Rebel's Desire (Iron Portal Paranormal Romance Series) (Iron Portal Series Book 4) by Laurie London Read Free Book Online

Can you tell me the truth?”
    “Aren’t you listening?” Becca said impatiently. “I’m trying to tell you.”
    “So…a guy kidnaps you and you’re okay with that?”
    Just then, the door to Freak Ink opened and another one of Harvey’s people came out for a smoke. Keely hurried around the corner for some privacy and took a seat on one of the park benches.
    “He did not kidnap me, Keely.”
    “Then what do you call it?”
    “He came to the shop, and sure, he wanted to know about the money. But we talked. And I left with him. It’s as simple as that.”
    “Yeah, without so much as a note. That’s not like you. Tell me what’s really going on. Is someone there with you right now? Is that why you’re talking like this, because this doesn’t make sense?”
    Becca sighed. “Everything’s fine, Keely. I wish you would stop overreacting.”
    Overreacting? This was not fine . She decided just to come right out with it. “Are you using again? Is that what this is about?”
    Becca laughed. “You think I’m on a bender?”
    “Well, are you?”
    “I don’t have to listen to your BS, Keely.”
    Anger surged through her. The Becca she knew—the clean and sober Becca—would never do something like this. “Well, what am I supposed to think? The man comes to the shop to collect his hush money and then you leave with him, voluntarily, without even telling me? No call. No note. No nothing. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”
    “Sorry, Kee.” There was a muffled sound on the other end of the line. When she spoke again, her tone was different. “You sound jealous of me.”
    Keely choked. “Jealous?”
    “Yeah, because I’m going to be having the time of my life and you weren’t invited.”
    Being kidnapped and being invited were two totally different things, but she was done arguing with Becca. You didn’t try to reason with an addict who was clearly using again. “Where are you anyway? Who’s with you? Is he there?”
    Becca laughed. “I’m fine. Really.” She sounded mellow. Too mellow. “I’ll be home tomorrow afternoon. We’ll talk more then. You’ll see...everything is going to be great.”
    Relief rushed through her that Becca would be coming home. “Thank God.” Maybe she could talk some sense into her then.
    “Yeah, I’ll be by to pick up my things.”
    The relief she felt came crashing to a halt. “You’ll be leaving again?”
    “You can handle the shop for a few weeks by yourself, can’t you?”
    “I…uh…”
    “Listen, we’ll talk more tomorrow. Okay?”
    There was another muffled sound on the other end of the line and then a click.
    “Becca? Becca?”
    The line was dead.
    Keely’s hands shook as she stared down at her phone. She considered calling their mother, then decided against it. They hadn’t talked in almost three years. Not since that horrible Christmas when she and Becca had tried to patch things up with them. Besides, what could her mother do? Not only did she have a hard time getting around after being injured in a train station bombing, she was LUI. Living under the influence…of a jerk.
    “Hey. Are you okay?” It was a man’s voice. A very familiar, deep male voice.
    Keely’s breath caught in her throat as a large pair of boots came into view in front of her. Slowly, she lifted her gaze.
    Black combat fatigues. Long legs set shoulder-width apart. Powerful thighs. Slim hips. Charcoal T-shirt stretched over flat abs and a muscular chest. Leather coat, unzipped. Broad shoulders. A ruggedly handsome face with striking gray eyes staring down at her.
    “Toryn?”
    Before she could wonder how he’d found her or what he was doing here, he took a seat next to her on the bench. He reached out as if to take her hand then changed his mind and folded his arms across his chest instead.
    His gaze raked over her, his pupils two dark specks of intensity. “What happened? Did someone hurt you?” His nostrils flared slightly and a muscle in his jaw ticked.