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“No. You did her dirty with that last vote. She values what she has with you…it’s part of what has her so worried, but if she asks, I’m not lying to her.”

“Good. Don’t.”

He said that now, but I knew he’d regret it if Mick learned the truth.

I lumbered down the hall to the common room. Abby, Fi, and Trixie were at the bar with Ivy.

“Where’s Mickayla?” I asked.

Fiona looked at me. “We told her to go. She went to On a Lark for her shift.”

I clenched my jaw and sighed.

Then I locked eyes with Abby. “Order her a cut. Put a rush on it. I’ll pay the extra.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” she said with a smile and I instantly thought of Mickayla.

I stepped out the back door.

Gamble was sitting on top of a picnic table with his feet on the bench. Ricochet stood next to the table sipping a Red Bull.

In a smooth motion, Gamble slid to a standing position and blocked my path. “You said you’d take a beating for her, this is your chance.”

“Do what you have to do,” I said.

“Dad, she’ll never forgive you for this,” Ricochet said.

“She’ll get over it,” I said.

Ricochet looked at me like I’d lost my mind.

Gamble chuckled, but it sounded menacing. “You don’t know her very well if you think that’s true.”

“I told her I have to deal with whatever fall out the brothers decide on.”

Getting punched always sucked, but there was mercy in a surprise blow. Watching Gamble ball his fist and raise his arm all felt like slow motion.

I moved my head out of reflex, then forced myself to stay still.

Pain exploded in my eye and out to my temple. He caught me with a left hook to my lip. I tasted blood. The air in my lungs rushed out for the second time when he landed a blow to my gut. I hunched over, which left me vulnerable. Gamble hit me with an uppercut that connected with my nose.

“Fight back, motherfucker,” Gamble yelled.

I straightened. “No. I love her. If this is what it takes to get your approval… dish it. I’ll take it.”

“You only hit him four times! Keep going,” Tiny said from my right side.

Gamble sighed. “My son’s right. She’s gonna hate me if I keep at him.”

“You’re gettin’ soft,” Tiny said.

“You wait until your daughter, Nicole, grows up,” Ricochet said.

“You love her?” Gamble asked.

“Yeah.”

He slapped the hell out of my shoulder. “You better lay the world at her feet.”