He pulled her intohis arms and that was how Rhianna and the doctor found them.
“Right, Claire,you are free to leave.”
“Yay,” she said.
“You do need toremove more of the glass that’s in your hair, so please be careful with that.We would do this for you, but we’re short-staffed right now, and you’ve made apoint that you want to leave. Are you the husband?”
“No.”
“Yes,” he said,speaking over Claire.
“She needs to bemonitored. If she goes to sleep, she’ll need waking up every couple of hours.Rest, Claire. You’re a hero today.”
“Rhianna’s beentelling everyone that I saved her,” Claire said. “I’m not a hero.” She releaseda yawn. “I’m so tired.”
“Well, you’re notgetting any sleep.”
“And I’mstarving,” Rhianna said. “Come on, let’s get out of here. There are so manypeople and not all of them were lucky like us.”
Helping Claire offthe bed, he made his way toward the exit where his men were waiting. He’d makethe hospital a huge donation.
Rhianna climbedinto the car and he helped Claire inside, following her in and pulling her inclose to him.
She rested herhead against him.
“You can’t sleep.”
“I won’t,” she said.“It’s everything that happened today. It was all so … intense. One minute wewere paying for our food, the next minute, it was raining bullets. I hatethem.”
“So do I,” Rhianna said. “They’re going to find them though.There’s no way they can get away with this.”
According to hissources, the café didn’t have any security cameras around. All they had werestatements from witnesses who’d experienced high trauma. It was going to be astruggle to bring these men to justice, but he had his own brand he intended towork on.
When they got tohis apartment building, he held Claire in his arms. She rested her head againsthis shoulder and he was very much aware of his sister watching them.
Once inside hisapartment, Rhianna went to the kitchen. He hoped while he dealt with his womanthat she’d order takeout as his sister was a terrible cook.
He ran her a bath.“I want you to get into the water, but don’t put your hair under. I’ll dealwith that.” He kissed her head. “I’ll be back with some tweezers to get some ofthe glass out.”
“Gabriel,” shesaid.
He stopped at thedoor.
“You’re going tohurt whoever did this, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Do you reallywant to know the answer to that?”
“Yes.”
“The person whodid this better run because when I find them, they’re never going to be able toidentify the body.”
“Because they putyour sister in danger?”
He stared at her,not really sure how to answer that. He loved his sister and had taken care ofher for as long as he could remember, but it was Claire he was going to avenge.His sister was just … there.
Leaving thebathroom, he entered the kitchen to find his sister pouring out some hotcoffee.
“It might help tosettle her nerves. I also ordered pizza. It’s her favorite.”
He nodded, goingto the cupboard in the far wall where he kept his emergency first-aid kit.
After pulling itdown, he grabbed the tweezers and a bowl.
“She could havedied today,” Rhianna said.
“And you couldhave.”
“Claire saved me.”
“I know.”
“Are you angry atme?” Rhianna asked.
“Why would I beangry at you?”
“Claire putherself in danger to protect me. She didn’t think about herself.”
“That wouldn’tmake me hate you.”
“But even if youlie to yourself, I know you have feelings for her.”
He went to hissister and pulled her close, kissing her head. “Stop it. I don’t need you to goall teary-eyed on me just yet. I need you to be strong for me. Do you think youcan do that?”
“I know I can butyou don’t have to hide this relationship from me,” Rhianna said. Her smile wassoft as he pulled away. “She’s different from all the other women.”
“Rhianna, don’tget your hopes up.”
“You two havealready been together longer than any of your previous relationships.”
“This is not arelationship. It’s a mutually beneficial agreement.”
Rhianna kept onstaring into his eyes. He didn’t know exactly what she was looking for but itstarted to unnerve him the way she watched him.
“You can keep onsaying that, but I know you, big brother. I know how you feel, and that’ssomething you cannot hide, but keep on trying.”
He rolled his eyesand left her to get the pizza when it arrived.
Claire leaned upagainst the edge of the bath, eyes closed, which opened as he put down themedical kit near the edge of the bath.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
He removed hisclothes and without an invite, climbed in behind her.
“What are youdoing?”
“I’m going to cleanyour hair, and then I’ll wash and take care of you.”
“You don’t need todo this,” she said.
“I want to.” Itwasn’t a lie. He had this overwhelming need to look after her. To take care ofher. With the tweezers in hand, getting the shards were easy, especially since thewater hadn’t touched her hair.
“We were going togo shopping. Rhianna wanted to have a little fun and after she found out aboutus and our arrangement, I felt so bad that I agreed.”
“You both havebeen close for a long time,” he said. “I’m pleased she didn’t hold our timetogether against you.”
She chuckled. “Ithink she’s happy for us. I’ve told her it is on limited time. We’re going togo our separate ways soon.”
He didn’t agreewith her.
Silence fellbetween them. “Are you angry at me for not lying to Rhianna?”
“No. She was goingto find out eventually. Especially when you hate me when all of this is over.”
She chuckled.“Then why are you angry?” She looked over her shoulder. “You have no reason tobe.”
“You put your lifein danger.”
“To save yoursister.”
“But what aboutsaving yourself?”
“I’m fine.”
“No, I don’taccept that. Next time, you hide, you got it?”
“You think thereis going to be a next time?”
“Always be on yourguard, Claire. You know that.” He kissed her lips. “Now, let me handle this.”
****
Gabriel’s touchwas gentle as he removed the glass. The water got cold and he heated it rightup for her. Claire expected him to leave but he stayed true to his word, washingher body then her hair. She closed her eyes, enjoying his ministrations and notlooking too deeply
