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“Be a better father than I was,” he says, and I can’t stop my own tears from falling. The agonizing pain in my chest won’t stop. He’s going to make it. King doesn’t get to do this. He doesn’t get to take him away from me. “You have the biggest heart I’ve ever seen, son. Love them both with every ounce of it. Protect them for me. Can you do that, son? I know you don’t owe me anything. I was a shit father to you, and you deserved so much better than what I gave you,” he mumbles as he starts coughing up blood.
“It wasn’t all bad,” Dante says with sorrow. Gabe turns to the side, spitting out the blood, then he gives Dante a tight smile.
“I love you, son. I hope you know that in your heart. We may not share the same blood, but you’re mine. You were never his. I wish I would’ve done right by you.” Dante’s tears fall freely down his face as he clutches onto Gabe, and my heart is obliterated. I can’t catch my breath. I can’t think as I stare down at him.
Gabe swings his eyes to me and smiles. He reaches up to my face, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “Don’t cry, Sweetheart. Remember what I told you. We all have a story, this was mine. But yours, yours has just begun.” I lean down to kiss his lips, and a metallic taste coats my tongue as he begins to cough again.
The coughing stops, and his glossy eyes become fixed and far away as his head lulls to the side. Dante leans in front of me, trying to shield me from the sight, but I claw at his chest frantically as a scream rips through my chest and out my lungs.
He’s gone.
Chapter twenty
Gabriel
I blink as I wake, but the bright lights have me shutting my eyes all over again.
I wait for the agonizing sting that rippled through my chest to return, but it doesn’t. That pain is no longer present.
In fact, it’s all gone. The pain, the sorrow, the torment I have been living with for so many years has disappeared. I feel free from the cage I’ve been trapped in.
“Open your eyes, Gabriel,” a voice calls out. Wait, I know that voice, but it can’t be. I must be mistaken.
“Gabriel,” the voice gets closer as I lift my head and pry my eyes open.
Everything is blurry, and the room feels like it’s spinning as a familiar face comes into view. I take a deep breath and brace myself.
Gloria.
I scramble to my feet and she jumps into my arms. “Oh Gabe, I’ve missed you so much!” She sounds excited as I lift her into my arms, spinning us around.
“I’ve missed you too, baby,” I say, pulling back to take in her beautiful face.
“How—how’s this possible? You’re dead. You died a long time ago.”
Her smile lights up something inside me, a feeling that died along with her.
She rests her palm against my cheek. “It’s okay, my love. I’m here.” Her voice is sweeter than I remember. My eyes sweep over her body as I place my hand over hers.
“If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.” The words get stuck in my throat as a wave of emotion hits me.
“Oh, Gabe. My sweet, sweet Gabe. I’m so sorry for everything,” she sobs, tears running down her beautiful face.
“You have nothing to apologize for, it’s me who left you. I’m the one who failed you.” I swipe away her tears. I lean down and bring her lips to mine, kissing her deeply. The warmth of her body feels unbelievably good.
“No, Gabe. I failed you. I should have told you what King did to me the moment you were released from jail,” she cries. “I’ve watched what your life has become in my absence, and that’s on me. My lies pushed you to become a man I no longer recognize.” I can feel her heart pounding against me. “A man who puts vengeance first and himself last.”
“King turned me into that, not you.” I sigh, placing her hand over my heart.
She lifts her head to look into my eyes. Her beauty is breathtaking. She’s even more gorgeous than I remember.
I capture her lips, and the moment she parts them, my tongue sweeps in, devouring her the way I’ve wanted to all these years.My wife. My love.
My heart explodes with joy.
My mind races, and in true Gabriel fashion, I ruin the moment by breaking our kiss. My eyes look around at the endless void we are standing in.
“Am I dreaming?” I whisper, looking down at her. Gloria shakes her head in response. “Then what? What is this?”
