Page 45 of The Valiant Knight (The Ravensmire Chronicles #2)

The last thing he wanted was Gabby running. He just got her, and she wasn’t leaving him.

“That’s my girlfriend, Gabriella,” he said. “Now, if you don’t mind, we’re having breakfast. You should go so you’re not touching me or my coffee.”

At that use of words, she stared at her. Her green eyes narrowed, and Gabby saw it coming.

She was going to be a bitch.

Bet.

On.

It.

“Oh, you couldn’t find a pretty one after me to keep you busy? Well, it’s a good thing I’m back. Let’s go home, Finny, and make up.”

When she reached for his coffee, again, Finn grabbed her arm to stop her.

“You won’t speak to her like that,” he ordered.

She laughed.

“Oh, Finny, you’re funny. Stop being angry. Let’s go have sex and lose her. She’s a bit too plump for you.”

That was the last thing he wanted said, and he saw red. Finn was rarely prone to temper, but Rosie had gone too far. Gabby was perfect.

She had curves and her body was all he thought about.

To get some space, he shoved her out of the booth, and wanted to do something irrational.

Rosie landed on her ass, gasped, and got up. Then, she slapped him.

EVERYONE stared.

As Catherine tried to get up, she couldn't. She was beaten to the punch.

Gabby was up, she grabbed the woman’s hand, spun her, and slammed her head onto the table as she bent her arm behind her back, making her yelp.

“Listen up, you twiggy-ass cuntwaffle,” she said, finding her inner Elizabeth to protect her man.

“The next time you put your hands on him, it better be to thank him for stopping me from beating your ass. Because if I ever see you slap my man again, I’m going to rip off your hands, shove them up your ass so you clap when you fart! ”

She fought to get up.

Rosie was calling her all kinds of names, and she didn’t care.

But she did want to shut her up.

Turning her head, she saw the waitress behind the counter staring in horror, and she had an idea.

“Scone,” she said, and the waitress tossed her one.

After catching it, Gabby shoved it in Rosie’s mouth, and pulled her up. She walked her to the door of the restaurant, kicked the door open, and shoved her out onto her ass.

Rosie landed on the cobblestone pavement with a gasp.

“Next time, you Irish nightmare, it’s my goddamn boot. No one touches my man, and I’ll show you why Americans have the reputation we have when it comes to violence!”

She pulled the restaurant door closed, brushed the scone crumbs off of her hands, and headed back to the table.

As she did, EVERYONE clapped. This morning was breakfast and a show, apparently.

As she sat down, she looked over at the waitress.

“I’ll pay for the scone.”

When she focused on the two siblings, they were both staring at her. At first, she was sure she angered Finn, but then, the funniest thing happened.

Catherine turned her head and kissed her squarely on the mouth. When she broke the kiss, she hugged her.

This woman was perfect for her brother, and more so, perfect to be her new sister.

“Welcome to the family,” she said, grinning at her brother. “He’s going to fuck you stupid later. That was the hottest thing he’s ever seen. He won’t even need the girly mags.”

Gabby tucked her badge away, and food was put on the table.

“Sorry about that spectacle,” she said. “But hands are not for hitting,” she admitted, reaching across the table to touch his red cheek.

He smiled at her.

Then, he knew when the right time was.

It.

Was.

Now.

Getting up, he pulled Gabby to her feet, and went to his knee.

She stared in surprise.

“I don’t have a ring yet, but I will. Marry me, Gabriella, and be my wife. I want to live with you every day. You’re wild, unpredictable, and the woman I’ve been waiting for all of my life.”

Catherine picked up a napkin and wiped her eyes as she had a front row seat to her baby brother finally getting what he deserved.

LOVE.

“Make me the happiest man in the whole world. Say you’ll be my bride.”

She pulled him up, and then went into his body. Gabby found his mouth, and kissed him.

He picked her up and spun her around.

Everyone in there clapped again, but this time because the detective got his girl.

When he broke the kiss, he stared into her eyes.

“She’s right. I’m going to fuck you silly. Consider that your warning. I’ve never seen anything hotter in my life than my girl going off on my ex.”

She snorted.

“Well, who can I manhandle next for being mean to my man?”

Without even hesitating, he pointed at his sister.

Immediately, Catherine laughed.

“I can’t wait to tell mum. She’s going to piss herself. She’s been wanting to beat Rosie to a pulp, and then go to church to pray about it.”

They sat, but this time, he put Gabby beside him, so they could be next to each other.

Gabby warned Catherine.

“If you get up fast, and start running, I’ll assume she’s back. I’ve got your back if you get to that Irish trollop before me.”

Catherine clinked her coffee cup off of hers.

“Without a doubt, Gabs. Without a doubt. This is a good day for our family. We found our other sister.”

And just like that, Gabby had her family.

Finn was grateful for so many things in his life, but his siblings and his woman were at the top of his list.

He couldn’t wait to have a family with her. Their kids were going to be fun.

They began eating, and Catherine was so tickled pink that her baby brother found this woman. She was NOTHING like his ex.

That was for damn sure.

“Where were we?” Catherine asked. “Oh, yeah, my brother and his jerking off.”

Finn laughed.

“Here we go. How about you get it out of the gutter where you live?” he asked. “She’s a bonny lass who has virgin ears.”

Catherine laughed.

“And I quote, ‘Listen up you twiggy-ass cuntwaffle’,” she said, laughing even more. “I’m stealing that. We need to be more American now. This is going to be fun. Won’t mum be amused?”

Oh, likely.

Gabby knew what they were actually talking about.

“We were discussing my job,” she said. “Anyway, I hack. I’m legit a Doctor of Forensic Computer Science. I was married once, and I’m here working. I met your brother, and I fell in love.”

At her words, she was curious.

“You were married?” she asked, looking at Finn.

He knew why.

His very Catholic mother.

They didn’t believe in divorce, because a bunch of old men said it was wrong at the church.

Already, he knew where this was heading.

“Don’t,” he warned.

Gabby didn’t know what they were talking about. Was she not supposed to mention it?

“Why is that a problem?”

Catherine explained.

“Not for us, but our mother is an old-fashioned Catholic. The Catholics and divorce…”

She got it.

Finn saw the look on her face, and that doubt coming back, so he stopped it.

“No. I don’t give two shits. You can tell mum that her ex abused the fuck out of her, and she did the right thing. She’s going to be my wife, and I don’t care what a church says.”

Catherine put her hand over Gabby’s.

“I’m sorry he hurt you.”

She shrugged.

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” she stated. “I’m very strong.”

That told Catherine all she needed to know. This woman had been through it. Well, for her wee brother, his sisters would go to bat.

“You have nothing to worry about. I promise,” Catherine said. “I’m sorry I put that worry in your head. We’re standing with Finn on this. He’s always had our backs, and I’ll talk to our mother. I have an early day at work, and I’ll go sit her down and do the deed.”

“Thank you,” Gabby said. “I love him. I really do.”

She sipped her coffee.

“So, how long have you been here working?” she asked.

Then, Gabby told her.

“Two and a half days.”

She began choking on her coffee, and Gabby had to get up and pound her on the back.

“Two and a half days?” she asked, staring at her brother. “You’re a whore,” she said to him.

He laughed.

“I mean, look at her. She’s gorgeous. I’m not stupid, Catty. I’m having cute babies with this woman. I plan on chasing my wife around when I’m an old man too.”

Catherine grinned.

Yeah, they would be cute babies.

There was no doubt there.

When Catherine looked at her watch, she pushed her plate away.

“I have to get back. You know. Work,” she said, going to take money out.

“I’m buying,” Gabby said. “I invited everyone on this date.”

She kissed her on the forehead.

“See you later, girly,” she said, “when I get the family rallied.”

Then, she was gone.

Gabby went to the other side, and smiled at him.

“Well, you soothed the savage sister. Good work on that one.”

She shrugged.

“I’m not letting anyone put their hands on my man,” she said. “She can call me fat, ugly, stupid, but I’ll draw the line at someone hurting you.”

“I would have hit her if I wanted to lose my job,” he said. “I was close.”

Oh, she could tell.

The shove that took her to her ass proved it.

When the waitress came over, she put another scone on the table.

And Gabby was confused.

“I didn’t order one.”

The waitress smiled.

“That’s for the road in case you see her out there. Thanks for handling her. She’s a nightmare. We used to hate seeing her come in here.”

Gabby grinned.

“I like it here. I think I’m going to make this village my home.”

He snorted.

“Like you had a choice. You said you’d marry me. You’re stuck in this place with me.”

Then, he realized how that sounded.

Overbearing.

She’d had plenty of that in her life, so he tried to soften it up a bit.

“If you can’t make it here, I’ll go with you back to the US. I’ll follow you.”

She held his hand.

“I can make it here. I just made a new friend,” she said, meaning his sister.

“Come on. Let’s go to the church. I hope I don’t burst into flames,” he admitted.

Gabby put money on the table, only to have him pick it up, hand it back, and pay himself.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “I’m old-fashioned. You handled my ex. I’m paying for the scones.”

She laughed.

“Okay, Finn. But why are you going to burst into flames?” she asked.

Oh, that was easy.

He wanted her naked in bed.

Because of what he was thinking in his head…

It was all about wanting to make her cum.