Page 82 of Adored

He stopped him.

“They can come right now and move in for all I care. I want us to be happy, and I’m worried that you’re going to give all, and that will break you. While you don’t keep score, relationships have to be equal. Remember you and Storm? How that ended?”

The second he said it, he wished he hadn’t.

Gamble’s face flashed anger, and then, he turned in his seat to start the car.

Oh, shit.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that,” he admitted.

Gamble said nothing.

His heart hurt.

Not for Storm, but in that brief second, he was reminded that his child paid the ultimate price.

What wouldn’t he give to have her back?

What wouldn’t he have given to have his little one with The Hunters on that day instead of the woman who was supposed to die for her?

Not kill her.

He missed his child.

Driving, Poe felt horrible. He knew that it normally wouldn’t upset a person, but in this case, Storm had killed their child.

“Gamble.”

He stopped him.

“I need a minute,” he said. “Just let me calm down so I don’t rage at you because right now, I’m ready to blow up. I’m not angry with you, I’m angry with Storm, and I’m working through it.”

Poe said nothing.

He knew what Gamble was fighting, and how difficult it could be for him with his anger.

So, they drove in silence, and he knew he’d fucked that up. That hadn’t been his intent. For the most part, he forgot about Gamble’s trauma.

Until it was too late.

When they pulled up to the mortuary, Poe went to get out. Stopping him, Gamble touched his arm.

“To answer your question, it ended badly when Storm took and I gave all I had,” he admitted. “It cost my daughter her very short life, and I’ll live with that forever. It was a very lopsided relationship because I felt the need to take care of Storm. It felt like an obligation. Taking care of you isn’t.”

Poe had tears in his eyes.

“I’m sorry I just hurt you with bringing that up. I didn’t mean to. Sometimes, I forget that you haven’t always been mine. It feels like you have been for so very long. I hope you believe that I wouldn’t make a comment to hurt you. I’m not myself,” he whispered. “I can’t figure out how to navigate this, Gamble. I feel like someone tossed me up into the air, and I’m falling.”

Oh, he knew the feeling well.

Really.

Well.

“It’s okay, Poe. I know you didn’t do it to remind me of what my bad choice cost. I miss her every day. My daughter…”

Poe held his hand.