Page 90 of Your Soul to Keep

Rolling my eyes, I wrenched my mind, kicking and screaming, out of the gutter and headed for the bathroom.

Because no matter how we joked, no matter how he reassured me, until I saw for myself that this woman was not a threat, I was living this dream on borrowed time.

Less than an hour later, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I knew that to be a fact.

Dylan ran up the path to the steps, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Gabe standing in the open doorframe.

“Well, hey there, Daddy!” His smile flashed on her little face.

Gabe met her halfway down the steps and scooped her up, sticking his nose into the curve of her little neck and nuzzling her as she laughed.

When he put her down in the front hall, she made her way over to me. “Well, hey there, Shibaby,” she paused. “You want to play mommy with me?”

Her words did not pack the same visceral punch as they did the week before, but Zoe’s snort did.

My eyes snapped up to find her coolly assessing me as she stepped over the doorframe, one sleek eyebrow arched in question.

I returned my attention to Dylan. “We’ll play mommy in a few minutes. Why don’t you go check on your babies?”

Her eyes lit up. She held her poor Barbie up by the hair. “Her needs a nap.”

“And a hair transplant,” Zoe joked.

I breathed in.

Perhaps this would not be so bad.

Gabe walked away from Zoe and stood at my side, casually slinging an arm over my shoulders though his expression was anything but.

Ignoring him, she continued to size me up. Her cool blue eyes, so unlike Gabe’s fiery sapphire, hardened.

“So, you’re Shae-baby,” she challenged, holding out her hand.

“Good to meet you, Zoe,” I said as my hand clasped hers.

It wasn’t.

Not at all.

And from the icy look on her beautiful face, she felt the same.

“Gabe’s long, lost love,” she murmured.

Gabe tightened his hold on me, not so subtly drawing me away from her. “Not lost anymore,” he stated bluntly.

Her gaze flickered to his, and she laughed. “Oh, relax. I’m not going to cause any trouble.”

Her smile dimmed as she looked back and forth between us, giving a short nod. “I’m going to spend a few more minutes with Dylan before I head out.”

Gabe didn’t say anything until her footsteps faded, then he blew out a breath and fell into the living room chair and pulling me into his lap.

I looped my arms around his neck and hung on.

He tightened his hold on me and nuzzled his face into the side of my neck. “That didn’t go as expected.”

My mouth twisted to the side. “What did you expect?”

He lifted his face and looked at me, his mouth grim. “Not that. I’m sorry.”

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