Free All Hell Breaks Loose by Sharon Hannaford Page A

the heavenly scent as he set one cup down in front of her and settled himself in one of her guest chairs, nursing the other.  Razor roused himself from a patch of afternoon sun to growl half-heartedly at the coffee-bearer.
    “You look a little better,” she commented, taking in the healthier colour of Derek’s skin and the slightly less haggard look to his features.
    He nodded a little, a ghost of a smile touching his lips.  “That’s the first bit of real rest I’ve had in days, it’s helped,” he said.  “Truth be told, physically I’ve never felt better in my life.”
    “I told you it’s not all bad,” she reminded him.  “Once you have more control, life won’t seem so bleak either.  Kyle should be able to spend some time with you tomorrow, and if you can keep yourself from shifting, he’ll be able to answer a lot of your questions.”
    “So are you going to tell me what you are yet?” he asked, his silver eyes locking with hers.  “And why you have more security around here than the White House?”
    “I have some overbearingly overprotective males in my life,” she groused.
    He cocked an eyebrow.  “You don’t strike me as the type of woman who would allow any overbearing males to overprotect you without a very good reason.  Are you in some kind of danger?”
    She growled in annoyance.  “Not anymore.  And I intend on having most of the security measures disabled in the very near future.”
    He pursed his lips stubbornly.  “You were off work for nearly six weeks recently.  You’ve never been off for more than two weeks that I know of.  Something serious happened.”  He leaned forward in his chair.  “Tell me,” he said simply.
    Gabi realised that finally she didn’t need to protect him from the truth; he was a part of her world now.  And that changed things.
     

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 5
     
     
    When she finally stopped talking, the office was in semi-darkness.  Derek had hardly said a word, but the expression on his face told her that he knew she was skimming over certain details of her kidnapping on purpose.  She had the feeling he would keep digging until she gave him all the details, but he had enough to chew on for a few hours.  She pushed back from her desk and stretched.  The movement made her grimace as her bruises gave a painful twinge.
    “What’s wrong?” Derek asked, frowning.
    “Don’t you start,” she warned him.  “Let’s go see what Rose left us for dinner.  Then I need to check in with HQ.  If they don’t need me tonight, we can go and see Trish.”
     
    Their arrival at Julius’s Estate was mercifully trouble-free.  The guards at the gate were usually Werewolves .  Julius employed most of the Black River Pack, one of the largest Packs in the City, either as security for himself and his Clan or in one of his numerous businesses.  It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.  However, it didn’t seem like a good time to be pushing Derek’s limits, so Gabi had called ahead and made sure they were waved directly through the gates without the usual security checks.
    Gabi hadn’t been back since she was discharged from Jonathon’s care several weeks ago.  She noticed Derek’s eyes widen as he took in the extent and opulence of the property, as she drove along the discreetly lit lane s.
    Trish wasn’t staying in the medical wing Gabi had spent so long recovering in.  She was in a room in a housing block called Hawthorn House set off to one side of the Estate.  There were a number of shared accommodation blocks on the Estate as well as a few small private residences for staff and Clan members with partners.  They all boasted names associated with trees, though Gabi had no idea who’d named them.  The Estate also boasted a fully equipped gym, tennis courts, a running track, swimming pool and communal entertainment areas.
    Trish was in a specially equipped ‘Secure Room’.  Werewolves were notoriously unpredictable when injured or