Safe from Harm (Protect & Serve #2)(20)
She shrank into herself a little, dropping her gaze. “I’m sorry, sir. I just…I just don’t want anything to happen to you or the boys. What if you die, too?”
“Then I will die a martyr for freedom,” Jeb told her, having made peace with that fact long ago. “I will not be subjugated by the laws of tyrants, handing over my hard-earned money to them just so they can give it away to everyone else who sticks their hands out, begging for what they didn’t earn. And I will not allow my family to be ruled by the police who enforce an illegal government’s tyrannical laws.”
“Yes, sir,” Sandra mumbled.
“What’s that?” he snapped. “Didn’t hear you, girl.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied, louder this time, visibly trembling in fear. “I was wrong to question you.”
He turned his attention back to his knife and rubbed his thumb across the edge of the blade, testing the sharpness. It was perfect for tearing the heart out of a deer. Or a pig. And he’d take a great deal of pleasure when he ripped out Mac Dawson’s heart the same way his own heart had been torn from his chest when he’d seen his boy lying on that gurney with a sheet over his face.
“‘Vengeance is mine,’” Jeb quoted, “‘and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand…’” He raised his eyes to his daughter, giving her an expectant look, waiting for her to finish the verse from the only authority he recognized.
She swallowed hard, her face pale as she added, “‘And their doom comes swiftly.’”
Chapter 6
“What the hell is she doing here?”
“Well, hello to you, too,” Elle snapped, her eyes flashing in indignation. “Glad to see you’re feeling well enough to be back to your usual asshole self.”
As much as he enjoyed seeing those emerald eyes spark, he wasn’t particularly happy to be on the receiving end this time. In fact, he felt like a total ass for clearly offending her, when in actuality, seeing her had made his heart leap up into his throat and choke off his breath. He’d been thinking about her nonstop since her visit earlier in the day, wishing like hell that she hadn’t witnessed the delivery of all the shit from his various lady friends.
In fact, he’d had Wanda give all the stuffed animals to the kids in the children’s ward and the flowers to some of the patients who didn’t have anyone to send them anything at all. The only thing he’d kept was Elle’s bouquet, which was in a vase on the little table across from his bed where he could see them easily.
“Sorry,” Tom said, interrupting his thoughts. “She insisted on coming.”
Elle crossed her arms over what Gabe liked to imagine were perfect breasts and gave him a defiant look, daring him to kick her out. He couldn’t help the amused grin that tugged on his mouth. “Well, I learned a long time ago I’m no match for Elle’s stubbornness.”
And then he winked at her.
Her arms dropped just a little and her expression did an interesting little dance, going from defiant to surprised to confused. If he wasn’t mistaken, that was a little flush of color rising to her cheeks.
Well, isn’t that interesting?
Unfortunately, he didn’t have a chance to offer another flirtatious comment about her reaction before the door opened and his younger brothers entered, jerking their chins in greeting.
“What’s up?” Kyle asked, shoving his hands into his pants pockets and waiting for Gabe to fill them in. “You getting out of here soon or what?”
It still threw Gabe to see his FBI agent baby brother looking all grown-up and businesslike in his standard dark suit and tie. But he was damned proud of Kyle, and for all their differences over the years, he was glad to have him home again.
“Couple of days,” Gabe told him, “but that’s not what I wanted to talk to you guys about.” He sent a glance Elle’s way. “I got a visit from Jeb Monroe last night.”
“That son of a bitch has a hell of a lot of nerve,” Joe spat.
“What did he want?” Tom demanded, talking at the same time.
“He wanted to deliver a message,” Gabe informed them. “To let me know this isn’t over. From what I gathered, we’d better watch our backs.”
Kyle cursed under his breath. “Did he make any specific threats? Anything we can bring him in on?”
Gabe shook his head. “Of course not. He’s a slippery son of a bitch. He’s not going to put himself at risk.”
“He wants us to live in fear,” Elle chimed in. “It’s the same crap I’ve been dealing with since we arrested Derrick after Chris’s death.”
Gabe’s attention snapped to her. “What are you talking about? Were you receiving threats before yesterday?”
She suddenly looked a little less defiant, almost contrite as she cast her gaze around the room at the four brothers. “I couldn’t prove who the threats were coming from,” she said, her tone apologetic. “Local PD checked into it for me, but there was nothing really to go on. You can’t charge someone if you don’t know who to charge. You know that, Tom.”
“You should’ve come to us, Elle,” Tom insisted. “We could’ve at least brought the Monroes in again for questioning.”