Forced to be His

Part Twenty Eight

GABRIEL

He sat down at the dining table, awaiting everyone to arrive once they had 'freshened up'. Thoughts ran through his head like a bullet. Penetrating emotions in him which had never stirred since he was a child. Her family was lovely. He noted her mother was very beautiful, especially for her age, yet Angelica didn't seem to look much like her.

"She must look like her father", he muttered under his breath.

Tapping his finger against the polished wood of his table chair, he noted what he had done after his guests had found their rooms. He had paid for many things.

No. He didn't use his money to gain their approval. He felt it was the right thing to do. What type of man would he be, what type of husband would he be if he had left his wife's family to fend for themselves when he was the reason the cafe had burnt down. He was the reason they all suffered. He had to tell them the truth, but he couldn't come to it. How could he tell his Angel's family that he had kidnapped her. He had trashed her apartment. He had hurt her.

"This day is something I never thought would come".

Gabriel glanced up and saw Daniel leaning against the door frame of the dining room, hands crossed over his chest, accentuating the outline of his muscles. Gabriel sighed roughly.

"You kidnap a girl, you hurt her, you force her into things. She stops fighting back. Hell, she may even just have feelings for you. Are they real? Maybe she has a slight case of Stockholm Syndrome. Maybe you've brainwashed her. Even told her about our childhood. Our past. You have almost broken her, and yet here you sit, scared of what her family will think of you", Daniel mocked.

Gabriel said nothing. Glancing into the empty eyes of his best friend, his brother. Walking over, Daniel patted Gabriel over the shoulder.

"Your time will come where you will face the consequences of what you have done. And I hope that today is not the day. All I ask is you fully come to a harsh realisation of what has occurred. Did you notice that it is Christmas tomorrow?".

"No".

"Hmmm. Well I say we celebrate", Daniel looked down, "we...we have been without family for so long. Maybe this is our chance to find happiness again. I do not agree with what you have done, but I am happy knowing you have finally found what you have been needing".

Gabriel stood up abruptly and looked at Daniel with no emotion. Without warning he hugged his brother tightly, not realising that his wife's family had heard everything from outside the french dining room doors.

A few hours later

Gabriel sat in his office, alongside Daniel as Greg sat opposite them.

"So, you are to be my wife's bodyguard".

"Yes Boss".

"No. No need in private. Call me Gabriel. You are like another father to my wife. If anything, it is you who deserves the utmost respect. Willing to take your own life to save her, should the time come". Daniel and Greg sat slightly shocked.

"Now tell me, what have you found?".

Greg's sons walked in, trailing behind were Bruce and Christopher. Once settled, Daniel began to speak.

"Over dinner, it seems our men had made a few connections. The piece of filth who hurt Angelica that night on the street was a drug dealer. But not just any drug dealer. He works for Marcus".

Silence. No response.

The only sound that could be heard was the light ticking of the clock. However, that didn't stop the tension from rising. Everyone who worked in the underworld knew what Marcus was like. What he wanted. What he would do, should he gain power.

"Men, get some rest. You are dismissed", Gabriel said coldly. One by one, each man trailed out of Gabriel's office, leaving only Daniel.

"You know what we have to do, brother".

"Yes, I do".

Both Daniel and Gabriel had cold, dark looks in their eyes. For only they knew what Marcus was fully capable of. The scars that littered their bodies proved it.

One hour later

Gabriel slowly walked up the large and ornate staircase. The heavy steps of his feet echoed through the now dark house. Although they could not be seen, guards lurked in an out through the shadows, watching on to protect the man who vowed to protect them.

Slowly but surely, he reached the room his wife was in. Opening the door, he walked in and sighed, quickly recalling the past events. What he had said to his wife's family.

"I have already organised payments to your cafe Frank, whilst you were all freshening up. All with new and updated equipment. This renovation will be started as soon as possible, however we will wait to see when you can return. Michael? Your mothers bills have been paid for, and I have donated a sum of Twenty thousand to you and your family. Jas, or should I say mum, your mortgage will be paid and your son's university debts have been paid. Lastly, Jackson, the apartment you have been looking at is now yours. Mortgage free".

Glancing around the room, he thought he would see his wife, to no avail. Maybe she was with her mother. He would let her be. Taking off his tie, he threw it on a chair and unbuttoned his shirt, ready for a long and hot shower. Walking to the closet he grabbed his clothing and threw his white crop shirt onto the floor. He had no desire to be clean and organised. Approaching the extravagant bathroom, he was not prepared for what he saw. His wife was standing by the tub, with dimly lit lights, running her fingers slowly through the lightly steaming water.

Flashbacks hit Gabriel as he remembered how he had seen her in her apartment, as bare as a babe. That was one of the things he had never told her. Raking eyes up her body, he noticed her smooth tanned legs, unable to be seen from above the knee, covered by a white cotton robe. He did however, watch the robe drop inch by inch down her back as he shoulder slagged slightly, stopping at the curve of her behind. Usually, he would feel a large wave of lust, but now? He felt more. Love. Adoration. Happiness. The raw beauty was his. The raw beauty held his name. Eyeing her slowly, he watched her soft hands pour some bubbles of sorts into water, making the water foam up abruptly under the tap.

Sighing softly, Angelica watched the water nearly fill to where she wanted it, obviously unaware to Gabriel's presence. He enjoyed what he was seeing. Maybe one day, he would admire her standing by the same tub, getting ready to bathe their children. Lost in his thoughts once more, his eyes landed on her soft back. The tight yet voluptuous curves of her body called out to him, and like a man under a spell, he followed. Walking up to his gorgeous wife, he ran his fingers down her back, noting her shiver sightly.

"You are so beautiful".

Hi all you lovely people,

I am going to start updating again. I apologise for the wait.

This chapter is more of a filler, so please do not think I am trying to prolong the book. The plot has just begun and things are about to become more intense than how I have left the end of the chapter! This is NOT edited! I shall go back and edit soon.

Thank you for the lovely messages. For those of you who live in Australia, you would have heard of my best friend's passing as he was a soldier. As university didn't let me take time off, I was unable to attend his funeral which has angered me quite a lot, however he is now in peace.

Much love and yours truly,

M.