Page 53 of Battle Scars

“Well, that’s telling,” Dad says, shaking me from my thoughts. I was so lost I didn’t answer, and now he’s decided my non-answer is an actual response. Which might be the truth, but not a truth I want out in the open. “I’ll have to make sure to let him know I expect my baby girl to be treated right.”

“No,” I shout, because the man we’re discussing is not only in the same room, but standing fairly close to me. He jumped at my outburst, ready to protect me from whatever threat there might be. It’s sexy as hell but also terrifying, because I cannot imagine a man like Gabe ever being told by someone’s father to treat them well. He might go all Thanos and snap everyone out of existence. That’s not an outcome I’m willing to bet on. “It’s not what you think, Dad.”

“I’m not so sure—” he starts, but I don’t let him finish.

“Well, I am,” I say resolutely. “So don’t do that. Just let it be.”

“I only ever want you to be happy.”

“I am.” It’s a lie but I promise myself that it won’t be. That I’ll come through this on the other side stronger than I am now, even if alone.

“Maybe find a man who’ll do right by you and show you a better example than I did.”

“Dad—”

“It’s true,” he says, and it’s evident by his tone that he’s lost in his own thoughts now. “I never should have failed your mother. A better man wouldn’t have.”

“But you’re happy now, right?” I can’t help but ask. I don’t particularly like my stepmother, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want my dad to be happy.

“Yeah, yeah,” he says just a little too quickly. “Well, it’s Wednesday, so I’m sure you’re off to see your mom.”

“Yeah,” I reply quietly.

“Well, then, I better let you get to it. I’ll get PR on a retraction and a correction. Adrienne Malone is never going to step back from professional racing or DHR. It’s in her blood.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I reply. “That means a lot to hear you say it.”

“And if I see Bobby outside of the track, I’ll knock his fucking teeth in,” he mutters.

“No,” I shout, but he’s already disconnected.

“I take it perfect, pretty-boy Bobby is a dickhead,” Gabe says.

I turn back to face him and sigh. “Kind of, but I’m not convinced that’s all he is,” I answer. “The boy I grew up with is in there somewhere.”

“Adrienne—” Gabe starts.

But I don’t let him finish whatever it was he was going to say. I can’t. I just don’t have it in me. Whatever he was going to say to punch another hole in my life parachute, is just too much for me to take right now.

“I have to believe it,” I tell him. “I just do. But I’m going to be late to meet my mom if I don’t leave now.”

He seems to watch me for a moment, and then says softly, “Then let’s get you to your mom’s.”

I don’t respond. There really isn’t anything to say, so I follow him out to his SUV. My plans to run away on my own and get some much-needed distance and clarity are dashed, but still, I can handle it. This morning has been enlightening, to say the least: Bobby’s full of it, Gabe can be gentle when he wants to be, and my dad believes in me after all. Or at least I hope he does, but he does not sound like I’m the disappointment Bobby said I was. Last but not least by a longshot, the threats against me are very much real and a scenario I do not want to see play out. Ever.

Gabe once again pulls open the door for me and before he closes me in, I put out a hand to stop it. “Why do you do that?”

“Do what?” he asks. A look of confusion crosses his face.

“Open the door for me.” I realize I shouldn’t have blurted that out when surprise registers across his face and then a scowl settles in.

“The answer is two parts,” he replies. “One, if I open and close the door in a tense situation, you can be covered. It’s my job to protect you no matter what.”

“And the second?”

“Because you deserve to be treated like that,” he says, and I’m so stunned I draw my hand back as if I’ve been burned. He uses the opportunity to shut the door and walk around the hood to climb into the driver seat.

We don’t speak the rest of the drive to my mother’s house. I don’t have to give him directions, because like everything else in my life, he already knows all the gory details.