“You’ve told me hehas limited time for women. I’m nothing special.”
“He’s nevertreated a woman like he did you at the society event with that guy.”
“Who was thatguy?”
“Somebusinessman’s son. He wasn’t important.”
“I don’t know, hewas at that party. He looked pretty important,” she said. She really wanted achange of subject.
“We’re not talkingabout the party anymore. We’re talking about you and your feelings.”
“Yeah, I hadfigured.” She picked up her coffee cup. “I really don’t know what to say toyou, Rhianna. I mean, Gabriel and I aren’t close. It doesn’t take a genius torealize that and we’re never going to be.” She shrugged.
“You can walkaway?”
She pressed herlips together and jerked her head. She didn’t know if it was a head nod or not.This seemed like a really bad conversation to be having with her best friend.
“That’s not ananswer. You forget, Claire, I’ve known you my whole life. That kind of actionis not an answer and don’t keep trying to pacify me as if it is one since weboth know it’s not.”
“When did you getso smart?” Claire asked.
“It would appearwhen you got so dumb.”
She threw her headback and laughed. “Can we not talk about him anymore? Please. I’m … it’s all alittle … I don’t know.”
“Intense?”
“Kind of weirdbecause you’re his sister and we’re talking about sex and stuff, and that doesn’tseem right to me.”
This time, Rhiannalaughed. “You always were such a prude.”
“And that’s whyyou love me.”
“I will let itdrop so long as you go shopping with me.”
She groaned.“Shopping, really?”
“Yes. Really.You’ve got to come with me and I get to play doll with you.”
“I’ll be thedoll?”
Rhianna nodded.“I’ll dress you up real nice.”
She rolled hereyes but she smiled. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For not … youknow, ditching me. It means a lot.”
“We’ve been friendslonger than we haven’t. I know you’re not with me to get to my brother. I loveyou like a sister and I care about you a great deal.” Rhianna reached acrossthe table. “I think you’re amazing and I can only hope Gabriel realizes howspecial you are. I need to go to the bathroom.”
“You go. I’llpay.” She watched her friend leave.
She nodded at thewaitress for their receipt. Seconds later, she pulled out some money and put iton a small tray before getting to her feet. She was pulling on her jacket as Rhiannaarrived.
The sound ofmotorbikes filled the air. Broken glass, gunshots, and screams erupted.
Claire acted oninstinct. She ran to her friend, pushing her down to the ground, covering heras more bullets rang out. Her head was dizzy from the noise. Her heart racedand she kept Rhianna on the ground as it continued to erupt. What the hell washappening?
She didn’t knowhow long it lasted for, a lifetime, maybe longer, but all of a sudden, thenoise stopped even as her ears ached. The silence was almost deafening.
Cries, shouts.
“What’s going on?”Rhianna asked.
“Stay down.” Shewhispered the words at the sounds of bikes roaring to life and taking off.
Lifting her head,she glanced around. Some people hadn’t made it. A couple of bodies weren’t moving,and she glanced over the room to see the waitress who’d been serving her andRhianna was on the ground. Part of her head was missing. She felt like she wasgoing to be sick.
Chapter Eight
Gabriel enteredthe hospital and felt like he was going to throw up. He hadn’t made it in timebefore the ambulances took everyone away from the crime scene. The news hadalready been rife with speculations.
Bikers wereinvolved and the suspicion was some kind of turf war. He knew what this was. Itwas a warning.
Entering the emergencyroom, he heard the cries and screams. The news had let the entire world knowwhere the victims were being taken. His sister and his woman had been in thatvery café.
He was pissed off that they hadn’t called him yet. He couldn’t seethem.
“Claire! Rhianna!”He called out to them. He did this repeatedly even as a nurse asked him to stepoutside. One of his guards took the nurse aside and let her know there would befunding to the hospital if she allowed him to search for his loved ones.
He didn’t pause fora second at the mention of loved ones.
One of thecurtains opened and there was his sister. He quickly went to her, pulling herin his arms. There were times he hated his sister because she was such a royalpain in the ass. He had the right to hate her and find her annoying, but hewouldn’t have anything happen to her. He loved her.
“We’re fine. We’reboth fine,” Rhianna said.
“Me too.” Claire’svoice sounded so distant. She sat on the edge of the bed. Cuts marred herpretty face.
He moved Rhiannaaside and cupped Claire’s face, tilting her back. She could have been shot orworse.
“She stepped infront of me,” Rhianna said. “Protected me. Bullets came all over the place andshe put me first.”
Claire pulled outof his hold and turned to her friend. “I wanted to protect you. I didn’t evenrealize I was doing it.”
“You could havegotten killed,” Rhianna said. “Then who would I get to dress up like a doll?”
Claire laughed.“I’m fine.”
“Why are you bothhere if you’re fine?” he asked.
“I’m fine,”Rhianna said, speaking up first. “Claire made sure I was out of the way. Herbody covered mine. The doctors just want to make sure she’s fine. She hit herhead pretty hard on the ground and some of the glass, as you can see, cut her.”
“You could havebeen killed,” he said.
“But I wasn’t. I’mfine. I’m all fine.”
“Let me go and geta doctor.”
Rhianna left,closing the curtain behind her. He couldn’t resist, slamming his lips down onher, cupping the back of her neck and holding her in place as he ravished her mouth.“Don’t ever do anything so fucking stupid again,” he said.
“Saving yoursister is stupid?”
He cradled herface and stroked her cheek. “You get the hell out of the way. I don’t care. Yousave yourself.”
She covered hishands with her own. “I’m fine.”
“Look at you.You’re cut and bleeding. You’re not fine.”
She blew out abreath. “Rhianna knows.”
“She knows what?”
“About us.”
“And?”
“And, right now, Ican’t think. It was a bunch of bikers, Gabriel. I saw them. There had to be atleast
