Page 93 of Stepson

I nod, holding back the sob that lodged itself in my throat. She’s right, but I’m also terrified that Gabe won’t want to hear me out and we’ll lose each other.

“He loves you, Bentley. I’ve never seen that boy love anyone before you. Don’t let his dark thoughts win. Go find him.” She steps away from me then and grabs a set of keys. “You can take my car.”

A tear slips down my cheek as I take the keys from her. I don’t even care that I’m still in my sleepwear. I just want to get to Gabe as quickly as I can. He’s everything to me, and I won’t let him battle this alone. No, we’re in this together.

“Thank you, Maggie,” I whisper.

She lightly pats my cheek as she warmly smiles over at me before she walks me to the back door. I run upstairs to our little apartment to grab my purse and then I’m out. There are two places I can think to look for Gabe at, and I pray he isn’t at either. My first stop will be at Redd’s Bar, and then I’ll head over to The Kitten’s Lair and really pray he isn’t there either. Here goes nothing.

Chapter forty-eight

Gabe

My knuckles turn white as I grip the steering wheel and pull over to the curb in front of the Kitten's Lair.

Finding that pregnancy test in Bentley's purse this morning made me feel completely lost. I know I overreacted big time, but if I hadn't left, I would have said or done something I'd regret later, and she doesn't deserve that. Neither of us have been careful in the protection department, and I don't blame her one bit. I just never expected her to get pregnant this quickly.

Can I be a father? The thought makes me nauseous. I’ve never been around kids, and don't have the first clue about them. What if I screw up their life? What if I’m a bad father?

Thoughts of Marcus come into my head, and even though I know I’m nothing like the bastard, the idea that I could be likehim terrifies me. I never want for my children what Marcus gave to me. Hell, up until this point, I didn't want kids at all. I’m an ex-convict, tattooed from head to toe basically, and I’m selfish with my new freedom. Kids are the last thing on my radar, but here we are.

“Is that who I think it is?”

As I step out of the Jeep, a familiar voice greets me as I grin. Andre stands there with a shit-eating grin on his face as he shakes his head.

“I didn’t think you’d actually take Pearl up on her offer.”

I bite my tongue, shrugging my shoulders. If I’m about to be a father, I’ll need employment to start making money, and this offer was given to me on a silver platter. Now I just have to seal the deal with Pearl and get back to work.

“How’s it going, brother?” I ask as I join him on the sidewalk.

He shrugs. “It’s going.”

He lifts his cigarette up to his lips, takes a puff, and then blows it out before he turns to really look at me. His gaze slides over my torso before he glances into my eyes again.

“You really want to come back to work here?”

“I’ve got things I need to take care of,” I reply. “A few new responsibilities have landed on my shoulders, and I gotta do what I gotta do, ya know?”

He lets out a whistle.

“Well, Pearl is in her office when you’re ready to go in. She’ll be pumped to see you, man. You’re all she’s been talking about since you got out.”

I grind my teeth, knowing exactly what Andre’s referring to. Pearl has had this crazy obsession over me for as long as I can remember. There wasn’t a single night she didn’t try to get into my pants when I worked here before. She won’t know what hit her when I go up to her office in a moment. It’s something that’sbeen coming for a long time, and I need to do this while I’m still in my vengeful state-of-mind.

“Wish me luck, man. I’ll see you on the other side.” I slap Andre’s back and head into the club from the side employee door.

It’s a familiar entrance I’ve taken hundreds of times, and I know my way around the dark interior of the club. A set of steps lead upstairs to my right, and I take them two at a time, wanting to get to Pearl’s office before I chicken out.

My pounding heart has other ideas as I climb the steps before I almost turn around and run back outside. I stop dead in my tracks and grip the railing. I have to do this. It’s the only way.

Continuing on, I reach the top of the stairs and stare right at Pearl's office door. I know she’ll be in there, and what I plan on doing makes my hands shake. It’s now or never.

I lightly knock on the door before her sweet, delicate voice instructs me to come in. When I crack it open and poke my head in, Pearl sits at her desk with a devilish smirk on her lips.

"Hello Gabriel, I thought you weren't ever coming back."

Taking a steadying deep breath, I gather my nerves and step into the room with a wicked grin on my face as I lower my lids and slowly shut the door behind me.

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