“What are you doing here?” I ask, glowering. Beau is almost quivering with rage.

“Who are you?” Colby asks.

“None of your fucking business,” I reply calmly. “But I can be your worst nightmare if you don’t tell me what the hell you want.”

“So many threats around here,” he replies with a smirk. “The judge will love hearing about it when I go to get custody of my kid.”

“What is he talking about?” I stare down at Gabby, then Beau and Charly.

“He’s talking out of his ass,” Beau replies.

“I don’t know why everyone is so surprised I’m here,” Colby says with a shake of his head. “I’ve been telling Gabby for two months that I was coming to see my kid.”

We all stop cold and turn to look at Gabby, who looks ready to tear Colby’s head off.

“You emailed me one time,” she says, pointing her finger at him. “You called me one time, three days ago. I told you to stay away, that you’re not welcome here. Why for the love of Moses would I expect you to show up here? You aren’t welcome here!”

“Wait. You’ve been corresponding?” Beau asks incredulously. “You were told to never contact her again. It’s in the fucking contract!”

Colby shrugs as if it’s all of little consequence to him. I can’t stop looking at Gabby, wondering what the fuck is happening here, and why she never said anything to me.

Two cop cars pull into the driveway and Gabby visibly relaxes when four officers approach.

“What’s going on here?” one of the officers asks.

“This man is trespassing,” Beau replies. “This is private property and he’s not welcome here.”

“Is he acting in a threatening manner?”

“He’s not welcome here,” Beau repeats.

“Looks like you need to leave,” the officer says to Colby, who points at Gabby.

“She’s keeping my son from me.”

“That’s a lie,” Gabby says, hysteria on the edges of her voice. “He has no right to my child.”

“Is he the father?”

“He’s the fucking sperm donor,” Charly says again.

“Do you have a court order saying you can see the child?” the officer asks Colby, who shakes his head.

“No. We were just kids when she got pregnant, and then her brothers and father made me sign away my rights. I mean, they’re rich and really big, and made sure I knew that they’d make my life hell if I didn’t sign.”

“That’s a fucking lie,” Gabby repeats and Beau looks ready to jump off this porch and kick Colby’s ass.

I’ll happy join him. This is the loser who knocked Gabby up? What was she thinking? He’s a smarmy idiot.

“Without a court order, you have no business here. You need to leave.”

“Fine. I’ll go, but I’m taking you to court.” He points at Gabby, glaring at her, and I growl low in my throat. I want to pull his fucking balls out. “I want my kid.”

“You’ll never lay your fucking eyes on him,” Gabby replies firmly. She tilts her chin up, throwing daggers with her eyes. “He’s not your son. He’s nothing to you.”

Good girl.

Colby is escorted off the property and the policemen wait until he’s driven away. When everyone is gone, Charly breathes a huge sigh of relief, and Beau whirls on Gabby, his face furious.

“What. The. Fuck. Gabby.”

“This is not my fault,” she insists, going toe-to-toe with her brother. God, she looks magnificent. I’ve missed her so damn much. I want to carry her inside and protect her from all of this. I want to scoop her up and never let go.

“He emailed you!” Beau yells. “Months ago!”

I tuck Gabby behind me and confront Beau myself. “Don’t fucking talk to her like that. Ever.”

“It’s my job to protect her!” His eyes find Gabby’s, and as angry as he is, he also looks hurt. “I told you to tell me if he ever tried to contact you.”

“I know,” she says.

“Well, why didn’t you?”

“Because I’m not a baby!”

Chapter Twenty

~Gabby~

I can’t believe this is happening. Between Colby showing up, Beau being pissed at me, and Rhys coming back, my nerves are shot.

And I’m royally pissed.

“That’s it?” Beau asks and shakes his head. “You didn’t tell me that asshole was contacting you because you’re not a baby?”

“Stop trying to fix my life!” I stomp away, then back again. “I love you. I know that you think that you have to always swoop in and save the day where I’m concerned, but I’m a grown woman, Beau! I’m not the young girl who got in trouble. I’m a mom. I’m a business woman. I have my fucking shit together.”

“No one said you didn’t,” Beau replies as I walk past Rhys again. He’s leaning against the railing, watching the show. He looks almost casual, but his eyes are narrowed and every muscle in his body is tense, as if he’s ready to spring to my defense any second.

Another man who thinks I need to be rescued.

“Gabby,” Charly says, always the peacekeeper. “We’re a family. We handle these things together. That’s why we’re upset that you never told us that Colby had contacted you.”

“It was nothing.” I tip my head back in exasperation. “It was one email and one phone call. I ignored the email, and when he called I told him to stay the hell away from here. There were no threats.”