“I was busy,” he said. “What’s wrong with Temperance?” And why didn’t she call me herself?
“I’m not sure,” she said. “I mean, I went to Rosie’s to check up on her, but Rosie said she’d already gone home. But one of the waitresses, Bridgette—she and I go way back—told me about something that happened that morning.”
“Something happened?” He already didn’t like where this was going.
Ginny sucked in a breath. “Some guy came in looking for her. Brought flowers and everything and caused a scene.”
“What guy?” he growled. “Tell me or I’ll—”
“Hold yer horses, I’m trying to tell you! So, Bridgette just overheard all this but she says, he got on his knees and wouldn’t leave until she agreed to go out to dinner with him tonight at the Full Moon Diner.”
“Motherfucker!” His blood was now boiling in his veins. “I’m coming back.”
“When?”
“Now.” His entire body was shaking with rage, but he somehow managed to hang up the call and then dialed the number for the pilot they’d hired for the weekend. “Get the plane ready, we’re headed back to Colorado,” he barked at the phone as he waved down a passing cab. “I don’t care if you just got back, I want that damned jet ready to take off by the time I get there.”
The taxi and plane ride seemed like the longest of Gabriel’s life. Surprisingly, he looked calm on the outside, despite the turmoil he felt inside. His lion made its wrath known, clawing at him and ripping him to shreds from the inside. It took all his concentration not to shift during the flight, but he didn’t want to startle the already distraught pilot. While he didn’t want to throw his weight around, this was an emergency, so he was short with the pilot as he ordered him to fly back to Colorado.
Perhaps the worst part of all this was that his imagination had run wild, thinking about all the possible scenarios. Who was this guy? Had she been seeing someone on the side all this time? How could he have missed it? Or was it an old lover? Of course, had his rage not gotten the better of him, he could have called her for an explanation, but he was already in the air by the time he thought of that.
It didn’t matter. Temperance was his, and he would fight for her with literal tooth and claw if he had to. There was no outcome in this scenario where he would not be the victor, and by the end of the night, she would know who she belonged to.
The door to the plane barely opened before he rushed out, taking the stairs two at a time and ran all the way to the parking lot of the private airstrip in Verona Mills where they landed. It was already past seven, and it would be another hour drive to that diner Ginny had told him about. He floored it and his Jeep ripped into the parking lot around eight o’clock. He didn’t bother to park his car, because his vision turned red as soon as he saw his target.
Temperance was by her car, while a man stood over her. He advanced toward her and grabbed her arm, making her jerk back. Fury burned through Gabriel as he slammed on the brakes and flew out the door. His lion roared in outrage and pressed its claws at his skin, wanting to get out. He was sorely tempted to give in to his animal, but this was not how he wanted to introduce his lion to their mate.
“Get the fuck away from her,” he roared.
“Gabriel!” Fear, and then relief spread across Temperance’s pretty face as she wrenched free of the man’s grip and then cowered back, pressing herself up against the side of her car.
The man who attacked her turned around; his face twisted in rage. “Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” As if to make a point, he began to inch toward Temperance.
Gabriel rushed toward them, stretching out to full height as he focused on the other male. “I said, get the fuck away from her.” Opening his mouth, he bared his sharp teeth as his canines grew to full length, then let out an inhuman roar, making the man jump back.
“Jesus H. Christ!” he exclaimed. “You’re one of them.”
“You bet your skinny ass.” He stalked toward Temperance, placing himself between her and the other man. Her face was ashen, and she seemed frozen. “Are you okay, baby?” he asked, his voice turning gentle.
“Are you fucking this … this freak, Temperance?” the guy suddenly screamed.
Temperance flinched. “That’s none of your business, Tony,” she squeaked.
“Oh, it is my Goddamned business,” Tony yelled back. “I’m your boyfriend and—”
Gabriel spun around. “What?”
“E-ex-boyfriend,” Temperance qualified. “I left, remember?”
“But you didn’t give me a chance to explain.” Tony stepped forward, but Gabriel continued to block him, arms crossing over his chest. “Please, Tempe babe—”
“Stop calling her that,” Gabriel hissed. “Actually, just stop. Stop talking to her, stop looking at her, and stop thinking about her. She obviously left your ass for good reason and doesn’t want to see you anymore.”
Tony’s nostrils flared. “Listen here, you dumb fuck. You know nothing about Temperance and me—”
“There is no Temperance and you,” Gabriel interrupted.
“She doesn’t know what she wants,” Tony said. “Right, baby? You’re always changing your mind. I know what’s good for you. Just listen to me and stop being stubborn.”
There was a desperation in the other man’s voice that set off alarm bells in Gabriel’s head, but for now, all he wanted was for this asshole to get out of his sight. “Seems to me she knows exactly what she wants, or rather, doesn’t want: You. Moving across the country is a pretty clear signal.”
Tony bristled. “Why don’t you take a hike? Just because you got into her panties once doesn’t mean you get a say in what she does. What she really
