Page 17 of Ciao Bella

“You were more than good enough,” she said, snuggling into his warmth. “What did Mama and Pops say to you?”

“Well, interestingly enough, they just kept encouraging me to follow my heart. Your father kept telling me I was a good man. A man worthy of his daughter. But the interesting part of this was Gabe.”

All eyes turned toward Gabe, staring at him. He swallowed, looking down at his lap. Their father had mentioned that Gabe would know how to reach him, and they were suddenly filled with concern for their brother. He wasn’t the oldest. He wasn’t the youngest. He wasn’t even in the middle. Technically, he was number eleven of fifteen.

“Gabe?” frowned Gaspar. “What did Gabe say?”

“He said that God’s plans are never wrong, and I was meant to save his sister.” Again, everyone on the plane turned to stare at Gabe. Tory grinned at her husband like she knew something the others did not.

“And you did,” whispered Gabe.

“Gabe? What’s goin’ on, brother?” asked Gaspar. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” he smiled. “I can’t answer any questions right now, Gaspar. I’m alive, I’m healthy, and plan to stay that way. Pops just needed a little help with some things, and I was chosen.”

“Chosen? By Pops?” asked Baptiste. Gabe opened and closed his mouth, then shook his head.

“I’m honestly not sure.”

“Fucking cool,” grinned Tango. “Your family, all of you, so fucking cool.”

Gaspar gripped his brother’s shoulders, hugging him tightly to his chest. He kissed the top of his head, looking at Miller. Gabe had been the one who wanted to emulate all they did as a child. He followed them wherever they went, even into the Rangers.

“But you’re okay, right?” whispered Gaspar.

“I’m perfect, mon frére,” he smiled.

“I knew there was something special about Gabe the minute he walked up to my patrol car,” smiled Tory. “When he got me to tell him my story when we visited all of you in Virginia, well, that just sealed the deal for me. I couldn’t walk away from him.”

“That was never going to happen,” smirked Gabe. “I was prepared to kidnap you. Of course, that ugly ass brother of yours was standing in my way.”

“He’s not so bad,” laughed Tory.

“It’s funny,” said Taylor, “I felt so alone all the time, and then Tango started coming into my coffee shop every morning. He ordered a coffee and muffin. Every single morning.”

“That’s so sweet,” smiled Erin.

“Yes, especially considering he hates muffins,” laughed Taylor.

“You hate muffins!” said Alec.

“I can’t explain it, brother. Love cookies, brownies, cake, pie, but muffins, blah!” Tango turned toward Taylor, kissing her sweetly. “But I would have eaten a hundred just to get to see her every day.”

“I thought he wouldn’t want me once he knew about my past,” she frowned. The others could feel her pain. They knew what she’d been through, especially the men of Steel Patriots. But it was never something they spoke of aloud unless she wanted to. “I don’t know how there are such evil men in the world, and yet all of you are so good.”

“Don’t canonize us just yet,” said Rafe. “We’ve taken our share of lives. Some justified, some justified in our minds. Either way, there were a lot of men who never made it before a judge or jury. Only us.”

“But maybe that’s what was supposed to happen,” said Taylor. “My stepbrother nearly went free for what he did to me. As it was, he found others like him that were more than willing to help him.”

“You nearly left me over that,” frowned Tango.

“It was all a misunderstanding,” said Taylor, shaking her head. “I thought he had decided he couldn’t stand to look at my injuries. They were pretty horrific. I should have asked him to clarify for me.”

“I’m glad it all worked out,” said Sophia.

“Me too, but you were pretty damn brave helping Ivan when you did,” said Taylor.

“I don’t think I was brave. I think I was already falling in love with a strange man, and I didn’t even understand or know what love was. I had never experienced love of any type. But he was the first man who wasn’t beating or raping me,” she whispered.