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My heart soars, and my stomach plummets. I’d nearly forgotten how handsome he is, especially in all-alpha mode.
Gabriel turns, missing me in the process. “You forget who owns this house and lets you stay here rent-free.”
“I actually pay rent to Frankie. I don’t know what agreement you have with her. So, if it’s all the same, you should leave.”
My gasp at Rowdy’s boldfaced lie draws their eyes to me.Oh,shit.
Gabriel pins me with his laser focus and heated stare. “Not here, huh?”
Rowdy shakes his head and shrugs, letting me know I’m an idiot for giving myself away. Leaning against the doorframe, he crosses his arms and legs, getting ready for a show.
Gabriel moves into the room. I do the same but stay behind the couch, hoping to hide my growing middle section from his keen eye. At nearly four months, I’m not big by any means. But I have a definite baby bump, and my waist is thicker—not to mention my thighs and ass. What the couch won’t hide are my enlarged boobs. Yeah, I’m totally screwed.
“Angel.” His pet name for me has my knees about to buckle and a sob ready to take flight.
I swallow through the lump in my throat to ask the obvious, “Shouldn’t you be in Vegas?”
“No.” There’s no hesitation in his weighted response. “I’m right where I need to be.”
No? “What about your fight?” I grip the couch to not only keep me on my feet but to stop myself from crossing my arms over my chest as he studies my face before lowering his gaze to my breasts with a puzzled brow raise. Maybe he’ll think I got a boob job.
His confusion aside, he locks onto my face again. “I don’t give a fuck about the fight.”
What?I couldn’t have heard him correctly.
His eyes narrow, and he tilts his head one way and then the other before stepping closer.
Shit, he’s gonna figure it out before I know why he’s here.
“I needed to see you,” he offers before I can ask.
“Why?”
“You can’t marry Rowdy.”
I jerk back, not believing my ears. These past five minutes are confusing the hell out of me. I never in a million years expected to see Gabriel the day before his fight. Even to stop a marriage that is never going to happen.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I scowl right back at him and catch a glimpse of a smiling Rowdy over his shoulder. “And why not?” I can’t help myself. Gabriel has hurt me too deeply for me to let him off the hook that easily.
“Because I love you.”
“What—” My tough exterior crumbles as I collapse to my knees.
I barely make it to the floor before Gabriel is gripping my shoulders. “Are you okay?”
Shaking my head to clear the fogginess, I need to be sure he said what I think he said. “Say it again.” I don’t even recognize the sound of my voice as mine.
He tips my trembling chin till his turbulent blue eyes lock on my stormy grays. “I love you, Angel.” He captures my cheek with his palm. “I think I always have.”
“What took you so long?” My voice wobbles to match my chin as I try to hold it together.
“I didn’t think I could be what you needed,” he admits.
I knew that. “And now?” I’m cautious. I can’t let hope spring free when I don’t know what he’s offering. For all I know he’s only here because he’s jealous.
He holds my hands, his thumbs rubbing across the tops. “I know I’m not good enough for you. But I want to spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy—giving you what you want—what you need. I damn well know no one will try harder than me to make you happy.”
Hope blossoms like a flower breaching a crack in the sidewalk. Leery, I ask, “What are you offering?”
