Page 54 of The Valiant Knight (The Ravensmire Chronicles #2)

Fiona moved toward her.

Gabby just stood there. When the woman took her face in her hands, she stared into her eyes.

“You’re beautiful, and my son picked a bonnie lass, for sure,” she said, hugging her.

Tears filled Gabby’s eyes.

“Thank you for that.”

Fiona patted her on the back.

“How many kids are you giving me? I have twenty-one grandbabies. I need more.”

Finn laughed.

“Mum! Stop being greedy. It’s not a competition.”

The woman laughed and held out her hand. As soon as she did, her husband came toward her. He was a little older than Fiona.

“This is my Malcom. He’s responsible for this brood,” she said.

Gabby hugged him, and he smelled like pipe tobacco and peppermints. It was a very comforting smell.

“Lass, it’s our pleasure to meet you. Our Catty says you’re smart and feisty. That’s the only woman who could manage my boy.”

Finn snorted.

“Yeah, I’m the trouble in this family,” he said, hugging his sister Maisie. “I’ve got bad news for you, Dad. It’s the girls.”

He laughed because his son wasn’t wrong.

“We would have brought the menfolk, but they were working. We didn’t want to scare you away.”

Gabby smiled.

“I’m not easily scared. I promise. I’m pretty sturdy when I feel safe.”

Finn crossed to her and tucked his woman under his arm to reassure her. Meeting his family was sometimes rough. They were…

Loud.

Bossy.

And opinionated.

“Menfolk,” Fiona said, “go talk. We want to talk to Gabriella here. Disappear.”

Finn looked at her.

“Will you be okay?” he asked.

She reassured him.

“Yes, Fineas. I’ll be fine. I think I can take them,” she joked, as all of the sisters started talking about Rosie, and what Catherine had told them.

Fiona took her son’s arm, and led him away to get him away from the girl.

Just for a bit.

When she got him into the other room with Malcom, she stared into his eyes.

“Are you sure about an American?” she asked. “Because we want you to pick someone who will last. Speed isn’t always best.”

He knew she was going to lecture him.

If she didn’t what kind of mother would she be?

Fiona would never change, and he was grateful that she was looking out for him.

“I’m sure,” he admitted.

When he pulled out the ring, his mother had tears in her eyes.

“I’m happy for ya, Fineas. You have made us proud. She’s a beautiful woman, and we trust your judgment. Now. Not with that last one.”

Oh, someone didn’t like Rosie.

No shock there.

“We heard from Catherine what your girl did to your ex. That alone makes me like her. She has balls. You need a tough woman.”

That he did.

He needed one that would stick around and fight for them.

“Look, Mum!” he said, and when she did, he got around her and back into the kitchen with Gabby.

Fiona laughed.

“Oh, he’s trouble,” she said, as her husband tucked her under his arm.

“He is, but he’s so happy. I like this one. I think we’re going to have more grandbabies.”

And that made her happy.

In the kitchen, Gabby was holding her own. Her badge was out, and the sisters were passing it around as they rapidly fired questions at her.

“Do you carry a gun?” Elsie asked.

So, Gabby answered.

“I do.”

The next sister went.

“That woman on the news all of the time, the one who is married to all those men…”

She knew who she meant.

“Elizabeth?” she asked.

Elsie nodded.

“Is she mean? She’s never smiling at the media. I saw her at a book signing for Jackson James. I was waiting in line to get him to sign my book, and she was watching everyone.”

Gabby laughed.

“A lot of women try to poach her man. She’s actually incredibly nice, and kind. She’s letting me work remotely instead of quitting my job.”

They kept going.

They were all so curious about the woman who was marrying their brother, and her co-workers.

“Do you know Jackson James?” Maisie asked.

Oh, well, she got this one a lot.

“We don’t call him that, but yeah, I know him. He’s a really sweet guy.”

Maisie fanned herself. He was dreamy, and she loved his books. It was all that hair.

“I told my husband, that there is only one man I’d run him over to get to, and it’s him.”

She was amused.

A lot of women felt that way, and then, they ran into Elizabeth, and that didn’t end well for them.

“Well, then, refer to the last question about his wife. She’s really good with a gun and her fist.”

That was all she had to say.

Maisie giggled.

“If I gave you my copies of his books, when you go home to pack, could you get them signed for me?” she asked, hopefully. “I’d kill just to have him sign them. I couldn’t imagine talking to him.”

Oh, well, she could surprise the woman.

Pulling out her phone, she texted Callen. When she did, she got an answer right back.

“What are ya doing, Lass?” Maisie asked.

When her phone rang, she saw it was Director Whitefox, and she answered the video call.

“Hey!” she said.

When he got her text, Callen wanted to be friendly and nice, since they were going to be visiting the castle and town. They’d need to assimilate.

Why not start now?

“Turn me around, Gabby, and point me at the fan,” he said, knowing that this woman was trying to cement herself into a new family, so he’d help her out.

When she did, they could see him.

“Now, which one of these beautiful women is the fair Maisie?” he asked.

The woman stared wide-eyed and shocked as shit that Gabby could just call the man on a whim.

He pointed at Fiona.

“It has to be her. So lovely and like the fields in Scotland.”

Fiona fanned herself and blushed as Malcom sputtered from where he was standing.

That amused Finn to no end. It also made him love Gabby even more that she’d share this with his family.

“Oh, my,” Fiona said.

From where he stood, Finn laughed when his father went and corralled his mother with his arm—all the while staring down the American.

Somehow, Maisie managed to raise her hand. When she did, Callen smiled.

“I’ll be in Scotland for a book signing, Maisie, if you and Gabby would like to join me for lunch, it would be an honor for me to take you out to grab a bite.”

They all gasped.

Maisie nodded.

“Yes, Mr. James!”

He gave her the Blackhawk grin, and couldn’t help himself.

“You can call me Jackson.”

Maisie began bouncing in glee that she was going to meet him.

Gabby knew that they had to be busy, and Callen was working on some things that were going on in the family, so she cut the call short.

When Gabby turned the phone around, she was ever so grateful.

“Thank you, Callen. She’s really your biggest fan, and I’ll take you up on that lunch offer. It’ll be good to see you again.”

Oh, he didn’t mind.

He did it for a few reasons, but mostly because when they had the pedophile selling pictures of children, and his brother’s new child was in them, Gabby deleted them to protect Willa.

She had their backs, and now, they’d have hers. Elizabeth had told him how she’d fallen for a cop there, and was not coming home to live in the States anymore.

Their hacker bird was flying the nest, and he was happy for her.

The cost of making her life easier was nothing. It took very little for him to call and have lunch with a fan and Gabby while he was there.

Plus, he enjoyed talking to the woman. She was smart and funny.

“Gabs, Honey, we’re going to miss seeing that face. You’d better call Elizabeth on occasion. She’s going to miss you so much.”

She had tears in her eyes.

“I will, Callen. Thank you for everything. I’ll see you guys when I come back to pack.”

“I tell you what. I’ll have my jet bring you back to Scotland after you’re done packing. I know you’re coming to close everything down, but now, you can get your things to the jet, and transport them that way. I’ll have Graham help you when you land.”

She appreciated that.

“Thanks, Callen.”

He blew her a kiss.

“Anytime, Honey. Keep in touch, and call me anytime you need anything. Love you, Sunshine.”

Then, he killed the call.

When she put her phone down, Maisie jumped on her, and kissed her right on the mouth.

“You’re amazing!” she said. “I can’t believe I’m going to meet him!”

Gabby laughed.

“It’s my pleasure, but your brother is looking at you like you’re kissing his woman.”

Maisie giggled.

When she set her free, Finn just sighed. He knew the can of worms she opened.

“Now, she’ll want to be around you all of the time. Next, she’s asking to go to a movie premiere.”

Gabby shrugged.

“I mean, we get invited, so if she’d like to go, I don’t mind her being my date.”

Finn laughed.

Why?

His sister looked like she was about to pass out then and there. In fact, Fiona was fanning her with a small wooden cutting board.

When he went to say something, Catherine was staring out the window, and she interrupted him.

“Uh, heads-up, Finn. Typhoon Rosie is about to roll into the port.”

Oh, no.

“I’ll take care of it,” Finn said, but Gabby wasn’t having it.

That was not happening on her watch.

PASS.

“No, Fineas,” she said, touching his arm. “I must not have made myself clear when I said she needed to avoid you at all costs. Now, we’re in the find out portion of the day because she’s already fucked around.”

She glanced over at Fiona.

“Excuse my language, ma’am, but that woman is ridiculous,” she said, as the woman began banging on the door like a lunatic and calling Finn’s name.

Oh, there was no harm done. Fiona would love a word with Rosie after what she’d done to her son.

When Fiona went to help her, Catherine took her arm.

“She’s got this Mum. Watch and enjoy the show. Rosie is about to get her ass handed to her. Finally.”

When she opened the door, Rosie almost fell inside at her feet. When she saw it was Gabby, she glared at her.

“If you put your hands on me, I’m calling the Polis,” Rosie said. “You Americans think you can come to any country and do whatever you want!”

Gabby said nothing.

It was ironic since Rosie had come from Ireland and she believed she could do whatever she wanted too.

She wasn’t worried, but Finn clearly was.

Rosie’s body language said it all. Finn knew how Rosie could go from zero to insanity in three seconds, so he hoped his woman was ready.

“He’s my man, and you’re nothing but a rebound lay!” she stated. “You’ll get bored with him like I did, and you’ll dump his ass. He’ll come running back to me.”

She laughed, and it wasn’t a good sounding one either. It was sardonic, and a little angry.

All of Finn’s sisters were staring out the kitchen window to watch the showdown happen.

This was going to get interesting.

Gabby might be afraid of men, but she wasn’t afraid of women.

Not.

At.

All.

If it came down for fighting for Finn, she’d do it because he was a treasure. This woman’s loss was Gabby’s gain.

Stepping down, Gabby watched the woman step back to put space between them.

That’s when she told the woman off.

“What part of get the fuck away from my man didn’t you understand, you trollop?” she asked.

Rosie stood her ground.

“Where is he?”

When she went to push past her, Gabby shoved her back, so she wasn’t getting access to the house.

Not on her watch.

What Rosie didn’t think about was the fact that despite being a computer nerd, Gabby had to pass the same training as the field agents. She could handle a gun, and she could defend herself.

This woman was pushing her luck.

For Finn, she tried to de-escalate this so Rosie didn’t end up in the hospital, and she wasn’t arrested.

She pointed at the woman’s suitcases not far away, and the cat carrier.

“Get your things, and go home. You’re not welcome here, and I’m about to get very angry. No one likes me when I’m angry, Rosie.”

The woman wouldn’t back down.

“I’m not afraid of you,” she said.

Gabby shouted over her shoulder.

“Anyone have a scone? Or something bigger that I can shove into her piehole?”

When Rosie charged at her, Finn gasped, thinking his fiancée was going to get hurt. Instead, she sidestepped, caught her around the neck with her arm, and locked her down.

In a chokehold.

That’s when Gabby warned her one last time.

“Now, this is going one of two ways. You’re passing out when I apply pressure, or you’re getting your shit and leaving. He’s moved on, and every time you come here, I’m going to be waiting for you. The next time, you’re leaving with your semi-attractive face bleeding. Don’t think I’m playing.”

Rosie got woozy from the headlock.

“I’ll go,” she managed to croak out. “You can have him. It’s not worth my time!”

Gabby released her and shoved her.

That was where she was wrong. Finn was worth all of the time in the world.

“Get your princess pink luggage and get your ass back on a plane to go anywhere but here. I’m moving in and marrying him. If I even smell your knockoff perfume five feet near my husband, I’m going to beat your ass so bad it takes your parents ten years to identify what I leave behind!”

The woman gasped.

Oh, well, she wasn’t done.

Gabby grabbed the cat carrier and went back through the door.

“And screw you for stealing his cat!”

With that, she slammed the door.

Once inside, Fiona and the family began clapping wildly at the show.

Gabby curtsied.

That’s when Finn headed her way, and he kissed her on the mouth. It was a very warm kiss too. When he finally broke it, he stared into her eyes.

“That was incredibly hot. My soon-to-be wife is sexy when she’s annoyed.”

She smiled.

“Thank you. I meant what I said. If I catch her near you, she’s bleeding. I’m not playing nice with that Irish floozy.”

Finn laughed.

Until she handed him the carrier and he looked inside expecting to see his cat.

“Uh, Gabby?”

She paused.

“Yes?”

He gave her the bad news.

“This isn’t my cat.”

At his words, they all broke out in outrageous laughter over the situation.

And his family knew one thing.

Yeah, Finn McKnight had chosen well.

Gabby was going to fit in just fine.