Mine To Take (Nine Circles) by Jackie Ashenden Read Free Book Online Page A

the hallway.
    “You can go in now,” the bodyguard said expressionlessly.
    “No fucking kidding,” Gabriel muttered and stepped through the doorway, shutting the door behind him.
    The Second Circle’s hotel rooms were available for any of its members to stay in—all except the penthouse suite, which Alex had claimed for himself. The place was vast, all floor-to-ceiling windows and exposed brick walls, polished wooden floors and antique furniture upholstered in sumptuous fabrics. All very expensive. All very Alex.
    “Oh, it’s you,” his friend commented, coming out from the bedroom, a sheet tied around his waist and trailing on the floor. He leaned against the door frame between the bedroom and lounge, running a hand through his black hair. “What’s up?”
    Gabriel walked over to one of the rich, purple velvet-covered sofas, and sat down, elbows on his knees. “Tell me what you know about Honor.”
    Instantly the expression on Alex’s face became guarded. “What?”
    “Oh, don’t give me that crap, man. You know I met with her last night about this hotel business. Aren’t you even curious to know how that went?”
    Alex folded his arms. “No.”
    “Bullshit.”
    “I’m not.” His friend shifted against the door frame. “Look, what exactly do you want to know about her? I’m going to Vegas tomorrow and I’ve got a shitload of stuff to handle before I go.”
    “So you do keep an eye on her then?”
    Alex’s blue gaze didn’t waver. “Yes. I meant what I said when I told the group I did.”
    “Then what’s her relationship to Guy Tremain?”
    All at once the look on Alex’s face hardened fractionally. “You’ve got a thing about him, haven’t you? What’s the deal, Gabe?”
    “Nothing I want to tell anyone about.” He wasn’t going to go into confessing his plans. He’d already done so with the priest, that should be enough. The whole situation was too personal. Too private. Touched on too many painful things.
    “Not even me? Your oldest friend?” Alex raised an eyebrow, a mannerism so like his sister that Gabriel had an almost uncomfortable flashback to Honor sitting beside him the night before. All polished sophistication and dry, sarcastic humor.
    “Fuck no,” Gabriel said bluntly.
    “Then why should I tell you about Honor and Tremain?”
    Slowly Gabriel sat back on the sofa, staring at the other man. “Sounds like you’re a bit concerned about her.”
    Alex didn’t move but his posture became tense. “She’s my sister.”
    “A sister you haven’t bothered to talk to for years.”
    “Oh, Christ, not you as well. I get enough of that crap from Eva.”
    Gabriel lifted a shoulder. “Hey, you have your reasons for not talking, I got mine, we’re all good. I’m just pointing out that it’s a little rich for you to get all protective of her now.”
    The other man didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he let out a long breath. “Okay, well, I don’t know a lot. They’re close, that much I do know. Apparently Tremain sees her as a daughter.”
    “Guy Tremain was more a father to me than my real father ever was…”
    Gabriel turned over Honor’s words from the night before in his head. So the feeling was mutual. Interesting. Very interesting indeed. Because he could use that.
    His mother had just been minding her own business, trying to earn money by cleaning hotel rooms to save up for a decent education. Until she’d been raped in one of those hotel rooms. Tremain Hotels to be exact. By Guy Tremain himself.
    Ruining that business, ruining the man, would be poetic justice.
    “Yeah, that makes sense,” he said aloud. “That’s the impression I got from her last night.”
    Alex didn’t respond but some emotion Gabriel couldn’t read flickered in his eyes. Perhaps he missed her?
    “She asked after you,” Gabriel said. “She asked me where you were.”
    The other man looked away. Then he turned and stalked back into the bedroom.
    Gabriel let out a breath. Okay, so