I need to see her.

When I finally pull into the long driveway, I see Gabby standing on the porch with Charly and Beau, and a strange man standing just off the porch, his hands on his hips, talking to them.

Beau’s hands are fisted, his face tight. Charly is simply scowling.

And Gabby looks terrified.

What the fuck is this?

I rush out of the car and around the house to the porch, my eyes immediately on Gabby. She raises her face to meet my gaze, and she freezes, her eyes widening. She looks shocked to see me.

And not exactly happy.

“What’s going on?” I ask as I climb the stairs and stand next to Gabby.

“That’s the sperm donor,” Charly says, nudging her chin toward the stranger.

“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.”

“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.”