promise.”
“All right.” Dacia ran over to where Malinal played on the old discarded sofa, and dragged the younger girl back by the hand.
Gaby noticed how alike the two sisters looked, just as she noticed how Dacia had set herself up as protector, nurturer, and provider. “Do you need to gather any belongings?”
Dacia hung her head. “We have little of value, a change of clothes, and Mali’s doll . . . ”
Damn. “We’ll get everything. Don’t worry.” Keeping the phone to her ear, Gaby put a hand on Dacia’s shoulder, offered Malinal a smile, and finally Bliss answered.
“Hello?”
Gaby wasted no time. “I’ve got a great surprise for you, Bliss. Are you at the apartment?”
“Gaby? Yes, I’m here, but what—”
“I’ll be over in twenty minutes. If you can, have a nice hot meal ready.” She looked at the girls, and added, “Enough for three more.”
And she hung up before her friend could ask any questions.
Through the sparkling glass in the front window of his shop, Fabian took in the dramatic tableau with great merriment. This altered everything in a monumental way. Already he’d adjusted his objective for the special girl, Gaby.
Heady excitement kept him glued to the spot as he continued to watch her. For such a kick-ass, butch bitch, she feigned great maternal instincts, hustling the little girls away from the area and from any intended harm.
Whit had to be furious, and with good reason. Gaby had backed him down with nothing more than her reputation, loads of attitude, and one punch.
An amazing girl. A girl unlike any other.
Knowing Whit’s seething temper, he’d be happy to assist Fabian in what needed to be done.
But not yet.
For now, Fabian just wanted to keep the heady discoveries all to himself.
He savored the telling realizations.
Gaby had a weakness, a wonderful, delectable, easily corrupted weakness. The dirty little urchins she sought to guard were already on his radar. He would have that youngest girl. Oh yes, he would. But he’d also have Gaby and that would prove even more luscious.
Pulling himself away from the window, Fabian left the main room and sequestered himself in his office to wallow more privately in his glee.
He recognized the little savage now. Yes he did. It hadn’t struck him until Gaby looked at the child with her steely barriers down. Her softness exposed new dimensions to her personality, and Fabian saw what he hadn’t seen before. The resemblance, the similarity in facial traits.
Gaby looked just like her mother.
Unable to contain himself, Fabian put his hands over his mouth and squealed like a schoolboy. It was too perfect, too delicious for words.
Putting his head back, he hugged himself to contain his mirth.
The only true nemesis he’d ever encountered, the only person who even came close to matching his intelligence, cunning, and courage, was an exact replica of the whore he’d used and left twenty some years ago. The timing coincided with Gaby’s age.
And given those eyes of hers, light blue and piercing, well, it was plain to him.
It made sense. Gaby was like him in so many ways; among inferior society, they had preeminent significance. They each stood out, in every way.
There would be some conflicts. Two great minds were bound to clash on occasion. But he could work that out with her. He was Gaby’s senior near about thirty years. He had more experience.
She was wise enough to bow to him, to heed his excellence.
Fabian couldn’t wait to tell her. Thinking of that auspicious moment, he laughed again, and even he knew it sounded maniacal.
And why not? He’d just found a way to outdo his own wicked taboo of eating a child: he would share the meal with his daughter.
And if Gaby proved squeamish, if she disappointed him by being too weak, too narrow-minded to join him, well then, he would do what was necessary.
He would shatter every social doctrine of morality—by dining on his own flesh and blood.
Bliss finished mashing potatoes just as Gaby got to the top of the steps. So industrious in preparing her meal, she hadn’t yet heard them. She wore an apron over her jeans and had tied up her brown hair.
Pork chops sizzled on the stove, and green beans boiled in a pot. Warm steam and the aroma of food filled the kitchen. Gaby sniffed the air, and heard Dacia’s stomach rumble.
No reason to keep the girls waiting. They had to be hungry. And tired. And still very unnerved by the changes about to take place.
After Gaby dropped their paltry belongings in the foyer of the apartment building, Mali hung back. All timid and uncertain, she stayed behind Gaby’s legs. At times Gaby felt the little girl’s head on her butt. No matter how she tried to move, Malinal managed to stay tucked back behind her.
Dacia, on the other hand, came to stand at her side, proud but defensive. She awaited rejection, Gaby knew, and the young girl’s stoicism shredded her heart.
Putting an arm around Dacia and letting Mali nestle in as much as she wanted, Gaby announced them by saying, “Hey, Martha Stewart. Something sure smells good.”
Bliss whirled around with a wide smile, saw the two girls, and went blank-faced. But not for long.
Bliss was no dummy. Whatever misuse had plagued her at home, she kept it to herself and didn’t let it taint her open, giving nature.
Until meeting Gaby, Bliss had long lived on the streets, and because of that, she had innate recognition of one of her own. Add to that her intuitive nature, and she was the perfect person to relate to the girls.
God knew that regardless of Bliss’s past—or maybe because of it—she far exceeded Gaby in mothering qualifications.
Drying her hands on the apron, Bliss came forward with a slight smile. “Good grief, Gaby. When you said three, I thought you meant three big eaters, not small fries.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Gaby told her. “I don’t think these two have had a real meal for a while. They might take even our share.”
Both girls stood there frozen in place. Gaby couldn’t even detect their breathing. But then, Bliss did look something of an angel, with her soft, golden aura floating around her.
Bliss reached out a hand to Dacia. “Hi. I’m Bliss. And you are?”
“Dacia.” She took her hand and quickly released it. “My sister, Malinal, is hiding behind Gaby.”
“Am not,” Malinal said, and stuck her head out just long enough to get a gander of Bliss. She tucked away again.
Bliss grinned in very real delight. “I’m a new cook, so I hope I didn’t muck up anything. Grab a seat and I’ll pour us all some milk. We can get acquainted over the meal.”
“I’m keeping them,” Gaby said.
“Well, of course you are,” Bliss replied, as if it was expected. “You couldn’t do anything else.”
Gaby blinked at her, then scowled. She was not a predictable person. Even Ann had said so.
And she didn’t drag in strays. Except for Bliss, but that was different. Bliss was mostly grown and mostly able to care for herself.
Kids . . . well, kids would need a lot of care. As Bliss said, she couldn’t leave them behind, but it stymied her, trying to think of all that would have to be done on a day-to-day basis.
And Luther . . . What would he say? Would he—
“I’ll help however I can.” Bliss set the food on the table. “And I know Mort will, too. We’ll have to figure out legal stuff. I mean, I know I had to dodge social workers to keep from getting sent back home.”
