Page 24 of Beast: Part Two

“What? Look, one of his looney half siblings tried to kill you over some beef between the two of them. I’m not saying he’s fully to blame, or he should beat himself up over it, but I understand why he is blaming himself.”

With a shake of my head, I understand his thought process too, but that doesn’t mean I agree with it. Like I said, he didn’t pull the trigger and him not being with me didn’t stop making me a target.

I explain this thought to Trina.

“You’re right. But you know men think differently. Besides, I believe him breaking up with you is more of his punishment not yours.”

Turning to look at her, I lift my brow. “What do you mean?”

“The very few encounters I’ve had with baby daddy told me that not only is he madly in love with you, but he’s also very cautious around you. Like, he thought that at any moment he would wake up and it would all have been a dream. He looked at you as if you were a gift he wasn’t worthy of. You getting shot by one of his enemies proved his theory right. Because you were injured, he thinks he doesn’t deserve you.”

“That’s insane.”

“Duh,” she shrugs. “But he’s a man. You know they’re all stupid.”

I don’t argue or correct her for generalizing men.

“How do I change his mind?”

“You don’t,” she says bluntly. “You let him stew in his stupidity until he realizes he can’t live without you.”

Knowing what I know about Gabriel, I don’t think that plan will work. He strikes me as the type that even if he realized he couldn’t bewithoutme, he would still never bewithme. He’s stubborn.

Sighing, I lay my head back against the couch. “I don’t know. Part of me wishes I could just take my baby and run.”

She laughs. “We both know he’d hunt you down and drag your ass back.”

At that, I had to laugh because she’s right. No matter what Gabriel says about our relationship status, he wouldn’t let me disappear from him.

“Besides,” she goes on to say. “If what you said is true, you need to be here with these people where it’s safe.”

“You mean to tell me you and Mr. James wouldn’t keep me safe?” Although I had no plans of running, I still make the joke.

Trina waves my words off. “You know James and I would go to hell and back for you and Gabe. But sexy grandpa and fine ass uncles seem to be better suited for the job.”

I chuckle but sober quickly. Leaning a little closer to her I whisper. “I feel a little out of place here. I don’t know these people and the only connection I have is to their son and brother who I am no longer with. Maksim has been really great to me, but even he is new to them. What if they realize I’m not worth the headache to keep alive. They might toss me out on the street.”

“If that’s the case, you call us and we’ll come get you, but Summer, you’re overthinking. You’re going to be fine. What’s not to love about you?”

I look at her and quirk a brow. Trina has known me all my life, she knows who I am. She tosses her head back and laughs.

“You might have a point. But just remember, they’d never get rid of Gabe and you two are a packaged deal.” We both laugh at her joke.

For another hour and a half, I spent time with my best friend. Before she left, Priest reminded her that she can’t tell anyone where I am. She doesn’t even need to let them know she’s spoken to me and under no circumstance should she come back to this house. Lucien even showed her how to wipe this last location from her GPS and he set up an app on hers and my phones where our calls to each other can’t be tracked.

Before she left, Trina told me that she wasn’t the only one looking for me. Apparently, my mother has been trying to get in touch with me too. She even called Trina looking for me. I’m not yet ready to speak to my mother.

By the time I was climbing into my bed, it was close to midnight. Gabe decided to sleep with me tonight instead of in his shared room with Emory. He was fast asleep on the other side of the king size bed.

Maksim had not too long left the room. He usually sits with me until I am ready to call it a night. Movement underneath mydoor has me climbing back out of bed and walking over to it. I pull the door open only to come face to face with Gabriel.

No matter how hurt or angry I am with this man, the sight of him will always have my heart hammering and my breath catching in my throat.

He doesn’t speak or move a muscle. He only stares down at me. Without speaking a word, I know what he wants. I roll my eyes as I turn and head back for my bed, leaving the door open. Everything inside of me is telling me to send his ass on his way. I shouldn’t allow him his comforts. Yet, I don’t say anything. The soft sound of the door closing behind me and then the ruffling of his shoes against the carpet tells me he entered the room.

Once I climb into bed, I spot him taking a seat in the corner of our room. His back is to the wall, and he can see the entirety of the room along with the door. I don’t know who he is protecting us from considering we are in a house full of his family and 80% of them are trained killers. Still, I don’t deny him this small access to us.

Sliding down in bed, I wince at the pain in my shoulder.

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