Gabe (Steele Brothers #6)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “Do you love her?” she asked, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. “Are you going to marry her?”

  I sucked in a sharp breath, totally caught off guard by her vulnerability. Over the past year and a half, I’d come to love this sweet, innocent little girl, who’d been dealt a tough hand. Hurting her with words she wasn’t ready to hear would kill me.

  “We haven’t talked about the future yet, Char. Right now, we’re just enjoying being together.”

  Her bottom lip trembled as she looked down at the dog. As though he sensed her distress, he climbed into her lap, licking her chubby cheeks. “I want my daddy back.”

  My heart clenched. I knew I wasn’t the reason for her pain, but the fact she thought I might be cut deep. “I know you do.”

  “But he can’t come back if Mommy has a new boyfriend.”

  Her eyes slayed me, especially when tears spilled down her cheeks. “Honey, I don’t think your dad would come back even if I wasn’t in the picture.” Damn, I wished Kendra was here to field this topic, but suggesting she ask her mother questions she’d felt comfortable enough to ask me would make me look and feel like a coward. “Your mom will always care about him because he’s your dad. But I don’t think she wants to be married to him anymore.”

  “Because of you!” Char shouted, jumping up. She thrust her little finger at me, swiping her tears away with the back of her hand. “You’re the reason we can’t go back home. I hate you! I wish we’d never met you!”

  I dropped my head into my hands as she ran out the front door, letting it slam behind her. I considered whether to go after her or at least give Kendra a heads up about our talk, but in the end, I sank back into the cushions, praying tomorrow would be a better day.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Gabe

  When Jason walked into my office without knocking the next day, I thought about tearing his head off. But I knew that wouldn’t solve my problems. “What do you want?” I asked, glaring at him.

  He looked smug as he made himself at home in the chair across from me. “I heard you got into it with my little girl yesterday.”

  “How the hell did you hear about that?” I’d called Kendra to talk about it long after Char went to sleep and she promised she’d try to broach the subject delicately when she felt the time was right.

  “How do you think?” He slipped his cell phone into the front pocket of his shirt. “Char told me she really let you have it.”

  The warning bells started going off in my head as I dropped my pen. “Did you put her up to that?”

  He shrugged, not looking the least bit remorseful for using his daughter as a pawn. “What can I say? We both want the same thing, to put our family back together. Kendra’s the lone holdout. But don’t worry. I’ve got a foolproof plan for getting my wife back onside.”

  I’d been in a foul mood all day and looking at his self-satisfied mug only made it worse. I’d never been tempted to punch out one of my team members before, but Jason gave me good reason to consider it.

  “Kendra doesn’t want to be your wife anymore. You’re the one who needs to get a clue, man.”

  “Here’s the deal, boss man,” he said, his tone suddenly lethal. “You’re going to stop seeing my wife.”

  “Get the hell out my sight,” I said, pointing to the door.

  “I’m not done with you,” he said, clenching his jaw. “But you’re gonna be done with Kendra when you see this.” He withdrew his phone and swiped his finger across the screen a couple of times before turning it to face me.

  The video that flashed across the screen turned my stomach. It was a video of Kendra having sex with Jason, only Jason’s back was to the screen, so her face was the only one visible. “Turn. It. Off.”

  “Oh, there’s more.” He swiped his finger across the screen again.

  This time the video was of Kendra pleasuring herself, talking dirty, obviously for Jason’s benefit. “What the hell are you doing with that shit? And what makes you think I’d want to see it? You think it’s gonna turn me off? I know Kendra was married to you, asshole. Obviously, you had sex.”

  “But that’s not all.” Jason turned the phone toward me, swiping his finger across the screen as a multitude of pictures of a naked Kendra, posing, and engaged in sexual acts, played across his screen. “She wanted to spice things up towards the end,” he said, glaring at me. “She didn’t know I was messing around on her. She thought our marriage was just getting stale and this might heat things up.”

  “What’s your point?” I asked through gritted teeth. I hated that he’d used Kendra’s commitment to their marriage against her while he’d been sleeping around.

  “See, I’ve got all this evidence of what a dirty girl my sexy wife is. But you already know that, don’t you?”

  “I’m gonna kick your ass if you don’t make your point and get the hell out of my office.”

  “Is that a threat, boss?” He tsked, shaking his head. “I could file a report claiming you threatened me. But I’m not going to. Do you know why?”

  Losing my job might be a small price to pay for knocking his teeth out. “Why?”

  “Because you’re going to do what you’re told, without making me resort to those measures.”

  “I’m going to do what I’m told?” I leaned forward, wondering if this guy was high. Who the hell did he think he was talking to?

  “Yeah, because if you don’t I’m going to turn your girlfriend’s whole world upside down.” He smiled as he swiped his finger across the screen, licking his lips as he looked at the photos of Kendra. “Damn, she is one sweet piece, isn’t she?”

  “If you don’t get out of here right now—”

  “Hey, I’m not done.” Holding his phone up, he said, “You dump her, hard and fast, or I post theses photos and videos online and send links to everyone in Kendra’s life, from her boss to her parents, her friends, your brothers… Maybe even Char’s teachers, principal, and the other parents. Not to mention the lawyer I’m gonna hire if she insists on moving forward with the divorce. You think any judge would give custody of a little girl to some Internet porn star?”

  My heart started racing as I considered the implications for Kendra and her daughter. “A porn star? You’re out of your mind. No one would believe that.”

  “Here’s the thing, buddy. Anyone can post shit on those trashy online porn sites—”

  “You’d know. You probably troll them all the time, you loser.”

  His face turned red, the veins in his neck bulging as he leaned forward. “The point is, once they’re up there for the world to see, Kendra’s life will never be the same. She won’t know what the hell hit her. She won’t be able to show her face again, not at work, at Char’s school—”

  “How could you even threaten to do this, you dirtbag? Haven’t you hurt her enough already?”

  He slammed his fist down on the desk. “Did you really think I was going to let you have her? She’s mine! She’ll always be mine.”

  “And this is how you want to keep her?” I asked, gesturing to the phone. “So what’s the plan? You get me out of the picture, then you use this shit to blackmail Kendra into staying with you?” Just the thought that he had the ammunition to accomplish that made me sick.

  “I’ll do whatever I have to do to get my family back.” He stood, slipping his phone back in his pocket. “Oh, and don’t worry about us working together after this. I’ve already put in for a transfer.”

  I was more concerned about how I was going to find the self-control not to kill him.

  ***

  I was meeting my brothers for beers after work, but my head and heart were home with Kendra. I’d spent the past twenty-four hours searching for another way, but I knew there wasn’t one. That bastard had my back against the wall and he knew it. I’d never let him use those pictures to destroy Kendra’s life, which meant I only had one option: to end it with her.

  Tonight.

  “Hey, man,” Seb said, smacking me o
n the back of the head. “Get your head out of your ass. We were laying bets on the game. Who do you think’s gonna take it, the Lakers or…”

  “I don’t give a shit,” I said, tipping my beer back. “I got bigger problems.” I didn’t want to lay my troubles on them, but I needed to vent and I knew I could trust my brothers with my secrets.

  Ryker glanced around the table, obviously wondering whether he was the only one out of the loop. “Let’s hear it,” he said, finally. “What’s got you so bent out of shape, little brother?”

  I covered my face with my hands, wishing I could just wake up from this goddamn nightmare already. “I gotta end things with Kendra and I don’t know how the hell to do it. Any ideas?” My eyes travelled around the table and I was met with five stony stares, each one of them looking like they’d rather kick my ass than figure out how to help me break Kendra’s heart.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” I said, raising my hands. “But this is for her own good. Trust me.”

  “Oh, this I gotta hear,” Seb said, rolling his eyes before reaching for his second beer. “Come on, tell us how you’ve managed to convince yourself she’s better off without you.”

  I didn’t blame them for being skeptical. I’d given them every reason to be. But this was different. This wasn’t about me trying to bail on the woman I loved because I was scared for myself. It was about me trying to do the right thing because I was scared for her. And her daughter.

  “Jason came to see me today.” I let that settle in before I added. “He showed me something that’s a real game changer.” The guys all knew that I’d been away with Kendra and that our relationship had progressed to the next level, so I didn’t blame them for looking so disgusted that I’d allowed someone like Jason to derail our plans.

  Brody sneered, crossing his arms. “What could he have that would make any difference to—”

  “Pictures and video of Kendra.” I didn’t have to fill in the blanks. When we were kids, the girly magazines had made the rounds in our house. “He’s threatening to post them online if I don’t dump her.”

  “That sonofabitch!” Ryker shouted, slamming his beer down on the table. “You’re not going to let him get away with this, are you?”

  “What choice do I have?” I already felt so defeated. Naturally, my first impulse had been to fight for Kendra, for us, but I had no ammunition. It was a losing battle and I knew it. “I’m not gonna let him ruin her. I care too much about her for that.”

  “So, you’re just gonna walk away and let that piece of shit get what he wants?” Seb asked, looking furious. “You can’t do that.”

  “What other choice do I have?” My shoulders slumped as I repeated what he told me. “He said he’ll send the link to everyone Kendra knows. We’re talking her parents, boss…” It still disgusted me to think about the lengths he’d go to hurt the mother of his child, a woman who’d once loved him. “Even Char’s teacher.”

  “That is one sick dude,” Kane said, shaking his head.

  Ryker looked at Kane. “You’re a cop. Can he really get away with this?”

  Kane shrugged. “He hasn’t done anything yet. He’s just in possession of some pictures and video of his wife that she willingly posed for I’m assuming?”

  “Yeah.” I shook my head. “Looked to me like she was into it.”

  Kane reached for his soda, since he was on call. “Until he actually follows through, there’s not a damn thing we can do.” He nudged my arm. “If he’s stupid enough to act on it, he’s breaking the law. It’s a misdemeanor, but the dumbass could get up to a year in jail.”

  I’d done my research, so I already knew that what Jason was threatening was revenge porn and ours was one of the states that considered it a crime, if they could prove Jason was behind it. “Still,” I said to Kane, “isn’t it true that once this shit is out there it’s almost impossible to get rid of it?”

  Kane shook his head, his expression grim. “Yeah, these people go on being victims even after the perp ends up behind bars, which sucks. It’s the crime that never seems to end.”

  “I can’t risk it,” I said, feeling a tightness in my chest. “I know it’s crazy to think Jason would risk going to jail just to get revenge on us, but let’s face it, we don’t know what he might do.”

  “People have done some pretty crazy things to get their exes back,” Kane confirmed. “I’ve been at way too many murder-suicides that never should have happened. Women reported the harassment. These dudes were supposed to keep their distance, but the threat of jail or a piece of paper doesn’t mean a damn thing when someone’s that messed up.”

  I considered the possibility that Jason was that far gone and Kendra could be in real danger. But I didn’t think he’d take his daughter’s mother away from her. He didn’t seem to blanch at the thought of ruining Kendra’s life, but even that seemed like a stretch to me.

  “I don’t even know that he’d really follow through with this threat,” I said, watching a few couples slow dance. “But how can I take that risk? Kendra would hate me if she knew that I knew about it, that I could have done something to prevent it and didn’t. You know what I mean?”

  They all nodded in silent agreement, though I knew they didn’t want to face the harsh reality any more than I did.

  “So, I guess I’m gonna have to talk to her tonight, tell her that it’s over.”

  “She’s gonna want to know why,” Ryker said. “You thought about what you’re going to tell her?”

  “Does it really matter?” I asked, sinking back in my chair. “No matter what I say, she’s going to hate me.”

  ***

  Kendra

  Since Kane and Gabe were both out for beers with their brothers and Char was spending the night with her dad, I invited Macy over for a little girl talk.

  After our second glass of wine, she tucked her legs under her and asked the question I knew had been on her mind all night, “So you and Gabe? Don’t keep me in suspense. Where do things stand?”

  I laughed, thinking about how amazing the last couple of days of our getaway had been. Even though I’d been busy during the day, we more than made up for lost time at night. “Put it this way, I hate sleeping alone now.”

  Macy leaned over, slapping my leg. “Does that mean he’s coming over tonight?”

  “I texted him to let him know Jason has Char, so I’m hopeful.” But I’d also told him the dog walker could bring Poncho over to my house and she hadn’t, so I wasn’t sure what to think. He’d seemed a little distant when I called him before I went to bed last night, but he claimed he was just tired because he’d had a long, stressful day.

  “I’m so happy for you guys,” Macy said, scooping up some of the homemade dip she’d brought with tortilla chips. “I can’t think of anyone better for you than Gabe.”

  Since Macy and her sister went back a long way with Gabe’s family, and I trusted her to be honest with me, I asked, “It’s asking a lot, getting involved with a woman who has a young child, don’t you think?”

  Macy took a sip of her wine before responding. “I know he’s crazy about Char.”

  “But…?” My stomach turned when I considered all of the possible reasons she might give for me to be on high alert with her brother-in-law.

  “Like you’ve said before, it’s a complicated situation. You’re not even divorced yet. Jason and Gabe work together. Hell, he’s his boss. Naturally, that would make things uncomfortable for them at work, especially since Jason doesn’t want the divorce.”

  “So you think Gabe’s relationship with Char should be the least of my worries?”

  “No, I’m not saying that at all.” She patted my leg. “You’re a mom, first and foremost. Of course you want the man in your life to get along with your little girl.”

  “But I shouldn’t lose sight of the fact this can’t be easy for Gabe.” I sighed. “I know. I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being unfair to him, trying to start a relationship with him before my divor
ce is even underway.”

  “Speaking of the divorce, any news on that front?”

  “I’m going to give it one more go with Jason before I call my lawyer. But I’ve honestly waited long enough for him to come around. We both need to move on with our lives and the sooner he realizes that the better off we’ll all be.”

  I jumped when my doorbell rang. From where we were sitting I could see Gabe’s form through one of the windows framing the front door. “Speak of the devil. It’s Gabe.”

  “Ah,” Macy said, jumping up. “That must mean my handsome hubby’s home by now. I should head out.”

  “You don’t have to,” I said, reaching for her hand. “I mean, not just because Gabe showed up. You’re more than welcome to hang out here with us as long as you like.”

  Macy laughed as she gave me a one-armed hug. “Aren’t you just the sweetest thing to offer, but this is Kane’s only night off this week, so I’d like to head home and hang out with him for a bit.”

  Gabe gave his sister-in-law a quick kiss on the cheek when I answered the door. “Hey, Mace. I thought that was your car in the drive. Kane didn’t mention you were hanging out with Kendra tonight.”

  “It was kind of a last-minute thing,” Macy said, reaching for her purse.

  “Oh, wait,” I said, grabbing Macy’s arm as I tried to get a read on Gabe’s mood. He’d barely made eye contact with me. What the hell was that about? “Let me wash out your bowl so you can take it with you.”

  “No worries, you can just drop it off at my place whenever you’re in the neighborhood. No hurry.”

  “Okay, thanks.” I turned on the outside light so we could watch her walk to her car.

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Macy called over her shoulder with a laugh.

  When her car pulled away, I finally turned to Gabe. “I’m glad you came by.” I reached for his hand and immediately felt the tension in his body as he withdrew. “Um, where’s Poncho? Why didn’t you bring him with you?”