wrong about Delilah, Gabe would protect me.

Shit .

Was I being selfish putting him in danger because I wanted to feel like I had something to contribute? What if Gabe or one of the guys got hurt?

“Right, so now that you’ve made a total mess mind if I take over?” Garrett was looking at Zane.

Zane was looking at Gabe and didn’t take his eyes off of him when he answered Garrett, “I wouldn’t call it a mess. More like a shove.”

“Come again?” Gabe sat up in his chair and I found the expression on his face alarming. Zane however did not.

Though, I didn’t think Zane Lewis found a lot alarming.

“A shove,” Zane repeated. “You’re taking too fucking long.”

“Too long? ”

“For Christ’s sake. Can we please shelve Gabe’s love life and get to work?” Garrett groused.

I had to admit I thought Garrett’s suggestion was smart. But when a wave of hostility rolled off Gabe and crashed over the room I thought Garrett was a genius.

“What the fuck?” Gabe growled.

Yes, it was a growl. He snarled each word and it surprised me that Gabe wasn’t frothing at the mouth.

“Delilah’s email also included a name,” Garrett went on like Gabe hadn’t spoken.

“She also provided information on Forrest Lawson—that’s the guy’s name who held Evette at gunpoint—he’s dead.

His body was found—not by Delilah—in a landfill outside of Palmdale.

A garbageman found the body when he dumped his load.

That’s one hundred and seventy miles from Riverton.

According to Antelope Valley Waste district, that particular truck route includes the Palmdale Regional Airport and all of the hangars.

We’ve sent Delilah an email offering her protection if she needs it.

It’s doubtful she’ll answer me but it’s done.

A follow-up from Evette might be helpful but I seriously don’t think Delilah’s gonna respond to her either.

Myles and Kevin are headed to California. ”

It could be said Gabe was displeased this information had been withheld. That would be an understatement of course, but I had no words to explain how displeased he was. Unhappy vibes swirled around Gabe like a hurricane waiting to touchdown and demolish everyone in his path.

“Wait,” Gabe said in a deceptively calm voice. “You mean to tell me not only did Delilah Watts send video footage of the man who broke into Evette’s, but she also provided a name and intel on his death, and instead of leading with that, you decided to fuck with me?”

“Not fuck with you,” Zane denied. “Give you a push in the right direction.”

The air around me crackled, then Gabe’s chair scraped on the floor and he was suddenly on his feet.

That was when I got scared. Gabe looked like he was ready to choke the life out of Zane.

And Zane was big. As in really big. A fight between the two Goliaths would be horrific.

They’d tear each other apart. I wanted to close my eyes so I didn’t have to watch.

But Gabe didn’t go for Zane. He jerked the chair I was sitting in away from the table, nabbed my hand, yanked me up, and when I was on my feet he used his other hand to pick up my purse and shove it in my direction.

Throughout this, he never took his eyes off Zane.

I couldn’t see them full-on but that didn’t mean I didn’t know they were blazing mad.

Oh, boy .

“We’re leaving,” Gabe spat.

I was pretty sure if it was possible fire would’ve rolled out of his mouth along with the words.

Gabe started to pull me toward the door. I felt it was in my best interest not to fight him so I didn’t. I did my best to keep up with Gabe’s long, angry strides. When he suddenly stopped at the door I slammed into him. His arm went around my shoulders and he tucked me to his side.

“Suggestion. Don’t ever pull that shit with me again.”

“I see you’ve now made the right call,” Zane responded.

I felt Gabe go solid and his arm around me got super-tight.

“What you see is me leaving before I do something regrettable.”

“Fair enough,” Zane conceded. “And Evette? Why are you taking her with you? Cooper’s here, he can take care of her.”

“Don’t fucking push it,” Gabe seethed and I squeaked when the breath was squeezed out of my lungs.

Gabe was holding on to me as if he were afraid someone was going to try to physically take me from him.

“Gabe,” I panted. “Too tight.”

His hold loosened, but barely.

“Is this what you wanted, Z?”

“I get it, brother,” Zane weirdly said. “I get it and you know I do. You know Linc does. But look at us now. Look at all we have. You may think you have it all, with your cars and your big-ass house on the water, and your bank account, and accounts you have set up for your mom, the shit you do on the side. You might think it's enough. You might’ve convinced yourself you’re playing it smart.

Keeping your life fast and loose and free.

But, brother, you are fucking up huge. So, yes, this is what I wanted.

I wanted you pissed as fuck at me so you’d grab your woman, put your foot down, and admit that Evette means something to you.

After that I want you to find a way to open your life to more than material shit that means goddamn nothing. ”

This wasn’t good. I could feel Gabe vibrating with anger. I craned my neck the best I could. My eyes found Owen and I gave him what I hoped was a plea for help. He gave me a thoughtful smile and nod.

What the hell? Was Owen, Garrett, or Cooper not going to help defuse the situation?

“That wasn’t cool,” I muttered and my gaze shifted to Zane.

“Maybe not but it needed to be said.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But what’s not cool is the way you did it.

First, you used me to piss Gabe off. And second, anything you had to say to Gabe you should’ve done in private.

Or wait, maybe you should stay in your lane and mind your own damn business.

What Gabe does with his life, his money, his mother, is none of your damn concern and it was seriously uncool that you brought it all up publicly. ”

“Hello Pot, meet Kettle,” Zane sarcastically threw back. “Kinda like you should’ve stayed in your lane and minded your own goddamn business instead of digging up shit that happened to Kalee, Piper, and Anaya.”

Zane’s response hit me in the stomach like a battering ram.

“That’s not the same—”

“It is exactly the same thing, Evette. You were doing something that each man in this room could argue was something stupid. But you don’t see it that way because you care about those women.

So you might think what I did was uncool, but I have my reasons and all of them are because I fucking care.

You don’t have the first clue who Gabe Harris really is.

If you did, you’d be standing silently just like Owen and Garrett.

They know who he is. They know he’ll stay quiet.

He’ll never open up unless he’s forced.”

“Zane,” Gabe warned.

“You’re wrong,” I told Zane. “He did open up to me. I know he has a house on the water and I’m pretty sure I understand why.

I know why he’s always trying to make me eat.

I know why he gives me dirty looks when I don’t finish my dinner.

And I know how he grew up. What you just did was cruel and unnecessary and if anything probably made him rethink about sharing in the future. ”

I lifted my hand and flattened it on Gabe’s chest at the same time I tried to push back a little so I could see his face better.

Tight jaw and heavy creases on his brow.

Oh, yeah, Gabe was mad.

“Gabe,” I called.

He didn’t act like he heard me.

So I called out again, “Baby.”

Gabe’s reaction was immediate and if I weren’t pressed against him with my hand on his chest I wouldn’t have felt the tremble. But I did and I had to admit I liked the feel of it.

His chin dipped and his gaze lowered until our eyes locked.

“You ready to take me home?”

“Yeah.”

And without another word, he pulled me from the conference room.

He spoke not a word as we navigated the complicated security checkpoints to exit the building.

He remained silent when he helped me into his car.

He didn’t make a peep when he slid behind the wheel and bowed his head.

I gave him what he needed and didn’t try to fill the silence.

It wasn’t uncomfortable as such but it was heavy.

I simply sat and waited.

Minutes went by and we just sat in his car in the parking garage.

Gabe looking at his lap. Me looking out the windshield doing my best to sneak glances at him without him catching me.

My heart hurt for him. Not because I felt like Zane had crossed a line he shouldn’t’ve.

My heart didn’t hurt because he’d grown up in poverty.

No, it hurt because I had a feeling Zane was right and Gabe lived closed off and would continue to do so.

Zane was also right that material things meant nothing and that was all Gabe seemed to have.