Needing Carrie: A Savage Brothers MC Novella(24)

“If dinosaurs attack your house, then you will need a strong man to protect you,” I reason.

“I can protect myself,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m a big girl now.”

“You can marry me,” Thomas tells her. “I know everything about dinosaurs! I can help you.”

“But, you’re younger than me. Husbands are ‘posta be older.”

“You can marry me. I’m older and Thomas can stay with us.”

“That’s not fair. I wanna marry too!” Thomas growls, crossing his hands at his chest.

“Cristo Dragon! You keep your sons away from my hija!” Gabby’s dad growls, standing beside me. Dad laughs, and I think he even winks at me. I stand up quickly, and I kick Gabby’s dad. I don’t want her to be kept away from us.

“We like her,” I growl at him. I can growl good. Mom says I growl as much as my Dad.

“Yeah! We like her! She’s kwind!” Thomas says, and he kisses Gabby on the cheek, then hugs her tight. I stand behind them giving her dad the face I always give the other kids when they pick on Thomas because he doesn’t speak real plain sometimes.

“We’re claiming her!” I announce. I heard Dad tell Mom once that since the moment he claimed her he’s been the luckiest man in the world. I don’t understand exactly what it is. I reckon it’s something like asking someone to marry you. Thomas did that, and as brothers we stick together. “She’s ours.”

“Jesus,” Skull growls back and his growl might be louder than Dad’s, but Daddy says we can’t show fear, so I don’t. “Get your ni?os under control!” He moves around me, trying to grab Gabby, and I move quickly in front of her to block him. Thomas joins me and does his best to give Gabby’s dad, Skull a mean look too. His isn’t as mean, but it’s a little mean. I’ll have to teach him better. For some reason, this makes Dad laugh louder.

“Dragon,” Skull snaps. Dad can’t stop laughing, but he puts his hand on my shoulder and one on Thomas’s and urges us to come to him.

“Dad! We’re keeping her,” I argue.

“Hijo de puta,” Gabby’s dad says, and I don’t know what that means, but it must be a joke cause Dad laughs harder. Skull manages to pick Gabby up, and I hate that I’m so small.

“One day I’ll be bigger and no one will take her away!” I mumble and Dad, even laughing bends down and hugs me and Thomas.

“Yeah Me…me… me…too!” Thomas says, stuttering like he does sometimes when he gets excited. Mom worries about the way he talks, but Dad keeps telling her he’s only three and it will get better. I worry though, because sometimes when we’re alone, Thomas can’t say the right words. He needs me, his big brother to watch out for him.

Skull is walking away with Gabby. Her pretty hair is bouncing with each step. He’s holding her close to his chest and she’s looking back at me, Thomas, and Dad over his shoulder. She’s still holding Thomas’s dinosaur. She drops it with a smile.

“I’ll marry both of you,” she declares and my brother squeals, running to get his dinosaur. I feel happy. Happy and warm. We’re definitely claiming Gabby.

“Christo. I’m never coming back here, Dragon. Never. What the hell are you teaching your chicos?” he mutters, and Dad just laughs harder—especially when Gabby blows us a kiss.

Kisses are yucky…but I think I might like them from her.

A lot.