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I turned my head and studied him for a long minute.
He shot me a side glance. “Do I have something on my face?”
“Were you always such a kind and generous person?” I asked.
“Ha. If you ask some of my exes, they’ll tell you I can be a real ass, and as I recall it, you weren’t too impressed with me a few nights ago yourself.”
“I know, but still, you didn’t have to bail me out of jail, or take me home with you, but you did. You even went above and beyond when you came with me to Camp Crazy.”
He kept his eyes on the road but a smile lurked on his lips.
“No one has ever done anything remotely as nice for me, and when you got between me and Anna, that was just…”
He turned his head and looked at me. “Just what?”
“It was amazing. No one has ever stood up for me before, and I’ve had to face bullies all my life. I can’t tell you how cool it was to have you as a huge wall of human protection between me and that lunatic.”
Gabriel scratched his stubble thoughtfully. “I could have sworn I would never push a woman, but seeing her go at you just made me furious.”
“So you came to defend me.”
“And protect you.” After a minute he added, “When I was a kid and my mom married my stepdad I couldn’t do anything when he talked down to my stepbrother and -sisters. I used to sit at the table and watch it happen and I knew deep inside my soul how wrong it was, but there was nothing I could do.”
“Could you have spoken up?”
“I tried speaking up a few times, but I was only a small kid and he would just ignore me like I didn’t even have a voice. I think seeing Anna attack you brought me back to that feeling, only this time I could actually do something.”
“Is that why you became a soldier? To fight injustice?”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah, and to protect the weak.”
“I’m not weak,” I objected.
“Really?” he said and I sensed a challenge.
“Why would you think I’m weak…? I’ve survived on my own always.”
“Yet you’re not strong enough to face your demons.”
I snapped my head toward him and clenched my jaw. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Your mom. You’re still scared of your mom.”
“Ha!” I scoffed. “The only thing that scares me about her is that I might end up killing her if I ever see her again.”
“I won’t let that happen, I’ll make sure she doesn’t touch you and vice versa.”
I didn’t answer him but sat quietly and thought about it.
“As I see it, this is an ideal chance to confront her and find your peace. Bruce is on your side and will be there to mediate between you. I’ll be there as your bodyguard, and I guarantee she won’t touch a hair on your head.”
“A bodyguard has to be willing to take a bullet for their clients, you know,” I said in an attempt at humor.
“I know,” he answered simply.
“So if I don’t confront my mom, you think I’m weak?”
He lifted his shoulders. “Maybe not weak, but you would definitely earn some serious street credit in my book if you did it. That would make you a real badass.”
