Gabe

by Lagomarsino, Giulia

  “Naturally,” I said dumbly.

  “And I knew you wouldn’t let her hold a gun yet.”

  “No, that would be…”

  “And I kind of figured you wouldn’t be okay with grenades in the house, though those would probably be the easiest for her to use.”

  “Right. Grenades and guns.” My head bobbed up and down repeatedly as I tried to take in all that information.

  “Are you freaking out?” he asked worriedly.

  “No, pssht. I’m not freaking out. This is totally normal. What five year old doesn’t know how to throw ninja stars? And to know to run to them and throw them at a maniac that’s in our home? That’s….” The bobbing continued as I tried to find the words. There just weren’t any. “Completely normal. Not strange whatsoever.”

  “I feel like I should have gone with the gun. We could have started her off with a bb gun.”

  I continued bobbing my head. “Yep. You should definitely train her with that. Who knows? Maybe next week we’ll get threatened by a bomber. You should teach her how to dismantle a bomb.”

  “Nah,” he shook his head. “That’s a little too difficult for someone her age. Too many different scenarios to figure in.”

  “You don’t understand sarcasm, do you?”

  He completely ignored me, lost in his thoughts. “I should talk to Cap about doing a training course for the kids where there are real life scenarios they have to get through. This situation just shows that the kids can defend themselves more than we give them credit for.”

  “I think they’ve had enough training.”

  “Of course, we’ll have to find someone that’s willing to play the attackers. Not many people will choose to be a live target.”

  “You want them to try and kill actual people?” I said in shock.

  “Don’t worry, baby. We’ll make sure no one gets hurt. Mostly.”

  I walked into the house, wanting to see my new attack dog. I gasped when I saw her showing the guys how good she was at throwing ninja stars. There were several lodged in the wall.

  “What are you doing? You’re ruining my wall!”

  “Baby, come on. It’s not like you’re coming back here.”

  “And why not?” I huffed at Gabe.

  He leaned in and whispered so not everyone heard. “Babe, you threw up all over the floor after a man’s brains were splattered right next to you. Is that really an image you think you can get out of your head?”

  I hated it when he was right. “Fine, but we’re talking more about this training that you’re planning to do with my kids.” Sam walked up and nodded.

  “That’s a good idea. They should be trained some more.”

  “Don’t you start too,” I said, pointing my finger at my brother.

  “Fine, we’ll talk about it.”

  “Good.”

  He didn’t think I saw the look he shot Gabe. The one that said he’d take care of it. Take care of me, more likely. I rolled my eyes and walked away. These men were all freaking crazy.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Gabe and Isabella

  GABE

  “Damn. I’ve never seen a hole so small. My fingers barely fit.”

  “Just shove them in there,” Isa pleaded. “We don’t have much time.”

  “I’m trying. It’s just so tight,” I winced when my knuckles got stuck. “I feel like I’m going to break something.”

  “You won’t,” she said in exasperation. “Come on. We need to finish quickly.”

  “I don’t like being rushed.”

  “When you have kids, you don’t have a choice. Now hurry up,” she snapped.

  “You know, this is supposed to be a fun thing. I don’t like getting yelled at while I’m doing it.”

  “Stop being such a baby. Just pack it in there tight.”

  “I think we need some lubricant.”

  “Ugh, it’s not that bad,” she groaned.

  “Tell that to my fingers. They’re stuck.” I wiggled them around, but my knuckles were stuck tight. “Get me some olive oil.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Are you crazy? You’re not putting olive oil in there!”

  “Well, it’s either that or we go out there with my fingers stuck in this tight hole.”

  “Stop being such a baby. Just yank them out.”

  “What if I tear something?”

  She threw her hands up in the air. “We’ll deal with it later.”

  “You’re the boss.” I tried to remove my fingers gently again, not wanting to do any damage, but when her face grew angry, I ripped them back, shouting as my knuckles scratched against the tight space.

  “Oh, thank God. That would have been really bad to go out there like that. Could you imagine what the parents would think?”

  “I’m pretty sure they would think I was a pervert and they would call the police. Next time, you can put your fingers in the hole.” I picked up the piñata and carried it outside for Enzo’s party.

  “Got my finger stuck in the tight hole,” I said to Cazzo as I walked past him. He glared at me, like he was ready to kill me. “The piñata, asshole. Calm down. Take a valium.”

  He still got pissed from time to time about me being with his sister, but I didn’t give a shit. She was mine and there was no way I was ever walking away. He wasn’t my biggest problem though. The douchebag ex-husband was here and I really didn’t want to have to deal with him.

  I hung the piñata from the tree branch and watched as Matteo stepped in and stood behind his son, showing him how to swing the bat. I growled as I watched him stepping into my territory, taking over like he fucking belonged here. Technically, he did belong here. He and Isa had made peace and I had to accept that he was going to be a part of our lives all the time. But it also pissed me off because I loved those kids so damn much and I didn’t want to share them.

  “You know, if you keep scowling at him, you’re only going to piss off my sister.”

  “I know,” I griped to Cazzo. “I just hate that he’s here.”

  “You’d better get used to it. He’s not going anywhere.”

  “He was never supposed to stay in the picture. I’m just having a hard time learning to share my family.”

  “Look at it this way, if he was still living a state away, you’d be giving up more time with those kids. Their trips to see him would be longer and you’d miss the hell out of them. This way, he’s in the same town and they can visit for just an afternoon or spend the weekend. And, he’s a built in babysitter if you and Isa want to go out. Besides, I think he’s got his eye on someone else.”

  I followed his line of sight. Matteo was now talking with one of the ladies that Isa worked with. He was up in her personal space; some would even say he was leaning. If he was really into that woman, that meant that I didn’t have to think about him trying to get Isa back. Not that she would go back to him. Some things were unforgivable in a relationship. For Isa, cheating was something she would never get over.

  “I know this isn’t the way you pictured your life with Isa, but remember that even if you don’t like him, he means a lot to those kids. If you have a shitty attitude toward him, the kids are gonna start resenting you. Think about the end game. You have everything you wanted. You got her and the kids, and she even agreed to move in with you. Is it really worth it to be pissed about something that you know you can’t change?”

  Fuck. I hated when he was right. I watched as Matteo and Isa laughed while Enzo swung his bat repeatedly at the piñata. This was my new family, and like it or not, Matteo came with.

  ✯✯✯✯✯

  Gabe

  1 year later…

  This was it. I had the ring. I had Cazzo’s blessing, as well as his father’s. Now all I needed was some fucking clue of how to actually propose to Isa. I had the ring in my pocket, but I wasn’t sure this was the right occasion. Fuck, I knew nothing about this shit. I knew I wanted to have her for the rest of my life and I knew that I would die for her. But this? Thi
s was something I just didn’t have any clue about.

  “Are you sure you want to do this, man?” Chance asked.

  “Yes, I’m sure. I’ve waited long enough. I love her and those kids and I’m making them mine.”

  “And what if she says no?” Chance asked.

  “Knight has a private plane on standby for us to Vegas.”

  “Seriously?” Sinner asked. “Shouldn’t there be a limit on kidnappings per year?”

  “That was over a year ago. It’s all good. Besides, if she doesn’t agree, I have my ways of convincing her that she wants to.”

  “What’s her favorite candy?” Sinner asked.

  “What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”

  “I’m just saying, I proposed too Cara with lollipops.”

  “Because she really liked lollipops?”

  “No, I nicknamed her that,” he smirked.

  “I don’t want to know.” I turned to Chance. “What about you? How did you pop the question?”

  “I think it went something like, So, should we go pick out a ring?”

  “You’re shitting me. Tell me you didn’t propose to her like that.”

  He shrugged. “I was young. It’s probably one of the reasons the marriage didn’t last.”

  “Okay, so enough of the crazy ways you two proposed, how do I do this here? Isn’t that wrong to do at someone else’s wedding?”

  “I don’t think Pappy and Lucy would care. Besides, it’s kind of fitting,” Sinner chuckled.

  “How do you figure?”

  “Well, you know, you walked in on him having sex with Lucy and then there was that whole period of time that he thought you were gay and trying to hit on him. It only makes sense that you propose to her at his wedding. It’s like…serendipity or some shit.”

  “That’s a big word. Where’d you learn that?” Chance joked.

  “I saw the movie with Cara. It was really beautiful how they came together all those years later and were still looking for some sign that they were supposed to be together.”

  Chance and I stared at Sinner as he stared at Cara with a smile on his face.

  “You know, this is why I’m never getting married again. Here we are at a wedding and Sinner’s making googly eyes at his wife and talking about chick flicks. Whatever happened to Die Hard and Lethal Weapon?”

  “I like those too, but it is kind of nice to sit down and watch a regular movie with Isa. I wouldn’t take it quite as far as calling a movie beautiful, but I can definitely appreciate the love story.”

  “Are there no fucking men left at Reed Security?” Chance growled before he stomped away.

  “He’ll get there,” Sinner smirked. “Give it time. They always fall.”

  “I have to thank you, man. You’ve been a great mentor through all of this. I don’t know how I would have kept my sanity if I didn’t have you to talk to.”

  “That…that means a lot, man. Really.” He looked at me awkwardly for a second. “Should we…hug it out?”

  “We could,” I said hesitantly. “Yeah, I’m secure enough in my manhood to hug another guy at an appropriately affectionate time.”

  He opened his arms, leaning back slightly, like he didn’t actually know if this was a good idea. What the hell. I opened my arms and pulled him in for a man hug, slapping his back as he slapped mine.

  “Hey, Burg!” Cazzo shouted. “Looks like Sinner and Gabe are available to take home!”

  Sinner and I broke apart, putting as much distance between us as we could.

  “Fuck off,” I said as I stormed past my future brother-in-law.

  “Do you kiss Sinner with those lips?” he laughed. All the guys were laughing, taking it all in stride.

  “Just your sister,” I smirked. I leaned in close so only he could hear. “And I’ll be using these lips all over her body tonight.”

  Cap stepped up and blocked Cazzo just as he was about to punch me. “Hey, can I remind the two of you that this is a wedding. Can we please not start a fist fight here.”

  I nodded and so did Cazzo.

  “Good. Use your heads next time. You should poison each other’s drinks- no bloodshed on the suits.”

  ✯✯✯✯✯

  Isa

  “He’s gonna do it today,” Lucy said, walking up to me.

  “What? No, he’s not. It’s your wedding.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “How do you know it’ll happen today?”

  “Do you see how he’s over there with that look of constipation on his face?”

  I nodded, “Yeah.”

  “That’s the look that everyone gets when they get advice from Sinner. He’s probably regaling them with all his wise information on women that no other man has.”

  “Does he really know a lot?”

  She shrugged. “Sometimes, but I think that’s only because he’s had to learn the hard way with Cara.”

  “And they all take advice from him?”

  “More from Cap. He goes crazy with his lists that help him keep control of what happens with him and Maggie. See? Now Gabe is going over to talk to Cap. Who knows what kind of advice he’s giving him.”

  “I don’t understand? I’ve already told Gabe that I would marry him one day. Why does he think he needs advice?”

  “Because men are ridiculous. See, they can’t actually think on their own. Their brains are so simple that they don’t know how to do something that’s outside their comfort zone. Give them an engine to fix and they’ll tear that thing apart and put it back together so fast your head will spin. But hand him a ring and suddenly he doesn’t know what to do.”

  “Do you think I should go over there and tell him I already know and put him out of his misery?”

  “No,” she shook her head. “Definitely not. This is more fun.”

  “What’s more fun?” Hunter asked as he walked up behind Lucy and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Gabe’s trying to figure out how to ask Isa to marry him.”

  “Poor guy. I was in that boat once.”

  “Why don’t you go over there and just tell him to do it now? No strings, no frills. He just has to tell her that she’s the one he wants to be with forever.”

  “Babe, he’ll do it his way when he’s ready.”

  She scoffed at him. “Why? He already has a beautiful setting and all his friends are here. The kids are here. This is the time to do it.”

  “No, it’s not. You can’t pressure him into it the way you pressured me.”

  “What are you talking about? I was the one that wanted to slow down and you wouldn’t leave me alone. You sat outside my door like a creeper for weeks.”

  I watched the back and forth between them with amusement. I had come to see that Lucy and Hunter were born to fight with each other. It must have been their kind of foreplay.

  “That’s because I wanted to be there for you.”

  “That’s not what we’re talking about. The night you proposed, I had to beg you to stop keeping your distance.”

  “See!” he practically shouted. “You just admitted that you had to beg me.”

  “You had been carrying the ring around in your pocket for weeks!”

  “In my story, you were the one that was nagging me to propose to you.”

  “Do you really want this for them,” she waved her hand in my direction. “We should save them all some time and just get this over with. You know, I know, hell, everybody at this party knows that he wants to ask her today.”

  “I didn’t know,” I said, but they weren’t listening.

  “Then let’s get this over with,” Hunter shouted.

  “Fine!” Lucy shouted back.

  Before I knew it, Lucy was dragging me over to Gabe and Hunter was pulling Gabe to my side. They shoved us together and then stood in front of us.

  “Enough of this shit. Everybody listen up!” Hunter shouted. Everyone turned in our direction and my cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “Alright, gather around
. We don’t have all fucking day.”

  “What’s going on?” I whispered to Gabe.

  “I don’t know. It’s Hunter. It could be anything.”

  “We’re about to begin,” Hunter said quietly.

  “Speak up,” Lucy shouted. “No one else can hear you.”

  Hunter glared at Lucy. “We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy sanctimony.”

  “Matrimony,” Lucy corrected.

  “Do you want to fucking do this?” Hunter growled.

  “I’d probably do it better.”

  “Fine, by all means.”

  I looked at Gabe in confusion. What the hell were they doing?

  “We’re here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Which you should already know since we just got married an hour ago.”

  “Just get to it,” Hunter snapped.

  “Do you have the ring?” Lucy asked Gabe.

  “Uh…”

  “Come on, we don’t have all day,” Hunter snapped.

  Gabe pulled the ring from his pocket and lifted it in the air. Hunter snatched it out of his hands and held it up.

  “Gabe, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold. Yadda yadda yadda,” Lucy said quickly.

  “Of course he does,” Hunter said as he grasped my left hand and shoved the ring on my left finger. “And do you, Isabella, take this man to be your- what she just said.”

  “So charming,” Lucy smirked. “Yes, she does.”

  “Great. They’re married,” Hunter said almost angrily.

  “Let’s go dance,” Lucy said, grabbing his hand.

  “Fine.”

  They stomped away to the dance floor while I stood there in shock with Gabe. “What just happened?”

  “I think they married themselves to us,” Gabe said.

  “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “What would you call it?” Gabe asked.

  “To the happy couple,” Cap said as he lifted his glass in the air. “Look on the bright side, you just saved yourselves a ton of money on the wedding.”