Drake Sisters 04 - Dangerous Tides

bruise and scratch, to torn muscles and cracked ribs. And he hadn't even noticed.

    "Libby Drake." His gaze narrowed on her face, his features settling into hard lines. "Come here."

    Joley let out a groan. "My heart can't take this. I'm ready to swoon!"

    In spite of his resolve to stop Libby from endangering herself, Tyson couldn't stop the laughter from Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    exploding out of him. Not mild amusement, but full-blown belly laughs. Joley was just too dramatic with her eyes dancing with mischief and her infectious smile. She looked so much like Libby, and he found he was rapidly developing a fondness for her, which was no small thing considering he simply didn't like that many people. She was outrageous and loved to tease, but she also genuinely loved Libby. And her absolute resolve to protect her older sister had won his respect and admiration.

    He forced a tough expression. "You're cramping my caveman style, Joley. She isn't going to take me seriously if you keep that up."

    Libby made a face at him. "I’m never going to take you seriously, if you keep it up. I can't remember a time in my life anyone dictated to me. You're so bossy."

    "And he really means it," Joley said. "Isn't that cool? This is going to be so fun to watch, you being bossed around by science man."

    "Science man?" Tyson echoed. He shook his head. "Are you always like this?"

    Libby laughed, that lighthearted sound that always lifted him up toward the sky. "We're being very good at the moment, so we don't run you off. We get much, much worse."

    "That's a scary thought." When had the atmosphere in the home gone from horror, shock and tears to laughter? He was beginning to suspect the true magic of the Drakes was their closeness, and their strength together rather than some mysterious supernatural force.

    "Wait until Kile starts asking you how to make bombs. She likes blowing things up. And don't give her any information, either," Sarah added, "because she's lethal enough as it is."

    Elle teased with the others, but her eyes never laughed. He found himself a little worried about Libby's youngest sister. He looked around the room and wondered how he got there. In all his fantasies, he'd never considered he'd ever be a part of, or accepted by, the Drake sisters. His worst and very secret nightmare had been that Sam would have managed to date one of them. Not Libby. Tyson couldn't even allow that to happen in his nightmare.

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    It was acceptance he craved and hadn't even realized it until that moment. He thought he was above that need.

    Libby brushed her hand over his jaw, and he wrapped his arm around her, bringing her down to his lap, struggling for a moment not to be overwhelmed by unexpected emotion.

    "What is it, baby?" she asked, her voice low and intimate and caressing.

    He felt the sound of her, the touch of her inside him. She could disarm him so easily with her voice; her touch. It didn't bode well for his caveman image. "I like your family." His tone was huskier than he intended and to cover the surge of emotion, he brought her hand to his mouth and nibbled on her fingers.

    Libby looked around the room at her sisters. "I like them, too."

Chapter Fifteen

    TYSON stopped abruptly on the walkway to the Chapman home, pushing Libby behind him. "The front door's open," he whispered. "Sam would never leave that door open. Go back to the car and if I'm not out in a couple of minutes, get out of here and call the sheriff."

    He squeezed her fingers to reassure her and slipped inside his house. Faintly, he could hear raised voices and he followed the sound through the house into the kitchen. The door to his laboratory was wide open and he could hear Sam cursing.

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    Tyson hurried down the stairs to find Harry Jenkins bending over Sam who was on the floor. There was blood on Sam's face, one eye was black and swollen nearly closed. Tyson reached for Harry's collar and jerked him backward, tossing him hard against one of the many tables bolted into the floor. Harry yelled something unintelligible, but Tyson was on him, yanking him to his feet.

    "Stop!" Sam yelled. "No, Ty. It wasn't him. Martinelli's men were here."

    Tyson reluctantly let go of Harry to turn back and help his cousin off the floor. As Ty gripped Sam and