I watchmy son walk away, unable to stop the frown that forms. I don’t know what’s going on in his head. I felt a little relief when I found out that he wasn’t the father of Gabby’s kid. That said, it’d take a fool not to see that he’s got some kind of interest in the girl. I don’t know what it is, but as much as I feel for Gabby, I don’t like it. I’ve listened to Nicole, and I know the hell Gabby has gone through when dealing with Skull—not to mention losing her brother. Still, the last thing any of us need is to have her get her hooks into King. He’s vulnerable right now, still reeling over Shelby’s betrayal. Gabby is definitely vulnerable. That’s a recipe for disaster.
“You thinkin’ there’s going to be trouble there?” Crusher asks.
“All I know is that King has my blood in him and apparently if any of my prodigy gets around Gabby they lose every brain cell they have.”
“Got to tell you, man, I like the girl.”
“Crusher—”
“Not shittin’ you, Drag. She works hard. King’s right about that. She works too fucking hard. Keeps her head down and has been socking back every penny she earns. I know for a fact thather mom has been asking her if she needs money or anything else, for that matter. Skull may be an asshole toward the girl, but her mom would give her anything she asks for. Gabby hasn’t asked for one damn thing. What she does do is cry and I’m not talking a little—I’m talking a lot.”
“Crusher—”
“Most of those tears are after she’s spoken with her mom. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon to figure out the reason why.”
“I understand that shit, Crusher. I even like the girl. That doesn’t mean that I want my son involved. He’s been through hell because he hitched his wagon to the wrong woman. He doesn’t need to be caught up in more shit with a different woman. You get me?”
“Maybe this woman won’t be the wrong one,” he murmurs. “Not too long ago, you thought Dani was wrong for me. You were wrong.”
“Crusher—”
“Really fucking wrong.”
“Maybe so, but Dani hadn’t fuckedandfucked over two of your brothers before she got to you.”
“Honest to God, Dragon, even if she had, I wouldn’t have given a fuck.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I mean it. If it meant I’d get to enjoy the sweet life I’m living right now, I’d choose Dani every damn time. I wouldn’t even think twice. Dani brings me peace. She’s the reason I live a life sweeter than anything I could ever describe. She’s the answer to every fucking dream and prayer I’ve ever had.”
“Christ,” I mutter, scrubbing my hand over my face because I know he’s right. It’s the same thing Nicole has given me. Still, I don’t want this for King. Damn it.
“Now, I need for you to tell me something, Dragon.”
“What’s that?” I grumble.
“As bad a life as your boy had in the beginning, and that coupled with the sucker punch his ex-old lady delivered. You want to tell me, why you wouldn’t want him to have the same happiness we have?”
“I do. I just don’t see how that happiness can be found with a woman who has already been in his brothers’ beds.”
“I’m sure stranger things have happened.”
“Name one, asshole.”
“What about the fact that my son is dating the daughter of a Twinkie I enjoyed a lot—in a lot of ways—before Dani came into my life? A woman that Dani knows I had a threesome with, even after I met her?”
“Bet that makes for interesting family dinners,” I joke.
“You know it. Bet it’s almost as entertaining as your house will be at Christmas if King and Gabby get together,” the asshole snaps back.
“Fuck me,” I groan, wincing just thinking about it. Crusher’s laughter rings around me, but I ignore it as I watch King walking Gabby toward a motel room, his arms full of baby shit. My woman is watching them too, and when she turns around to stare at me, her eyebrow cocked up and a smile on her face …I know I’m well and truly fucked.
Chapter 7
Gabby
“Don’tyou have something you need to do?” I murmur as I unlock the door to my room here.