Challenging Gabriel (Knight Security 2) (15 page)

The next hour of silence, of waiting, was almost as bad as the ones Angel had suffered after Daniel was taken. Last time, she hadn’t doubted for a moment Clive had taken Daniel, and so she had waited to hear from him. To listen to what he wanted in exchange for returning Daniel to her. This time, there were far more unknowns for her to feel anxious about.

Whether or not Daniel was even on the estate, or if he had been in one of the SUVs with Clive.

Whether Clive had returned while Gabriel and his men were breaking into the estate.

Whether anyone had been hurt if he had.

Whether
Gabriel
had been hurt.

So much had happened since she walked into Gabriel’s office at Knight Security two days ago, she’d barely had time to catch her breath.

Prowling the villa, anxiously waiting to hear from Gabriel, she had nothing but time.

Seeing Gabriel again after all these years had felt as if she had received a heavy blow to her chest, robbing her of breath for several seconds.

He was the same Gabriel, and yet not the same. Was no longer that savage warrior who lived his life as if every moment might be his last. There was a veneer of sophistication to Gabriel now, in his tailored suits and silk shirts and ties. A controlled coldness rather than the raw emotion which had once seemed to drive him. To drive
them
, as they lived and breathed every moment of their brief relationship.

If Gabriel had changed in the last eight years, then she had changed even more. Once so young and full of anticipation for the future, she had learned to temper her emotions into a cool acceptance, turning herself into the ideal wife of a man as wealthy and powerful as Clive Sinclair.

Only two days had passed since she had walked into Gabriel’s office, and yet all those changes, the barriers she had built up over the years, had come down last night as they once again made love with that same wild, almost feral, passion.

Angel, because she knew now she was still as much in love with Gabriel as she had ever been.

Gabriel, because…

She knew Gabriel still wanted her, but she had no idea how he really felt about her now.

She had misjudged him in the past, distrusted him, and doubted he would come back to her.

Worst of all, by doing those things, she had denied him the first seven years of his son’s life.

Gabriel might still desire her, but inside, he must also feel angry with her. Resentful of all she had denied him.

When this was over—

The sound of men shouting interrupted her soul-searching as she realized those voices were coming from the courtyard of the villa.

Gabriel and his men were back.

With Daniel?

Oh God, she hoped so.

There were lots of muscled men in the courtyard when she got downstairs, all of them once again dressed in black, some she recognized and some she didn’t.

There was no little boy amongst them, just thirteen men.

Thirteen men.

And none of them was Gabriel.

“What do you mean, Gabriel has been taken?” Angel’s eyes were wide in what she was sure had to be her very pale face. “Ash?”

All three of the Knight brothers had gathered in the coolness of the sitting room, Angel along with them, the rest of the men having dispersed after receiving instructions from Ash. All three brothers were slouched in chairs or on the couch, while Angel remained standing. She was far too tense to sit down.

Ash returned her gaze calmly. “Exactly what it sounded like, Gabriel was taken by Sinclair’s men.”

“How?”

“Obviously, we were expected.”

“Was Clive there too?”

“He came back as we were leaving.”

“Without Gabriel.”

“Yes.”

“I thought Ian and Liam were following Clive. Didn’t they let you know they were all on their way back to the estate?”

“They did, yes.”

“Then why the hell didn’t you get out of there sooner?” Angel allowed her fierce gaze to roam over Ethan, Ash, and Caleb. They looked far too calm and unconcerned for her liking. “What is
wrong
with all of you? Why are you all sitting here doing nothing?” she accused. “Gabriel is your brother, and now Clive
has him
!” And she was now well aware of what sort of monster her estranged husband was.

Ash nodded. “It all went pretty much according to plan.”

“
To plan?
” Angel was aware she was shouting, she just couldn’t seem to stop herself.
Clive has Gabriel.

“Gabriel’s plan,” Ethan confirmed. “What were the chances that, within hours of your arrival in Majorca, Sinclair would decide to leave his estate, taking half his men with him?”

“I… Well—”

“He knew we were coming, Angel,” Caleb said quietly.

She glared at Ethan accusingly. “But you said he didn’t know!”

“I said it was a possibility.” He shrugged. “Gabriel doesn’t work well with possibilities.”

“So what you’re saying is, he knew all the time that it could be a trick?”

“Pretty much.” Ash nodded.

“And he
planned
on being taken?”

“Pretty much,” Ash confirmed dryly.

“Why would he do that?” She began to pace the tiled floor. “Why would he put himself in danger— Daniel…” She came to an abrupt halt as the realization hit her. “He allowed himself to be taken in the hope he would be able to confirm Daniel’s presence there.”

“Pretty much.”

She glared across the room at him. “You may be at least a hundred pounds heavier than me, Ash, and at least a foot taller, but if you say
pretty much
one more time, I swear I’m going to hit you!”

“How much do you know about Gabriel’s…previous career?” Caleb interceded.

Angel frowned. “He told me he was in special ops.”

“That’s it?”

“He said he couldn’t tell me any more than that.”

Caleb grimaced. “But you’ve realized by now that Gabriel is highly trained? Above and beyond any normal soldier?”

“Isn’t that what special ops means?” she returned impatiently.

“Would it surprise you to know that Gabriel single-handedly infiltrated the terrorist camp where I’d been held and tortured for over two months and got me out?”

“He told me he had, yes.”

“Infiltrated the terrorist camp or got me out?”

“Surely he had to do one to do the other?” Angel had no idea what this conversation had to do with what was happening
now
.

“It’s how he did it that’s important.”

“He didn’t give me the details.”

“He wouldn’t have, no.”

“Well?” she snapped as Caleb added nothing to the statement.

“Angel…”

“Don’t use that placating tone with me, Asher Knight, because it isn’t going to work.” She narrowed her gaze on him.

He sighed. “Gabriel infiltrated the rebel camp by allowing himself to be taken prisoner too, and then freeing Caleb and himself.”

“Are you saying that’s what he intends doing this time too?” She stared incredulously.

“Pret— Yes,” Ash corrected as her eyes narrowed in warning.

“But Gabriel was serious injured rescuing Caleb!”

“That won’t happen this time.”

“How do you know?”

Ash shrugged. “Gabriel won’t allow it.”

“Won’t allow— Were you all dropped on your heads as babies?” Angel’s disgusted glance swept over all three brothers. “Clive has at least as many men on his estate as you have here, and there is only one of Gabriel.”

Ethan snorted. “If all Sinclair’s men are like Kramer, then Gabriel could take the lot of them with one arm tied behind his back.”
 

“You’re all insane!” Angel threw her hands up in despair. “Clive doesn’t hire men for their ability to play fair. If Kramer
is
an example of them, then they’re all ex-cons, and they don’t care what Clive asks them to do as long as they get paid for doing it. Gabriel could be being tortured right now.” She turned that last appeal on Caleb, who knew firsthand what it was to be tortured. “Have you all forgotten we were shot at yesterday and Gabriel is already injured?”

“It’s a scratch,” Ash said.

“You have to calm down, Angel,” Caleb soothed before she could launch into another attack. “Kramer told us about some caves down on the beach that go directly up into the house, probably used by smugglers in the past. We deliberately didn’t enter the estate that way earlier, so as to leave it as Gabriel’s escape route.”

“Even supposing he managed to escape—which is a big if—and indestructible as you all seem to believe Gabriel is, I sincerely doubt he can walk on water!”

“We have one of our men and a boat waiting in the cove just around the headland from Sinclair’s private beach,” Ethan supplied.

“And how is Gabriel going to get there? Swim?”

“That’s the plan.” Ash nodded.

Angel was having trouble breathing. “Gabriel’s plan?”

“Yep,” Ethan confirmed unconcernedly.

“You do know that the waters around Majorca have been infested with Portuguese Man o’ War the past few years?”

“You seriously think Gabriel is going to be bothered by a few jellyfish?” Ethan scoffed.

She
seriously thought
these men expected too much of their elder brother. Gabriel was only human, not some sort of superhero, as his brothers seemed to think he was. “These aren’t just jellyfish. Their sting can be lethal. Several people have died this year alone from being stung by them,” she persisted.

“I’m sure Gabriel took that into account when he came up with the plan. Besides, he’ll have Daniel with him— Ouch!” Caleb broke off as Ash gave his ankle a sharp kick.

Angel’s eyes widened. “Gabriel is intending to bring Daniel out with him?”

“That’s the— Yes.” Ash eyed her warily as she gave another warning glare.

“And what happens”—she forced her tone to remain even, when inside she was screaming—“if by some miracle he and Daniel do get out, what happens then? Because Clive sure as hell isn’t going to take any of this lying down.”

“Our men are already packing up to leave,” Ash explained. “The jet is waiting on the tarmac to take us all out of here.”

“You really think that’s going to happen?” Angel asked the question half in hope, half in disbelief.

“I think
you
should have a little more faith in Gabriel and his abilities,” he bit out.

Her chin rose. “I have complete faith in Gabriel. It’s the rest of you I find questionable.”

Ash snorted. “You and Gabriel are so alike, you were obviously made for each other!”

Her eyes narrowed. “You had better pray Gabriel makes it out safely, along with Daniel and his nanny, if she’s there. Otherwise, you’re going to find out just how alike we are!”

Ethan grinned. “I like her.”

“Me too,” Caleb agreed.

“As if the opinion of a family of lunatics matters to me!” Angel gave them all one last scathing glance before stomping across the room.

“Where are you going?” Ash called after her.

“Down to the beach,” she called back.

She had no idea why she was going there, because there was no way Gabriel was going to come around the headland in a boat in the next couple of hours with Daniel and Lena seated beside him.

Chapter 9

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Gabriel eyed Angel warily once he had ensured Zander had pulled the boat up onto the beach securely, not having said a word before he strode off toward the villa. “Never mind.” He gave a shake of his head. “We can talk about this later, right now we need to get to the airport as quickly as possible—and get the hel—heck,” he substituted quickly as he glanced down at the dark-haired little boy currently being crushed in the arms of a tearfully ecstatic Angel’s, “out of Majorca.”

“What about our wet clothes?”

“We can all get changed on the plane.” He ensured she had Daniel safely in her arms before taking a firm hold of Angel’s arm and walking up the beach to where he could see the SUVs were already waiting in the courtyard ready to leave. “What?” he snapped as Angel continued to stare at him as she stumbled along at his side.

“Your brothers were right about you,” she spoke softly. “You really are a superhero. An idiot, but also a superhero.”

Gabriel scowled. “Thanks. I think.”

Angel was too overjoyed at having Daniel safely returned to her to berate Gabriel any further for what she considered to have been his reckless behavior today. They would have plenty of time to talk once they were all safely back in England.

“That wasn’t very polite, Mummy,” Daniel turned to whisper loudly.

She had hardly been able to believe her eyes when, sure enough, within an hour of her sitting down on the beach staring out to sea, a small boat had rounded the headland, the hulking figure of Zander easily recognizable at the tiller, two other figures seated in front of him, one almost as big as he was, the other one much smaller.