“Fuck you!” Theo snarled back, spittle flying, both his hands gripping the unyielding arm that had him pinned.
Gabby forcibly inserted herself between the two, breaking them up. “That’s enough.” She faced the angry teen. “We were summoned to Division. I know we left early this morning. Unfortunately, Dec had to take me because I haven’t been cleared to drive yet and Mitchell wanted to talk to him because of his role yesterday.”
“Whatever,” Theo said, shifting to the side and heading for the kitchen toward the garage.
“We won’t get along if you don’t respect my job!” Gabby called after his back, becoming more frustrated by the second.
“It seems nothing has changed.” Theo threw a glance over his shoulder and shrugged. “I don’t know why I’m forcing this. I don’t need Dad’s money. You have the house to yourselves. Have at it.”
Levi glanced at them, tight-lipped, as he followed Theo.
“Keep an eye on him, man,” Declan said.
“Will do,” his partner said. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.” A half-smile curved the other man’s lips. “And you kids behave.”
Gabby felt her cheeks flame as Levi disappeared into the garage.
“I believe we were given permission to fuck,” Declan drawled beside her.
Tingles skated over her skin, her nipples tightened. What the hell? She was exhausted, and yet there was a need to release all this pent-up frustration.
She shot Declan a nasty look before spinning away to escape to her room. She needed a long cold shower.
Gabby froze her ass off under the cold spray before flipping the dial to hot—which was how she liked it. The bathroom was steaming when she emerged from the glass enclosure. She put on her sleep shorts and a tank before she headed out to the bedroom, half expecting Declan to be on her bed again, but he wasn’t.
“Good. He’s learning,” she muttered, even as a slight disappointment rooted in her chest. She berated herself for her mixed feelings. And as she sat on the vanity and dried her hair, she wondered if she was giving those same mixed signals to Declan. She played back all their conversations from that morning—whatever she could recall at least—and determined that no, she didn’t lead him on.
Gabby stared at her reflection. Her usually pale olive complexion turned bronze in the California summer and the heat of the shower gave it a pinkish glow. Although she didn’t have patience on most days for makeup, her routine included a concealer, a peach-colored lipstick and a color-correcting powder that was all the rage. She tried as much as possible to take care of her skin. She was overworked, not dead. Her skin was one of the few vanities leftover from her previous life as a Hollywood star, and she protected it fiercely.
She grabbed the two-in-one serum and moisturizer that was worth a chunk of her salary and was about to scoop a measured amount with the tiny spoon it came with when a knock rapped on her door.
Her heart skittered, and she let herself exhale slowly before saying, “What do you want?”
“Open the door, Gabby.” Declan’s muffled voice held a hint of irritation.
Good, maybe he’d learn to stay out of her way if she gave him enough ulcers.
“Go away. I’m tired.”
“I made us dinner.”
“Not hungry.” Her stomach growled, making her a liar, but he didn’t know that.
“You need to eat.”
“Go. Away. What’s so hard to understand about that?”
“Don’t be a child. You’re trying …” the words got muffled as if he moved away, but then he returned and the knock became a pound.
Fed up, Gabby jumped to her feet and marched toward the door. “This is ridiculous. I’ve had enough of immature men who need things to be their way or the highway. I’ve just showered. I’m sleepy. Leave me in peace.”
“You showered?” His voice lowered.
“Of all the—I’m going to sleep. We can talk tomorr-”
The knob started to rattle as if a key was being inserted.
“Don’t you dare use your keys, Roarke!”
There was an exasperated, “Fine,” followed by, “Then step back if you’re behind the door.”
Something in those calm words sent her heart racing.
A loud thump shook the door.
He was kicking it!
“Are you insane?” she shrilled.
“… warning. Stand back, Gabby.”
She stumbled back a couple of steps as another crash hit the door, and it exploded inward.
Declan stood between the frames like a pillager about to ransack the village of its prized virgins and she stood frozen with her mouth open even as shameless arousal pulsed between her legs.