Page 40 of Dare to Surrender (NY Dares 1)
But as I walked through the hotel, the question in my head remained. What did I want from him? Unfortunately, I knew. I wanted what I’d been pushing down and away since I’d realized Lance was a selfish prick who would never love me. I wanted a family. A man who loved me unconditionally, and kids we loved, who were wanted the way I never had been. And even if I’d never expressed it or even allowed myself to formulate the thought before, I’d wanted it with Gabe.
Chapter Fourteen
Gabe: Protect and Defend
“You idiot!” Lucy yelled at him. “Only you could drive away a woman on an island called Eden!”
Gabe pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. “Stay out of it, Lucy.”
She laughed. “As if. If I leave it to you, you’ll screw up a sure thing. What’s happened? What did you do to her?”
Well, he’d started by digging into her painful childhood and forcing her to open up, and he’d ended by shutting her out when she’d asked him to do the same.
“Okay, I’ll guess. You told her you’d been married?”
“I wouldn’t tell her anything,” he muttered.
Lucy clapped slowly, applauding his idiocy. “I get it. She asked, you shut down.”
If he didn’t explain, she’d just keep talking, and he already had a splitting headache. “I pressed about her past and forced answers—”
“And then you wouldn’t give up anything in return. Oh, good job, big brother.” She picked up a piece of cantaloupe and popped it into her mouth.
All Gabe could think about was Isabelle sitting on his lap, curled into him as if she belonged, allowing him to take care of her. Yes, he had this caretaker streak, but it wasn’t about strays. It was more about making sure the people he loved got what they needed, just like he’d done for Lucy and Decklan when their parents had … died. His thoughts careened to a stop, backing up to one word. Love.
Did he love Isabelle?
Want, desire, an all-consuming need to protect and defend. He hadn’t touched a woman since she’d come into his life. Really come into his life that night at the police station. In the three months alone, he’d turned Naomi away when she’d tried for a second chance, something he wouldn’t be informing Isabelle of.
He hadn’t used a condom, and she hadn’t mentioned birth control either. In his mind, it hadn’t mattered. He didn’t plan on letting her go.
So did he love her?
Hell yes, he did.
“God, I have to tell her the truth, don’t I?” he asked his unusually quiet sister.
She shrugged and snagged another piece of fruit. “Just don’t screw it up. I like her. And given the women you normally hang out with? I don’t want you to lose this one. She’s special.”
He blew out a long breath. “I agree.”
“And she likes you for you. Not your money or power.”
He grinned. “She does, doesn’t she?” He rose to his feet.
“Where are you going?” Lucy asked.
“To shower, change, and find my girl.”
Chapter Fifteen
Isabelle: A Day of Revelations
Although I intended to find the beach or the pool, a private place to unwind and think, I hit the wrong floor on the elevator and ended up on the bottom level beneath the main lobby area. The sign across from the open doors said CLUB, so I decided to look around and came upon the original club that had been shut down. Obviously Elite would open here, and I decided to look around.
I pushed open the doors. The place was dark, just a few lights marking my way. The tables, chairs, and even the countertop were visibly old and scarred, the floors dingy. The place needed a complete overhaul, and my creative juices were already flowing. I couldn’t wait to hear what Lucy had in mind. No matter that I’d initially been upset, I wasn’t stupid.
I understood how the world worked. Connections and money ruled. They opened doors. So Gabe had introduced me to Lucy, who probably didn’t need my advice, but she was willing to accept my input anyway. That would give me the opportunity to prove my ability, and from there, it was up to me to make the most of it. No matter what happened between myself and Gabe.
