Page 56 of Finn
I took a few seconds, searching for the right words.
“Gael hated my guts the moment Beric turned me. He used to be Beric’s old favorite,” I said. “But he also knows exactly how to push my buttons.”
“What exactly did he say to you?” Finn demanded.
“He thinks you’ll regret being with me,” I finally admitted.
Honesty was the foundation of any relationship and I never ever wanted to lie to Finn.
I wondered what he was thinking, if there was any hesitation or doubt hiding in his heart.
Finally, he reached over, his hand slipping into mine, his fingers lacing through mine.
“Then he doesn’t know me at all,” Finn said, his voice full of quiet confidence.
He gave my hand a squeeze. Finn continued, “I’m here because I chose this, Gabriel. No one forced me to. I know what I left behind. And I know why I left it behind.”
I looked at him, something loosening in my chest at his words, at the conviction in his voice. But the fear lingered.
“You say that now, but what about in a month? A year? When we’re still hiding, still on the run?” I swallowed, fighting to keep my voice steady.
Finally, I continued, “Finn, I’m...I’m not sure I can give you the life you deserve. And Gael, he’s always there to remind me of what I am, what I’ll always be. A monster who traded one cage for another.”
Finn turned to me, his gaze sharp, full of defiance.
“That’s not who you are to me, Gabriel. I know who you really are. And I’m not going to run away because things get hard.” His hand tightened around mine.
I wanted to believe him, but the fear was rooted deep, coiled around my heart like a vice.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
FINN
The car jolted to a stop,and I stirred awake, blinking groggily.
“Why did we stop?” I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
The dark stretch of road outside the windshield was eerily quiet, bathed only in the faint glow of the moon.
Gabriel glanced over at me, his expression tight.
“The engine died on us,” he said simply. “I’ll call for a service.”
“Great,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
I didn’t bother masking the irritation in my voice. This felt like one more thing piling on top of an already precarious situation.
I stretched and climbed out of the car, needing some air.
The chilly night breeze hit me, waking me up further. Gabriel followed a moment later, shutting the car door softly behind him.
“No reception,” he announced, his voice heavy with frustration.
I frowned, turning to him. “None at all?”
He shook his head. “Not even a single bar. But I remember passing a convenience store a few minutes ago. I’ll walk back and see if I can borrow their phone.”
“I’ll do it,” I said quickly, already stepping away from the car. “I could use the exercise anyway.”
