5. Nate

FIVE

NATE

I brushed my hand over Tabitha’s hair again and again, my lips against her temple, whispering words of how I had her, it was okay, I’d take care of her. She sniffled and shivered, and I hadn’t even realized we were outside on a thirty-degree night. I’d watched that asshole get in her face, and I’d lost it.

“You’re freezing,” I noted, running my hands over her arms, and she nodded, but when I tried to pull her back to the door, she shook her head.

“I need another minute.”

So, I held her hand, laced our fingers together, and tugged her to me, keeping her warm as best I could. When she finally met my gaze, her eyes pink and watery, she whispered a quiet apology, and I couldn’t stand it. “You have nothing to be sorry for,” I told her. “This is on him.”

“I know, but… I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m apologizing. I don’t know what I’m doing.” Her breath stuttered, and she wiped the backs of her hands over her cheeks. “He obviously doesn’t want anything to do with me or the baby.”

I couldn’t even feel bad about that. “He doesn’t deserve to be involved. Not if that was his reaction.”

She sniffed. “He said he’d pay for the abortion.”

Hearing it for the second time tonight made my blood boil.

I was all for everyone living their lives and making their own choices, but telling someone else what they should do or not do with their body was wrong. Worse, telling Tabby to terminate a pregnancy after the loss she’d suffered was despicable. I didn’t give a shit if he knew about her past or not, it wasn’t his place. And I stared off in the direction that son of bitch had walked. Maybe I could catch up to him. Finish what I’d started.

“Please don’t,” she said, like she could read my thoughts. “I assumed he wouldn’t want anything to do with it.”

“But he shouldn’t have treated you like that.” I caught her chin between my thumb and forefinger, lifting her face up to mine. “I protect…” Mine , I didn’t say. “I protect my people. You are one of my people.”

She sniffed once again and eked out an impression of a smile.

I tried for a real one. “I mean… I appreciate you letting me take him down, but I really would’ve liked to see you land a kick or two.”

That earned me a husky laugh. “Yeah, it’s been a while since I got to dust off my skills.”

I stretched my neck in a search around us. “You want me to find a board or something to break?”

“No. I’m good.”

“Yeah.” He slung his arm around me. “You are.”

We stepped back into Walt’s to find Evie manning the bar with Bran, a college drop-out Tabby had convinced me to hire. At the time, I hadn’t thought anything of it, but maybe she saw something in him that she saw in herself. The need to work, the drive to do his best, even if it was slinging beers at a neighborhood dive. A lot of patrons appeared to have exited in the last few minutes, and I only had myself to blame for that.

The regulars knew me. The generous customers who kept this place running knew I wouldn’t fly off the handle half-cocked for no reason. And those who didn’t? Well… Hope you enjoyed the show .

I shouldn’t have lost my temper. But I didn’t regret it. Wouldn’t take it back even if I could.

“Handed out a bunch of shots,” Evie explained, meeting me at the open lip of the bar. Her attention coasted over my face and down the length of me, as if checking for injuries, and then her gaze panned to Tabby. “You okay?”

Tabitha nodded, though not very believably, and my sister extended her arms, a silent offering. Surprisingly, Tabby took her up on it, embracing Evie. I jutted my chin toward Dylan, now seated at the corner of the bar. “Thanks, man.”

“You’ve really got a hard-on for punching people at your workplace, huh?”

I checked out my knuckles. Just a little red. “I rule my kingdom with an iron fist.”

“That’s what you call it? Ruling?”

“I am the king.”

He grunted a sound of amusement. “How’s your girl over there?”

I glanced over my shoulder. She was still shaken up. There was no way I would make her work after that. “Come on,” I told them all. “Let’s go to the office.”

The four of us were a tight fit, but I sat Tabby down in the chair, and Genevieve hopped up on the desk. She had worked here for a few months while recovering from a dance injury before hitting the stage again, and I’d enjoyed having her home and working with me. I was glad she’d decided to come back and settle down with Dylan. Sure, I gave them a lot of shit, but I couldn’t be happier for them.

“So, is anyone going to explain what happened?” she asked, and I glanced at Dylan. When I’d told my friends not to tell their girls about my meltdown a few weeks ago, I had fully expected them to anyway. From my sister’s confusion, I guessed they hadn’t.

Dylan shrugged at me and leaned back against the wall, staying silent, as usual.

I looked to Tabitha for direction, what she wanted to do or say about this. I tried to imply with my eyes that I’d follow her lead.

She breathed deeply and set her shoulders before letting it out. “I’m pregnant.”

Evie’s jaw dropped. “Oh my god! Are you okay? How are you feeling? How far along are you? Wait—” She threw up her hands, connecting the dots. “Wait, that was Harrison, wasn’t it? Is he the father?”

Tabby nodded. “I wouldn’t use the term father to describe him after tonight.”

I grumbled. “I should’ve fucked him up more.”

Dylan cut in then. “You did some pretty good damage.”

Evie wagged her finger at me. “Did you know?”

“Did I know what? That she’s pregnant? Yes.”

“I told him last month. But I only told Harrison tonight,” Tabby said, and my sister’s eyes went wide, if not a little giddy. Whatever idea she had in her head, I didn’t like it, and I motioned to Dylan to control her. He rolled his eyes.

“I take it Harrison is out of the picture?” she deduced, not waiting on an answer because it was obvious. “And my big brother defended your honor?”

Tabby refused to meet my gaze. Though, she did nod.

And, fuck yes, I did.

I would defend her honor again and again and again.

I could see the wheels in my sister’s head turning, so I collected Tabitha’s things from the hook and handed them to her. “I want you to go home.”

“What? No. I still?—”

Ignoring her protests, I told Dylan, “She needs a ride.”

Tabby stood up, her fists at her sides. “You can’t send me home.”

“Last I checked, I was still in charge here, so yeah, I can send you home.” Over her head, Dylan and I nodded at each other. And when she still refused to move, I placed her coat around her shoulders and slipped my beanie over her head. Then I looped her bag over her shoulder and pushed her water bottle into her hands. Like a little grumpy Barbie.

“And I’m taking you off the schedule for the next week.”

She roared. “ What ?”

“You need to rest, and I want to see what Bran is made of.”

“You—”

“Are so thankful, I know.” I grinned, my hands on her shoulders, and spun her around to face the door. “Have a good night.”

She still tried to argue with me even as Dylan herded her over the threshold. My sister threw herself at me, snaking her arms around my neck, squeezing me tightly. “I’m so proud of you.”

“For what?” I accepted the hug, still hearing Tabitha’s dissertation on why she needed to stay here. She had loyalty, that was for sure. When her voice faded, I imagined Dylan bodily picking her up and putting her in his car. He was gallant like that.

“For being you.” She slapped my back a few times then stepped away. “For standing up for Tabby. For stepping up for her. That takes a lot of bravery.”

“I’m not…” I tugged at my hair, reading between the lines. “I haven’t done anything.”

“You will, and we’ll help you as best we can. You deserve it. So does she.”

I walked with her out to the floor. Dylan and Tabby were nowhere in sight. “Text me when she’s home. Since she’s pissed at me, she won’t respond to my texts now.”

She smiled. “Of course. We’ll take care of her for you.”

“Thanks.”

After a stop at the booth they had been sitting at to pick up her coat, Genevieve was out of the door, and I was behind the bar.

Bran greeted me while hanging glasses on the rack above our heads. “’Sup, boss?”

“What would you think about taking on more responsibilities around here?”

“Yeah?” He brightened. “I could handle that.”

I patted his back, passing him on my way to help a patron. “Yeah. I was hoping you’d say that.”