“How’s your mother?” he asked, startling the girl.
Sandra set the plate of uneaten food on the countertop and swiped at her eyes quickly before turning to face him. She’d been crying. His baby girl had been crying. He had to clench his jaw to keep from going into a rage at the thought of the pain his son’s death was causing his family. Especially his sweet girl.
“She hasn’t stopped crying,” Sandra told him, her chin trembling. “And I can’t get her to eat anything.”
Jeb returned his attention to the knife. “Leave her be for a while,” he advised. “She’ll be alright.”
The room was so quiet that, for a moment, Jeb thought his daughter had left, but then he heard her cough a little, clearing her throat, and he glanced up to see her chewing her bottom lip.
“What is it, Sandra?” he prompted.
“I was just wondering…” she began, pausing for a moment as if considering her words. Finally she continued, “I was just wondering if we’re doing the right thing.”
Jeb’s hands halted, midswipe. “I beg your pardon?”
“Mark tried to kill that lawyer,” Sandra pointed out. “He tried to kill that deputy. What did you think would happen? What did any of you think would happen?”
Jeb narrowed his eyes at his daughter. “I will thank you to adjust your tone, girl. You don’t speak to me that way. I’d hate to smack the smart mouth off you today of all days, but I will.”
She shrank into herself a little, dropping her gaze. “I’m sorry, sir. I just…I just don’t want anything to happen to you or the boys. What if you die, too?”
“Then I will die a martyr for freedom,” Jeb told her, having made peace with that fact long ago. “I will not be subjugated by the laws of tyrants, handing over my hard-earned money to them just so they can give it away to everyone else who sticks their hands out, begging for what they didn’t earn. And I will not allow my family to be ruled by the police who enforce an illegal government’s tyrannical laws.”
“Yes, sir,” Sandra mumbled.
“What’s that?” he snapped. “Didn’t hear you, girl.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied, louder this time, visibly trembling in fear. “I was wrong to question you.”
He turned his attention back to his knife and rubbed his thumb across the edge of the blade, testing the sharpness. It was perfect for tearing the heart out of a deer. Or a pig. And he’d take a great deal of pleasure when he ripped out Mac Dawson’s heart the same way his own heart had been torn from his chest when he’d seen his boy lying on that gurney with a sheet over his face.
“‘Vengeance is mine,’” Jeb quoted, “‘and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand…’” He raised his eyes to his daughter, giving her an expectant look, waiting for her to finish the verse from the only authority he recognized.
She swallowed hard, her face pale as she added, “‘And their doom comes swiftly.’”
Chapter 6
“What the hell is she doing here?”
“Well, hello to you, too,” Elle snapped, her eyes flashing in indignation. “Glad to see you’re feeling well enough to be back to your usual asshole self.”
As much as he enjoyed seeing those emerald eyes spark, he wasn’t particularly happy to be on the receiving end this time. In fact, he felt like a total ass for clearly offending her, when in actuality, seeing her had made his heart leap up into his throat and choke off his breath. He’d been thinking about her nonstop since her visit earlier in the day, wishing like hell that she hadn’t witnessed the delivery of all the shit from his various lady friends.
In fact, he’d had Wanda give all the stuffed animals to the kids in the children’s ward and the flowers to some of the patients who didn’t have anyone to send them anything at all. The only thing he’d kept was Elle’s bouquet, which was in a vase on the little table across from his bed where he could see them easily.
“Sorry,” Tom said, interrupting his thoughts. “She insisted on coming.”
Elle crossed her arms over what Gabe liked to imagine were perfect breasts and gave him a defiant look, daring him to kick her out. He couldn’t help the amused grin that tugged on his mouth. “Well, I learned a long time ago I’m no match for Elle’s stubbornness.”
And then he winked at her.
Her arms dropped just a little and her expression did an interesting little dance, going from defiant to surprised to confused. If he wasn’t mistaken, that was a little flush of color rising to her cheeks.
Well, isn’t that interesting?
Unfortunately, he didn’t have a chance to offer another flirtatious comment about her reaction before the door opened and his younger brothers entered, jerking their chins in greeting.