AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Love decides she's had enough after that. She says her goodbyes to the gallery owners and we exit quietly.
We're almost to our rental car, when Love gasps. There's a collection of four or five paparazzi standing around, waiting for us.
"That's why they were here," Love whispers.
I toss my arm protectively around her back. It's strategically placed to knock back any of the fuckers that get to close to the baby. I pull her face into my chest with my other hand. When she's walking leaning into me, I splay my hand over the belly. I've dealt with the paparazzi enough to know they can be very pushy. Some of them are good enough people, I suppose… but some of them literally do not give a fuck what they have to do to get the picture they want.
Every instinct in my body is screaming to protect Love and the baby.
"Baby, over here! Did you ditch the musicians?"
"Expanding your ménage into a harem?"
"Are you reconciling with your family?"
"Is the blond your boyfriend?"
"Done pretending to be an omega?"
Riggs growls, shoving the last one back with his forearm on the guy's throat.
"She doesn't need to pretend to be anything, you vile prick," Riggs growls in the guy's face while the others snap pictures.
I unlock the car and carefully help Love inside.
"Come on, man!" I yell for Riggs once I've got Love in the back seat.
Riggs flips off the camera and stomps over to the driver's door. I slide into the back next to Love, pulling her seat belt over her giant belly. Love twists her head, leaning into my shoulder as I buckle her in.
"Don't let them stress you out, darlin'. It's not good for the baby," I say, gently caressing her cheek.
"Thank you," Love says with a nod. "For reminding me what's really important."
That comment combined with the sincere look of trust on her face does me in. I'm completely fucking done for. I tip her forehead to my lips and give her a quick kiss.
Christ. I really wish I could kiss those pouty lips of hers and comfort her on a completely different level of familiarity.
"Well that's going to be all over the gossip sites by morning." Love sighs. She collapsed on the couch after changing out of her dress. "I'm so sorry. I never thought they'd show up, let alone tip off the press."
"Why are you apologizing?" Riggs asks. "I'm pretty sure I'm the one who owes you an apology. I know better than to react." He shakes his head as he stares at the floor. "I'm sorry, McKinley."
We both know better than to respond to the paparazzi, but I can't blame him. That guy was an asshole. He was banking on a reaction and he got one.
Love frowns at Riggs. "Thank you for defending me."
"You're not upset?" he asks, studying her face. "That clip will be all over the news by morning."
"Nah," Love says. "I enjoy anything that'll piss off my asshole father."
"You think it'll piss him off?" I ask. "He seemed happy as hell not to see Dexter or Issac at your side."
"That's true. I'm sure that's why he had the paps show up," Love says. "At least no one ended up in cuffs. I'll call that a successful interaction with my father."
"Seriously?" Riggs asks. "That's happened before?"
"Yeah, definitely."
Love goes on to tell us about how she first met Dexter and Issac. The bastard cut off her car and her phone in a bad area to teach her a lesson.
