Page 456 of Dark Love

“I’m sure Max will let you use his chin for a punching bag.”

“Max is good like that.” Gabe tucks his gun into the back of his waistband and walks over to me. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Gabe Vincenti.”

“Prue—”

Vex steps between us. “And I’m the man she loves.”

Gabe looks between the two of us. “Good to know. Hope?”

“Yeah, Tito Gabe?”

“Next time you holler there better be something fun or she better be single.”

Hope grins. “Understood.”

“I’m going back to bed before Mom wakes up and worries.” Gabe saunters away like getting up after midnight to kill someone is an everyday occurrence.

The rest of the men start moving towards the front gate.

Before she can leave to doubtlessly get into trouble based upon the two glaring men, I turn to Hope. “Thank you for coming to save me.”

She gives me a big hug. “Any time.”

“Don’t do it again.”

“Huh?”

“Leave the guns and midnight escapades to the big men with guns.” If she was my daughter, I’d be having heart palpitations mixed in with pride right about now.

“You know that’s sexist, right?”

I shrug. “Don’t care.”

“Let’s go, Hope,” Max calls from the gate.

“See you later, Prue.” Hope waves at me while glaring at Vex.

“Inside,” Vex bites out.

Uh oh.

I’m In Trouble

Dahlia

Vex is a really good name for the man in front of me right now. He looks mad enough to chew nails. Maybe I should have gone home with Hope. The worst that will happen to her is getting grounded or losing her phone. I’d gladly give up my phone rather than walk inside with the grumpy man in front of me.

“Dahlia, now isn’t the time to drag your feet.”

I’m not dragging my feet. They’re stuck to the ground. Is it too late to chase Hope down? Procrastination won’t make this any easier. I trudge inside and head right to the kitchen. If we’re going to ‘chat’, I’m going to need some hot cocoa.

“Say it again.” Vex stops at the doorway and leans against it.

“Huh?”

“Say it again.”

He means—Oh… There’s no way I’m saying it again until he says it back. It was bad enough saying it the first time in front of all those people. “No.”

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