Today snippet is supposed to be an emotional theme. I wan’t sure I could do this, because while I do feel I have emotional scenes in my books, they’re never really over-the-top or obvious. What makes them so emotional to me is knowing the characters story, being invested in them to the point that you feel their pain deeply, even when the scene itself isn’t super intense. I hope that makes sense, but maybe the best way to explain it is to simply show you…so here’s a clip from NO ANGEL in the Most Wanted anthology.
Gabe kept his mouth shut on the drive home.
So did Anna.
Since they were the only two people in his truck, it made for a quiet drive. He didn’t care. He was pissed off at her and it took concentration to keep from yelling at the top of his lungs. He needed to breathe, and drive. Breathe, and drive.
The family had split into three vehicles when they left the hospital and when he parked his truck, Caleb was the only one already home. Drake, Devil and their crew hadn’t arrived yet.
As soon as they entered the house, Anna turned to face him. “I’m sorry I put your family in danger,” she said. “I’ll get my bag and leave before they get back.”
That made him lose his temper. “Like Hell!”
Caleb took one look at the two of them and left the room.
Anna didn’t even notice. Her pretty forehead wrinkled and she stared at him. “It’s not safe for any of you if I stay.”
“We’re safer together than apart.”
“I agree. You should stay with them.”
Emotion boiled over inside of him and he lost it. “What the fuck do you mean I stay and you’ll leave? You’re not going anywhere without me, Anna. I don’t care what the hell you can do with knives or … or … fire or whatever powers you have. You are not going anywhere!”
“Don’t yell at me,” she said.
“Then listen to me.”
“When you make sense, I will listen to you.”
Gabe bit back a growl. He was making sense, she was just being dense.
He took a deep breath and held out his hands. “Okay, let’s start this again. Anna, are you nuts?”
Okay, so that wasn’t exactly what he’d meant to say.
“Me?” Color rose in Anna’s pale cheeks and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “It’s you who are nuts. What did you think you were doing grabbing my arm when a demon is right in front of me? You think I can fight with you hanging on my arm?”
Devils voice came from behind Gabe. “She’s right, you know.”
Gabe ignored the crowd that had followed Devil in and focused on Anna. “You weren’t supposed to fight it! That’s the whole point!”
“You think I should’ve just stood there and let him snatch Nadya? Or you? Focalor wants me, and he’ll do anything to get me.”
Gabe stilled. “Him?”
“That was no possessed human, Gabe. That was Focalor, the Great Duke of Hell himself! I don’t know why he’s suddenly stepped up the hunt. I don’t understand why in the last week I’ve been attacked six times. Twice yesterday, on my first day in this city. Twice in one day, Gabe. That has never happened in my life!”
She pointed a trembling hand at him and the family spread out behind him. “He will kill you all with nothing more than a laugh if you get in his way.”
Silence fell on the room and Anna stood there, fists planted on her hips, cheeks flushed, chest heaving and it hit Gabe. She was afraid. His tough little warrior angel was afraid. And not for herself, but for him and his family.
Unable to speak past the emotion clogging his throat Gabe stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.
“Shhh, it’s going to be okay.” He saw Caleb standing in the living room doorway, watching them. “It’s going to be okay, Anna. My family is pretty hard to kill.”
“You have a new baby coming home soon,” she said against his chest. “I have to leave, Gabe. That baby needs to have a safe home.”
Pride knifed through him at her words. She was hunted, had been hunted her whole life, and her first thought was to make sure his new nephew had a safe place to come home to.
She truly was an angel, and he was going to make sure she didn’t go anywhere.
READ MORE ABOUT NO ANGEL and the MOST WANTED anthology.
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