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"Dex, are you and Slade here on the grounds?" Please say yes Make this all a fun, little joke

I’ll run out there and play with Hannah, too

"No, we’re in one of the sheriff’s cruisers," Dex shouted "We’re almost home, but you need to keep an eye on Hannah Preston was murdered, and one of the techs is Hannah’s stalker I think it’s Lyle Slade noticed that he had scratches all over his arles Is Hannah with you now?"

Gavin’s heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest "No, but I think soht be Hurry"

He tossed the radio down He didn’t have ti out the key that opened the sun and quickly loaded it He wasn’t going to fail her

Gavin ran down the hall and out of the house

Chapter Fourteen

Gavin took a deep breath The gun in his hand felt like an old friend He silently thanked Marnie for teaching hi every su and hoork a rig They’d learned those things, all right--but so much more Most importantly, they had learned that they were brothers and could depend on one another, no matter what Every time their father had tried to turn the those su him the true importance of fa, he’d become another brother to depend on, even if Gavin hadn’t always shown it

Now, he wanted his fa Hannah and her love

As soon as he took out whoever threatened her

He flattened his body against the brick and listened, trying to figure out the bastard’s identity

"You have a beautiful body, Hannah Let the robe drop so I can see more than just your breasts I want to know if that blonde hair of yours is real I knohores change their appearance to enticeto kill that fucker Gavin didn’t care hohy thisto talk to Hannah that way

Gavin peeked around the corner Even fronized Lyle from his severely short hair and his clothes Godda her, clutching her robe around her waist, her green eyes flared with fear She looked so young and vulnerable So alone She was his to protect He couldn’t let her down He would rather die with her than live knowing he’d failed her

"You’re going to have so that out, but I’ll tell you that I don’t bleachflowed over hiirl Her steady voice was music to his ears

Gavin was a possessive man He could share with his brothers, but anyone else was out of the question Yet, he found hi Hannah to do whatever necessary to stay alive Nolove--and that of his brothers--would heal her

Gavin edged around the corner and checked everyone’s position Hannah stood in the background Lyle, the fucker, was roughly ten feet in front of her, with his back to Gavin

Another person sat at the table, head down on the wrought iron

The other tech, Scott? He wasn’tBlood dripped slowly onto the stone patio Maybe Lyle shooting Scott had been the noise Gavin had heard If Lyle had already killed soet Hannah out of his direct line of fire As it was, if Gavin shot at Lyle and ht Hannah’s gaze Her bright green eyes widened He willed her to do whatever she had to

I love you, Hannah He aze that told him she understood his reassurance, Hannah dropped the robe, fully displaying her beautiful body Then she jumped out of his line of fire

It had the intended effect Lyle cursed savagely and charged her, intent on attack That left Gavin free to act

Sucking in a cal breath, he stepped out from behind the house, aier, Lyle’s body jerked Then blood began soaking his shirt at the right shoulder Hannah screao that easily He lunged for her, catching her ankle in a death grip

"You’re staying with ed in his throat

"Let her go and youin front of the asshole and closing in

"She’s un with his free hand A ghastly smile contorted on his face "She’s mine"

"No, she’s not, un and fired again

And again

Finally, Lyle’s grip loosened Hannah broke free and ran for hiht her in his ar from the driveway

Hannah’s arms twisted around him "I’m so sorry I should have told you sooner, Gavin I love you"

His heart swelled as he kept the gun trained on Lyle, just in case "Baby, I love you, too So much"

His brothers raced onto the patio Dex kicked Lyle’s gun away, then bent down, fingers on the tech’s carotid "Dead"

Gavin thought that perhaps he should feel bad that he’d taken a life, but all he felt noas profound relief Peace and rightness follohen his brothers surrounded them Their arms encircled Hannah

Their woman was safe, and his family was finally complete

Hours later, Hannah walked into the house, her hands still tre She could still see Lyle’s desperate face, feel the bite of his grip as he clutched her ankle, trying to drag her doith hier had flared in his eyes just before Gavin had delivered the fatal blow She’d never forget the rage bubbling in his expression just before he’d fallen back, dead

Hours later, she was still shaking

"Hannah?" Slade inquired softly as he entered the rooe He’s in surgery now, but the doctors said he’s going to be fine The bullet ain…"