by Lynn Hagen
After such an amazing afternoon and evening, I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of anyone hurting them. “This is why I can’t be in your world.” I looked toward my house and saw the living room light on, and then I turned my attention back to Gabe. “It’s too dangerous for a guy like me.”
A veil fell over Gabe’s eyes. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
I laughed, trying to break the sudden tension. “We both know we had an itch to scratch with each other. Attraction kept you coming around, kept me seeking you out. Mission accomplished. Now it’s time to go back to our separate lives.” I reached for the door handle, my gut clenching. “I’ll see you around, Gabe.”
There was a tight set to Gabe’s jaw, but he didn’t say a word as I got out and headed up the driveway. Cole stepped from the shadows briefly to let me know he was there then sank back into them.
I didn’t bother looking for the other guy. I didn’t care. My mood tanked further when Gabe’s car pulled away. I had to stop myself from running after it.
Even if Gabe truly wanted me, again, our worlds were too damn different. There was no way he would settle into my mundane lifestyle, and I couldn’t fathom staying in his violent one.
My heart was in my feet as I walked through the door. I heard water running and knew my mom was doing dishes in the kitchen. My dad was asleep in his recliner, and Uncle Glen was sprawled out on the couch in his ratty underwear, his tinfoil hat propped on his head.
I groaned. “Can you put some pants on? Your nuts are hanging out.”
Uncle Glen gave me a smile. He wasn’t wearing his dentures. “I’m airing them out. You’ll see. When you’re as old as I am, you’ll see that your boys need fresh air.”
I nearly threw up in my mouth. “At least throw a blanket over your lap.”
“Glen!” My mom walked into the room, drying her hands on a towel. “How many times have I told you to throw those briefs away? Your soldiers are all over my cushions!”
My dad snorted and came awake, rubbing at his eyes. He yawned then looked over at Glen. “For fuck’s sake. Go to your damn room.”
Glen got up and shuffled away. I wanted to sit, but the thought of Uncle Glen’s saggy balls touching the couch made me dry heave.
And this was why Gabe would never fit into my life.
“You missed dinner,” my mom said. “Are you hungry? You’ve never worked this late before.”
“I wasn’t working.” I sat on the carpeted floor, pressing my back into the couch as my dad used the remote to find something to watch.
My mom sat on the end of the couch, opposite of where Glen had been sitting. “Then where were you?” She tossed the dishtowel over her shoulder. “Not that it’s any of my business. You’re grown and don’t have to answer to me.”
It was an unspoken deal with my parents. I pretended that living with them as an adult wasn’t a crushing blow to my ego and they pretended I was an independent grownup who wasn’t mooching off them.
So freaking pathetic.
“That guy from last night.”
“The one you were kissing all over in the car?” She blushed. “What about him?”
“Tell me you used a condom,” my dad interjected. “You young folk these days take too many risks.”
I slapped a hand over my face.
“Clyde,” my mom admonished. “Stop embarrassing him.”
“What?” my dad asked. “It’s a legitimate question.”
“I spent the day with Gabe.” I purposely ignored my dad. One, I was ashamed I’d gotten so caught up in the moment that we hadn’t used protection. Two, I wasn’t going there. My parents and I talked about a lot of things, but my sex life wasn’t up for discussion.
“He’s not a government worker, is he?” Uncle Glen shuffled back into the room, pajama pants in place.
Thank fuck.
“He could be a spy,” Glen said.
“He’s a lawyer,” I said.
“That’s even worse.” Uncle Glen sat on the couch. “Sharks. That’s what they are.”
“He’s a wolf.” If they only knew how true that was.
Uncle Glen nodded. “I guess that’s a fitting description.”
“Come in the kitchen for some dessert.” My mom patted my shoulder.
I got up and followed her. As soon as we walked into the room, she spun and looked at me. “Okay, spill it.”
“Spill what?”
She wiggled her finger at me. “You look like you just lost your best friend. Either you and Emerson are fighting, or your fella broke your heart.”
“He’s not my fella.” I went to the cookie jar and snagged a snickerdoodle. “We just hit it off, and now it’s time to settle back into reality.”
“Whose reality?” She placed the lid back on the jar. “Is that what Gabe said?”
“It’s what’s real, Ma.” She snatched the cookie before I could take a bite.
“Why? You don’t think you’re good enough for him? Let me tell you, Fitch Isaiah Oliver. You’re good enough for anyone you’re interested in, and if Gabe thinks otherwise, he can shove his law degree up his tight buns.”
I simply stared at her. I’d never heard my mom talk that way. It made me feel so damned loved. I hugged her. “Thanks, but it was my decision.”
There were things I couldn’t tell her about Gabe to make her understand why I had to walk away but damn if I didn’t want to call him just to hear his voice.
She cupped my face and kissed my forehead. A mother’s love had the ability to either lift you up or crush you. I was so glad to have her as my mom.
“If you need to talk, I’m always here.”
“Lucille! Come get your damn brother,” my dad shouted. “He just walked outside naked. I’ll never be able to unsee those sagging balls.”
We looked at each other and burst out laughing before my mom hurried from the kitchen, taking my cookie with her.
Chapter Eight
Gabe…
“If you don’t like the terms, then find another goddamn lawyer!” I slammed the phone down then rocked back in my chair, scrubbing my hands over my face.
What the fuck was I doing? Henderson Banning was one of our top clients, and I’d just bitten his head off. My partners were going to snap my damn neck when they found out. I was going to have to smooth things over with Henderson, but right now, I was in too foul a mood.
A knock sounded on my open door. My personal assistant, Mindy, walked in. “You have a meeting at two with Judge Arnold and a four o’clock dinner date with that new client you’re wooing.”
One murderous glare from me and Mindy spun on her heels and walked out.
God, I was a mess. I’d let Fitch walk out of my life. I’d told myself that, if that was what the human wanted, I wasn’t going to force myself on him.
I’d slept for shit last night. I’d gotten maybe an hour’s sleep. How could Fitch think he was just an itch I needed to scratch? How could he think we couldn’t fit into each other’s worlds?
The problem was Fitch was right, regardless of how I felt. I couldn’t stop being who I was. I had responsibilities that I didn’t take lightly. I had clients paying me top dollar to help them. The Malkoviches needed to be dealt with. My friends and I had to stop an all-out war from taking place and decimating Ridgeview.
These were the responsibilities I’d fought for my entire life, and now all I wanted to do was drive to Fitch’s to see him, to hear his sweet voice, to hold him in my arms.
“Mind telling me when you lost your damn mind?” Max snarled as he walked into my office. “Did you seriously yell at Henderson fucking Banning? The guy whose retainer pays for your goddamn penthouse?”
“How bad?”
“He’s threatening to take his business elsewhere. What is wrong with you, Gabe? You’ve been off your game all day.” He shut the door and sat across from me. “Is it another episode? Do you need time off? I can get you back into that clinic if you feel you need help.
Just talk to me.”
I sighed. “I’m not sinking into depression.” Not the kind I’d battled in the past.
“Then what is it?”
“That damn human.”
Max narrowed his eyes. “What did he do? Do we need to bury his body?”
I smirked. Leave it up to Max to think that. Reese and Lucas would’ve asked the same thing. That was what I loved about them.
“No. He just decided to quit me.”
Max’s brows knitted. “Come again?”
“Jeez, do I have to spell it out for you? He kicked me to the curb.”
Max sat back, crossing one leg over the other. “How much did he con you out of? A guy like that sees dollar signs when he meets guys like us.”
I bristled at his assumption, though he wasn’t wrong. I’d dated men who only saw me as a cash cow. I’d pampered some, to an extent. “Like Derek conned you?”
Now it was Max who bristled. “That’s different. Derek was trying to save his twin’s job. His deception wasn’t malicious, and he hadn’t been after me for my money or power.”
“He didn’t get a dime from me, other than paying his hospital bill after he saved my life.” I ignored my ringing phone. “He’s afraid of our world and doesn’t want to be a part of it.”
I’d also given him a hundred dollars for his missed wages yesterday, but Max didn’t need to know that. It had only been fair since it was my fault Antonio was after Fitch in the first place.
I’d also had a friend of mine, who was a doctor in the ER, write Fitch an excuse for work, stating that he had a follow-up appointment for his arm. I’d paid a courier to deliver the excuse to Fitch this morning so Fitch wouldn’t lose his job.
But there was no denying that I was miserable.
“Can you blame him?” Max asked. “Derek still struggles with what we do. I just try my best to make his life as normal as possible.”
“So you lie to him.”
“No.” Max shook his head. “If he wants to know what’s going on, I tell him, but we came to an agreement. My life outside the office is off the table for discussion. Kind of like a cop’s life. They don’t talk about their cases to their spouse. Why bring that kind of ugly home? I only brought Derek to your place yesterday because we were already on our way to a meeting. He said he’ll stay in the car next time.”
I really liked Derek. He was a true klutz, and horrible at his job of being Max’s personal assistant, but the partners had grown very fond of him.
And Max had hired a qualified PA to do all the legal things Derek was clueless about. Now Derek was more or less a glorified gofer, and the human loved it.
“Talk to your human,” Max said. “Just keep the ugly out of it. Make life remain normal for him, as much as you can. It’s well worth it.” Max grinned. “I know we don’t really share our emotions, but just this once I’ll tell you. Derek is my heart. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him. I’d lay waste to Ridgeview just to keep him safe. I’d give him the moon and stars just to see him smile.”
I chuckled. Max wasn’t known for his softer side, and hearing him talk that way gave me hope. “All right. Get out of here before I need a shower to get all that gooey love off me.”
Max stood and walked to the door. He paused. “Maybe your human is just what you need. You deserve to be happy, Gabe.”
“Fitch,” I said. “His name is Fitch.”
“I know. I was just making it more personal for you. I’ll deal with Henderson. Divide your caseload between us so you can concentrate on Fitch.” Max walked out.
I loved the fuck out of Max.
Instead of calling Fitch, I decided to go to his house. If I was going to try and make this work, I needed to see Fitch.
Andrew brought the car around. “I’ll drive today,” I said. “Go have brunch with a friend.”
“Are you sure?” Andrew looked uneasy. “I don’t mind doing my job, sir.”
I pulled my wallet out and handed over a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill. “My treat.”
“Thank you, sir. My cousin is in town. I’ll give him a call. If you need me, let me know.”
I shook my head. “Take the rest of the day off and spend some quality time with him.”
Before Andrew could protest any further, I slipped into the driver’s seat. Shit, the seat had my chest touching the steering wheel. Andrew was of average height, but I was tall as fuck and felt as though I’d slipped into a clown car.
Andrew walked to the driver’s side and showed me where the seat adjustment buttons were. They weren’t on the side of the seat like a normal car. They were located on the steering wheel.
I nodded my thanks before I pulled into traffic, nearly sideswiping another car. Clearly I’d been a passenger too damn long. Thankfully I made it to Fitch’s house without causing an accident and pulled into his driveway.
The last time I’d been there, it had been dark and I had been too busy dealing with Fitch’s fit about Cole to notice the aging, rusted car in the driveway. I wasn’t even sure it still ran. One of the tires was flat.
I stared at the rustic house for a moment, wondering how Fitch would react to my impromptu visit.
There was no use stalling. I commanded power and respect at the firm, in court, and dealing with the different wolf packs. I wasn’t going to let a mere human make me nervous. I got out and walked to the door. Before I could knock, the door swung open.
It was Fitch’s mom.
“Oh, thank goodness. Maybe you can pull my son out of his funk.”
“I’m not in a funk,” Fitch yelled from somewhere in the house. “Who’s at the door?”
“A Bible salesman,” his mothered hollered back. “Come get some Jesus in your life.” She winked at me. “Well, don’t just stand there. Come in.”
When I entered, she held out her hand. “I’m Lucille Oliver.”
I took her hand and kissed her knuckles, watching her blush. “Gabriel Rothe, ma’am.”
“Aren’t you a charmer?” Then she narrowed her eyes. “No go charm the happiness back into Fitch. He’s been impossible all morning.”
She was a very odd and direct woman. Now I knew where Fitch had gotten his fiery personality. And his looks. I was staring at a feminine version of him.
“Who was at the door?” Fitch stormed into the room, looking as though he was ready to kick the salesman out. He came to a hard stop, and his glare, for just a split second, was replaced with a spark of joy in his eyes. Then he scowled. “What’re you doing here?”
“Fitch!” His mom looked aghast. “I taught you better manners than that. Take your guest to the kitchen and offer him a refreshment, or I’ll ground you for a month.”
Fuck. She made me miss my own mom, who’d passed away a few years back. It still hurt like hell to think about her, and there hadn’t been a day that went by when she wasn’t in my thoughts.
“A refreshment would be nice.” I winked at her, and hell, she giggled. She actually giggled. I’d always been respectful of the opposite sex, but I needed to reel back my charm.
“This way,” Fitch groaned as he walked through the dining room. The house was quaint, well loved, reminding me of the house I’d grown up in, only my mom had worked two jobs so I rarely saw her.
But I could feel the love here. It echoed off the walls and wrapped me in warm feelings as I entered the kitchen.
“Don’t be too charming,” Fitch said. “My mom is easily flustered.” As soon as they were out of earshot, he glared at me. “Why are you here? We had a clean break. A good time, no strings.”
Max’s advice ghosted through my mind. I pulled Fitch into my arms, crushing him to me, and kissed him so thoroughly that we were both desperate for air by the time we’d broken apart.
“That’s why I’m here,” I said. “Tell me you don’t want that.”
Fitch touched his lips with his fingers. His cheeks were crimson as he stared at me. “Of course I want that, but I told you, our worlds are too different.”
I told Fitch what Max had said to me. “They make it work.”
In truth, I’d never had to convince anyone to be with me, and I was out of my element. I had to force myself not to demand Fitch come home with me so I could strip him naked and prove how much I wanted him.
I had to stop the dominant side of me, force it to heel, which wasn’t as easy as one would think. Since adulthood I’d been savage in work and as a crime boss, never letting anyone see any weaknesses.
But I was weak for Fitch, and I wasn’t sure I liked being vulnerable.
Even so, this morning proved my true feelings toward the human. There was no denying how I felt about him.
“I don’t know.” Fitch bit his lip as he went to the fridge and opened it. “I have Kool-Aid, iced tea, and milk.”
“Kool-Aid.” What the hell. I liked living life dangerously. Besides, I hadn’t had the drink mix since I’d been a kid.
Fitch pulled the pitcher from the fridge. “I would’ve offered you something else, but we’re poor, so those were the choices.”
I leaned against the counter and watched Fitch move around the kitchen. “I wasn’t born to wealth, Fitch. My mom struggled my whole childhood to put food on the table and a roof over my head.”
Fitch paused and looked at me with something akin to sympathy. That wasn’t why I’d opened up to him. I just wanted him to know we had more in common than he realized.
“Your dad?”
“It’s complicated.” I wasn’t willing to open up that much. The subject of my dad was too painful, still gutted me to this day. I was still so angry at him for leaving us, for taking his own life, but the little boy in me would give anything to be held by him one more time, to see his smile, to hear his deep voice telling me that he loved me.
I looked away as I cleared my throat. Fitch didn’t press the matter. He handed me a red plastic cup. “It’s grape. My favorite.”