Empath's Angel - M J Marlow (easy readers .TXT) 📗

let Benjamin talk him into this. Emilia was his wife; she needed him at her side. He turned as the door openedand saw the look on Yusef’s faceand knew instantly that something had changed. A newspaper was in the older man’s hand. “Your father is dead, Stephen,” Yusef told him without preamble. He held out the paper. “Heand Dominik Sobieski were assassinated in the courtroom.” He saw Stephen’s face. “Emilia was not there.” “I need to go to her,” Stephen said as he got to his feet. “I can’t stay away any longer.” “I wish I could tell you that it was safe for you to do so, Stephen,” Yusef replied, “but this is not over yet.” He saw he had Stephen’s attention. “The man who hired the assassin who shot your fatherand Emilia’s father is going to go after her next.” “You can’t use my wife as bait!” Stephen snarled. “This has gone on long enough! I am going to her.” “Sorry, nephew,” Alpha said as he came into the room. “I can’t let you do that. You need to continue your work here.” He sank down onto a chair. “She is with the Sobieski now. They will protect her.” “The Sobieski clan has been activated?” Stephen felt relief flood through him. “I almost feel sorry for the bastard.” “It would appear that someone is looking to take over where your father left off,” Alpha nodded as he sat down on the single chair in the room. “He is setting himself up as the new emperorand your pretty wife is going to be his empress.” “Like hell!” Stephen spat. “This madman will move in on her now,” Alpha told his nephew, “and attempt to gain her trust. Then he will isolate her from her friendsand family.” He smiled at this. “He has no idea what he’s in for. Emilia’s unclesand aunts, cousins,and grandparents, are all standing ready to give him hell.” “We know this is hard for you, Stephen,” Yusef said to the man. “Your role as the Sheik of Pashtu may be the only hope your wife has of remaining free of this man’s plot.” “If this is what it will take to get my wife back then I’ll remain,” Stephen nodded. “Emilia will love the island.” “Then let us set our trap,” Alpha smiled. He laid out the groundwork for what was to happen. As he sat back to listen to the others discuss the situation, he let his mind work on his own objectives. Stephenand Emilia would be together again. It was his plan that they have a child together,and he would stop at nothing to see that occur. If Zachary had to die to accomplish that goal; then it was an acceptable loss. He had worked too longand too hard on this project to let anyone stand in his way. * Reggie took Emilia back to Glenville a week after the funeralsand opened an office there. She had wanted to stay with the girl, but Emilia had insisted that Reggie find a place of her own. Emilia needed to feel that she had some say in what was going on, Reggie knew. The week after her father’s murder she had pretty much been shunted from one relative to another, without being asked if that was what she wanted. Emilia spent the next two weeks becoming reacquainted with her friends in Glenville. She was beginning to feel that life had settled downand she was safe when she saw him at the bank. Zachary was there, with a very pretty blonde on his arm. What was he doing here in Glenville? Emilia felt her heart squeezeand she turned away, struggling to control the tears that rose up at the sight of him. For a moment, it had been Stephen standing there. But then she had rememberedand a fresh wave of pain surged through her. Her husband was never coming back; he was dead. Their baby was dead. Her father was dead.And she was left alone. She was so deep in thought, as she stepped out of the bank, that she didn’t see the threat. “Watch out!” Emilia turned in time to see a football coming towards her head. A moment later a tall, golden-haired young man pulled her out of the line of fireand pressed her against the building. He smiled down at herand wondered why she was shaking. Gabriel pulled away, frowning. How could he have been so stupid? This child had been through helland he was manhandling her. He held out his hand, smiling innocently at her. “Hi!” he said as he looked down at her. “My name is Gabriel. My dadand I just moved into town. He’s the new vet.” He frowned when she remained silent. “You have a name, don’t you?” “Emilia Winslow,” she said softly. “I’ve only been in town a few weeks, Emilia Winslow,” Gabriel told her. He saw the shy smile on her face. “Maybe, you could join meand my friends as the Sunsetterand give me the lowdown on this burg.” “Do you always hit on girls you’ve just met?” Emilia asked, as she looked at the boy hesitantly. “Only the ones I rescue from impending doom,” Gabriel smiled at her. “Especially when they also happen to be my cousin.” He saw her confusionand frowned. He shouldn’t have blurted it out like that. “Join me for a sundae, Emilia. I’ll fill you in.” He seemed like a very nice person, but she had met nice people who had turned out to be monsters before. Still, this was her town; she felt safe here.And an ice cream sundae would be nice after the shock she’d just had. She had a cousin? She smiled up at himand nodded. Gabriel’s smile melted the chill off of her. She moved down the sidewalk with himand didn’t see Zachary standing in the doorway of the bank, scowling. “It would appear your little sister is moving on with her life, Zachary,” Bridget Maxwell smiled as she saw her companion’s expression as they watched Emilia walking away with the handsome young man. “Nice boy. His father is the vet here.” “He’d better not move in on her,” Zachary hissed, “or I will hurt him.” “Careful, my love,” Bridget reminded him. “You are sounding like your father,and you saw what happened to him.” “My father was a heartless bastard,” Zachary replied. “I am only here to look out for my brother’s widow.” “That would mean letting her get on with her life without your interference, love,” Bridget said softly, as she laid her hand on his shoulder. She saw his jaw clenchand shook her head. “That is not your plan, is it?” She kissed him on the cheek. “Owen will be ready to do his part.” Bridget moved off, smiling as she walked into the restaurant. Emiliaand her new friend were seated in a booth near the back. The girl saw herand a look of such sadness Crossed her face that, if she had a heart, Bridget would be in tears. The girl was still grieving for her lost husband. Well, sheand Zachary would have to see to it that she was kept too busy to think about her beloved Stephen. “Owen, my love,” Bridget called out as she approached the kitchen. “Your wife has come to call.” “Emilia?” Gabriel’s voice broke through the fogand she jumped. “Are you all right? You looked so sad.” “What?” Emilia shook her head. “I’m sorry, Gabriel,” she smiled back at him sadly. “I’m not being very good company.” “Mrs. Maxwell is a looker,” Gabriel smiled as he watched the woman go into the kitchen, changing the subject. “She teaches Medieval History at the community college.” He laid his hand on Emilia’sand she pulled away like he’d burned her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…” “It’s nothing you did, Gabriel,” Emilia broke in, apologizing for her reaction. “You said Mrs. Maxwell?” “Yea,” Gabriel nodded. “Her husband is a chef or something. Oh God!” he laughed as he realized. “This must be where he works!” The door openedand he looked up, his smile widening as a trio walked in. “Hey, Ryan!” Emilia turned to see a familiar trio walking towards the table. She got to her feetand surprised Gabriel by giving them each a hug. “I didn’t know you knew each other!” “Of course,” Ryan smiled as he sat down. “We’re old friends. Grew up on the same block.” He saw the sundae. “Looks good.” “You can have mine; I didn’t touch it,” Emilia told him, suddenly feeling the chill she recognized as a sign of danger. She looked at her watch. “I need to get back home. The attorney is supposed to bring me some papers to sign.” She smiled at Gabriel warmly. “It was nice to meet you, Gabriel.” “You’ve made a friend there, Gabe,” Ryan smiled as he watched Emilia leave. He turned to Gabriel, his eyes stern. “You do anything to hurt her or frighten herand I’ll hand you your head. Understand?” “And that goes double for me,” Brianna chimed in. “And triple for me,” Kevin, Ryan’s darker-haired twin, spoke up. “Suits me,” Gabriel smiled back at the trio. “Because I wouldn’t hurt the girl for the world.” He leaned forwardand told them his secret. “Emilia is my cousin. Her father was my uncle.” “So you moved into town to keep an eye on her?” Brianna smiled. She was actually relieved. The thought of Gabrieland Emilia together had made her very sad. “I’d be willing to bet a lot of the new people who’ve been moving into town over the past several months are ‘related’ to our friend, Emi,” Ryan laughed softly. He smiled as the pretty blond waitress approached the table. “Hey, Tara! How’s everything?” “Just fine, Ryan,” Tara smiled. “Are you all going to the party Friday after the game?” “We’re having a party during the game,” Kevin told her. “Emilia bought the family a skybox at the stadium.” He leaned closer to the pretty girl. “Would you like to join us?” “Can I bring my crew?” Tara asked him, her eyes shining with excitement. “Bring anyone you want, Tara,” Kevin nodded. “Just write down their namesand we’ll make sure the guard has you all on the gate list.” He blushed as he caught the looks on his siblings’ faces. “I guess we should order something now.” He looked at the menu. “I’d like the chocolate mousse crepe.” “Getting some mighty refined tastes all the sudden, Kevin,” His sister, Brianna, frowned after they had all orderedand Tara was gone. “Crepe? You don’t even know what that is, do you?” “What do you see in that girl?” Ryan chimed in. “She’s got to be one of the biggest flakes I’ve ever met. Sheand her silly ‘crew’ are going to ruin the party at the game.” He turned to Gabriel. “You’re invited too, Gabe.” While her friends discussed the fun they were going to have, Emilia sat at the desk in the study of her new homeand looked at the bespectacled bald man who had come to see her in utter disbelief. He had delivered the final documents transferring all of Samuel’s holdings to her,and gone over the will with her step by step. Nothing was going to Zachary. Samuel had cut him out completely. It didn’t seem right that he would do that to his own son, Emilia thought. She said as much to the lawyerand Timmons shrugged. “The relationship between the Professorand his sons was strained long before you came along, Mrs. Winslow,” Timmons said simply. “Zachary is not left a pauper. Heand Stephen each inherited a fortune from their mother;and their auntand uncle left them everything if they died before they had children of their own.” He took out the checkbooks, passbooks, credit cards, financial ledgersand several sets of keys. “You are now an exceedingly wealthy young woman. If you need any assistance in choosing an accounting firm…” “I will not be calling you, Mr. Timmons,” Emilia broke