Gabriel got up from his knees and pulled the kitchen chair over so he could sit directly in front on me. ‘I wish that you could see yourself the way everyone else does,’ he said as he ran a hand through his hair. ‘The way that I do.’
‘Oh? And how’s that?’
‘You think that everything you’ve been through makes you weak, but don’t you see that’s exactly what makes you strong? You have been through hell, Sam, and look at you? You’re successful, and kind, and compassionate, and funny. Most people would be broken by what you’ve endured but you’ve come through it with a core made of fire. You think Jackson chose you because you were weak, but he chose you because he saw the strength and the spirit in you. Where is the fun for someone like him in choosing someone who was already his? That’s what he got off on, breaking you down piece by piece. He needed someone who could endure being married to him.’
‘But you don’t know that?’ I insisted. ‘That’s your opinion …’
‘No, it’s not. He told me.’
I blinked at him. ‘What? When?’
‘That time he phoned me and you overheard us. He took great pleasure in telling me how you would always belong to him. And that wasn’t because you were weak, it was because you were anything but. He told me how long it had taken him to break you – but he was proud of himself for doing it, and that was why you would always be his property. He likened it to breaking in a wild horse,’ he stopped talking then and put his head in his hands.
‘God, he was such an arrogant prick! He compared me to a horse!’ I spat.
Gabriel looked up and rolled his eyes. ‘Is that all you took from that?’
‘No,’ I said softly.
‘So, do you see that you’re not weak at all? You’re the strongest person in this room. You’re the strongest person in any room. You hold all the power here, Sam. You always have.’
I swallowed. He was looking at me with such intensity that I was starting to believe him.
‘Can you just promise me that you won’t run, Sam? I love you with everything I have and I will always come running after you, but it’s becoming fucking exhausting.’
I nodded. ‘Okay. I won’t run.’
Gabriel sat back in his chair again and took a deep breath. I stared at him, noting the change in his demeanour. He was edgy again. I could feel it coming from him in waves.
Dear God, what now?
‘So there’s something else,’ he stammered.
No shit, Sherlock! I’d never seen him looking so nervous. ‘What?’
‘This morning, when that snarky copper referred to Jennifer as my wife and looked at you like you were my bit on the side, it fucking killed me.’
‘Well, I wasn’t too happy about it either, but what she thought doesn’t really matter, does it?’ I replied.
‘It matters to me,’ Gabriel said, his voice thick with emotion. ‘It matters that people know who you are to me – and how much I love you.’
I stared at him. ‘Okay?’
‘I want to ask you something. And remember you promised not to run?’
‘Okay?’ I said again. What did he want to know now?
He knelt on the floor in front of me again, but this time on one knee as he pulled a small box out of his trouser pocket. ‘Will you marry me, Sam?’
I swallowed hard and stared at him, and then at the beautiful ring in his hand and then back at him. My heart felt like it was about to lurch out of my throat. My stomach swirled and I wasn’t sure if the baby had started spinning around, or whether I was going to throw up.
Marriage? That was huge. Terrifying. That was me being his wife - Mrs Sullivan and no longer Samantha Donovan. That was me belonging to him - for real.
It was also me, him and our baby sharing the same name. It was us being a family unit. It was waking up every morning with him by my side.
I told my head to shut up looking for excuses and answered with my heart. ‘Yes,’ I breathed.
He looked as shocked as I felt for a few seconds before he pulled me from the chair and into his arms until we were both kneeling on the floor. ‘Really?’ he asked.
I nodded and smiled at him. ‘Yes. Really.’
He placed the ring on my finger and then he kissed me so hard that my head started to spin too.
I lay with my head on Gabriel’s chest and admired my engagement ring. It was beautiful. A pink diamond set in a platinum, diamond studded band. It must have cost him a fortune, but I wouldn’t have cared if it hadn’t. Material things weren’t that important to me.
‘Do you like it?’ he asked as he hugged me to him.
‘I love it. When did you get it?’
‘This afternoon.’
‘You’re a fast mover, aren’t you?’ I gave him a playful nudge. ‘We’ve been together a little over a year and I’m already pregnant with a ring on my finger.’
‘I’m just a man who knows exactly what I want,’ he laughed.
‘Hmm, you certainly are,’ I said as I lifted my head to look at him. ‘Can we just have a small ceremony. Just us, and my dad. And Nick, of course. And your Aunt Maggie and Uncle Hugh. What do you think?’
He placed a hand on my cheek and kissed me softly on the lips. ‘Whatever you want. I honestly don’t care as long as you’re my wife at the end of it.’
‘Do you think we can do it before the baby’s born?’
Gabriel looked at me in surprise. ‘I can make it happen next week if that’s what you really want?’
I nodded. ‘It is. When I go to the hospital to have our baby, I want to be able to say that you’re my husband,’ I said as I noticed he was frowning at me. ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’
He shook his head and started to laugh. ‘I honestly thought I was taking my life in my hands even asking you, Sam. I thought I’d have to wear you down and beg for years to get you up the aisle.’
‘So, why did you ask me then?’
‘Because I couldn’t not. And I’m definitely glad I did.’ He pulled me to him and silenced me with one of his incredible kisses. Then he rolled over until he was lying on top of me, holding himself up on his forearms to protect my rapidly growing bump. ‘I can’t wait to call you my wife. The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.’
Then he was kissing my neck. Working his way down my body with his hot mouth. I groaned in pleasure as he moved his head between my legs.
He licked the length of my cleft. ‘You taste so fucking good when you’re full of my cum,’ he growled and I whimpered.
God, I loved that filthy mouth.
He licked and sucked at my tender flesh until I was panting his name. Then he moved over me again. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked as he nudged at my opening.
He’d already fucked me three times that day – but I couldn’t get enough of him. The more I had, the more I wanted. ‘Yes,’ I breathed.
He held himself up on his forearms again and eased slowly inside me. ‘I’m going to fuck you like this for the rest of our days, Sam,’ he whispered in my ear.
‘You better had, Gabe,’ I replied with a groan.
Chapter 40
Samantha
Gabriel and Nick sat in my office while I went through the papers Nick had drawn up which would allow me to relinquish any claim I had to the Carver family fortune, and leave Milton Carver as the sole heir.
I couldn’t wait to get it over and done with. I hated every single member of that family. They had brought me nothing but pain and misery and I would rather be destitute than have a penny of their rotten money.
I read through the lengthy document, pointing out the odd amendment along the way, which only drew an eye roll from Nick. He was a brilliant solicitor and I knew the paperwork would be spot on, but I felt like I had to make my mark on it somehow.
When I’d read through it twice and made my suggestions in pencil, I handed it back to Nick. ‘It’s great. Thanks, Nick.’
He took the papers from me. ‘I’ll get Sadie to make the amendment
s and then you can sign them.’
‘I’ll deliver them to Carver’s solicitor myself,’ Gabriel added.
I nodded. ‘And then it will be done with. I never have to see a Carver for the rest of my life.’
‘Here’s hoping. I’ll get these to Sadie,’ Nick said before walking out of the office.
Gabriel sat in silence, his green eyes fixed on me and a frown on his handsome face.
‘You don’t think so, do you?’ I asked him.
He shook his head. ‘No. I hope so, but men like Milton Carver never keep their word.’
‘But all he wants from me is money. As soon as he has that, he’ll have no reason to bother me again. I expect he wants me out of his life almost as much as I want him out of mine.’
He stood up and crossed the room until he was standing close beside me. ‘I hope you’re right, Sam.’
We were interrupted by a knock on my office door. I looked up to see Simon standing there.
‘Sorry to bother you, Samantha,’ he mumbled. ‘But do you have the file on the McKenzie case? I can’t find it.’
‘Oh, I left it with Sadie. I’ll just go and grab it for you.’
‘I can get it,’ he said as his cheeks started to turn a light shade of pink.
‘It’s okay. I need to speak to her anyway,’ I said as I stood up and walked to Sadie’s office, leaving Simon standing awkwardly under the heat of Gabriel’s gaze.
Chapter 41
Gabriel
I watched Simon as he strolled into Samantha’s office and took a seat on the spare chair by her desk. There was something about him that I couldn’t put my finger on.
He acted differently around Samantha – always blushing and mumbling. When I’d first witnessed it, I’d assumed it was because he fancied her, and I couldn’t exactly blame him for that. She was fucking incredible.
But the more I saw it, the more I wondered whether it was all a bit of an act. And if that was true, what was his game plan? Samantha was one of the warmest and most caring women I knew. So, was it just Simon’s way of eliciting some care and sympathy from her?
‘That’s a nasty cut on your lip, there,’ he said.
I ran my tongue over the cut. It had healed quickly and was barely visible, especially beneath my stubble. ‘I’ve had much worse. I’m surprised you can even see it?’ I said.
He pushed his glasses up his nose. ‘Perfect vision,’ he smiled.
‘So, you and Samantha have been working together quite a lot recently?’
‘Yeah, we’ve had a few difficult cases, and it’s been good to work with her. I’m learning a lot.’
I glared at him. ‘I bet you are,’ I replied and he smiled in response.
There was something definitely not right about this prick. From now on, I would be making sure he never gave Samantha a lift anywhere.
I didn’t trust him. My instincts were rarely wrong, and they were telling me that Simon Hardaker was hiding something. Perhaps, he would be my little side project while I looked into Milton Carver? It wouldn’t take much to do a little digging on him at the same time.
Just then, Samantha walked back into the room carrying a folder. ‘Here you go,’ she said to Simon as she handed it to him.
His demeanour changed again as soon as she entered the room. He stood awkwardly and took the file from her.
‘Thanks, Samantha,’ he said quietly before slithering out of the door – like a snake. He closed it behind him and I was grateful to have her to myself again.
I reached out for her hand as she walked past me. ‘Come here,’ I said and pulled her to sit on my lap. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I pulled her closer to me. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Yes,’ she said as she curled a strand of my hair around her finger. ‘I feel better now that those papers are almost ready. I’ll sign them as soon as Sadie makes those changes.’
‘I’ll hang around until they’re done then, and I can drop them off myself.’
‘You don’t have to –’ she started to say and I glared at her.
‘I thought you agreed to let me deal with this?’ I interrupted her.
‘I did,’ she said with a smile. ‘I just don’t want to take too much time out of your busy day, that’s all. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how little time you spend at work since I came home.’
‘Are you complaining?’ I said as I pulled her hair back and kissed her neck.
‘Not at all. I just don’t want you getting into trouble for neglecting your duties, that’s all.’
‘I’m the boss, I don’t get in trouble,’ I whispered in her ear. ‘And the only duties I’m interested in are the kind that involve seeing to you.’
She slipped her warm hand inside my suit jacket and round to my back. ‘Sadie said she’ll be at least half an hour with those papers. She’s just finishing something else,’ she purred as I continued kissing a trail along her neck.
I felt my dick standing to attention. ‘You’d better go and lock that door then, baby,’ I said. ‘Because there is only one way I want to spend the next thirty minutes, and that’s inside you.’
I saw the her skin flush pink all the way from her neck to her cheeks and couldn’t help but laugh. ‘I love that talking dirty to you makes you blush, Sam. But, that is why you told me she was going to take so long, isn’t it?’ I grinned. ‘Now are you going to lock that door or are you happy to risk one of your colleagues walking in when I’m fucking you?’
She sucked in a breath but I saw the desire blazing in her eyes.
‘I’ll lock the door,’ she said as she stood up.
‘Good girl,’ I said as I watched her beautiful backside walking across the room.
Chapter 42
Gabriel
I pushed open the glass doors of the offices of Langley, Reardon and Barnes and stepped into the cool, air-conditioned reception of Milton Carver’s solicitor’s office. I walked to the large reception desk and spoke to the receptionist.
‘Gabriel Sullivan. I have an appointment with Nathan Langley.’
She pressed a few keys on her computer before looking up and smiling at me. ‘Fourth floor, Mr Sullivan. His secretary will meet you at the lift entrance.’
‘Thank you,’ I said and made my way towards the lift.
Five minutes later, I was shown into Nathan’s office by his secretary. ‘Can I get you anything, Mr Sullivan,’ she asked politely.
‘No thanks,’ I said. I didn’t plan on hanging around longer than I needed to.
She left the office, closing the door behind her and leaving me and her boss alone.
Nathan Langley sat at his desk. Dressed in a dark grey suit and silver tie, that matched his silver hair.
‘Please, have a seat,’ he indicated the chair opposite him.
I sat down and placed the brown envelope I was carrying on his desk, sliding it over to him. ‘These are the papers. Samantha has signed them. She has relinquished any entitlement to Jackson Carver’s estate, leaving Milton as the only living relative with a claim.’
Nathan took the envelope and removed the papers. He flicked through them and gave a cursory nod as he did. ‘Everything seems to be in order. My client will be pleased.’
‘It is in order,’ I growled. ‘So, you tell your client from me, that if he comes near me or my family ever again, all bets are off.’
Nathan smirked at me. ‘It’s not very wise of you to threaten my client, Mr Sullivan.’
I shrugged. ‘Well, it’s not very wise of your client to kidnap me and then let me live to tell the tale, is it?’ I snapped.
Then I stood quickly, pushing my chair back. I smiled to myself as Nathan visibly flinched.
I fastened the buttons of my suit jacket and then I walked out of the office.
I sent a text to my driver as I was making my way to the ground floor in the lift. When I walked out of the building, the car was waiting for me, with one of my employees, Alex sitting in the back.
I climbed into the passen
ger seat and nodded a greeting to the two men. ‘Right, let’s go and see what Leroy Cain has to say for himself.’
I recognised Leroy Cain immediately. He’d been the driver of the car the day I was kidnapped. I’d spent almost an hour studying the side of his face and the back of his head and would recognise him anywhere. He had a long scar running along the left side of his face and was built like the proverbial brick shit-house. He stood up when Alex and I entered the pub. We crossed the floor and stood in front of him.
Alex introduced us and Leroy extended a hand to shake. I looked down at it, and then up at him.
‘No hard feelings?’ he said.
‘Well, that all depends,’ I replied.
‘Fair enough,’ he lowered his hand and indicated the stool next to him at the bar.
‘I’ll wait over there,’ Alex said as he nodded towards a table at the back of the pub. ‘Give me a shout if you need me, Boss.’
I watched as Alex walked to the empty table. He’d set up this meeting today, and also suggested that I bring him as back up, as there was no doubt Leroy Cain would have brought some. There was a part of me that still wondered where Alex’s loyalty would lie if he was pushed to choose between me and his ex-squad mate, but I had brought some back up of my own tucked into the waistband of my trousers.
I sat on the bar stool and Leroy sat next to me before ordering two pints of lager from the barmaid.
‘So, how long have you worked for Carver?’ I asked
‘Nine months.’
‘Do you know he tried to have my girlfriend killed months before he kidnapped me?’ I asked, remembering Anthony Garvey’s attack on Samantha and feeling a wave of anger wash over me.
‘I don’t concern myself with the intricacies of Mr Carver’s business dealings. He pays me to do a job and I do it. Men who require the services of someone like me, aren’t usually very nice people. If I thought about what they did, and why they needed my protection, then I wouldn’t sleep at night.’
‘I got the impression none of you particularly enjoy working for him?’
Fallen Angel (The London Ruthless Series Book 2) Page 15
