Page 52 of Forgotten Comeback (Parisi Family #5)

Chapter

Fifty-One

Gavin

“Have you handled the situation with Fabio, or do I need to?” I take a seat in the trailer at the construction site, tearing off my hard hat.

“Yeah, I handled it. Do not lash out at anyone connected to the Parisis.” John points at me. “We’ve got a tentative peace at best, so no more rocking the boat.”

“Look, you know I’m down for whatever you and Inferno decide,” I say, sipping my protein shake. “But after all these years of waiting and planning, it seems like we’re taking an L here.”

My eldest brother releases the longest sigh in history. “Inferno’s madder than hell, and I can’t be sure he isn’t plotting to kill me.”

I lift my hands. “Glad I’m not the mastermind of this family. If the war’s back on, you’re gonna have to wait until the championship’s over to get me involved. I’m locked in on my training and my girl, nothing else.”

John examines me. “You’re happy.”

A grin stretches across my face. “Yeah, I’m happy.”

“Good for fucking you,” he drawls.

I tsk. “That didn’t seem genuine.”

“Sorry.” He rubs his eyes with the back of his hands. “I’m catching shit from all directions, and I’m in a mood.”

“You not getting the pipe laid anymore by Enzo? Or were you the one laying the pipe? Sorry, I’ve never been down with the bro on bro stuff; I don’t know how that works.”

“Gavin, shut the fuck up,” he snaps.

“Well, excuse the hell out of me,” I snap right back. “I didn’t even know you were into dudes.”

“I’m not into dudes,” he mutters. “Shit got complicated, alright?”

“Alright by me. But I can’t speak for Inferno,” I warn him, headed toward the door.

“Are you disappointed in me?” John asks quietly, and I pause.

“The real question is, are you disappointed in yourself?” I counter. “Only you can answer that one.”

“When did you become all philosophical?” He eyes me.

“My girl’s real smart,” I say with a shrug. “Picked it up osmosis style.”

“Figured it was more doggy style,” he jokes.

All the playfulness vanishes, my eyes going hard. “Do not fucking disrespect what I have with Taylor again.”

He holds up his hands in surrender. “My apologies.”

“You wanna know why I snapped and killed Gus and his crew all those years ago?” I say hotly, my temper balancing on a knife’s edge.

“I’ve always wondered, but figured you either didn’t want to tell or didn’t remember why.”

“Oh, I remember. Sometimes I wish I could forget,” I mutter. “Gus killed his wife in front of me, that much is true. But what I didn’t tell you is that his wife was fucking me at the time when her skull was blown off.”

“Jesus, Gavin,” John says softly.

“It started when I was thirteen.” A stack of files is on a cabinet, and in a rage, I swipe them with my arm, the papers flying.

“Nobody wondered why I couldn’t hold down a steady girl?

” I grab a lamp, flinging it against the wall, the pieces now in shards.

“That’s what fucked me in the head the most; not killing those men, but being groomed by a grown ass adult who made me think it was love! ”

John crosses the room, wrapping me in a bear hug.

“I’m sorry,” he says, and only then do I realize I’m crying.

“We were all trying to survive that shitty childhood, but that’s no excuse.

I should’ve asked more questions. Gone with you to train.

Been a better brother. You were always so damn tough, it never crossed my mind you’d need protecting. But you did, and I failed you.”

“You didn’t fail me,” I whisper, not trusting my voice to speak. “I’m alive because of you.”

“And I’ve kept us all alive, stuck in a hellish limbo,” he says bitterly. “And for fucking what?”

“That’s another question that only you can answer,” I tell him.

He playfully ruffles my hair, releasing me. “We good?”

“As gold.” I lift my shirt by the neckline, disappearing inside the little tent before I wipe my face and let the fabric drop.

“You’re working Inferno’s party tonight?”

“Yeah.” I roll my neck, shaking it off.

“Feel him out and see—”

“If he’s gonna commit twinicide? Nah, I’m not getting in the middle of whatever beef you two have.”

I exit the trailer and slide behind the wheel of my loaner work truck, feeling unsettled as hell. And unlike my destroyed car, this is not the vehicle to let loose on the accelerator.

I find myself driving to the boardwalk, where I park and buy a ticket.

It’s time to face one of my demons.

“Front row,” I tell the kid.

“You’re literally the only person in line, so sure,” he says in a bored tone, ushering me to the seat.

The joke of a restraint is situated over my lap, and the coaster climbs to the top.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” With Taylor not here to impress, I scream like a little bitch until the ride comes to a jarring stop.

That settles it: definitely her thing, and not mine.

And now, to the only place that settles me.

Returning to Taylor’s place, I use my key and walk upstairs to find her deep in conversation with her cactus.

“Fine, you have a point, but…” She notices me, trailing off with a sheepish look.

I wrap my arms around her, burying my face in her hair and inhaling the comforting smell of cinnamon.

“What’s wrong?” Taylor looks up at me, cradling my face in her hands. Of course her sharp jade eyes miss nothing.

“I’m not in the right headspace to share you tonight,” I tell her honestly. Man or woman, I’m afraid of what I might do.

“Hey, it’s alright. You don’t ever have to share me. We can keep that one in the fantasy vault.” She wraps her arms around my neck, burrowing her face into my chest.

“What was your fantasy?” My hands fall to her curvy hips, fitting there perfectly. Why I thought Taylor wasn’t my type, fuck if I know. This woman was made for me.

That’s when two realizations hit me like a perfectly placed upper cut.

I love Taylor.

And she’ll freak the fuck out if I say it before she’s ready.

I’ve been down bad for this woman for a while now, and I can give her time to catch up. Because damned if I’m falling off this cliff alone.

“What do you mean?” She eyes me curiously.

Gripping her by the bun, I jerk her face inches from mine. “The sex dream you had about me.”

Taylor’s cheeks heat as she teases her bottom lip. “Don’t judge me, alright? But I dreamed I went into Ace’s locker room, and you were in there naked…”

“Don’t leave me hanging.” I groan, my dick equally outraged.

“And you were taunting me, and I was wearing my strap on, and I was about to fuck you with it, and that’s when I woke up,” she says in a rush.

“O-kay,” I drawl, taking that in with wide eyes. “Not gonna lie, my dick’s confused, and my asshole’s a little scared.”

She giggles. “Gavin, it was just a dream. We can leave that one in the fantasy vault with the sharing.”

“But that dream turned you on?” I watch her like a hawk.

“I orgasmed with the shower spray held to my clit thinking about it,” she whispers.

My head falls back on a groan. “We’ve gotta go.” Before I nut all over myself. “Is this what you’re wearing?” My hands run along the tight red material covering her luscious ass, the same dress that drove me wild at fight night.

“You like?”

Odds are that I will nut on myself this evening.

“Like? Baby, you’re sexy as hell,” I tell her instead, giving her ass a squeeze of appreciation. “Bye, Bonnie,” I call to the cactus. “We’ll be out late. Don’t answer the door.”

Taylor pauses.

“What?” I ask.

She grabs me by my shirt, pulling my mouth to hers and kissing the fuck out of me.