by Rhonda Shaw
He strolled away, his gang following him, before he glanced back over his shoulder. He pointed two fingers at his eyes and then at me. “Remember, I’ll be watching you, boy. This ain’t over yet. Not by a fuckin’ long shot.”
Terrell paused, letting his gaze linger on Gabrielle behind me, and his lips curled. She lifted a shoulder, attempting to shield herself from him. When he licked his lips, slow and deliberate, I saw red and lurched forward, my right fist lifting before I realized what I was doing. I jerked to a halt, restraining myself seconds before his crew would have jumped me, and Terrell chuckled before sauntering away.
Once the group turned the corner and was out of sight, I spun around and put my hands on her shoulders. “Are you okay?”
She gave a stilted nod of her head and took a deep breath, but didn’t say anything.
“What the fuck did I tell you?” I leaned down to grab her bag and shoved it at her. “You shouldn’t be walking out here alone.” My tone was sharp, but my adrenaline was crashing, making me edgy and irritable. Plus, I was still unsettled on her behalf at what had happened and what I knew could have happened had I not intervened.
But at the fright and panic all over her face, I regretted my tone and fought against the urge to pull her into my arms in order to soothe her, to make everything right.
~ Gabrielle ~
I stood rigid, holding my bag, and my entire body quaked, my fear working its way to the surface. The tears that had flooded my eyes found their way out of my tear ducts and flowed down my cheeks, but I didn’t move or make a sound, frozen in place. My elbow throbbed without any signs of relenting, and scratches burned on my arms and face, but I could do nothing more than stand there and break down.
D hissed in a breath and let it out before pulling me against him. I stiffened, but then settled into his warmth, soaking into the refuge he was providing, if only temporary. My cheek pressed against his hard chest, his heart beating just beneath my ear, and my hand bunched into his thin t-shirt. Fresh soap overlaid by a light scent of car oil filled my nose.
“Come on, don’t do that. You’re okay.” He rubbed my back in slow, soothing circles.
I hiccupped as I fought for control, but then only fell apart more. It was all too much, and I had no idea how to handle any of it. I felt sick and scared, and out of my element.
I peered up at him through bleary eyes. “Thank…you….” I gasped, trying to pull much-needed air into my straining lungs.
He shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
“I…don’t…know…” I stopped, trying to steady my staggered breaths. It took a few moments before my breathing was somewhat under control, and he patiently waited me out. “I don’t want to know what would have happened if you hadn’t showed up.”
He gave a small nod in agreement and his eyes softened from their usual hard intensity. “You’re right, you don’t want to know.” Then every muscle in him braced and he jerked back, setting me away from him. The air around me was instantly cold, and I shivered.
Embarrassed that I’d let myself get comfortable in his arms, becoming too clingy and making it awkward, I busied myself by brushing off my pants. Sharp pain in my elbow made me wince when I pulled my hair back into a low ponytail.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Parks Boulevard.”
“Parks? You were going to walk all the way to Parks?”
“Yes.”
His eyes widened. “Jesus, girl. You’re asking for trouble.”
“I don’t have any other options.”
“You can’t get a ride? Take the bus?” he asked, and I gave a quick shake of my head.
Standing with his hands on his hips, he dropped his head, appearing to be thinking something over. His fingers tunneled into his shaggy, jet-black hair, long enough to brush against the back of his neck, and he tugged before dropping his hands. He gave a short huff of what sounded like laughter and set off down the sidewalk, his hands jammed deep into the pockets of his jeans held up by a black belt, but low enough so the waistband of his gray boxers peeked out just under the bottom hem of his sweatshirt. “Let’s go.”
I studied his back, unsure if he meant for me to follow, but seeing he was going in the direction I wanted, I hurried to catch up with him. He gave me a sideways glance when I fell into step beside him, but didn’t slow.
We walked together in silence before he broke it.
“How often do you have to go to Parks?”
“Um, well, if they accept me, every day.”
He glanced at me, surprise quirking one of his eyebrows and lighting up his vibrant gaze. “Accept you? Where are you going anyway?”
“It’s a dance studio. You have to be accepted to join the company.”
“Dance?” He turned his shoulders toward me and gave me steady eye contact. “What kind of dance?”
“Ballet.”
He stopped and his lips curved. “Ahhh. So that’s why you look the way you do.”
I tugged on my ponytail to keep myself from staring. It was the first time I’d seen anything close to resembling a smile on him and it was disarming. “I guess.” My shoulder lifted in a slight shrug as I studied the ground, uncomfortable under his intense gaze, which bore through me, all the way down to my toes. The vivid vibrancy of his eyes always amazed me.
“You guess.” He gave another snort as he set off again.
“So, who was that guy?” I asked when I caught back up with him.
He didn’t stop, only shaking his head. “Someone you’d be smart to stay away from.”
“How do you know him?”
“Look, just stay away from him and his buddies, all right? That’s all you need to know.”
D kept walking without a further glance at me or another word. I grumbled in frustration. Trying to get information out of him was like trying to climb to the summit of the highest mountain in one day.
“I haven’t seen you in class lately.”
He shrugged.
I glanced at his profile, waiting for some further explanation, but seeing I wasn’t going to get any, I pressed. “Did you switch classes or something?” He stopped without warning and the top of my head almost crashed into his nose before he ducked out of the way.
“Sorry,” I said lamely as he scowled at me.
“Look, I’ll walk with you every day since I need to come this way anyway, but that’s it. No questions, no talking, no nothing. Got it?”
My mouth dropped open. “You don’t have to be rude about it. I was only curious.”
He smirked. “There it is.”
“There what is?”
“That hidden fire I’ve been waiting for.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” My eyebrows knitted together as I stared at him, at a loss as to what he meant.
“Then let me spill it plainly. You and me, we’re nothing alike. We have nothing to talk about, nothing in common. So, let’s not pretend otherwise, okay?”
“How do you know that?”
“What?” His tone grew tired, exasperated.
“That we have nothing to talk about? You never even try. You’re just rude all the time. You just assume.” I poked his chest and he eyed my finger, raising his brow at me, but I didn’t stop. “If anything, you’re the one with the snotty tone. Acting all as if you’re better than I am and I’m a pest. At least I try.”
Respect swept over his face before his permanent scowl replaced it. “Whatever. I know how things are around here, and how they are from where you came from.”
I lifted my chin, refusing to back away from his presumptions. “Where did I come from, since you know so much about me?”
“Not here.”
“Well, duh!” I threw up my arms. “That’s obvious since I’m new!”
He stepped forward, a menacing expression on his face. “Then let me explain it like this. I know me and I know people like you. We don’t get along.”
I rolled my eyes and moved away from
him, continuing down the sidewalk. Rescuer or not, I wasn’t listening to this anymore. “Whatever. This is a stupid conversation. You’re obviously rude and not worth my time. Just like everyone else, jumping to conclusions about me without even getting to know me.”
His mouth fell open in shock as I turned and walked away, but D was smiling when he caught back up to me. “You’re finally getting it.”
“Oh, I get it,” I huffed in frustration. “You’re a jerk.” I stopped and turned to him. “But explain something to me. If you’re such a jerk, then why do you keep helping me?”
“I’m not cold-hearted.”
I considered him, trying to make sense out of this complicated guy standing in front of me looking smug. No, he wasn’t nice, but he wasn’t the complete jerk he wanted me to believe either. Something else hid underneath the surface, and I was about to give up and walk away when it flickered in his clear eyes—anxiousness. He feared me as much as I did him, and was attempting to put some distance between us for whatever reason, which I would respect…for the time being. He had me curious about him.
“Fine.” I strode past him toward the studio, which was now in sight. When I glanced over my shoulder, he remained, watching me with his hands still jammed in his pockets. “Thanks again, D.”
I didn’t miss his small smile before he turned and disappeared out of sight.
Chapter 5
~ Gabrielle ~
Present Day
On the passenger seat next to me, my cell phone chimed from inside my purse. I reached over to pull it out, reading the display before turning on the speakerphone.
“Hey, girl. What’s going on?” Kat’s voice called out.
“Hi, Aunt Kat!” Dani yelled from the backseat.
“I just picked up Dani from ballet and we’re heading home. I need to get started on dinner. What are you up to? Studying?”
I listened as she ranted and raved about her schoolwork. After working as a paralegal—even though I’d always said she should model, with her dark, sensual look and tall, curvaceous figure—Kat had returned to school for her law degree, which meant her life was now all about going to class and homework. That also meant we didn’t spend as much time together as we would like, but I was thrilled for her. My one dear friend, who had been there when the bottom dropped out on me all those years ago, and had stuck with me through it all, helping with Dani in more ways than I could count, was achieving her dreams and proving many people wrong. Everybody had expected Kat to be the one who ended up pregnant and a high school dropout; not me, the school’s “tight-ass librarian.”
I remember when she’d shown up at my ballet class and I’d been terrified, afraid she would continue making fun of me as her friends had done in school, but Kat wasn’t like that and we became good friends soon after. I don’t know what I would have done without her during those bleak days; I doubt I would have survived.
Turning into our neighborhood, I noticed more cars than usual parked along the sidewalks of the quiet street lined with small, modest bungalows. Not only were there more than usual, but they all were expensive cars—a Hummer, Mercedes, and a Bentley—extremely out of place and all in front of my house.
“Uh, Kat, I’m going to have to go. There’s something going on at my house.”
“What? What’s happening?”
“I don’t know, but there are a lot of cars parked outside of it.” I glanced around as I pulled into the driveway, and breathed a sigh of relief when I spotted Brad’s car sitting in the detached garage. “Brad’s here, so maybe he knows what’s going on.”
“Be careful. Let me know, or else I’m going to worry about my girls.” Concern colored Kat’s usually cheerful tone.
“I will,” I said as I hung up and climbed out of the car. I walked to the back door and held it open for Dani. When we stepped into the kitchen, the deep rumbling of multiple voices greeted us from the front room.
“Stay in here, Dani.”
She shrugged as she headed toward the fridge in search of a snack. “Okay.”
I laid my purse on the counter and moved through the small dining room attached to the kitchen when Brad came barreling around the corner, almost running me over.
“I thought I heard you come in.” He put his hands on my shoulders to steady us both.
I gave a puzzled smile as I studied him. His face held a flush of color and his brown eyes sparkled. “What’s going on? What’s with the fleet of cars out front?”
He grabbed my elbow and guided me back to the kitchen, out of earshot. “You’re never going to believe what’s happened. One sec.” He hurried back to stick his head around the corner and called out, “I’ll be right back, guys.”
There were several murmurs of “Yeah” before he popped back into view. Tall and slender, the clothes fit as if made only for him. His short dark hair was always perfect, not a single strand out of place, and his chiseled face was the epitome of classic good looks. He was also the complete opposite of Danny, which was what had attracted me to him.
He grinned, showing perfect, white teeth. “Okay, so I’m in my office and a call comes in.”
I nodded and sat at the table, forcing myself to ignore my annoyance over his lack of acknowledgement of Dani, who sat next to me listening. He was thrilled about something, so I would overlook his inattentiveness—again.
“You’ll never guess who is going on a world tour, and they want my company—me—to work with them on marketing and everything.”
I smiled and shook my head, eager for him to get to the point. “I’ll never guess.”
“DOA.”
Cold alarm spiked at my scalps and drained down my face, and my heart skipped a beat. I had to have misheard. “Who?”
“DOA. You know who he is. Danny Anderson, the big rap star who grew up around here. He’s putting out a new album this year, and he wants to tour with it.”
I shot to my feet, causing the kitchen chair to scrape against the linoleum floor and almost tip. “I know who he is.” The hair on my arms prickled and my heartbeat tripped when the hum of voices from the other room reminded me there were other people in our house, one of which might be Danny. I strained my ears, trying to recognize anyone. “Who’s here?”
“That’s the thing.” He grinned, oblivious to my distress. “They wanted to get started right away, so I suggested coming here rather than some restaurant or stuffy conference room. I wanted to show them this side of me. Fun, relaxed, all that stuff, since they haven’t officially signed yet, wanting to get to know me more. To make sure we can work together—”
“Who’s here, Brad?” My voice rose and tremored. I only wanted the answer to one question.
“Everyone.” His eyes narrowed when he finally realized I wasn’t happy with his announcement. “What’s your deal? I thought you’d be happy for me. This is a huge account. Huge money.”
“Is he here?”
“Who? DOA? Yeah, he’s in there. He wanted to be personally involved, like he always is. Make sure everything is to his liking, since he wants to kick things off here at home.”
“Omigod.” I covered my mouth with my hand and began to pace around the kitchen. I needed to move, to get away.
“What’s your problem, Gabby? And don’t get on your high horse about swearing. It’s not like he’s going to drop the f-bomb or whatever.”
My eyes dropped to Dani, and I tried to figure out how to get her out of the house. I couldn’t believe this was happening. After never hearing from Danny when Kat and I had tried to inform him of my pregnancy, we’d assumed he didn’t care and didn’t want to be a part of her life. If that wasn’t bad enough, I never told Brad the identity of Dani’s father, and had never intended to; explaining he was gone and out of our lives for good, so it didn’t matter anyway. But now he was back and sitting in my house, by some unbelievable coincidence. There was no way I was ready to see him up close and personal after all these years.
I reached down and pulled Dani out of her c
hair as I grabbed my purse with the other hand. “We’ll get out of your way then, and get dinner out.”
He stepped in front of me when I started for the back door. “No, I need you both here. That’s why I brought them here; to meet you guys, meet my family.”
I snorted and tried to step around him. “Trust me, I don’t think they care.”
He seized my arm, turning me back toward him. His eyes were hard and his jaw tight. “They might not, but I do. You’re not leaving.”
“Please. You don’t know what you’re asking of me.”
“You’re right. I don’t understand what the big deal is. Most people would welcome the opportunity to meet a big star.”
“Please, Brad, don’t do this. I’ll explain everything later, but just let us go,” I pleaded with him, my eyes filling with moisture as I stared into his unfeeling ones.
“Hey, Bradley boy!” a voice shouted from the other room.
“Stay here,” he hissed. I watched as his long legs carried him out of the room. “How are we doing in here?” Brad’s voice was saccharine, the sound almost making me gag.
“Mom?”
I peered down at my daughter, whose eyes, so like her father’s, were wide with concern after catching on to my distress. There was no way Danny would not recognize himself in her. Anyone who saw them together would see the similarities.
How the hell had this even happened? I didn’t know what to think, what to do. Part of me wanted to rush in there and throw myself into his arms. I wanted to tell him how much I still loved him, admit how much I missed him. The other half was horrified. How could I face him after all this time? After what he’d done to me? After he’d turned his back on his daughter and forced me to raise her all alone? What would I even say to him? I never believed I would ever see him again, so unprepared for this moment wasn’t even close to describing it.
“It’s okay, honey.” Leaning against the counter, I pressed my palm against my forehead. “I just need to think.”
I needed to calm down and think. There was no reason I couldn’t be civil to him. I could hop in there, say hi, and be gone. That was all, and Brad could keep up his farce of being a family man and get the job. None of it required Dani being involved. There was no need to put her in the middle since Danny didn’t care about her to begin with.