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While they fooled around in the bedroom with him tying her up and different positions, the spanking was something totally different. She wasn’t proud of how she’d reacted. Dani exhaled. They probably could’ve worked things out if Gabriel had listened to her when she tried to explain.
That was part of the problem. Gabriel didn’t always listen.
Dani pulled into her parking spot at her apartment. Life went on, and she would cope with Gabriel being in the club. The issue was: Could Gabriel?
Chapter 2
Gabriel’s frustration spilled over by the end of the following week. He tried to get in contact with Dani, but she was dodging his calls. He tried to talk to Allyson and Zeke about Dani, but those two were close-mouthed, and it was driving him crazy.
It shouldn’t be, but it was. He and Dani parted on bad terms. He only wanted to talk to her. Zeke had taken Gabriel aside and told him, with Dani being Allyson’s best friend, there was no way Allyson would betray Dani’s confidences. Gabriel understood, but he also wanted to know what was going on with Dani, to know she was all right.
Maybe a visit to her grandparents’ house would help. He’d have to make it a surprise one. He’d visited them quite often when Dani was in San Francisco. Even after she came home, he visited. Interesting how he never ran into her. He’d seen little things that told him she was there: a sweater on a chair, hair ties, and a pair of shoes too small for anyone else. When the items disappeared, he’d assumed Dani had gone back to San Francisco. Her grandparents’ house was definitely the place to start. Decision made, he got into his vehicle.
Gabriel pulled up outside the small house and noted the faded, dark gray paint. He’d have to mention it to Zeke. Zeke could get the paint, and Gabriel would talk with a couple of the construction guys. Between three or four of them, they could have the house primed and painted in two days.
Gabriel rapped his knuckles on the wooden door and waited. It took a couple of minutes before Maggie’s smiling face came into view. “Gabriel, this is such a nice surprise.” Maggie let go of the door and pulled Gabriel in for a hug.
“It’s always good to see you, too, Maggie.” She smelled of lavender and fresh bread, something he would always associate with her. Gabriel didn’t remember his grandparents at all even though his mother insisted her parents visited him. He shook away the thoughts of his dysfunctional family.
“Come on in. Would you like some iced tea?”
“I don’t want to put you to any trouble.” Gabriel shut the door behind him, noting how Maggie shuffled her feet more than normal. He’d have to ask Dani about that if she’d talk to him. Maggie and Bert were getting up in age, and he worried they might need more help than they let Dani know.
“No trouble at all, dear. Bert is in the front room. Go join him, and I’ll be there shortly.” Maggie walked away, and Gabriel made his way to the front room. Bert looked up as he walked in.
“Gabriel.”
“Hey, Bert.” Gabriel waved his hands when Bert tried to stand. After Bert’s heart attack a year ago, even though he’d recovered, he still tired easily, and Gabriel didn’t want him straining himself. Gabriel took the chair across from Bert.
Within a few minutes, Maggie carried a tray in. Gabriel jumped up and took the tray from her, setting it on the coffee table. “Tea and some cookies,” Maggie said as she put a glass in front of her husband and one in front of Gabriel.
“So, what brings you here today?” Bert asked.
“It’s been a while since I saw the two of you, so I thought I’d drop by and check in. Do you need anything?” Gabriel took a sip of his tea and barely hid a grimace at the sweetness. Maggie was a little heavy-handed with the sugar.
“That’s so sweet of you,” Maggie said from her position next to her husband. “We’re doing just fine.”
“Wonderful.” Gabriel glanced around the room, noting the new curtains that allowed more light into the room. “Is Dani around?”
Bert let out a gruff. “I told you Dani’s mood was because of Gabriel.”
“Really?” Maggie scolded him. “When did you find out she was back?”
“I knew she’d come home when Bert was in the hospital, but I thought she’d gone back to San Francisco. A little over a month ago, I saw her at the bookstore.” He was on good speaking terms with both of them, so it was a puzzle to him why they stayed silent. Well, maybe not. They were protecting the little girl they’d raised since she was orphaned at age eight.
Maggie’s cheeks turned pink. “Dani asked us not to tell you. I don’t know what happened between you two in college. She would never talk about it. We were respecting her wishes.”
Gabriel tilted his head. “I wouldn’t expect you to do anything else.” He was being truthful. He didn’t blame them for keeping Dani’s secret. They were going to keep their granddaughter safe, even from him.
“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Bert said. “Dani’s been living on her own for several months now.”
Gabriel sat back in the chair. That was news to him. He was sure Zeke and Allyson knew, but neither had mentioned it to him. “I didn’t realize that.”
“We told her it was okay. I was lucky my heart attack wasn’t worse than it was,” Bert said. “Plus, I’m up a lot at night.”
“Are you not sleeping?” That wasn’t good.
Bert waved his hand. “Nothing to worry about. I got up for years at five in the morning, and it’s a hard habit to break.”
