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“Yes,” he sighs.
I think back on Gambler’s last words to me. He said he told Gabe the truth because he was a coward and he wanted him to finish the work he had done. I think he believed himself a coward because he didn’t want to remain in this life without his wife. It would explain why he surrounded himself with pictures of her, but not his kids.
The fight leaves my body and I slump against Gabriel. He lets my hands go and allows me to bury my face in his stomach. He doesn’t touch me or push me away. I stay there, allowing his warmth and hard body to ground me.
“We have to keep moving, Summer.”
Lifting my face from his body, I look up at him. A thought crosses my mind, one I chase away like a raccoon at my back porch. However, it doesn’t stop the thought from returning. I wonder what his lips would feel like on mine.
I think about this for so long, I find myself lifting on my tip toes drawing closer to his mouth. He stills but doesn’t move. His green eyes move back and forth across my face not focusing on one area too long. When I am only a deep inhale away from pressing my lips to his, the sound of booming rap music has me pulling away rapidly.
This time, I’m not so lucky. Nic’s large black SUV comes up beside us. The doors fly open before the Tahoe stops. Nic and five members of his crew climb out of the truck.
“Nic, hi,” I say, stepping in front of Gabriel. “I was just coming to see—” my words are cut short when his fist flies across my face knocking me to the ground.
Gabriel takes a step in Nic’s direction. The five guys with Nic pull their large guns out and aim them at Gabriel. He stops moving, his head cocks to the side as he stares directly at Nic.
“Imagine my surprise when Jay called and told me you were walking my streets with another dude. How do you think that made me feel?” Nic shouts at me.
I spit the blood from my split lip out onto the pavement before getting on my hands and knees.
“In my defense,” I rasp. “I thought you holding a gun to my head meant we had broken up.”
Nic grabs me by the hood of Gabriel’s sweatshirt and hauls me to my feet. He then draws back and slaps the shit out of me again. This time, I bend at the waist but don’t fall to the ground.
Gabriel must’ve moved again because the guys with the guns move in closer, surrounding him.
“So, you’re the bitch ass muthafucker that’s screwing my girl now?” Nic shouts. “Tell me why I shouldn’t dead your ass on this pavement.”
Despite all the guns aimed at him and being outnumbered, not once does Gabriel show any sign of fear. In fact, a slow smirk spreads across his face.
“You think this shit funny?” Nic snaps. “Light his ass up, Benzo.”
“Wait,” I shout jumping in front of Gabriel.
What the hell are you doing? My inner more rational voice shouts. It’s the first time she’s made an appearance tonight. “If Nic kills Gabriel you can possibly get away from Nic. You’ve done it before. Then you’ll be free.” Rational me made a lot of sense, but I couldn’t let him kill Gabe.
He is the first man other than my father to show me kindness without wanting anything in return. Yes, he said he was going to kill me, but he’s fed me when I’ve been hungry. He’s given me clothing when I’ve been cold, held my wig when I was throwing up, and protected me. He may not be normal, I won’t deny that, but Gabriel is my friend.
“We’re not together. He’s just a mark,” I turn and look into Gabe’s green eyes.
I’m pleading with him to follow along.
“I was going to get him to take me back to his place and then rob him.”
Gabe’s eyes narrow down at me. The men around us laugh.
“This fool thought he had a new girlfriend,” One of Nic’s guys taunts, and they all laugh.
“Tonight’s your lucky night, big guy. You can keep your money and your life,” Nic says. “Bring your ass, Summer.”
I look to Gabriel one last time and a sad smile lifts my lips. “You were going to kill me tonight anyway, right,” I whisper to him. “Now you don’t have to worry about it.”
Nic yanks me away from Gabe and toward his black SUV. The thing my rational mind didn’t know is that I got away from Nic once by chance. He’s not letting me get away again. Once I climb in this truck, I’m good as dead.
“For what it’s worth,” I shout to Gabriel before Nic can shove me in the car. “I had fun tonight.”
“Get your dumb ass in the car,” Nic says pushing my head down and into the back seat .
