When he got her home and upstairs he took her in his arms, buried his face in her neck. His tears wetting her skin. He had thought he was incapable of crying.
But knowing the horrible evil that Sergio had planned for her, knowing how afraid she must have been ripped his heart apart.
How could anyone harm someone as kind and gentle as the woman he held close to him?
"I love you, angel, please don't ever leave me."
She lifted her head up and saw his tears, something she thought she'd never see.
"I love you too, you are my demon and I'll be with you till the day I die."
Wiping his tears away she reached up, pulling his head down she kissed him.
Dragging his mouth from hers cupped the sides of her face.
"There is nothing more I want to do at this moment then to throw you down on the bed and bury myself in your sweet heat. But you have been through so much. You need to eat and rest."
She smiled, tilting her face into the palm of his hand.
"You are right, I need to take a bath and get into bed."
"Yes, but not a hot bath right?"
"I know," she answered, knowing a hot bath was not good for the baby.
"I will go down and have the cook make something for us. I will be back soon after I make some calls."
"Don't be gone long Gabriel, I really need you by my side."
Giving her a kiss he moved away.
"I'll be right back," he said, leaving her to her bath.
He went down and told the cook to make them a hot meal, then went into his office. Picking up the phone made a call.
"Kirk, it's me, Gabriel. My father's club, burn it to the ground. Let me know when it's done," he said and was about to hang up but changed his mind.
"Oh and Kirk, make sure no one is inside, I don't want anyone dead."
She was laying in bed when he returned and went and sat on the bed. "We will eat soon and then sleep."
"Gabriel, will you tell me what your father meant when he said you were a killer?"
He lowered his head.
"Do not ask me to answer this question, you might not like the answer. It's in the past now."
"Please tell me."
He looked at her. "A few years ago I was away on business. I attended a party and a fight broke out. To make a long story short I shot and killed two men."
Her hand flew to her mouth. "No Gabriel. Why have you never told me about this?"
"I had no reason to tell you."
"Why did you kill them?"
"It was either me or them, I shot them in self-defense."
"That doesn't make you a killer, you were protecting yourself."
"You don't get it, angel."
"Get what?"
"I felt nothing when I killed them, no remorse, nothing. I'm not good for you. You should pack your bags and run away as fast as you can."
Taking his face in her hands, her tears falling.
"You are a different man now. I know that from the tears you shed and I'm not going anywhere. You have changed so much from when we first met. I love you." She placed her lips on his, her mouth attacking his with the passion of a woman deeply in love.
If a knock on the door hadn't interrupted them she would have seduced him into making love to her.
Their meal had arrived so they ate in bed, she fed him the strawberries that were dipped in chocolate for dessert. Taking the tray away kissed her as she fell asleep, his desire to make love to her would have to wait until she was feeling better.
***********************************
On the third night, she was in bed, paper, and pen in hand when he came home from visiting Mitch. Gabriel climbed into bed next to her.
"What are you doing?" he asked, kissing her bare shoulder.
"I'm making out the guest list and the menu for our Christmas party. I was thinking we could have some American as well as Italian food, and desserts."
"Are you now," he said.
Taking the paper with all the food she had listed let out a sigh. "This is enough to feed an army. Just how many people are you inviting?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "So far twenty people."
"Twenty people," he gasped. "I thought it was only going to be a couple of people."
He grabbed the guest list and scrolled down. Seeing Antonio's name he swore. "Hell no, he's not coming here or anywhere near you."
"Gabriel, after all, that he did to help us you still won't give him a chance."
"I'm grateful for his help but the man is still lusting after you. Do not invite him or you can forget about having anyone here."
His angry tone made her mad.
"You are such a stubborn ass," she cursed at him and taking back the list crossed Antonio's name off the list.
"Happy now?" she asked with sarcasm.
Seeing her angry lit the fire within him and pushing her down onto her back, got on top and pinned her arms above her head, his mouth dangerously close to hers.
"My angel has a temper."
"Get off me," she said, squirming beneath him.
"Not till I'm done with you," he said, his lips going to hers.
"Um, I have missed the feel of your sweet body and the taste of your mouth. Do you still want me to get off you?" he asked, moving his mouth from hers.
"That depends on what you plan on doing to me," she said, a smile appeared on her face.
"What is it you wish for me to do?" he asked, watching as she licked her lips.
"Everything," she answered.
"Then I shall start here," he said, his mouth going to her neck.
"Then I will move down and back up again. But first, let's get rid of this nightgown."
Taking his time and being careful he made love to her until they were both satisfied and exhausted.
✨✨TWO WEEKS LATER✨✨
Paige and Gabriel were watching TV, eating a bowl of popcorn when the news came on.
When Sergio's face appeared on the screen he wanted to flip the channel but she asked him to leave it on.
It was about the mysterious fire that burned down the club.
It also went on to say how he was arrested for pimping women out in his club, and all the other illegal stuff that was taking place. Gabriel was fuming when he found out that his father's lawyers got him off.
"How the hell did that bastard get away with it?" Gabriel cursed.
"At least he can't come near us with the restraining order against him. Right?" she asked, looking up at him.
"He wouldn't dare come near us, he knows the police are on to him and one wrong move he'll be put away. No lawyer will be able to save him."
"I'm glad that horrible club is gone. I wonder how it caught on fire," she said, looking up at him. "You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"
He stroked her cheek.
"Do you really want an answer?" he asked, running his hand over her belly which was now growing.
She thought about it, no one was hurt so she shook her head. "No."
Two weeks later Mitch was released from the hospital and they had a bedroom for him on the main floor, a nurse came in part-time to help out.
In the meantime, Gabriel hired a new tutor for Paige, an older man in his late sixties who came twice a week for two hours at a time.
It was getting close to Christmas and Paige went shopping for gifts for the help. He told her that he always gave them a large bonus but she still wanted to buy each one a personal gift.
Just a couple of days before Christmas Gabriel was sitting alone with Mitch. "Do you have any knowledge of how this online shopping works?"
"Yeah boss, why?"
"I need you to go online and pick out a few things for my wife for Christmas."
"You want me to pick out gifts for your wife?" Mitch asked, confused.
"That's right, whatever you think she might like go ahead and order them, I don't care what the cost is." He saw the strange look he was getting from Mitch.
"Is there a problem?"
"Not really. But don't you think she would like getting something that you, yourself picked out for her? It would be more personal and mean more to her."
"I haven't got a clue as to what to buy," He answered.
"You could go the shops and look around and get whatever catches your eye," Mitch said, smiling.
He couldn't imagine his boss walking around the mall buying Christmas gifts.
Gabriel rubbed his chin. Mitch was right, it would mean more to her if he picked out a gift to give to her on Christmas morning.
So later that day he made an excuse as to why he had to go out. At the mall, he was clueless as to where to start. Seeing a man in a suit went over and started talking to him.
"Pardon me, sir, I see you are buying presents, are they for your wife?"
The man smiled. "My girlfriend."
"What sort of gifts would one's wife like to receive?"
The man shook his head. "Recently married are you?"
"Yes," Gabriel answered.
"Oh man, women can be hard to buy for. But you can never go wrong with jewelry."
Gabriel thanked him and walked away. He went to the jewelry store and glanced into the glass showcases.
A diamond tennis bracelet caught his eye. He had the clerk gift wrap it, while she was doing that he spotted a necklace. It was in the shape of an angel, a diamond in the middle. He asked to see it and as he stared at it he thought of Paige.
"I'll take this, wrap it up."
"Should I wrap this up instead of the bracelet, sir?" the clerk asked.
"No, both," he replied.
Paying the bill, which made the female clerk smile since she would get a huge commision on the sale, she thanked him, wishing him a Merry Christmas. He never said it back, just walked out.
By the time he left the mall, he had bought more presents for her. Perfume, a imitation leather coat and boots and the matching purse.
There were several items of clothing, silk scarfs, cashmere sweaters and some sexy lingerie, all of which he had them gift wrapped Once he got started he couldn't stop buying things for her. He remembered the day she told him how she never got Christmas presents as a child. Though she wasn't complaining he still felt bad and wanted her to have the best Christmas ever.
Piling them into the trunk of his car he headed home, where he instructed the butler to remove them later and to hide them until Christmas Eve, and after he and Paige went to bed he was to place them under the tree. He had to admit it felt good buying the presents, it gave him a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach.
He even started wishing people Merry Christmas to those who said it to him.
It was late when he got to bed and she was asleep. Not wanting to wake her he stripped down and climbed in next to her.
When she moved into him, her arm going over his stomach and she laid her head on his chest he kissed the top of her head.
"You're late," she said, snuggling closer.
"Sorry Angel, time got away from me. I did not mean to wake you."
"You didn't, I'm just glad you are home. The bed feels so cold and empty without you. I love you, Gabriel."
"I love you too, more than you'll ever know. I have a confession to make."
She looked up at him, yawning.
"What?"
"The morning after the first time we made love in New York and I saw you I wanted to take you in my arms and kiss you. Instead, I ignored you, that was cruel of me. I'm sorry."
"I thought you hated me, and when you offered me a million dollars to get rid of the baby I was crushed." It made her so sad to think of that time.
"I was only testing you, to see if it was my money you were after. I would never have allowed you to abort our child. To be honest I'm glad that you got pregnant or we might not be together now."
"But you were so angry when you found out."
"Yes, but I got over it real quick. Now sleep, my angel."