Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
“So you didn’t offer me or the house as payment?” Faith asked.
“You’re not making any sense, Faith. I don’t have long to talk. It’s been another week, and well, I’m making a bit more progress. I want to be better for you. A better brother. You’ve all I’ve got, Faithy, and I know I’ve been a giant dick to you and I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
“Stop it. Just get better and we’ll … you know, we’ll figure this out. I promise.”
“Okay, my time is up now. Love you, Faith.”
“Love you too.”
But he’d already hung up.
What did any of this mean? Nigel hadn’t gone begging for drugs or begging for help?
Faith got to her feet and ran through the motions of collecting her things, stepping out of the back of the shop and locking up.
She had a set of keys as well as Angela, for when they had to open the shop. She walked around to the main entrance of the mall, and there was Gabriel, waiting for her. There was no sign of Henry.
Had Gabriel lied to her? Why would he lie to her? It made no sense to her. He was doing something good. He didn’t have to help her brother and yet, he’d gone the extra mile to help him. Why?
“Hey, babe,” he said.
“Hey.”
He reached out to her, grabbed her hand, and stared into her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. Everything is fine.”
Should she tell him? Did she even want to know the answers?
“I talked to Nigel. He called me.”
“My guy said he was going to offer Nigel one phone call as an incentive. He wanted to call you. It was a test.”
“You put my brother through a test?”
“We had no choice. We needed to know if our resolve was working.”
“And now?”
“We know it is. He called you and not his supplier. Don’t worry, I’m going to figure out who his supplier is, and then I’m going to deal with him.” He stroked her cheek, and she couldn’t help but tilt her head toward the inside of his palm. “I missed you today.”
“I missed you too.” What the hell was she saying?
This man was supposed to be a monster. She hated him with all her heart, only … she didn’t. She didn’t hate him at all. Not even a little bit.
No, it couldn’t be possible. There was no way she could fall in love with a man so quickly.
“With your father, it was love at first sight. I knew the moment I looked at him that I loved and wanted to be with him. He is the love of my life.”
She thought about her mother’s words to her. Faith often listened to her mother reminisce about how she and her father were perfect for each other. From the moment they met, they just knew they would be together forever. Faith had loved every single detail and had even believed in love at first sight. She didn’t know when she stopped believing it. Maybe after her parents died together.
“Nigel didn’t go to a card game,” she said. “He never offered me up as payment.” She licked her lips. “You lied to me.”
Gabriel pursed his lips.
“Get in the car.”
“Tell me what the hell is going on?”
“I’m not going to tell you a damn thing until we’re somewhere private. This kind of conversation is not to be held here, out in the open.”
She wanted to argue with him, but what was the point? She wanted the truth. She wanted facts and the only way to get it was to follow him inside the car. Faith did so, reluctantly. Gabriel still helped her into the car, and she couldn’t help but notice that he acted like a perfect gentleman. She didn’t want him to be a perfect gentleman to her. She didn’t say that, though, and instead, just got in and tried not to think about her feelings for this man.
I love him.
No, I hate him.
He’s done so much for Nigel.
I hate him.
That is never going to change.
I hate him.
Even as she said the words through her mind, she knew them to be a complete and total lie. She didn’t hate him at all.
They arrived at his apartment building, and getting to his place was a bit of a blur. She couldn’t remember the elevator ride or even the walk into his home, but one moment they were in the car, the next, she was standing in his sitting room.
“Well, I’m here, go ahead, talk.”
He blew out a breath. “I know you’re angry.”
“You lied to me.”
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked.
“No, nothing is obvious to me. Don’t you see that? I wouldn’t be here asking these questions if it wasn’t damned obvious!” She slammed her foot down and hated feeling like such a child.
“I wanted you!” Gabriel’s voice was loud, and seemed to echo off the walls. “From the moment I saw you, I knew I wanted you. No, I craved you. I hungered for you.”