Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 138522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
I scrub my jaw and turn to the window, but where it would normally bring me peace, it just explodes like empty space in my mind. This view is nothing. It’s not peace. It’s not calm. Abbie is my peace. She’s my only path to any version of happiness and damn it to hell, I came home to tell her about Kendall tonight, and not because I wanted to justify attacking my father. Not because I wanted Abbie to leave. Because I was afraid my father would take her from me. Because I wasn’t going to let that happen.
Because I’m not going to let that happen.
I’m walking before I even register the decision, pursuing Abbie, and yes, Dexter. They are my family now. Or I hope like hell they are. Dexter is the only real sure thing. He won’t give a shit what happened with Kendall, but this is a triangle. We’re supposed to be a fucking triangle. I want a triangle. I step into the bedroom to find Abbie and Dexter on the bed, side by side. Abbie laying down, the blankets pulled to her chest.
I close the space between me and the bed, and sit down, giving Abbie and Dexter my back. “Kendall was my fiancée,” I say.
Abbie jerks to a sitting position behind me and I move to sit next to her. “Don’t do this now,” Abbie orders. “Don’t do this when—”
“Abbie,” I say softly, drawing her hand into mine. “It’s not as simple as you think. I need to tell you about KM tonight.”
“Yesterday you weren’t ready to talk about this, Gabe. Now, the minute you invite me into your world, it’s like this is a way to push me away again. I don’t like it. You’re messing with my emotions. You’re messing with us, our future. Whatever that is.”
“Our future is up to you. I know what I want and that’s you, here.”
“I don’t know if I believe you.”
It’s then that I’m reminded that Abbie has trust issues, just like I do. That Abbie and I have more in common than I choose to remember, because I have my past buried, or I did, until I met her. Until the past has to be faced for us to move forward.
“You weren’t ready to talk about this, Gabe,” she repeats, her voice a raspy whisper. “You weren’t ready. I said I’d give you space and time. That was hard to do, but I did it. Now, this.”
“And it meant the world to me that you blindly trusted me because I know your ex made trust a challenge. I know this for reasons that run deep and personal. As for being ready to tell you, I will never be ready to tell you anything that I think might make you walk away, Abbie. Never.”
“Yet you want to tell me now? I’m very damn confused, Gabe.”
“Telling you about my past isn’t about pushing you away. It’s the opposite. I’m going to go after my father because he hurts people. Because he will hurt you if I give him the chance. When I do, he’ll come at us. He’ll tell you about KM because he knows. He’s the only one who knows. I need to tell you before he tells you.”
Understanding seeps into her eyes and she throws away the blanket and settles her feet on the floor, scooting closer to me, taking my hand. “Tell me,” she urges softly, “but whatever this is, it’s not the bullet you think it is. I promise you.”
“I’m not a gentle man.”
“Dexter and I disagree.”
Her and Dexter. My heart swells with happiness and regret, with fear. So damn much fear that I will love them and lose them. And yet, I have to press her to see all that I am before someone else does. “You do remember that I told a bookie where to find my sister’s stalker and he ended up in the hospital, right?”
“You were protecting her. I get that.”
“You didn’t even ask me if I talked to the police,” I point out.
“I know you did.”
“How, Abbie?”
“Because I know. Did you?”
“Yes. Reid and I did, Reese did. Cat did. But the police had limitations, too many limitations.” I study her, search for doubt, but there is none. That’s going to change. I turn away from her and I could hesitate, but I don’t. I’ve made the decision to tell her this story. I’m not going to choke on it. “Kendall and I met while working at the same law firm.”
“For your father?”
“No. I wanted to find my own way. I interned and planned to work at another firm. We were both up and coming, focused on our careers, with a plan for marriage and family. I loved her, Abbie. Or I thought I did. I believed I did.” I cut my stare and inhale, drawing in a hard-earned breath. “And then—” I let the words trail off and I must revel in the silence too long because Abbie prods me.