AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Angel.”
“Gabriel.” Anguish tugs at my resolve while Austin’s words float to the surface, bringing me back to the moment I stepped away from him and toward Gabriel, only to tumble down the stairs injuriously.
Before my sob breaks free, Gabriel is at my side. “I’m so sorry,” he whispers, tenderly clasping my face between his hands, wiping at my tears. “I tried, but I couldn’t get to you fast enough.” His lips are feather soft as he kisses my forehead, cheeks, chin, and finally my mouth. “I’m so fucking sorry, Angel.”
“Not your fault,” I rasp around the tightness in my throat as I fight for control.
“It’s my fault you were there in the first place.” He squeezes his eyes closed as if he can eliminate whatever thoughts are pressing to be heard—to be seen.
His thumb tenderly swipes back and forth over my cheek. “I didn’t cheat on you. I swear. That chick stole my phone from Clover's. I wasn’t with her.”
“She said you were in the shower, and she was going to join you.” I hate the quiver in my voice, the hurt, coming back in full force. “You broke my heart.”
“I didn’t.” He shakes his head. “I wasn’t with her. I didn’t cheat on you. She stole my phone. The picture she sent you, the text, wasn’t me. There’s no picture of her sucking my cock.” He flinches like the words leaving his mouth hurt nearly as much as the image did me. Shaking his head, he adds, “I didn’t know she talked to you too.” His head falls to my neck. “Jesus, what you must have been thinking… Feeling. I’m so sorry, Frankie.”
“Why would she go to all that trouble?”
He meets my eyes. “She hit on me that night, tried to talk me into going home with her. I told her I wasn’t interested and walked away. I didn’t realize I’d left my phone sitting on the bar until hours later. By then it was too late. She’d already taken it and hatched her scheme to get back at me.”
“The guy in the picture wasn’t you? You weren’t with her?”
“Not me, but—” He bows his head, hiding his eyes. “I was with her the night things went down with Austin. The night at the bar when I was such an ass to you. I took her home. But there are no pictures, and I haven’t seen her since.” His eyes rise to mine. “I’m not a cheater. I only want you. There’s no one else but you, Angel. For the past five years, you’re all I see. I haven’t been a saint, but I’m not a fucking cheater. Once you were mine, that was it. No one else but you.”
He didn’t cheat.I nod, too many emotions running rampant to respond.
Tenderly wrapping me in his arms, he buries his head in my neck. “Please forgive me.”
“You didn’t cheat, so there’s nothing to forgive,” I mumble into crook of his shoulder, trying to wrap my mind around the turn of events.I was upset for nothing?
“Yes, there is. You wouldn’t be in this hospital bed if I didn’t send you running to Vegas.” His mouth finds mine for a short but tender kiss. “I’m guilty as hell in so many other ways I’ve hurt you. Forgive me, Angel.”
A new stream of tears starts to fall. “I forgive you, Gabriel.”
“Thank you,” he kisses across my lips. “Thank you.” His reverence is overwhelmingly welcomed. His hold on me tightens.
I suppress a groan as my body protests. Being in his arms again is worth the pain.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.”
Gabriel pulls back enough to see the nurse at the end of my bed.
“Hi,” she says to me. “I’m Dawn. Your nurse.”
“Hi, Dawn. I’m Frankie.”
She smiles. “It’s good to see you awake. I need to check your vitals, and Dr. Ryals will be here in a moment to talk to you.” Her eyes dart to Gabriel. “Privately.”
Reluctantly, Gabriel releases me, standing to his full height, and grips my hand with a squeeze. “I’ll be outside.”
Once again, I’m shocked into silence. I see his mouth moving. I hear his words, but it can’t be true.
“Could you repeat that?”
Dr. Ryals takes the seat closest to my bed and kindly takes my hand. “I can tell this is a shock.” He places his other hand on top and pats. “You’re pregnant, Frankie. About six weeks as best we can tell without knowing when your last period was.”
“I can’t be.” I’m not even sure I said it loud enough for him to hear.
“You are, quite assuredly.” He glances at the door and then back to me. “I assume the big guy outside with the permanent scowl is the father.”
