“It’s Abernathy. What of it?”

“I can see why you didn’t put it together before tonight, Trav, but now you don’t have an excuse,” Thomas said, smug.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Travis asked.

“Are you related to Mick Abernathy by any chance?” Thomas asked.

All heads turned in my direction and I nervously raked my hair back with my fingers. “How do you know Mick?”

Travis angled his head to look into my eyes. “He’s only one of the best poker players that ever lived. Do you know him?”

I winced, knowing I had finally been cornered into telling the truth. “He’s my father.”

The entire room exploded.

“NO FUCKING WAY!”

“I KNEW IT!”

“WE JUST PLAYED MICK ABERNATHY’S DAUGHTER!”

“MICK ABERNATHY? HOLY SHIT!”

Thomas, Jim and Travis were the only ones not shouting. “I told you guys I shouldn’t play,” I said.

“If you would have mentioned you were Mick Abernathy’s daughter, I think we would have taken you more seriously,” Thomas said.

I peered over at Travis, who stared at me in awe. “You’re Lucky Thirteen?” he asked, his eyes a bit hazy.

Trenton stood and pointed at me, his mouth opened wide. “Lucky Thirteen is in our house! No way! I don’t fucking believe it!”

“That was the nickname the papers gave me. And the story wasn’t exactly accurate,” I said, fidgeting.

“I need to get Abby home, guys,” Travis said, still staring at me.

Jim peered at me over his glasses. “Why wasn’t it accurate?”

“I didn’t take my dad’s luck. I mean, how ridiculous,” I chuckled, twisting my hair nervously around my finger.

Thomas shook his head. “No, Mick gave that interview. He said at midnight on your thirteenth birthday his luck ran dry.”

“And yours picked up,” Travis added.

“You were raised by mobsters!” Trent said, smiling with excitement.

“Uh…no,” I laughed once. “They didn’t raise me. They were just…around a lot.”

“That was a damn shame, Mick running your name through the mud like that in all the papers. You were just a kid,” Jim said, shaking his head.

“If anything it was beginner’s luck,” I said, desperately trying to hide my humiliation.

“You were taught by Mick Abernathy,” Jim said, shaking his head in awe. “You were playing pros, and winning, at thirteen years old for Christ’s sakes.” He looked at Travis and smiled. “Don’t bet against her, son. She doesn’t lose.”

Travis looked at me, then, his expression still shocked and disoriented. “Uh…we gotta go, Dad. Bye, guys.”

The deep, excited chatter of Travis’ family faded as he pulled me out the door and to his bike. I twisted my hair into a bun and zipped up my coat, waiting for him to speak. He climbed onto his bike without a word, and I straddled the seat behind him.

I was sure he felt that I hadn’t been honest with him, and he was probably embarrassed that he found out about such an important part of my life the same time his family had. I expected a huge argument when we returned to his apartment, and I went over a dozen different apologies in my head before we reached the front door.

He led me down the hall by my hand, and then helped me with my coat.

I pulled at the caramel knot on the crown of my head, and my hair fell past my shoulders in thick waves. “I know you’re mad,” I said, unable to look him in the eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but it’s not something I talk about.”

“Mad at you?” he said. “I am so turned on I can’t see straight. You just robbed my asshole brothers of their money without batting an eyelash, you have achieved legend status with my father and I know for a fact that you purposely lost that bet we made before my fight.”

“I wouldn’t say that….”

He lifted his chin. “Did you think you were going to win?”

“Well…no, not exactly,” I said, pulling off my heels.

Travis smiled. “So you wanted to be here with me. I think I just fell in love with you all over again.”

“How are you not mad right now?” I asked, tossing my shoes to the closet.

He sighed and nodded. “That’s pretty big, Pidge. You should have told me. But I understand why you didn’t. You came here to get away from all of that. It’s like the sky opened up…everything makes sense, now.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“Lucky Thirteen,” he said, shaking his head and pulling my shirt over my head.

“Don’t call me that, Travis. It’s not a good thing.”

“You’re fucking famous, Pigeon!” he said, surprised at my words. He unbuttoned my jeans and pulled them down around my ankles, helping me to step out of them.

“My father hated me after that. He still blames me for all his problems.”

Travis yanked off his shirt and hugged me to him. “I still can’t believe the daughter of Mick Abernathy is standing in front of me, and I’ve been with you this whole time and had no idea.”

I pushed away from him. “I’m not Mick Abernathy’s daughter, Travis! That’s what I left behind. I’m Abby. Just Abby!” I said, walking over to the closet. I yanked a t-shirt off its hanger and pulled it over my head.

He sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m a little star struck.”

“It’s just me!” I held the palm of my hand to my chest, desperate for him to understand.

“Yeah, but….”

“But nothing. The way you’re looking at me right now? This is exactly why I didn’t tell you.” I closed my eyes. “I won’t live like that anymore, Trav. Not even with you.”

“Whoa! Calm down, Pigeon. Let’s not get carried away.” His eyes focused and he walked over to wrap me in his arms. “I don’t care what you were or what you’re not anymore. I just want you.”

“I guess we have that in common, then.”

He led me to the bed, smiling down at me. “It’s just you and me against the world, Pidge.”

I curled up beside him, settling into the mattress. I had never planned on anyone besides myself and America knowing about Mick, and I never expected that my boyfriend would belong to a family of poker buffs. I heaved a heavy sigh, pressing my cheek against his chest.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I don’t want anyone to know, Trav. I didn’t want you to know.”

“I love you, Abby. I won’t mention it again, okay? Your secret’s safe with me,” he said, kissing my forehead.


“Mr. Maddox, think you could tone it down until after class?” Professor Chaney said, reacting to my giggling as Travis nuzzled my neck.

I cleared my throat, feeling my cheeks radiate with embarrassment.

“I don’t think so, Dr. Chaney. Have you gotten a good look at my girl?” Travis said, gesturing to me.

Laughter echoed throughout the room and my face caught fire. Professor Chaney glanced at me with a half-amused, half-awkward expression and then shook his head at Travis.

“Just do your best,” Chaney said.

The class laughed again, and I sunk into my seat. Travis rested his arm on the back of my chair, and the lecture continued. After class had been dismissed, Travis walked me to my next class.

“Sorry if I embarrassed you. I can’t help myself.”

“Try.”

Parker walked by, and when I returned his nod with a polite smile, his eyes brightened. “Hey Abby. See you inside.” He walked into the classroom, and Travis glowered at him for a few tense moments.

“Hey,” I tugged on his hand until he looked at me. “Forget about him.”

“He’s been telling the guys at the House that you’re still calling him.”

“That’s not true,” I said, unaffected.

“I know that, but they don’t. He said he’s just biding his time. He told Brad that you’re just waiting for the right time to dump me, and how you call him to say how unhappy you are. He’s starting to piss me off.”


“He has quite an imagination.” I glanced at Parker and when he met my eyes and smiled, I glared at him.

“Would you get mad if I embarrassed you one more time?”

I shrugged and Travis wasted no time leading me into the classroom. He stopped at my desk, setting my bag on the floor. He looked over at Parker and then pulled me to him, one hand on the nape of my neck, one hand on my backside, and then kissed me, deep and determined. He worked his lips against mine in the way he usually reserved for his bedroom, and I couldn’t help but grab his shirt with both fists.

The murmuring and giggles grew louder after it became clear that Travis wasn’t going to let go anytime soon.

“I think he just got her pregnant!” someone from the back of the room said, laughing.

I pulled away with my eyes closed, trying to regain my composure. When I looked at Travis, he was staring at me with the same forced restraint.

“I was just trying to make a point,” he whispered.

“Good point,” I nodded.

Travis smiled, kissed my cheek and then looked to Parker who was fuming in his seat.

“I’ll see you at lunch,” he winked.

I fell against my seat and sighed, trying to shake off the tingling between my thighs.

I labored through Calculus, and when class was over I noticed Parker standing against the wall by the door.

“Parker,” I nodded, determined not to give him the reaction he was hoping for.

“I know you’re with him. He doesn’t have to violate you in front of an entire class on my account.”

I stopped in my tracks and poised to attack. “Then maybe you should stop telling your frat brothers that I’m calling you. You’re going to push him too far and I’m not going to feel sorry for you when he puts his boot in your ass.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Listen to you. You’ve been around Travis too much.”