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)
“You love me?”
Faith pressed her lips together and nodded her head.
Gabriel got to his feet and she stayed perfectly still as he made his way toward her. She watched him, tilting her head back, so she could see him as he got too close.
“Don’t go quiet on me now, Faith.”
“I love you,” she said. This time, it was ever so light, she didn’t know if he was able to hear it.
“What?” he asked, smiling.
She licked her lips, and then stared into his deep, dark, beautiful, blue eyes. “I love you.”
He cupped her cheek, tilting her head back. “You’re not lying.”
“I don’t lie.”
“People lie.”
“I don’t care who you’ve known before me, but trust me, they suck, big time. I love you, Gabriel Finch.”
“Marry me,” he said.
“What?”
“You heard me. I want you to marry me.”
At first, she couldn’t believe her ears, but then she just knew this was what she wanted more than anything. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
And Gabriel slammed his lips down on hers.
“Forgive me,” he said.
“Always.”
****
Several Weeks Later
“You’re asking my permission?” Nigel asked.
Gabriel looked across the room at Faith’s brother. He still looked like shit, but he did appear to be better than he was a couple of weeks ago.
“Yes.”
“But you already asked her.”
“I want to do this right by Faith. She deserves it.”
Nigel laughed. “But she already said yes.”
He nodded.
“So, my permission is not needed.”
“But Faith loves you. She wants you there at the wedding.”
Nigel groaned. “Please tell me she’s not going to do something weird like make me her maid of honor, or anything like that.”
Gabriel chuckled. “We fought for you. I figured you’d rather be my best man than her maid of honor. You also have to give her away. She won’t compromise on that.”
“I can be both?”
“Faith is going to be my wife, I’ll make sure she gets what she wants.”
Nigel sighed. “Why do you need my permission?”
“You’re her family. She cares about you.”
“And this has nothing to do with the fact you lied to her to get her?” Nigel asked. “Faith was saying some weird shit, and I put it all together.”
“Faith is mine. I’m going to take care of her.”
“I know.” Nigel nodded. “You have my permission. All I want is to see Faith happy.”
Gabriel couldn’t have agreed more.
It had been nearly six weeks, and Nigel hadn’t gotten hold of any more drugs.
“How are you holding up?”
“I’m doing good. The cravings, they come and go. The shaking has all but stopped.”
“The temptation hasn’t?”
“No. I know this is a lot to ask, and you’ve already done so much for me, but could I … I need to know that I’ll stay clean.”
“You can do this as long as you like, but they will push you. You won’t be allowed to stay out in the middle of nowhere, where there’s no temptation. My guy doesn’t work that way. He’ll put you through hell.”
“But, he will always stop me?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll do it.”
“Faith will want to see you.”
“I’ll be ready.”
He saw Nigel’s hand were shaking. He’d talked to his guy, and he explained that Nigel’s problem was his fear. He fears falling down that dark path of picking more drugs over being clean.
Gabriel didn’t want to push his visit, so he got to his feet.
“Take care of her, love her. That’s the condition of my permission,” Nigel said. “Faith deserves to have a whole lot of love. She deserves to have someone completely devoted to her. If you can’t do that, then you’ve got to walk away.”
“Faith has all of me, every single part of me.” Gabriel got to his feet, and then looked back at him. “Are you okay?”
“I just wish there was something I could do for her, you know. I was such a horrible shit to her these last few years. The drugs helped. They made me think I didn’t need to be nice to her, but I’m such a giant fuckup.” He watched the tears fill Nigel’s eyes.
He didn’t feel sorry for Nigel.
Faith had told him some of what her brother had been like. She even felt guilty, because to her, she felt like she was complaining, and that pissed him off.
“Why don’t you tell her yourself?” he said, opening the door.
He had taken Faith with him. Last night, she had told him how much she missed her brother, and that she just wanted to hug him. She had Gabriel, while her brother had no one. So, Gabriel had made the arrangements. First, he had to make sure Nigel was in a good position to have visitors. After speaking to his guy, he knew now was the right time.
Faith stepped through the door, and looked toward her brother.
“Faithy?” he asked.
“Hey, Nigel.”
Gabriel closed the door, and he didn’t give them privacy. Nigel had just admitted his fear of temptation. He wasn’t going to allow Nigel to fuck this up. Faith was his main concern. He would take care of her.