Page 40 of The Bratva King

He snorts. “As if you don’t.”

He’s stopped moving. He knows I’m trying to get him out of Luke’s sight, and he’s decided not to cooperate.

Then he looks past me at Gabby again.

I’m done waiting. I shove him hard and drive my fist into his face. Cartilage crunches beneath my knuckles.

“Never fucking get in a woman’s face again, you piece of shit.”

Then, I turn and calmly walk back to where Gabby and Luke are still standing.

She stares at me with her mouth hanging open. Luke is pressed against her side, his blanket clutched to his chest, watching me with his calm blue eyes. He looks less frightened than his mother.

“You can’t do that,” she says.

“It’s done.”

“I’m calling the cops!” The landlord shouts behind me.

Gabby’s eyes widen. I look over my shoulder to make sure he isn’t pointing a gun at me. He isn’t. Blood is smeared across his face and dripping onto his distended belly.

“You hit him!”

“Just once.”

I roll my left sleeve down first, ignoring the smear of red across my right knuckles.

“You can’t do that,” she gasps.

“I already did.”

“Why?”

“He was yelling at you and standing way too close.”

She shakes her head.

Luke looks up at her, reading her. I do that, too. I read people. I used to think everyone saw them the way I did. I was probably a teenager when I realized they didn’t. Mom called it a superpower.

I wonder if Luke knows he has a superpower.

She drags a hand over her face. “You shouldn’t have done that.” She’s quieter now. “I don’t need you to fix it.”

“I haven’t fixed anything.”

The landlord is still shouting. He’s probably calling the police. I don’t care. Most of them know who I am, and when they see this place, they’ll understand.

“You shouldn’t be living in a place like this,” I say. “Neither should Luke.”

Her eyes flash. “Don’t you dare judge me.”

“I’m not judging you.”

“Not all of us can afford a penthouse. It was a roof over our heads. And now, because of you, I’ll never get another place. No one will rent to me. I have no credit, no references, and no money. Thank you for saving me. Great job.”

Her chin comes up. Her eyes are bright and glassy, and for a second, I think she might cry. But she doesn’t. She won’t. I’ve seen the fight in her. She isn’t unbreakable. No one is. But she’s damn close.

I look at Luke. He isn’t afraid of me. That feels strange. And yet, right.