Page 108 of Texas Honor

And smuggle drugs,Maggie thought bitterly. It was just his style, and he’d always threatened that it was an easy way to make money. But someday his own deceit would do him in, she felt sure of it.

“Custody is awarded to the Colemans, with my blessing,” the judge said. “And due to the circumstances, visitation rights are denied. Case dismissed.”

“She’s mine,” Maggie whispered, and put her arms around Gabe. “She’s mine.”

He stared at her for a long moment. Hers, she’d said. He felt left out, as if he didn’t even matter. And there was that blond jackass glaring at him across the room. Suddenly his temper flared again. “Excuse me, Margaret, I’ve got something to do.” He started to stand up, staring at Dennis with an expression that meant trouble.

“No,” she pleaded gently. “Please don’t.”

“I need to,” he said between clenched teeth. “I want to break his damned neck!”

Dennis caught his look and seemed almost to hear the words, because he grabbed his blonde attachment by the arm and half dragged her out of the courtroom in a faintly comical exit.

“Must read lips,” Mr. Parmeter mused dryly as he collected his papers. “Lucky man. I know that look. I’ve defended it in murder trials,” he added with a meaningful glance at Gabe.

“I wouldn’t have killed him, exactly,” Gabe muttered, glaring after him. “But I’d have enjoyed breaking his arm.”

“Good job that detective agency did,” Mr. Parmeter said. “I’m glad we could afford it.”

“So am I,” Gabe told him, shaking the older man’s hand. “Thank you.”

“Yes, thank you so much,” Maggie added fervently, and hugged him.

“My pleasure, and I mean it. Be happy,” he told them, winking as he left the courtroom. Maggie stared after him, wondering if he realized how difficult that might be. Gabe had turned to solid ice, and he hardly thawed all the way home. Worst of all, Maggie didn’t even understand why.

Janet and Becky were standing on the porch, waiting for them with nervous apprehension.

“We won!” Maggie called out even as she opened the door. “We won!”

Becky burst into tears, running straight toward them. But it was Gabe she ran to first, and he threw her up in his strong arms, laughing delightedly, hugging her with rough affection.

“How’s my girl?” He grinned. “And I do mean my girl.”

“I’m fine!” Becky laughed. “Oh, Papa, I knew you’d win!”

He kissed her warmly. Janet came forward to embrace Maggie, who felt oddly left out.

“I’m so happy for you.” Janet sighed. “We were so afraid.”

“So was I,” Maggie murmured. “But Gabe pulled it off. He hired a private detective agency,” she added with an accusatory glance at him, “and didn’t even tell me. As usual.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “You didn’t ask.”

She turned away. “We won, Becky mine,” she said, holding out her arms.

Becky hugged her, too, and planted a happy kiss on her cheek. “I’m so glad I can stay with you and my papa,” she sighed against Maggie. “I was scared to death, Mama.”

“I know the feeling.” She kissed the dark head. “How about some cake? I’m hungry, aren’t you?”

“Starved,” Becky said, and holding on to her mother’s hand on one side, and her grandma’s hand on the other, she led them all inside.

That night, Maggie thought it was time she melted the ice between herself and Gabe. He’d hardly looked at her since they’d come home and seemed to draw into himself even more with each passing minute. She couldn’t know that her careless remark about Becky being hers now, had cut him to the quick, made him feel used. His old suspicions about why she’d really married him had surfaced, and he was sure she didn’t care about him. She’d only wanted him because he could help her keep Becky.

She put on a slinky peach silk negligee after the household had gone to bed, then walked into the bedroom to wait for him. He was a long time coming up: it was well after midnight when she heard his step outside the door.

He opened it, pausing when he saw her draped across the bed in a seductive attitude.

“What is it, payoff time?” he asked with cold sarcasm and a smile she didn’t understand. He closed the door with a thud, looking dusty and tired and as if he’d worked himself into exhaustion. There were hard lines in his face, around his mouth.

---