16. Skull

Chapter 16

Skull

"Daddy don't go. Let Dragon and the others deal with them, please?" Gabby begs.

"It is my job to show them not to touch my familia. No one else can do that but me, Gabriella."

"I need you. Please don't leave me alone. I don't feel safe."

I sigh. After reading the file that Dom had on Gabby, I'm a fucking mess. Beth and I have fought for years over me giving in to anything my daughter wanted. I knew she had a point, but my daughter was the apple of my eye. I wanted to give her the world because I missed out on the first two years of her life. I admit, I have a tendency to overdo it. Guilt has a way of eating at you. Still, I didn't see it as a bad thing. Diego is a great young man, and it's not like I didn't give him everything I could either. Although girls are different. They're softer, a man needs to protect them differently.

I look down at my daughter, who is lying on a cot made for someone camping or whatever. She has bruises all over her neck, there is swelling as well. Her face has cuts and scrapes. She looks like hell. More importantly, her eyes look hollow. The joy and zest for life that I used to see in my daughter is gone. She looks … empty. The need to fix it and give in to whatever she asks of me is so strong, it nearly robs me of breath. I force myself to back down. I can't continue this path. The shit I read in that fucking file Dom gave me cut like a knife. It became clear that my daughter was a spoiled brat who thought of no one but herself. The fact that she's been trying to get pregnant to trap a man into marriage breaks something inside of me. When did my little girl turn into this conniving bitch that would sink so low? I knew I had only myself to blame, but that didn't make my realization any easier.

I have so many questions for her. Fuck, I have so much that I want to say to her. The urge to berate her and tell her how much she has disappointed lays heavy in the air of every breath that I take. I bite my tongue, however. I don't know everything my child has been through, but I can decipher enough to know she's close to breaking. Now is not the time to address what she's done. I'm just thankful I have her back. I'll get her home and talk with Beth. I should have listened to her more when she warned me what I was doing would end up hurting Gabby. Beth, mi cielo , she is everything to me. I know that she's let me get away with spoiling our daughter so much because she knows how much I regret not being with her in the beginning. Even after all these years, it hurts. Still, I figure Beth has her own scars. She let me have my way because she feels her own guilt.

"Gabby, I'll be here with you. It's okay," Nicole says, as she and Dragon walk over to us.

I feel my daughter tense. She bites her lip as her beautiful dark eyes fill with fear. Her body trembles under my touch, and I hate she has had her spirit broken. I haven't asked her, but I'm pretty sure those fucks got their hands on my girl. The bruises on her neck and arms are too prominent to think anything else. I need to find out. I'll pull Nicole aside before I leave.

"You'll be okay until I return. Then I will take you home, peque?o." Little one… No matter how old my daughter gets, or what she has done, Gabby will always be my heart. I just need to make sure she realizes the gravity of her actions. It's not going to be a pleasant lesson for her to learn … for either of us.

"Nicole, may I have a word? Dragon, will you and the boys watch over Gabby for me?"

"Dom and T can. I'll stay with Nicole," Dragon argues. I want to roll my eyes. You go after his woman once twenty-some years ago and he never forgets it. If she hadn't reminded me of my Beth, I wouldn't have bothered. It was a dark time when I thought my woman was dead and yet the motherfucker never let me forget it. I suppose I can understand, but it still annoys me.

"No!" Gabby cries, panicked. No, that's not it. She's petrified .

"Gabriella—"

Before I can finish, her wild gaze lands on King walking toward us. She scrambles up and goes to him. She hovers behind him, looking like a caged animal.

"What's going on?" King asks, confused. His hand goes behind him to place on Gabby's arm.

"I need to speak with Nicole and was going to leave Gabby with Dom and Thomas," I answer. I start to walk over to King, but he stops me by holding his hand out. Then he turns to look at Gabby.

"Hey, you're safe now. We're not going to allow Lucky or any of those bastards to touch you ever again."

"B-B-But," she stutters.

"Gabby, you know us. Despite everything, we'd never hurt you," Dom says.

This seems to do nothing to calm her down, which is surprising. King frowns. "I think I know what you need to talk to her about. I probably know just as much, if not more. We can talk before the meeting. Nicole can stay with her," he adds, staring at Gabby.

"Muy bien," I mutter, feeling helpless. "I'll be back, Gabriella."

"Hurry, Papi," she whispers, shocking me. I've been Daddy for years, but when she was little, it was always Papi. Kissing her cheek, I walk away with King. I already know I don't want to hear what he has to say.

I just don't have a choice.