“I told you,” Beau begins, his voice calmer now, but he’s so fucking pissed. “I told you to tell me if he ever so much as breathed in your direction.”

“Beau—”

“No. Stop talking and listen to me. Yes, you’re strong. And independent. And you’re a fantastic mom. But Gabby, you can be those things and still allow the people who love you to help you. To have your back.”

I shake my head and look down at my feet. Why don’t they understand?

“I’m so tired of being treated like a baby,” I murmur.

“We’re not treating you like a baby,” Beau says and shoves his hands in his pockets, reminding me of Daddy and Eli. “We would do the same for Charly or Eli. Hell, when Savannah’s world was turned upside down a few months ago, we all rallied around her. We didn’t treat her like a baby. We loved her.”

I blink at him, pissed to feel tears filling my eyes. He’s right.

“Don’t you understand that with one phone call, I can make Colby and all of his bullshit disappear?” Beau’s face is stone-hard. And not a little scary.

“I don’t think he needs to be killed,” I reply with a chuckle and wipe tears from my cheeks.

“We have the best lawyers money can buy,” Beau replies without blinking an eye. “This is nothing but an annoyance. There was no need for you to worry about this all these weeks.”

“I wasn’t—”

“We know you,” Charly says, shaking her head. “You’ve worried. And it wasn’t necessary.”

“We talk to each other,” Beau adds and finally pulls me in his arms for a tight hug, making me cry all over again. Jesus, I’m so fucking emotional when I’m pregnant.

Fuck, I’m pregnant.

“I get it,” I whisper. “I’ll let you know if he ever contacts me again.”

“Thank you.” He kisses the top of my head, sighs, and finally lets me go. “We love you, Gabby. And that has nothing to do with you being the youngest and everything to do with the fact that you’re our sister and one of the best people we know.”

“When you’re not a pain in the ass,” Charly adds. “I’m heading out. I’ll go check on Sam and Mama. I’m assuming you won’t be over for dinner.” She raises a brow and glances toward Rhys, who still hasn’t said anything.

I shake my head quickly. “Thanks.”

“I’ll go in with Charly.” Beau doesn’t move, he simply stares between me and Rhys, and finally says, “Do I need to kick his ass before I go?”

“No,” I reply and roll my eyes. “Just go.”

“Damn, I really wanted to kick someone’s ass today. I should have pummeled Colby before the cops showed up.”

“Goodbye, testosterone man,” I say and push him off my porch, then wave as he and Charly leave.

Rhys silently moves up behind me, but I can feel him. I’m always aware of exactly where he is. He grips my shoulders in his hands, then turns me around.

“We need to talk.”

“I’m all talked out.” I try to walk around him, but he grips my arm and spins me back to face him.

“We need to talk,” he repeats. “About several things. Let’s start with Colby. Why didn’t you tell me he’d been contacting you?”

“Not you too.” I roll my eyes and pace away. “Because when it started, I barely knew you.”

“You knew me pretty well when he called the other day.”

“I had other things on my mind then.”

“Gabby—”

He looks…pissed. “I don’t know why this pisses you off, Rhys. He’s just some idiot from my past.”

“I’m not angry, I’m hurt. Trust me, there’s a difference.”

“Look, I don’t know why you’re back, but I’m not doing this with you right now.” The tears are threatening again, and God, he looks so good I just want to jump in his arms and have him hold me for about a week.

But I’ll be damned if I do that.

“Yes, you are.” His voice is tender now as he cups my face in his big hands and smiles down at me gently. “Fuck, I missed you.”

“Then why didn’t you call me?”

Damn it, I hate that I sound so fucking needy.

“I called you over and over again and I went straight to voice mail. Either your phone was off or you blocked me.”

I shrug and pull out of his reach, not ready for him to touch me yet. “You left.”

“Didn’t you get my original text?”

“Oh yeah, I got it. And then when I got home all of your things were gone. You left.” The mad returns, boosting my confidence, and making me feel better. “You didn’t even say goodbye. You didn’t even say goodbye to Sam. What am I supposed to tell him? He loves you!”

“I love him too.”

Why does he sound so damn calm?

“Well you have a shitty way of showing it,” I reply.

“What about you, Gabby?”

“What about me?”

“How do you feel?”

I love you so much I can’t see straight.

“I’m fucking pissed off at you.”

“Obviously. Baby, why did you think I wasn’t coming back?”

“Don’t call me baby.” I glare at him, and the hurt in his eyes from my words makes me feel like a piece of shit. “Your things were gone, Rhys. You left. And men…” I shrug and look down.