Rebel's Desire (Iron Portal Paranormal Romance Series) (Iron Portal Series Book 4) by Laurie London
Authors: Laurie London
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not—he couldn’t tell her the truth about himself.
He looked over the table at her, as if seeing her for the first time. Although from very different worlds, they’d both faced circumstances they couldn’t control and were forced to grow up quickly. His heart ached for her because he knew exactly how it felt to be abandoned by your mother, the one person who should love you unconditionally.
He reached out, clasped her hand in his. Their gazes met and held. Seeing the vulnerability beneath her dark lashes, he had the sudden urge to pull her into his arms again. Protect her from sadness and harm. Fix everything in her life that needed fixing.
After they finished eating, they made the ten-minute walk to her shop. He enjoyed being with her and used every excuse to touch her, keeping his hand on the small of her back most of the time. Stepping onto the curb. Guiding her around a break in the sidewalk. At one point, when two young girls weren’t watching where they were going and almost ran into them, Toryn cupped Keely’s shoulder and drew her out of their path. She flashed him an easy smile, lighting up the dark corners of his heart. She was uncomplicated and enjoyed his company.
When they rounded the final corner, Keely hesitated, then frowned.
His hand tightened on her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“Our sandwich board sign.” She pointed down the street. “It should be on the sidewalk below that blue awning, but it’s not there.”
When they got to the shop, shards of glass covered the pavement, glittering like raindrops in the moonlight. A black hole gaped in the window, obliterating the name of the shop that was painted on the glass—Sisters something. A broom lay on the sidewalk, as if someone had tried to sweep up the mess, then changed their mind.
Keely gasped and clamped a hand over her mouth.
Toryn drew his blade. The window above the door had been broken as well. The point of entry. The latch on the worn brass door handle pressed easily. The door was unlocked.
“Stay out here,” he ordered. Without waiting for her response, he pushed it open.
The small bell overhead chimed out a misplaced cheery welcome. He stepped over the threshold and into the darkened shop.
Even without lights, he could tell the place had been vandalized. Books and loose papers were strewn over the floor, shelves were tipped over, and tiny bottles that held oils and lotions were scattered everywhere.
“Oh my God,” Keely said from right behind him. “My books.”
Toryn sighed. He hadn’t really expected that she’d wait outside for him, but it was worth a try.
“Stay put. I’ll check the rest of the place.” He did a quick but thorough search of the premises, including the small apartment upstairs. No one else was here, and there didn’t appear to be any other damage.
When he returned to the main floor, Keely was struggling to raise an overturned bookshelf.
“The place is clear,” he said, rushing to help her. “Looks like this is the extent of it.”
She ducked her head away from him, swiping a hand hurriedly over her cheek. “Thank you, Toryn.”
He started to reach out to her again but then thought better of it. He couldn’t let himself get emotionally attached to her any more than he already was, but before he could pull back, she touched his hand lightly. A soft, feathery touch, like a butterfly.
Damn.
“I…I don’t know what I would’ve done without you,” she said, chewing on her lower lip, probably to keep it from trembling. “I can’t imagine coming back to this…alone. The last time it happened, Becca was here.”
His eyes narrowed. “This has happened before?”
She nodded. “A few times. We’re prime fodder for the more militant protesters given who our father is and that we used to be on their side. So in a way, I guess we deserve this.”
She’d mentioned that her father was a minister with a popular online show whose Internet ratings brought in lots of ad revenue. Toryn
He looked over the table at her, as if seeing her for the first time. Although from very different worlds, they’d both faced circumstances they couldn’t control and were forced to grow up quickly. His heart ached for her because he knew exactly how it felt to be abandoned by your mother, the one person who should love you unconditionally.
He reached out, clasped her hand in his. Their gazes met and held. Seeing the vulnerability beneath her dark lashes, he had the sudden urge to pull her into his arms again. Protect her from sadness and harm. Fix everything in her life that needed fixing.
After they finished eating, they made the ten-minute walk to her shop. He enjoyed being with her and used every excuse to touch her, keeping his hand on the small of her back most of the time. Stepping onto the curb. Guiding her around a break in the sidewalk. At one point, when two young girls weren’t watching where they were going and almost ran into them, Toryn cupped Keely’s shoulder and drew her out of their path. She flashed him an easy smile, lighting up the dark corners of his heart. She was uncomplicated and enjoyed his company.
When they rounded the final corner, Keely hesitated, then frowned.
His hand tightened on her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“Our sandwich board sign.” She pointed down the street. “It should be on the sidewalk below that blue awning, but it’s not there.”
When they got to the shop, shards of glass covered the pavement, glittering like raindrops in the moonlight. A black hole gaped in the window, obliterating the name of the shop that was painted on the glass—Sisters something. A broom lay on the sidewalk, as if someone had tried to sweep up the mess, then changed their mind.
Keely gasped and clamped a hand over her mouth.
Toryn drew his blade. The window above the door had been broken as well. The point of entry. The latch on the worn brass door handle pressed easily. The door was unlocked.
“Stay out here,” he ordered. Without waiting for her response, he pushed it open.
The small bell overhead chimed out a misplaced cheery welcome. He stepped over the threshold and into the darkened shop.
Even without lights, he could tell the place had been vandalized. Books and loose papers were strewn over the floor, shelves were tipped over, and tiny bottles that held oils and lotions were scattered everywhere.
“Oh my God,” Keely said from right behind him. “My books.”
Toryn sighed. He hadn’t really expected that she’d wait outside for him, but it was worth a try.
“Stay put. I’ll check the rest of the place.” He did a quick but thorough search of the premises, including the small apartment upstairs. No one else was here, and there didn’t appear to be any other damage.
When he returned to the main floor, Keely was struggling to raise an overturned bookshelf.
“The place is clear,” he said, rushing to help her. “Looks like this is the extent of it.”
She ducked her head away from him, swiping a hand hurriedly over her cheek. “Thank you, Toryn.”
He started to reach out to her again but then thought better of it. He couldn’t let himself get emotionally attached to her any more than he already was, but before he could pull back, she touched his hand lightly. A soft, feathery touch, like a butterfly.
Damn.
“I…I don’t know what I would’ve done without you,” she said, chewing on her lower lip, probably to keep it from trembling. “I can’t imagine coming back to this…alone. The last time it happened, Becca was here.”
His eyes narrowed. “This has happened before?”
She nodded. “A few times. We’re prime fodder for the more militant protesters given who our father is and that we used to be on their side. So in a way, I guess we deserve this.”
She’d mentioned that her father was a minister with a popular online show whose Internet ratings brought in lots of ad revenue. Toryn
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