Page 79 of Always Been Mine

His head appeared at the bottom of the steps. “Hell yeah, babe. You gotta take a load of this.”

Shaking her head at Gabe’s childlike elation, she followed him to the cellar. Beatrice had to admit, even she was in awe. Different types of guns, assault rifles, and carbines were pegged on the wall. Gabe was already checking out whatlooked like the latest model of the M4-carbine—a firearm heavily used by the U.S. Military. Ammunition cans were stacked by another wall.

“Is that . . .”

“RPG,” Gabe muttered, lowering the carbine and picking up the rocket-propelled grenade weapon. “Jesus, there’s enough firepower here to start a war.”

“Uh-huh,” she agreed, her eyes landing on another shelf with plastic explosives.

“Come on.” Gabe cupped her elbow and led her to the steps. “I’ll take stock tomorrow of what we have, although the inventory is in the file your father left me.” He kissed the top of her head. “Right now, I need to change your bandages and Rhino’s.”

“Poor man,” Beatrice teased, “reduced to playing nurse to me and dear Rhino.”

Beatrice was on the first step when Gabe gently turned her around to face him. They were almost eye to eye, his gaze scorchingly possessive. “You’re mine, Beatrice. I’ll always take care of you.”

Gabe carefully wrappedfresh bandages around Beatrice’s arms. He kept his face blank, even though the fury he had kept at bay since she’d been taken threatened to consume him. Beatrice wasn’t the only one pretending. He knew she was trying to put on a brave front, so the people who cared for her wouldn’t feel righteous anger and the need for revenge.

“It doesn’t look as bad,” Beatrice whispered.

“Yes, I think the swelling hasn’t gotten worse.” Lie. It had gotten more swollen. The skin around the stitches bulged red. “You took your antibiotics?”

She nodded.

“Okay, poppy.” He kissed her forehead.

She frowned at him when he tucked her in but didn’t slip into bed beside her. Instead, he headed to the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to check on something.” Gabe needed to get out of the room. Seeing the ugly cuts marring her once flawless skin made him want to howl for retribution. He couldn’t sleep beside her peacefully. Too much vengeful energy was bottled up.

He quickly disabled the alarm and headed out the back door. Taking deep inhalations cooled the rage pulsing in his veins, but they weren’t enough.

An anguished growl escaped from the back of his throat. Hauling his right arm back, he smashed his fist into the concrete wall in front of him. He repeated the movement with his left fist and then a couple more with both hands.

Some of the toxic energy left his body and dissipated into the pain that radiated from his knuckles. He wasn’t stupid enough to injure his hands permanently, but there would be swelling. Where was a damned punching bag when he needed one? Gabe prowled the length of the back patio, willing himself to take back control before he actually maimed his hands.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Repeat.

A whine sounded behind the door.

Rhino. Shit.His dog was always perceptive of his emotional upheavals.

“Hey, buddy,” Gabe mumbled when he went back inside. He must not have shut the door to their bedroom firmly, and the poor boy followed him downstairs despite the pain in his shoulders. Gabe crouched in front of his dog; Rhino’s dark eyes were soulful and comforting. “Fuck, boy, I’m so messed up.”

Rhino pressed his cold nose against his jaw.

“I can’t help but think I brought this upon her,” Gabe whispered. “But I can’t walk away from her. Never again.”

Rhino whined softly; his pink tongue shot out and licked Gabe’s scruffy cheek. “Ugh, okay, no need to kiss it better.” He fondly rubbed the fur on his head. “Come on, you’re supposed to be guarding her, not following my sorry ass around.”

After engaging the alarm, Gabe headed up the stairs, Rhino trudging beside him. He hated seeing his dog move with difficulty, but he tensed up whenever Gabe attempted to carry him. They made it back to the bedroom soon enough. The light from the hallway illuminated as far as the edge of the bed. He saw Beatrice shift slightly.

“Gabe, Rhino followed you downstairs.”

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