I nodded, knowing she was right. “I’ll do anything you want. Just . . . tell me you love me.” I was fully aware of how ridiculous I sounded, but it just didn’t matter anymore.
“You know I do.”
“I need to hear you say it.”
“I love you,” she said. She touched her lips to mine, and then pulled a few inches away. “Now quit being such a baby.”
Once she kissed me, my heart slowed, and every muscle in my body relaxed. How much I needed her terrified me. I couldn’t imagine love was like this for everyone, or men would be walking around like lunatics the second they were old enough to notice girls.
Maybe it was just me. Maybe it was just me and her. Maybe together we were this volatile entity that would either implode or meld together. Either way, it seemed the moment I met her, my life had been turned upside down. And I didn’t want it any other way.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Lucky Thirteen
HALF EXCITED, HALF NERVOUS AS HELL, I WALKED INTO my father’s home, my fingers intertwined with Abby’s. Smoke from my father’s cigar and my brothers’ cigarettes drifted from the game room, mixing with the faint, musky smell of carpet older than I was.
Even though Abby was initially pissed that she didn’t have much notice before meeting my family, she looked more at ease than I felt. Bringing home a girlfriend was not a habit of the Maddox men, and any prediction of their reaction was unreliable at best.
Trenton came into view first. “Holy Christ! It’s the asshat!”
Any hope of my brothers even pretending not to be anything but feral was a waste of time. I loved them anyway, and knowing Abby, she would, too.
“Hey, hey . . . watch the language around the young lady,” Dad said, nodding to Abby.
“Pidge, this is my dad, Jim Maddox. Dad, this is Pigeon.”
“Pigeon?” Jim asked, an amused expression on his face.
“Abby,” she said, shaking his hand.
I pointed to my brothers, all of them nodding when I said their name. “Trenton, Taylor, Tyler, and Thomas.”
Abby seemed a bit overwhelmed. I couldn’t blame her; I’d never really talked about my family, and five boys would be mind-boggling to anybody. In fact, five Maddoxes were downright frightening to most.
Growing up, the neighborhood kids learned early not to mess with one of us, and only once did someone make the mistake of taking on all of us. We were broken, but came together as a solid fortress if necessary. That was clear even to those we didn’t mean to intimidate.
“Does Abby have a last name?” Dad asked.
“Abernathy,” she said, nodding politely.
“It’s nice to meet you, Abby,” Thomas said with a smile. Abby wouldn’t have noticed, but Thomas’s expression was a front for what he was really doing: analyzing her every word and movement. Thomas was always on the lookout for someone that could potentially rock our already rickety boat. Waves weren’t welcome, and Thomas had always made it his job to calm potential storms.
Dad can’t take it, he used to say. None of us could argue with that logic. When one or a few of us found ourselves in trouble, we would go to Thomas, and he would take care of it before Dad could find out. Years of fostering a bunch of rowdy, violent boys made a man out of Thomas far earlier than anyone should be expected to be. We all respected him for it, including my father, but years of being our protector left him a little overbearing at times. But Abby stood, smiling and oblivious to the fact that she was now a target, under scrutiny by the family guardian.
“Really nice,” Trenton said, his eyes roving over places that would have gotten anyone else killed.
Dad slapped the back of Trenton’s head and he yelped.
“What’d I say?” he said, rubbing the back of his head.
“Have a seat, Abby. Watch us take Trav’s money,” Tyler said.
I pulled out a chair for Abby, and she sat. I glared at Trenton, and he responded with only a wink. Smart-ass.
“You knew Stu Unger?” Abby asked, pointing to a dusty photo.
I couldn’t believe my ears.
Dad’s eyes brightened. “You know who Stu Unger is?”
Abby nodded. “My dad’s a fan, too.”
Dad stood up, pointing to the dusty picture beside it. “And that’s Doyle Brunson, there.”
Abby smiled. “My dad saw him play, once. He’s unbelievable.”
“Trav’s granddaddy was a professional. We take poker very seriously around here.” Dad smiled.
Not only had Abby never mentioned the fact that she knew anything about poker, it was also the first time I’d ever heard her speak of her dad.
As we watched Trenton shuffle and deal, I tried to forget what had just happened. With her long legs, slight but perfectly proportioned curves, and big eyes, Abby was stunningly gorgeous, but knowing Stu Unger by name already made her a huge hit with my family. I sat up a little taller in my seat. No way would any of my brothers bring home anyone that could top that.
Trenton raised an eyebrow. “You wanna play, Abby?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think I should.”
“You don’t know how?” Dad asked.