Theirs To Take(71)

It was nearly a two-hour drive and the last part of it was over an unpaved, private road. Just like them, I thought. The sun was setting when the house finally came into view. The location alone was breathtaking, but with the purples and deep, burnt orange of the sky, it was almost otherworldly. Tucked into the mountains on a wholly private piece of land and surrounded with lush gardens. The house, although not the massive mansion I’d known in Mexico, was still quite large and typical of the architecture of the other homes in the area.

And I should have expected the gate.

Pulling up as close as I could to the house, I climbed out of the car, walking up to ring the bell. I paused and looked through the gates at the house in the distance. It was completely quiet, no signs of life at all, the windows dark. I pushed the button again and waited. Nothing happened. I tried one more time, wondering if it was even working. I began to doubt myself then, wondering if I’d come all this way only to find a deserted house. I’d come too far to entertain that thought now though. Giving it another few minutes, I looked up at the gate. I could get over it; it wasn’t that high. I went back to the Jeep, climbed onto the hood and pulled myself over the gate, landing with a thud on the other side, grateful I’d worn flats today. I stood, wiped at any dirt clinging to my skirt, straightened my hair and headed toward the house.#p#分页标题#e#





Syn’s phone buzzed to life.

“We’ve got company,” he said, checking the alarm that had gone off, alerting them of the intruder.

He and Gabriel had moved into the house six months ago, and in that time there hadn’t been any trouble. In fact, since the day they’d signed the contract, they’d had no visitors at all. Gabriel tucked a small pistol into the waistband of his jeans. Although they’d left their past behind, the past didn’t always stay away, and given the nature of the business they were involved in, they would forever need to be prepared.

Walking around the house, they took cover and quietly watched as someone walked out of the garden and toward the front steps. Before the intruder got close to the house though, Syn lunged, clamping a hand over the trespasser’s mouth, wrapping an arm around her waist, holding her tight to him.

Her.

Syn looked down at the top of her familiar head as she struggled to free herself, saying something against his hand. It was the feel of her body pressed against his, along with her scent that alerted him to who she was.

“What the…” Syn said, turning their guest around.

“Evangeline?” Gabriel said, lowering the arm that held the pistol aimed and ready.

Syn released her and she took a step back, stumbling. He caught and righted her, watching her as she slowly got her breathing under control.

“Did I hurt you?” Syn asked, looking her over from head to toe for any physical signs of damage.

“No,” she said, righting her blouse and pushing her hair behind her ears. “It’s just… I didn’t expect quite that greeting.”

“Did it occur to you to ring the bell?” he asked before pulling her in for a tight hug.

She hugged him back hard as her tears began to fall. “I did. Three times,” she said, holding him tighter still.

Syn pulled back and looked at her while she swiped the back of her hand over her eyes.

“You scared me,” she said.

It was Gabriel’s turn to take her into his embrace now and he hugged her tightly. Syn looked at his brother, at how he had closed his eyes as he held her, inhaling deeply as if she weren’t real, as if she would disappear at any moment.

“I don’t think she can breathe,” Syn said.

Eva giggled as Gabriel loosened his hold on her.

“How did you get over the fence?” Syn asked

“I climbed on top of my Jeep and jumped.”

“We should look at that bell,” Gabriel said, his gaze never leaving hers.

“Eva, how did you find us?”

“Jamison.”

Syn looked at Gabriel. Jamison had approached them twice more about jobs, but they’d turned them both down, officially no longer available for work.

“Is it okay? That I’m here, I mean?” Eva asked, her expression, her voice, her body language betraying how uncertain she was.

“Is it okay?” Syn asked, running one finger over the inside of her forearm before taking her hand.

Gabriel touched her face, brushing her hair back. “It’s more than okay.”

They led her inside, none of them talking, the mood suddenly growing more serious.

“Arthur’s in jail where he’ll stay for the rest of his life,” she said once they’d settled in the living room.