To Take Up the Sword Read Free

would allow too much grief to show and cause her family more pain, he hadn’t attended her funeral. So he’d never actually seen Serena after she’d died. Her family had wanted a closed casket anyway, which was odd. Could she have faked her death? No. Not even to save herself.
    * * * *
    Lea clutched her oversize purse close to her chest as she ran through the woods, afraid the precious contents would be lost. Her rental car was in a ditch a half a mile down the road where those two goons had shot out her tires. Knowing she was almost where she wanted to be, she’d made a run for the cabin where Gabriel Spiller was supposed to be staying.
    Ignoring the squishy feeling of water in her sneakers, she jumped the small creek bed and twisted her ankle on the landing. A loud pop cut through the air around her. Something struck the tree next to her head. Were they shooting? At her?
    It had taken time to track this Spiller down. Now Lea hoped he could help, before she got herself killed. What did she know about being on the lam? Was that even what she was supposed to call it? The statue was ugly. Maybe she should just give it to them. She knocked on the back door of the wood cabin. A Jeep was parked out front, so he had to be here, or at least someone did.
    A moment later, the door opened.
    * * * *
    The knock on his back door sent Gabriel’s senses into overdrive. He’d heard no vehicle. No one should have been out here on foot, unless they didn’t belong. He checked the SIG Sauer resting in its holster at his side, gripped the butt of the pistol, and peered through the lace curtains of the kitchen window. If Smythe had found him, he intended to be ready.
    Fiery red curls winked through the curtains. He had to be seeing things. Throwing open the door, a single word uttered from his lips before he dragged her inside. Pinning her to the door, Gabe kissed her with all the passion he shouldn’t have for another man’s wife. Serena.
    Gabriel raised his head to look at the woman melting in his arms. Something was wrong. She had the same wild, curly red hair, same lush green eyes, but those eyes were soft when they fluttered open on a sigh and held none of the harshness that dominated the Serena he knew. Her face was more heart-shaped and now that he had her up close and personal he realized she was taller, too. Almost tall enough to look him directly in the eyes. She wasn’t Serena. So who the hell was she?
    The woman fluttered her eyes and sighed. Her fingers brushed across her lips. “Thanks, handsome, but that’s not the sort of help I’m after. Are you Special Agent Gabriel Spiller?”
    His heart stopped. Serena’s voice, her smile, but not her kiss, her body… Just what was going on here?
    “Yes, but you’re not Serena. Who are you?” This time when he grabbed her shoulders, it was with force, not care. Her blurred eyes focused on his and gradually began to clear.
    “You look like an angel, Gabriel, but you tempt a body like Lucifer himself.”
    “Answer the question.” His blood raced, but whether from anger or passion he wasn’t sure.
    She gave him a folded card out of her jeans pocket. “You probably never heard of me. I’m Leannan O’Neil. My sister said if ever I needed help to find you.”
    Gabriel released her and pointed to a chair, then opened the folded card and read the words scribbled on the back.
    I’m trusting you with my treasure. Have a care, Angel. I love you, Serena.
    His hands shook. Her treasure? He rubbed his thumb across the words as if he could reach out and touch the woman who’d written them.
    “How did you find me, Leannan O’Neil?” His voice was hard now, no warmth or passion.
    “That was the hard part. The FBI isn’t free with information, you know. I showed them the card and they acted like they’d seen a ghost. I’m Serena Roarke’s sister.”
    “I gathered that. Twin?” She could have been, he thought.
    “No, four years younger.”
    Gabe saw her eyes soften, as she