He released her, though he didn’t want to. “You’re sleeping here tonight, got that?”
She nodded, tucking her hair back. “Thanks, Gabe. I haven’t been a great friend for a while, but… thanks.”
“Come on. Let’s get you settled. A good night’s rest, then we’ll kick ass tomorrow.”
Her responding smile relieved him. It meant she wasn’t too far gone. Tomorrow he would do everything in his power to keep the smile a permanent fixture on her face. She deserved nothing less.
As for his feelings…
Callie was now a free woman. Broken, but free. Now wasn’t the best time to make a move on her, but the open window remained. He had a choice to make; help her heal, then confess his love for her, or lose her to another man once more.
CHAPTER TWO
Callie Dawson stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, wondering if she’d made a mistake coming to Gabriel with her heavy burden. After six months with minimal contact, it wasn’t fair to appear out of the blue to dump her problems on him. But she had no one else, and even if she did, there was no one else she’d rather turn to.
Gabriel was the most reliable man she knew. Caring and thoughtful, with a habit of coming to her rescue, so much she lost count. What she’d do without him… she didn’t want to find out. Because she needed him now, more than ever. If anyone could rescue her from this mess, it was Gabriel.
She hated having to reveal the dark side to her relationship with Matthew. She didn’t want Gabriel to discover the abuse. Knowing his hot temper, there was no telling what he would do, and the wrath that filled his eyes brought no comfort.
She did not see it coming, Matthew’s manipulation, his mind games, the abuse that left her broken. He’d been such a charmer that night in the bar, winning her interest, pulling her attention from Gabriel, which was a hard feat for any man.
He did the whole shebang; wined and dined her, showered her with gifts, took her on trips around the world. It was amazing, like a fairytale, and he was like a dream. She thought herself lucky to have found a man who made her feel like the only woman around. And although he didn’t cure her unrequited love for her best friend, he seemed to be the next best thing.
At least, for a moment…
She didn’t know how the charming man transformed into the devil reincarnate. The change happened so fast and unexpected, the week after she said yes to his proposal. On their way home from dinner, he became upset at the smile she’d given a man in the lift.
“Matt, you’re overreacting. He held the door for us, for crying out loud.”
“So, what, he earns a fuck-me smile?”
Callie pulled the door and entered his townhouse before replying. Throwing her purse on the couch, she released a weary breath. This wasn’t like Matthew, the jealousy. Where did it come from? “It was an innocent smile.”
“Yeah, and I’m a fucking idiot who’s gonna believe that bullshit.”
She gave him a hard, long glare before reaching for her purse again. “I’ll sleep at my place tonight. Give you some time to calm down.” She made to move past him when he grabbed her wrist.
“Like hell, you are.”
She twisted her hand, trying to pull it from his grasp. “Let me go.”
“You’re not leaving.” He pushed her to the couch and took her purse, throwing it to the other side of the room.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“And you’re a fucking slut.”
Her mouth remained agape for a moment before she shot up from the couch. Matthew never spoke to her like this, not once since they’d gotten together. “This is too much. I’m going home.”
“Over my dead body.” He wore a nasty smirk that made her stomach turn. Was this the real Matthew? Jealous and disrespectful as hell? Where was this side to him all along, and what had she gotten herself into?
“This was a mistake.” She unwound the engagement ring and threw it at him. No way would she stand for his crap. Her dad raised her better than that. She deserved respect, and if Matthew refused to give it, there was no place for him in her life. “I’m done.”
His sudden grip on her neck brought instant terror in her gut and tears to her eyes. She tried to catch a breath, but there was no getting past his solid hold. Her useless hands clawed at his hands, face, gripped his clothes. Nothing budged him.
Her vision grew bleak. She slipped into darkness. She came to, hours later, naked in his bed with his lips nipping her shoulder.
“I’m sorry.” Remorse filled his face and his hands came together in a prayerful stance. “I don’t know what got into me. Callie, I love you. I’m so scared of losing you. Please, don’t leave me.”
She’d been a fool. She should have taken heel and run from his life that night. The signs were there, telling her it would get worse—he would get worse, and she ignored them.
She made excuses for the slaps to her face, the punches to her stomach, the naked photos of other women in his phone. Matthew would change. The charismatic man she met at the bar would emerge once more. Whatever this was, they’d get through it. It came with the territory, being in love and making shit work.
Yeah, if you’re in love…
Which I am. I love Matthew.
But did she really?
The truth came like a hurricane, blowing her away. No, she didn’t. Matthew wasn’t the one. He wasn’t the last person on her mind each night and the first in the morning. She didn’t feel the urge to call him when she had a bad day, or when she had a joke to share. He didn’t make her heart skip a beat when he crossed her mind.
But Gabriel did. God, yes, he did. Tried as she might, there was no getting over her love for him. It was like a permanent stain on her heart. Even if it wasn’t, she didn’t think she’d want it to go away. There was no way she would settle for a relationship below par, one that threatened to ruin her sanity. It was time to end the mistake.
Matthew took the breakup well; too well, now that she thought about it. The enraged response she’d expected did not come. She had been so relieved watching him go. Glad she didn’t have to fight her way out. But she should have given more thought to his blase reaction.
Within a week, crazy shit began happening. Subtle, at first, like losing water and heat in the same day and the power going out every night. It raised no strong concern, not at first, until she found out her apartment was the only one with the problem.
Then her kitchen caught fire. Luckily, her housekeeper came along just in time to put it out. Strange enough, the fire department found no source of the fire and chalked it down to a ‘bizarre occurrence’. Then came the break-in, although they stole nothing of value, just a few pieces of her clothes.
Just when things couldn’t get worse, the call came from immigration services, throwing her life in further turmoil. Why would they cancel her work permit for no reason? Was that a thing?
She had no way of proving it, but she suspected that Matthew caused all her troubles. He was a well-known businessman and a senator’s son. He had connections everywhere. It was too coincidental; the continuous crap after their breakup.
Never in her life did she expect to get here, in a dark corner, not seeing a way out. Going to back to England, starting over… how could she do it?
Twenty years. That’s how long she lived here. First on a student visa, then on a work permit she renewed each year. It should have been a short-term thing; finish college, return home, find a decent job and eventually start her own business. But meeting Gabriel eliminated most of her plans. There was nothing in Chelsea for her. Here, in the US, was everything she wanted.
So she stayed. Life was exceptional, except for the slight problem of loving a man she couldn’t have…
No matter. At least he remained a part of her life. Better than nothing.
But when the phone call came that crushed her world, she saw the possibility of losing it all. Her job, her colleagues, everything she’d worked so hard to achieve. Most importantly,
not seeing Gabriel, being able to touch him… it was too much to think about.
She didn’t want to leave; but there was no other choice. In a few weeks she would say goodbye to the only life she’d known. The years before college were now a blur; all she had were the memories she made here.
Memories of Gabriel, of her love for him.
It wasn’t what she expected, or wanted after meeting him on the college lawns twenty years ago. He was just a guy who needed a study buddy for calculus. She was just a girl in need of help with adjusting to a new culture. It should have been a short-term thing, their trade, but it blossomed into an unbreakable, inseparable friendship.
She shouldn’t have been surprised when she fell for him. Gabriel could stop a woman’s heartbeat with a smile. His sexy, dark looks and a body that triggered dirty thoughts was a recipe for insanity. She’d seen evidence of the sort, women losing themselves when he gave them attention. She had been foolish to think herself immune, that their friendship was a barrier to his carnal power.
Nope. It wasn’t. She fell hard and fast.
There was nowhere to run from her feelings for him, and at first, she didn’t want to. It went beyond the physical, her response to him. Gabriel was a good man, a great friend to her. The best shopping buddy she could ask for. His door was always open, and so was his listening ear.
They had so much in common, like their love for football and the outdoors. Gabriel was the only man to match her stamina on a hiking trip. She was the only woman he’d taken camping. She smiled at a memory, the night they lay under the stars, alone, the surrounding wilderness creating an intimacy she couldn’t ignore. That night she wished with everything inside that he would sense it too.
But looking back, she realized that even if he did, nothing could come of it. For Gabriel had one flaw, and it was a major red flag. Him changing women each week.
That had been the hardest part, seeing him with a new girl, having to force a smile and pretend it didn’t matter. But it did. It hurt like crazy. Just thinking about them touching him in ways she wanted to, tasting him… it was pure agony.
Even then, with all the women coming and going, she couldn’t deny wanting him. So much that she began reading into his actions, like the time his gaze lingered on her cleavage when she modeled a new dress in the department store. Or when he showed up at her office to take her to lunch. She was on her knees, ass poised, searching under the couch for a lost earring. The look in his golden eyes, the heat... No way did it mean nothing, right?
No way did she imagine the flash of tenderness that crossed his face from time to time. Or his fingers that remained on her arm or back a little longer than necessary. The dark frown he gave her date meant more than his concern for her safety, didn’t it?
Was it possible that Gabriel felt the same as she did? Should she find out?
The answer was a stone-cold no. Gabriel’s wild days seemed far from over. She had no interest in being another statistic, another notch in his belt. Worse, it would end their friendship. No way would they survive a breakup.
Gabriel meant too much for her to risk it. She had to tuck her feelings aside. Easier said than done, though. They got stronger as the years went by. Still, she suffered in silence, watching the women come and go, wishing she could capture his heart. But that was a dream.
It hurt when he’d been quick to introduce her to Matthew. The nonchalance in his demeanor had stung. But it had given her a reason to make her relationship with Matthew work. He adored her; he wanted to be with her. He did then, at least…
None of it mattered now; not her mistake choosing Matthew or the painful results. That was all in the past. Now she had to look ahead, to find a way to stay. She couldn’t afford to lose her job. Working in real estate had given her the life she wanted. Not only did it pay well, but she was damn good at it. Starting over wasn’t an option. There had to be a way out.
She finished drying her hair and wrapped it with a fresh towel. Getting into bed, she set her alarm for an early morning. She couldn’t report to work, not until the mess disappeared. But she wanted to get a head’s start on a plan to stick around.
Where she would begin, she had no clue.
Her faith lay with Gabriel. He always found a way. He was that guy, the problem solver, the man who never failed her. There was no doubt in her mind he’d come through somehow.
But a level of guilt remained. She shouldn’t have allowed Matthew to come between their friendship. Then, she’d been caught up with trying to please her man, putting him before a bond that, even now, remained unbroken. Coming here tonight, she didn’t know what to expect, but it was like they’d never taken a break, that six months hadn’t passed since he last saw her.
She applied body cream to her arms, her fingers coming to stop at a bruise on her wrist. Matthew’s doing, after they fought over him taking his ex to lunch. She remembered the pain, so blinding, even now. Heavens knew how she was still in one piece today.
More than once, she thought of picking up the phone and calling Gabriel. One call, and the abuse would end. But Gabriel was a hot-tempered man with at least twenty pounds and six inches on Matthew. She’d hate to bail her friend from jail for murder.
And now… she still couldn’t tell all. Definitely wouldn’t tell him about her suspicions about the fire and her work permit. No telling what he would do with the information. With all hope, Matthew had gotten the revenge he wanted and would disappear from her life for good.
As she sunk under the duvet with a weary sigh, a knock on her door came. She sat up, taking care to wrap the sheet around her naked body. “Come in.”
Gabriel entered. He’d changed into pajama pants and a t-shirt. Callie swore she saw the imprint of his dick through the pants. But she didn’t look twice to confirm. She became more aware of her nakedness beneath the sheet, and Gabriel’s hot scan over her frame did nothing to help. The warmth that crawled up her body slowly built to an unbearable point. She fanned herself, blowing a breath.
“Is the heat too high?”
“Huh?” Did Gabriel notice her response to him?
“The thermostat. Do I need to adjust it?”
“Oh. No, I’m fine. What’s up?”
Gabriel sat on her side of the bed, too close. Way too close. She tightened the sheet around her. “I have a plan. But, be warned, it’s a crazy one. Don’t flip until you think it through.”
“Ok…” She stared up at him, puzzled, but hopeful at once. If Gabriel found a solution, then all would be well again. “What is it?”
“Marry me.”
CHAPTER THREE
“Wait, what?”
Did she hear right? That Gabriel wanted to marry her? She couldn’t have.
“Let’s get married.” Gabriel’s face was just as serious as his tone. Which meant he wasn’t joking.
Callie sighed, and remorse came from the place in her soul that wanted him so much. “Gabe, we can’t… I can’t let you do that.” It was the most selfish thing to do, trap him in an arrangement that didn’t benefit him. Marriages weren’t made for jokes or convenience. They were meant to last forever. It was a commitment reserved for the woman he loved, not her.
“You’re not making me do anything, Callie. I want to help, and I won’t take no for an answer.”
She tore her gaze from him, unable to bear the softness that laced his eyes. Her heart was beating fast, too fast, just from the simple stare. “Gabe, it’s a generous offer, but…”
“No buts. We’ll have a simple ceremony with a justice of the peace. Next, we get your work permit back and apply for your green card.”
“I don’t know…”
“I’m not letting you go, Callie,” Gabriel replied, inching further on the bed. There was that tenderness again, the one that made her belly clench with need. She averted her gaze, staring at her fingers as he said, “I can’t survive without you here. I just… can’t.”
Longing filled her, along with a wish that his words meant w
hat she wanted them to. But she knew they didn’t. In Gabriel’s eyes, she was still one of the boys, his little sister probably. Not someone he’d want to be with.
“I’d lose my mind not being near you, too,” she said. “But this is a serious decision, Gabe. I couldn’t bear the guilt of burdening you with my mess.”
“You’re not trapping me. For the last time, I want to do it.”
Again, she released a heavy breath. “Have you thought about it? Really thought about it?”
He snorted. “Callie, you know I have.”
“Ok, let’s see; where will we live? My apartment or yours?”
“Well, mine has way more space, doesn’t it?” He grinned as she rolled her eyes.
“Ok, whatever. But what happens when you take a woman home? How will you explain if she runs into me?”
Gabriel stared at her, his expression blank and his lips pursed.
“See, you didn’t think it through.” The thought of Gabriel with another woman made her sick. It was one thing to imagine him with someone else. Being under the same roof, with him a few doors down, touching a woman the way she’d been dying for him to touch her…
No. Hell no. She couldn’t take it.
“Look, I’ll find another way out, k? I’ll talk to my boss, see what he can do.” She curled her legs and reclined against the pillows, hoping he would take the hint and leave. She needed some alone time to overcome his effect on her. Her body still tingled with awareness, even more now that she realized it was his dick pressing through the pants.
Oh, lord. Her sex throbbed beneath the sheet.
Gabriel’s hand on her knee made the ache so much worse. “Callie. Look at me.”
She shifted her head to meet his gaze.
“Please, let me help you.”
What was up with her imagination tonight? Why was she seeing things? The desperation on his face wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.
My Fake Wedding: A Best Friends to Lovers Romance: A Soulmate Romance Novel (Medical Heart Throb Series Book 4) Page 2