Page 44 of Forever Mine

“I hate that you went through that,querida. Hate that you were alone and scared. Of course, I’ll always support you and do whatever you need me to do. But right now, I need you in my house to ensure you’re safe.”

“Okay,” I whisper. Gabriel has always unnerved me in the most unusual ways. I’m not used to men speaking so blatantly about their wants or desires. He doesn’t sugarcoat things with me. Tells me exactly as it is.

After signing all the paperwork and getting discharge instructions, the hospital provided me with scrubs and shoes so I could leave. Gabriel leads me to his car and helps me into the passenger seat. I’m quiet on the drive to his house. I’ve never been to his house. I have no idea what to expect.

Turns out Gabriel lives in Liv’s old neighborhood. His condo is bigger than Liv’s, but I wonder if I’ve seen Gabriel before and not realized it. I’ve been to Liv’s a dozen times over the couple of years I’ve been living here.

“What’s all that?” I ask, pointing to a stack of boxes on Gabriel’s front porch.

“Clothes for you,” he answers.

“What?” I breathe.

“I knew you’d need clothes. So I ordered some,” Gabriel says nonchalantly.

“Why?” I ask. I’m dumbfounded.

“Okay, I’ll repeat this. I knew you needed clothes, so I ordered some. Did you want to wear these scrubs for the foreseeable future?” he asks, and I shake my head. “Then I guess I made the right decision.”

“How did you even know my size?” I ask.

“Querida, you’re tiny. Women’s clothes only go so small. I picked many clothes I thought you would like and feel comfortable in. Anything you don’t want, I’ll just return,” Gabriel explains.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” I whisper, suddenly self-conscious and feeling out of my element.

“Querida…” he starts, but my phone rings as he parks in his garage. When I woke up surrounded by smoke, I could only grab my phone. I’ve lost everything. Getting my credit cards and IDs is going to be a nightmare. I don’t even have my birth certificate now.

I cringe, seeing it’s Emily. Guarantee she’s heard through the grapevine about the apartment. I almost don’t want to answer, but then she’ll assume the worst, and I can’t be sending her into labor.

“ARE YOU OKAY?” Emily shouts.

“No need to shout, Em. My hearing is fine,” I wince as I hold the phone away from my ear.

“Why didn’t you call me? I drove past your apartment and saw it burned to the ground! You’re lucky it didn’t kill you becauseI’mgoing to kill you now!” she roars. I hear Nathan in the background, trying to soothe her and asking her to breathe.

“Em, it’s not like I was hiding it from you. I’ve been in the hospital. I was just released thirty minutes ago,” I tell her.

“Do you need me to come to get you? You’re staying with me, right?” she asks.

“Oh. No. Gabriel got me.”

“Gabriel? Hot boss?” she shrieks. I glance over to see Gabriel smirking and shaking his head. Lovely.

“Can you seriously lower your voice? You’re obnoxiously loud right now.”

“No. I can’t. This is my volume today. Deal with it.”

“Gabriel asked me to stay with him. I need someone with me for the next couple of days, Em. You’re pregnant, and you have your hands full at home. I don’t want to put any extra stress on you,” I explain. She huffs.

“Mon, I need to know you’re okay. I can’t lose you,” Em says quietly.

“She can come over anytime,querida,” Gabriel says as he opens the car door and climbs out. He rounds the car to open my door, extending a hand and helping me stand.

“Did he just call you some kind of name?” Emily whispers.

“Yeah.”

“What?”

---