Page 27 of Broken

“She told me her reasons and they’re shit. The woman is in her head and can’t see what she has around her. Told me last night that the club was only helping her out of pity—that she didn’t really have any friends and didn’t deserve them.”

“The fuck you say. She and I are tight,” Dani murmurs.

“She has to know I care about her,” Nicole adds in, sounding hurt.

“She says you understand her and are helping her navigate shit because of that understanding,” I explain, pointing to Dani. “As for you,” I add, transferring my attention to Nicole. “I think she believes you would help your own worst enemy because you have a big heart. She feels guilty for leaning on you, but I get the feeling you are showing her the care her mother either won’t or isn’t capable of right now.”

“Oh, damn,” Nicole whispers, and I see sadness hit her face and tears gathering that won’t fall but remain just the same. Yeah, Gabby is right. Nicole’s heart is huge.

“Okay, we do have furniture. We salvaged quite a bit from the flood. It’s club furniture, so not the best, but decent. I also have a really great couch with a matching recliner in my garage in storage. So, that will help. They’re brand new. I bought them, Crusher hated them. We went to war and let’s just say he knows how to win wars with me easily. So, he keeps his ratty ass recliners and worn-out couch, and I got a night of orgasms and a new car. It was a win-win, really.”

“Yeah, I don’t need to be hearing this shit,” I grumble, making the women laugh.

“We can have some of the prospects bring the furniture over. What else can we do?”

“I’m taking her shopping for the other stuff. The furniture would be great. She gave me a spare key last night. I’ll leave it with you so you can get that shit in while we’re out.”

“Oh! We can bring food! Have a housewarming dinner for her.”

“What else does she need?”

“There are no dishes. I’ll get her the basics today, but it will be a fight. She could probably use sheets and blankets. I figure she’ll buy one set today, but I have no idea if I can convince her to buy much. She’s saving her money for this damn trip to Denver.”

“Don’t worry! We’ve got this. I’ll get the boys started on it now,” Dani says, obviously excited. She reaches up and kisses my cheek and takes off—leaving me with Nicole.

“I like Gabby,” she says. “I don’t like how she played my sons. I really dislike the conniving she did trying to trap Dom.”

“Nicole—”

She holds up her hand to keep me from talking. “Her dad didn’t do her any favors. Her mother is a good woman, but Skull will never be a man who takes direction from his woman. Gabby was a sweet child, but that sweetnessspoiled, and she didn’t know how to react when a girl who could have anything she wanted was losing the one thing she wanted most. I understood it. I didn’t like how she reacted. I tried to talk to Dom, but that boy has always been headstrong. I hoped it would work out. Sometimes two people can be better apart. They’re just not made to fit and forcing it, well … that never works out.”

“Is there a reason you’re telling me all this, Nicole?” I ask, tiring of these heart-to-heart conversations that my new family—I’m not even sure I fully want—keep trying to force on me.

“She needed a wake-up call. A big one.”

“I don’t think?—”

“No woman ever needs one that big. It has broken things inside her that won’t ever completely heal.”

“Nicole—”

“Ever,” she murmurs. “I saw it in Dani and that almost got both of us killed. I see the same thing in Gabby. I held on to Dani and tried to always let her know she had me. I thought it worked. It didn’t. You need to be prepared in case you can’t break through all the way either, King.”

“I’m not going to let her drown in the shit that is swirling in her head, Nicole. It’s not in me to do that.”

She nods. Then she shocks the shit out of me. She slides her hand against the side of my face. “You’re a good man. There’s so much of your father in you it sometimes just completely leaves me speechless.” I swallow at the emotion that brings. I’m not sure what to do with it. “You’re not mine, King. I get that, even if I wish you could be.”

Fuck. Jesus. What the hell do I do with that?

“You saved my boy. You’ve helped Dragon reconcile everything in a way he can breathe again. You’re a good man.”

“Nic—”

“I think you could be good for Gabby.”Fuck, not this again.“That said, some women can latch onto an offer of friendship and expect more. That means you need to listen to her when she talks about leaving. Plus, I’m not sure staying near her parents or around my boys is good for her. That’s something you need to consider. Gabby is fragile. A new place where no one knows her might help not only her, but everyone involved.”

“You’re wrong. She’s wounded, but the Gabby I know isnotfragile. She’s finding herself and she can do that best here. If anything, her leaving would make it easier on others—not her. Gabby’s not a part of their lives, unless they make the effort, and it appears they aren’t going to.”

“You can’t expect my boys to?—”

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