“Why did he offer you money, Gage?” Panic begins to settle in. He’s acting so out of character, and it’s scaring her.
Cursing again, he finally meets her gaze. “He came to pay me to stay away from you.Permanently. In case you still don’tunderstand it, your father hates me. If sendin’ the police after me didn’t work and tryin’ to make you hate me didn’t work, well, he figured money would work. And I can’t say I blame him.”
Minnie stares at him, mouth now dropping open. The nerve of Daddy! How could he do this to her? A nervous laugh slips past her lips as she processes this new development. She doesn’t want to ask the next question, but she can’t stop herself from opening herself up for more pain. “And, what did you do when he offered you his ridiculous money?”Please, don’t break my heart, Gage.
He scoffs, crooked sneer taking over his mouth, a flash of his teeth. “Well, what do you think? I took his fuckin’ money.”
Agony drives its knife into her gut, twisting. For a moment, Minnie can’t breathe, can’t even find the will to inhale again. She’s mentally knocked over, feeling like a skyscraper being bashed with a wrecking ball.Whatdid he just say to her? “My father paid you to leave me, and you took it?Just like that?”
“I mean, I was insulted. But yeah.”
“That’s all we mean to you?Nothing?” Her eyes burn, filling with tears about to spill forward. The swans drift further from them in the pond, unsettled by her loud voice. “He waves money at you and you just give me up?”
He doesn’t stop her when she levels him with a brisk, emotional slap. “I can’t believe you!” Minnie shouts, her voice sounding shrill even to her own ears. “After all that bullcrap about wanting to be a better man, you pull this on me? Maybe he was right about you-”
There’s a red handprint blossoming on his cheek. “Yeah, princess. I took the money. I’m a professional thief, aren’t I?” His mouth is in a firm, hard line. His voice, self-depreciating and cold. “It’s what I do.”
This can’t be happening. She’s not ready for him to break her heart like this again. Maybe she’s not cut out for a happy ending after all.
“What was I?” She snaps wretchedly, voice taking on near hysteria. “Still just a meal ticket?! A momentary entertainment? Just like I was thirteen years ago. Someone to use and benefit from.”
For a moment it looks like her words have struck him deep, as if she’s slapped him again. He takes in her broken expression, the tears about to spill down her cheeks. He reaches out for her, the black ink on his hand glaring at her menacingly. “Listen to me before you start bawling and swinging those little fists, Minnie.Listen.”
Shaking her head, mouth twisting up in emotional pain, Minnie steps back. “I don’t want to listen. I’m done with listening to anything you say! It’s all poisonous lies. How could you do that? Tome? I thought you cared about me? I thought I meant something to you-”
She never meant anything, never, she’s just The Abducted Girl. Not worthy of a normal life or a normal love.
The scowl on his face deepens and his voice rises up, above hers. “Minnie!Holy fuck, hold your fuckin’ horses! Yeah, I’m a fuckin’ asshole, but I took that money because I want us to buy a house with it, that’s why. It’s a hell of a nice down payment.”
Minnie stares at him in shock, all her words caught in her throat. She blinks, dumbfounded. “You want towhatnow?”
Shrugging those powerful shoulders, Gage says, “Well, he was so damn eager to pay me off. I’m not a good man, I didn’t sign some contract agreeing to how I wouldn’t see you anymore. There’s no contract to break. I took his money. I’m gonna use it for you.For us. I’m a thief. I took his money and I’m gonna use it how I want. Foryou.”
All the pain and shock and misery slowly oozes out of her veins. The hysteria, turning into something else. “You’re terrible,” Minnie breathes out in absolute awe and disbelief. “Gage. Daddy is going to besomad at you.”
He pulls her to him, holding her close. “Yeah, well, he’ll just have to get over it, won’t he? I’m takin’ care of you and I intend to do the best I can. If he wants to toss dough at me, I’m gonna take it, I ain’t no saint. I won’t give you up though, not even for cash. He should have made me sign something. I thought your dad was supposed to be smart.”
His arms are comforting and Minnie sighs against him, inhaling the warm scent of his cologne. “Couldn’t you have warned me before you told me that story?”
“Ah…well. There’s something else.”
Oh lord. “Honestly, I’m not certain I want to hear what else there might be. Gage, I’m too old for these surprises. Think of my heart.” Now she’s really starting to sound like Mother Marla…
He grins and drops down into the grass, kneeling in front of her. “Your heart is just fine.” He pulls out a small box from his pocket with a hint of nervousness hovering around him. Why would he be nervous? He opens the box.
Oh.
Oh, goodness.
Minnie shrieks and does a little dance in the middle of the park, scaring the birds. “You didn’t! You didn’t!” There’s a ring within the soft little blue box, shining up at her. A lovely, modest solitaire, perfect for her delicate hand. Her world whirls as she stares down at this clear visual of devotion being laid bare. “What…and…just…why?!” Her eyes get watery, and Minnie wipes at them furiously.
“I wasn’t kidding when I said I wanted to take care of you, Minnie.” Gage holds the ring closer to her, eyes hopeful. “Myactions thirteen years ago may have changed your life, but I intend to keep changing it for the better this time around. If you’ll let me.”
Words are stuck in her throat as elation and disbelief consume her thoughts.
“So?” Gage momentarily looks unsure as his intense hazel eyes stare into her face. “Are you gonna be mine, Minerva Fray? Just you and me?”
Never did she imagine they would end up here. Not in a million years. Not the rough and tough man she met in her library, the man who gave her an adrenaline rush in her veins. The man who changed her life thirteen years ago and taught her what horror could be.
