Page 63 of Finn
The icy chill made me shiver, and before I could say anything, Gabriel shrugged off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders.
“You’re freezing,” he murmured.
I managed a faint smile in thanks, clutching the jacket tighter around me.
When the waitress brought two steaming cups of coffee, I took a sip too quickly, burning the tip of my tongue.
I winced, setting the cup down.
Gabriel, ever patient, just watched me, his hands wrapped around his own mug, although I knew he didn’t intend to drink it.
He wasn’t rushing me, wasn’t demanding answers.
Gabriel knew I’d tell him when I was ready. That quiet understanding gave me the courage to finally break the silence.
“I bumped into Asher at the convenience store,” I said, my voice barely audible over the hum of the diner.
Gabriel’s brow furrowed, and I could see the questions forming, but he stayed quiet, letting me continue.
“Apparently, after the Elders told him I couldn’t leave Craven Hill, he went looking for me on his own. When he couldn’t find me, he followed Gael to track me down,” I said.
For a brief moment, Gabriel looked impressed, a flicker of respect crossing his face at Asher’s persistence.
But then his expression darkened, the weight of what I was saying sinking in.
“What happened after you talked?” he asked, his voice carefully even.
I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head.
“Talk? It didn’t take long for him to try and knock me out. He had a syringe. He planned to drag me back to the Guild,” I angrily said.
Gabriel’s eyes widened, horror flashing across his face. He reached across the table and took my hands in his, rubbing them gently.
His comforting touch eased some of the tension in my chest.
“Somehow, I got the better of him,” I continued, my voice breaking slightly. “I knocked him out instead. Left him by his truck. He’ll wake up in a few hours.”
Gabriel squeezed my hands, his thumbs tracing soothing circles over my knuckles.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he said softly. “I wondered if I should have checked on you, but then Todd arrived...”
“You showing up would’ve made things worse,” I said, my voice firm. “Asher would’ve lost it if he saw you. It was better this way. I handled it.”
Gabriel nodded slowly. “You’re right. But... things are getting more complicated, aren’t they?”
I recognized the look on his face instantly, and my heart clenched.
That distant, conflicted expression—Gabriel was having second thoughts. Not just about our plan, but about us.
The realization hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. How could he?
After everything we’d been through, after the sacrifices we’d made and the dangers we’d faced together, how dare he stand there and question it all?
Did he think this was easy for me? That I hadn’t torn myself apart making this choice, knowing what I’d lose?
My family, my old life for him. And now, here he was, looking at me like I was just some foolish kid chasing an impossible dream.
It felt like a betrayal, sharp and cruel, cutting deeper than I thought possible.
