Page 11

King

I stay with Gabby until she falls asleep.

I make sure she’s settled, pull the covers around her, put a brief kiss on her forehead, lean down and whisper goodnight to jellybean, then leave the room.

I stop walking after taking just a few steps outside.

I should have known Dragon would be on that same picnic table, sipping a beer and waiting for me.

I consider avoiding him, but figure I might as well get this shit out of the way.

So, I walk over, sitting beside him, both of us perched on the table, feet on the bench.

He reaches into a cooler, then passes me a beer.

I don’t really want a beer, but it feels like I might need it to deal with whatever shit he’s preparing to say, so I pop the top and take a sip.

“A man can make a lot of mistakes in life.”

Yeah, fuck, I know this didn’t bode well for me.

“That they can,” I admit. Considering my recent record with marrying a woman I thought I knew, but didn’t, not to mention hating a man I probably shouldn’t have, and believing all the bullshit my mother fed me …

Yeah, evidence was mounting up that I keep piling mistake upon mistake.

“That woman in there has a lot of healing to do.”

“Dragon, you aren’t telling me nothin’ I don’t already know.”

“I figure that, son. Thing is, sometimes a man needs to hear it, just to remind him of what he needs to do.”

“Can you get on with reminding me so I can hit the sack? I’m going to take Gabby to work tomorrow morning, and I’m wiped, old man.”

“I’m getting to it,” he grumbles. “Truth is, King. I never liked Shelby.” My chest gets tight, my body jerking as I turn to look at him.

“Wasn’t my place. I lost the right to have any say.

It’s not like my other two sons ever listened to me.

So, I didn’t waste my breath. Don’t get me wrong.

Shelby was strong and independent. For the right man, she could be a good woman. You weren’t that man.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“There are four types of women in this world, King. Sometimes they’re so similar that you can get them confused, but basically there are small nuances that you need to remember.”

“Please, enlighten me,” I murmur, wondering if he can hear the sarcasm.

“There’s the type A. This type is too soft for the world and needs constant looking after by a man.

They feed on attention and need it on a twenty-four-seven kind of watch.

Now, there are a lot of men who like that, which is good for both parties.

That said, if the woman is not only Type A but has a lot of insecurities, that woman can get unpredictable.

She’ll feel like she’s not getting the proper attention and try to find it in another man.

They feed from it so, that’s how they live.

They can latch onto a man and a man can be stupid.

He lets her inside, and there’s a big chance she’ll take and take, but give nothing back.

There’s nothing left over from her to feed the hunger inside of you. That’s where the problems lie.”

“I’m pissed at Shelby. I don’t particularly like her at all these days, but she’s not that, Dragon.”

“Didn’t say she was. Stop interrupting me or we’re going to be out here all night.”

“Continue on then, pain in my ass.”

He chuckles but doesn’t reply. He just keeps on—set on delivering his speech.

“Then there’re women that like to be in control.

She’s Type B. They’re not riding shotgun.

You might as well not ask. They do not and will not take the passenger seat, and don’t particularly like our lifestyle.

These women like control and can’t even let loose enough to enjoy the ride, holding onto their man.

They take what they think is your job to provide, but they’ll only give what they think you deserve.

They map out their life and like to do the driving while they advise you to hold on.

You have to be a man that can be happy with what she gives and not expect more. ”

“Dragon …” I rumble, sick of this damn burn I feel inside of me. That type sums up Shelby. Fuck, if it doesn’t.

“Shelby is that type of woman. I knew it, I saw it, but I didn’t say shit.

All it would have done is alienate you more, and that’s the last fucking thing I wanted.

Of all my children, King, you’re the most like me.

T has quite a bit of his old man in him.

It’s coming out more now that he’s secure with Lyla.

But you? You’re me made over, and that probably pisses you off, but it’s the damn truth. ”

He’s wrong. I like knowing I’m like him.

Dragon’s nothing like what I grew up to believe.

I watch how he is with his club, his other kids, his grandkids, and most importantly, his old lady.

Nothing about him makes me regret having his blood flowing through my veins—except maybe he’s stubborn as fuck and insists on being a nagging asshole who gives me lessons at midnight that I don’t see a point to.

Shelby’s done. It’s over and I don’t even mind it now.

My only regrets are that I put my ring on her finger and her name on my skin.

Her name is still on me. That’s going to come off soon.

The ring she probably hocked, and I have the papers to prove the ring no longer holds meaning in the first damn place.

So, it’s done. I’m good. What I do not need is to be out here rehashing shit.

I look up at the streetlight over our table and hope he finishes this shit soon.

“Go on,” I tell him, my voice gruff.

“Type C is strong in a different way. She likes a strong man at her side. He doesn’t need to define her, but she wants him there.

This woman knows the kind of man she wants—sometimes she mistakes what she has—but eventually she will find it, because she won’t settle.

This woman latches onto a man differently, too.

She takes—that’s true—but she gives as much, if not more, than she ever gets.

She feeds the man inside so that he’s better because he has her.

This woman will give her sweetness, her laughter and joy, her calm, her temper, and most importantly, her love.

Love—that she will give completely—in a way that no matter what happens, she won’t take it away.

This woman doesn’t mind telling you that and does it in a way you know if you hurt her, it will fucking destroy her.

She’ll have his back and fight a war with him to keep what they have.

It will fire a man’s protectiveness up and he’ll wage wars just to make sure she’s happy.

Now, a woman like that? She’s worth more than anything in this fucking world, and that’s the truth.

That’s the kind of woman I got with Nicole.

That’s the kind of woman my T got too, and you have no idea how fucking happy that makes me—even if it comes with pain-in-my-ass Ford. ”

I laugh, but don’t say anything.

“Now, Thea is a different breed. Which brings me to Type D. This kind of woman can be confused with Type B or C, because they’re similar.

She’s a woman who likes control of all things except at home.

She wants to be able to come home and have a strong man that has his own life, yet babies her when the doors close out the world, handles her with care, and sees her through.

This is good for Dom. He needs a woman strong enough to give him hell, put him in his place, and do it so he knows if he doesn’t straighten up, she’ll kick his ass out and find someone that will.

This can get confusing with all three types, but there’s a big difference.

This woman will kick him to the curb for his bullshit, because she wants a good man at her side, not because she’s desperate or feels like she has no control.

No, she will replace him because she knows what she deserves, and she will eventually find someone she can love who will fit that mold. ”

“Okay, so is there a point to this?”

“Son, you are searching inside of yourself right now for what you did wrong with Shelby, and you didn’t do one damn thing wrong—other than pick her.

You need a woman more like Nicole. You need someone who will walk through hell with you, not push you to go through it and prove you’re strong enough for her before she doles out some more of her brand of love.

That works for some men, and it works pretty damn good. You are not that man.”

“I appreciate the advice, Dragon. I truly do. You’re forgetting one thing, though.

I’m not looking for a woman. I’m done with that.

There are different types of men in this world, too.

I happen to be one where relationships just don’t work.

I’m not destined for that. I’m a loner and I probably always will be. ”

He slaps me on the back, sliding off the table. I stand to join him. “I see you didn’t catch my lesson. I was hoping you would.”

I frown, thinking I read him pretty loud and clear. “I’m going to bed,” I huff, tired of this shit.

“Sounds good,” he says as he walks toward the motel room he’s been assigned. I walk to mine, thinking I’m finally home free, but he stops me again. “King?” he calls out.

I’m at my door which is about three away from him. I have my hand on the knob but turn and look his way. “Yeah?”

“Gabby was Type A and some of that had to do with the way Skull raised her.”

“Dragon—”

“The thing is, with what she’s gone through, it has changed her. How she ends up? I’m thinking it could be a toss-up. She could go back to what she’s always known?—”

“Man, you need to?—”

He doesn’t let me finish and just keeps on pushing.

“She’s stronger than I gave her credit for.

I’m seeing stuff in her that I like a lot.

She might get to the person she needs to be alone.

This is true, but with the right man to direct her, I could see her being more like Nicole. ” My head jerks in shock at his words.

“Not sure why you’re telling me this shit. You should tell Gabby. It’d probably help her right now.”

“I plan on it.”

“Good, now I’m going to bed.”

“Not finished, son,” he warns.

“Well, then, for God’s sake, spit it out. You keep going, you’ll be dead, and I’ll be on the backside of fifty at this rate.”

He smiles at me. It’s a cocky smile I don’t especially like.

I barely resist the urge to flip him off and go inside my room.

Thankfully, he starts talking again. “I’m just saying, I may want a woman like Nicole for you, but unless you’re sure you’re the kind of man who can see her through, heal her, and know that she’s going to be the woman to feed what’s inside of you, it’d be wrong for you to even think about trying.

You could completely destroy her, and that’s a wound neither of you would recover from. ”

“And with that, I’m done,” he announces.

“Thank fuck,” I grumble and head inside.

I slam my door shut, kick off my boots and fall back on the bed fully clothed.

Turning, I yank my pillow from under the covers and stuff it behind my head.

I think about my evening with Gabby and how I felt more myself than I’ve felt since ever meeting Shelby.

Fuck, that’s not even it. Tonight, I felt like the man I always wanted to be—a man worthy of a father, a family, and a good woman.

I was riding that wave high before my talk with Dragon.

I didn’t really think about where that feeling was coming from.

Didn’t try to pinpoint what exactly made me feel the emotions I was feeling.

Gabby is a friend. I want to help her. That’s all there is to it.

It’s also probably why I felt like I was finally the man I always wanted to be.

I shake my head, pushing all the other thoughts aside.

Apparently, Nicole is also the type of woman to make Dragon watch rom-coms .

They’ve gone to his head. Gabby and I are just friends.

These things I’m feeling have nothing to do with an interest in her beyond that.

I’m not looking to be the man who guides her out of anything.

We just enjoy spending time together while we sort out our lives. We’re friends. That’s it.

I close my eyes and do my best to ignore the echoing sound of Dragon’s words in my head. Then I dig in deep and try harder to ignore the voice telling me I have it in me to guide her through to the other side and maybe get a chance to taste her sweetness …

Fuck me, how did I let myself get here?