LINDEN
“Bro, we can’t pretend the boss wasn’t here earlier. Care to tell us what you two talked about?” Sax was very predictable. I knew he wouldn’t let it go. He was still keeping grudges against me when I didn’t tell him the whole detail of how I ended up beaten up.
“You mean, you wanna know?”
Pissed off, he stood up from the chair and was ready to leave. “Fine. Don’t tell me.”
Before he could walk out of my office door, I called him. “Sax.”
“No. I get it. You’re different now. You’re our boss. Your words are your order for subordinates like us to follow. I guess I just got used to the idea that you’re still the friend I used to laugh and joke around with. “See you at Osmium, boss.”
“Sax,” I called his name again, but he chose to ignore me and left.
I shut my laptop and rubbed my temple. I was typing an email, but I couldn’t concentrate anymore, no matter how important it was. I left my office to find him and met my wife in the hallway instead.
“Sax left,” Estelle informed me.
“He’s pissed off. I’m about to find him, but I guess he already left.”
“I asked if he talked to you.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he’ll see you at Osmium, and he didn’t sound like Sax.”
Skyla came with her son. “We have to go.”
“Already?” I ruffled Emery’s hair. No matter how much I hated his father, I could never hate an innocent human—he was a shy but cool kid.
“Yeah. You know I have work, and I left tons of laundry.”
“Don’t worry about what we talked about. I will give you updates, okay? Call me if you need anything, and don’t hesitate to call anyone if you feel something odd, even if it doesn’t make sense, even the slightest. Always trust your instincts. And it’s always right.”
“Do you think he found us?”
“I’m not sure yet, but I’m asking someone to check up on your apartment once in a while.”
“Sax?”
I couldn’t hide my smile.
“He’s nice to Emery,” she said. “And if you trust him, I can trust him too.”
“I will talk to him.”
“Thank you, Gabe.”
“No need to thank me.” I hugged Skyla even in front of my wife because for sure Estelle knew where she stood.
“Thank you, too.” She hugged Estelle after.
“See you soon, bud?” We fist bumped.
“I have something for you.” Estelle took the paper bag from the staff and offered it to Skyla. “I know it’s nothing much, but I hope you like it.”
Skyla’s eyes lit up as she checked what was inside. “Are you kidding me? I just bought the tinted lip balm last week. I really like it.”
“Oh, that one you have is about to be launched next week. So you, Mom, and I are the only people who have right now.”
“Oh, my God. Thank you so much,” she gushed. “Honestly, I didn’t know you owned Star Cosmetics. My co-worker introduced me to your tinted lipstick. I’m not really active on Instagram, so I didn’t even check it out.” She was not active, yet she found me on Instagram. That was odd.
“You’re scared he would find you?”
“Yeah.”
“You made the best decision of coming to me,” I told her. “I won’t let you down again, Skyla.”
“I know.” She smiled sadly, holding her son on the shoulders.
When the air suddenly shifted, Estelle broke the tension. “What companies do you usually work with?”
“Mostly electronics, and we have a beauty company.”
“Oh, okay.” Estelle broke out a smile.
“Why are you smiling?” I asked her.
“I just have an idea.” She looked down at Emery. “I’ll see you soon, right?”
“Yes, Estelle.”
Giggling, she hugged the kid. “Oh, sweet boy. You call me by my name. Take care of your mom, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The house suddenly fell silent when everyone left. I uploaded one of our wedding photos onto my Instagram account and tagged Estelle. I added a short caption. I’d never thought I’d find my heart in you.
“That’s my space.” Estelle came, joining me on the couch.
I let her head rest on my thigh. “I don’t know you claimed this.”
“I don’t know. Sometimes, I’m very territorial over something.”
“And someone.” I traced my thumb over her chin.
“Yeah. I didn’t know I had that in me. Until I met you.” When her hand reached for my face, I held it and kissed her palm.
“How’s our baby?”
“It’s fine. How’s your lung?”
“I think I’m good. I still feel a little discomfort.” I inhaled deeply to test it. “Yeah, but I’m breathing well.”
“You’ve learned your lesson. No more brawling or taking things into your hands. I want you to be safe for us, Gabriel. I don’t want to be in that situation again. It sucks. It felt like someone took control of the air I breathed every time I thought I might not see you again.”
“I’m so sorry if I put you through that. I can’t promise our lives will be easy, but I’ll do my best to keep our family safe.” I sighed. “I married you to give you and our child a good life, but I feel like I haven’t even begun. I’m already failing.”
“Just shut up. My life was already complicated and messy before I married you. You took me out of that hell hole. And I didn’t expect to have a perfect life with you because nothing is perfect, but I’m happy with that setup as long as we are together. And you and I are barely starting. Don’t be disappointed if things don’t go our way. We will find another way. We always will.”
I nodded in understanding and smiled. “Look at you, twenty-four-year-old pregnant, married to an old me, and you’re already filled with wisdom.”
“Are you mocking me?” She pinched my chin, gritting her teeth.
“I’m impressed and pleased that you’re not giving up.”
“You just said we will stick together through eternity. I might have to consider that if you stop blaming yourself for everything that happens around you. And try to stop giving me early signs of a heart attack. Otherwise, how will I be with you through eternity if I die young?”
I leaned down and cupped her face. “You rock my world, baby.” I kissed her lips. “Ain’t nothing better than to live a life with you.”
She smiled against my lips. “I didn’t know you were this corny.”
I tore my mouth away and frowned. “I just want to tell you how I feel, but if you don’t like it, I won’t do it again.”
“What’s gotten into you? I love it. I love—” She stopped and swallowed the words before she could finish it. I wish she didn’t. “I feel the same about you.”
“No. You don’t. You don’t know how I feel about you because no right words would fit it.” I let go of a long breath. “I should stop talking.” I rested my head and back, and I felt discomfort on my side.
“Are you okay?” She placed a palm on my chest.
“Yeah.”
“Let me check your incision.”
“It’s just small, and it’s fine,” I refused. I didn’t want her to worry because I knew it was healing.
“Stay.” She still got up and went to our room. A few seconds later, she came back with the kit.
“Do you even know how to use that thing?”
“You always doubt everything I do.”
I stared at her. My brows furrowed. I felt hurt that she thought I doubted her. She had no idea how proud I was of everything she did. It still amazed me how I made her agree to be with my wife.
She must have felt my eyes on her as she stopped and lifted her gaze. “Did I upset you?”
I blinked off my emotions. “No.”
“Would you like me to dress your cut?”
“Yes, please?” I lifted the shirt with my free hand and placed my arm behind my head. She cleaned her hands with sanitizer and slowly peeled off the old dressing.
“Just take it off. It doesn’t hurt.”
“Men and their ego, and their toxic masculinity. It’s okay to show pain. It doesn’t make you any less of a man. I know you may have a reputation to uphold, but for me, you’re the badass among badasses because you showed me the real you.” She wiped the cut with a swab then applied an antibiotic cream. “It’s healing quickly. That’s what I love about you, not the broody, bossy, hard shell to crack. I like you just the way you are. Now I’m quoting Bruno Mar’s song.”
I chuckled and looked at her. When our gazes met, she smiled and kissed me.
I pulled her close once she was done with the dressing and secured it with tape. “I’m sorry.”
“You should talk to Sax.”
“He’s upset I didn’t tell him what I talked about with Moses.”
“I think I’m getting the idea of you not telling me everything work-related as long as it doesn’t involve our family. That’s my limit, Gabriel.”
“I know, baby.”
“What did you and Moses talk about anyway?”
My face broke into a smile. “I thought you didn’t care anymore.”
“Just trying my luck.” She chuckled.
“Moses will ask someone from the NCIS to investigate Boyd.”
“Someone?”
“I don’t know who, baby.”
“I have a feeling that Skyla is not the only victim, and she is not telling us the whole story.”
“What made you say that?”
I pressed the line between her brows. “I got this feeling in my gut. I know my idea is flawed and not well-thought. When Moses offered, I didn’t argue because Kye had a point.”
“It was out of anger, I understand.”
“So what we will do is wait until I hear something from Moses’ contact. If he finds nothing, I will find a good lawyer for Skyla to start a case and protect them from Boyd.”
“And call Sax, please?”
“I will.”