Tribal Law
Only the warrior from her past could save her now…Tribal police chief Gabe Cosen would do anything to protect his people and their reservation. This sheer dedication to the law that had even cost him his fiancé. Selena Dosela had never forgiven him for sending her father to prison.But with trouble back on her doorstep, Gabe vowed to keep her safe.Only extreme fear for her family would allow Selena to accept Gabe’s help. Despite all they had been through, Selena knew she could trust him with the lives of those she loved. The lawman would never break his word…but if she wasn’t careful, he might break her heart again.
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âI want you here,â Gabe said.
âYou never look like you need help and you never ask me for it.â
âWell, Iâve never had to stand over the grave of one of my officers before, either. I hope I never have to do that again.â
She took his hand and held it to her cheek. âItâs a terrible loss. I hope you find the killer.â
He hoped that her father wasnât tied up in all this but it wasnât looking good. He realized that his arresting him had broken their engagement. If and when he made that second arrest and sent him back to federal prison, maybe for many, many years, would she ever forgive him?
This might be their first and last night together.
JENNA KERNAN has penned over two dozen novels and has received two RITA® Award nominations. Jenna is every bit as adventurous as her heroines. Her hobbies include recreational gold prospecting, scuba diving and gem hunting. Jenna grew up in the Catskills and currently lives in the Hudson Valley of New York State with her husband. Follow Jenna on Twitter, @jennakernan, on Facebook or at www.jennakernan.com.
To JimâAlways.
Contents
Selena Doselaâs heart beat so hard in her chest she started gasping.
âFor the love of God,â said her father from the passenger seat. âWhereâs your Apache poker face?â
She pressed a hand to her forehead and blew out a breath but still felt dizzy.
âBetter.â Her father, who was supposed to be home under house arrest, had crouched out of sight when they passed Gabeâs police car, but there was nowhere to hide in the small cab of her box truck.
Gabe hit his lights.
âPull over,â said her dad.
She did, gliding on snow and ice to a stop on the shoulder. Gabeâs white SUV pulled in behind her.
Gabe Cosen, the chief of police for the Black Mountain Apache Tribe, would spot her father the instant he reached her door, which was in about fifteen seconds.
âTell me when heâs next to the rear tire.â
Selenaâs heart began galloping again.
She glanced in her side mirror. Gabe exited his unit, tugged down his thigh-length sheepskin jacket and put on the gray Stetson that he always wore. Now her heart pounded for a different reason. Even from a distance this man could raise her heart rate and her internal temperature.
As chief, he didnât wear a uniform anymore except for special occasions. But he still wore that hat, as if he were a cowboy instead of an Indian. He tipped the brim down and then marched toward Selenaâs driverâs side. On any other day she might have appreciated the sight because Gabe Cosen looked good coming or going. Right now she wished it was going.
âWhat should we do?â she asked.
Her father cast her a look of disappointment. âWhat do you think? Hide. Iâll be outside on the running board.â
Why had she thought he meant to harm Gabe? Did her father even carry a gun? She hoped not; he would be in enough trouble if Gabe caught him and, come to think of it, so would she.
Her attention returned to her side mirror. âOkay, heâs beside the truck.â
The passenger door eased open and her father hopped out. The door clicked shut. Her attention slipped back to the empty seat and she caught movement through the window beyond. The large rectangular side mirror showed a view of her father crouching on the runner. She gave a little shout. He straightened just enough to peer back inside and she pointed frantically at the mirror. He disappeared like a prairie dog ducking into its burrow, hopping off the running boards and moving out of sight.
âSelena?â Gabeâs voice was muffled by the glass.
She jumped in her seat, then rolled down the window to face the chief of the tribal police. The truck was old, refurbished and didnât have power anything. In fact, it even had a cassette player on the console. But sheâd chosen this truck because sheâd been able to pay cash for the whole thing. Unfortunately sheâd had to use it and her sisterâs box truck as collateral against the 18-wheeler.
âHey there,â he said. His breath came in a puff of condensation that disappeared almost instantly. âEverything okay?â
Her ears were buzzing. Did that mean she was going to faint? You absolutely are not going to faint. You canât.
âWas I doing something wrong, Chief?â Her attempt to keep her voice level failed and Gabe pushed back the brim of his hat, giving her a closer look. How did he manage to get more handsome every single year? she wondered as she stared at his ruggedly attractive face.
âYouâre flushed,â he said.
âHot in here. Heater is wonky.â That lie came so easily.
