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Gage grimaced

“Another one,” Darian said, “will probably have to have his jaired shut, and the third one ran off before I could get my hands on him”

“Jesus, man, they must have pissed you off”

Darian relaxed back against his chair and looked at Gage “I’ve never been madder in my life If you had seen it, you probably would have killed them”

Gage nodded “Most likely I can’t stand to see a wohest part of the city and had to learn to fight hard to survive, so he knew many ways to hurt a person with his bare hands

He grew furious when a person hurt a wo like ot that belief fro his own mother beaten and abused by his father

It had stopped the day his father pushed her down the steps in front of Gage He was a big kid but didn’t have the ave hith to beat his father so severely The man ran from the house with several broken bones and wounds He and his ain

“You and me, both,” Darian replied “She was drunk, so I took her ho, but I quickly found her, and she’s been with me ever since”

“How long has it been?” Gage asked him

“Three months”

“You love her,” Gage commented He didn’t have to ask from the look on his friend’s face

“Very much”

“You’re a lucky bastard,” he coe’s head jerked toward the office door behind hi beautiful woman ran in

“Daddy, you’ll never guess what happ—”

Larkin stopped short when she saw him Tears filled her eyes when she looked back at Darian “I’m sorry I didn’t know anyone was here…”

Darian sently “Come here, baby,” he said and held out a hand to her

Larkin went to him and let him pull her into his lap She put her arainst his neck “Please don’t be mad at me”

Gage could just make out her words

Darian kissed the top of her head and tightened his arms around her “I’m not mad, baby”

Larkin sniffed and looked up at him “Really?”

Darian used his thumb to wipe the tears froood friend of e”

Larkin peeked at him from the corner of her eyes “He looks mean,” she whispered in Darian’s ear”

Gage grinned and coughed to hide his chuckle