Approaching my car, I gasped.
My entire windshield was busted, along with my rear-view mirrors and side windows, as if a baseball bat had been taken to them. Shattered glass was everywhere and it looked like my tires were slashed as well. Large dents marred the hood of my car and I walked closer to inspect the rest of the damage. With my heart beating rapidly in my chest, I froze as I saw what was written in spray paint on the driver’s side door.
Fags burn in Hell.
Bile rose in my throat and I lurched forward, unable to hold it down. Wiping off my mouth, I looked back at the message and angry tears streamed down my face. How could people be so cruel? With a shaking hand, I pulled out my phone and called Michael. I didn’t know what else to do. There was no way I could drive home with my car in this condition.
“Hey, Angel,” Michael answered, his tone was light. “How was work?”
“Michael,” My voice shook. “Something happened. I...” I broke off from the sentence and busted into a fit of tears and heart-wrenching sobs.
“Gabriel?” He sounded panicked. “What the fuck happened? Where are you?” I heard rustling on the other end of the phone and then the sound of a car door slamming, followed by an engine revving. “Angel, talk to me.” He was trying to sound calm, but I could hear the stress behind his words. “Are you okay?”
“I’m in the parking lot at work. I’m not hurt. But I’m not okay,” I answered between gasps. “Someone destroyed my car. Why would they do that? Why can’t they just leave me alone?” I clutched my stomach with one hand as my cries became hysterical. The more I tried to calm myself, the more distraught I became.
“Gabriel, listen to me.” Michael’s voice was deep and commanding. “I want you to go back into the shop and stay there until I get there. Understand? I’m on my way.”
Nodding my head, even though he couldn’t see me, I hurriedly turned around and walked to the backdoor. After I unlocked it and entered the shop, I slid down the wall and sat in the floor as more tears fell from my eyes. I tried to control myself, but the injustice of the situation shattered my heart. That person didn’t even know me, so what gave them the right to pass judgment on me?
I don’t care what anyone else says, homosexuality is not wrong. Loving someone is a beautiful thing, not something that should be discriminated against. If it really was a sin, then who is to say that it’s a greater sin than hate or violence? I don’t know a lot about the gospels of Christianity, but I’d like to believe that no God would approve of that type of behavior in his name. Who I fell in love with was out of my control, I didn’t choose to be gay. There was no choice.
However, intolerance and bigotry was a choice.
Out of all the religions I have come across, whether it be Christianity, Buddhism, or Islam, all of them taught and preached the same thing: to love and to spread peace. Not to judge and spread hate. So why did some people think that it was alright to be cruel and detestable in the name of a religion that was supposed to teach the exact opposite? I didn’t understand it. Not one bit.
“Baby?” Michael’s voice startled me. I forgot I was still on the phone with him.
“I’m inside now.” I had finally managed to calm myself down.
“Okay, I’ll be there soon. I love you.”
“Love you too.” I hung up the phone and stared down at my hands, feeling numb.
Chapter Twenty
Michael
Pissed didn’t even begin to cover the feeling that gnawed through me. Murderous rage was more like it. Although, right now, all I wanted was for Gabriel to be in my arms so I knew he was safe. Pulling into the back entrance of the parking lot, my jaw clenched when I saw his car… and the message that was spray painted on the side of it.
Parking, I got out of my car and dialed Gabriel’s number, as I walked toward the door.
“Hello?” His voice was weak.
“I’m right outside, baby, open the door.”
When the door opened, I pulled him into my arms and held him tightly as he started crying again.
“Shh, Angel, it’s okay. I’ll take care of everything.” I kissed the side of his head and led him to the passenger side of the car. “Is there anything you need out of your car? I’ll make the necessary calls and get your car into the shop to be fixed first thing in the morning.”
Gabriel sat down in the seat and looked up at me with sad eyes as I held the door open. “Just my car information and insurance. I think that’s all.”
Closing his door, I walked over to his Volkswagen to retrieve the documents, thankful for the few extra minutes to try and get my anger under control. Seeing Gabriel broken like that made me want to track down the prick that upset him and rip their fucking head off. As I walked back to my car, I looked around to see if I could spot any security cameras in the parking lot that might have captured the asshole that did this, but there weren’t any anywhere.
Fuck. The chances of finding the person responsible were slim to none now.
I opened the driver’s side door and handed the papers to Gabriel. “We need to call the police and notify them of the vandalism so they can have an official record of the incident.”
Gabriel continued looking straight ahead, as if not hearing me.
Sliding into the seat, I wrapped an arm around him and pulled him to my chest. “Angel, everything will be okay.” I kissed his forehead and rested my cheek against him.
“It’s just not fair.” His voice was barely above a whisper and it tore at my heart strings. “Why would someone do this?” He turned his head and put his face against my neck, his tears silently falling.
“Some people are just cruel, Gabriel. They feel justified in their actions and see nothing wrong with it. But it is wrong. They are wrong.” I tilted his face up to mine and stared into his sad blue eyes. “I’m not sure if there is a Hell, but if there is, I know a beautiful soul like you would never go there. You are the most loving and caring person I have ever known and you have too big of a heart to go anywhere except eternal paradise. People lash out when they don’t understand something. And living here in the Bible belt of the South, most people fear us because they don’t understand us. They fear change.”
He blinked and more tears fell from his eyes. “Love is not wrong, Michael. We are not wrong.” He laid his head back at the base of my neck and exhaled as another sob escaped him.
Resting my cheek against him, I answered, “No, we aren’t wrong, Princess. You are everything right in this world.”
Remembering that a vandalism report still needed to be filed, I nuzzled the top of Gabriel’s head and said, “I’ll take care of the calls.”
Still holding onto him, I pulled out my cell phone and called the police to file a report. An officer was going to be dispatched to the scene so we had to stay long enough to talk with him.
When the police cruiser pulled into the parking lot, I nudged Gabriel’s head with mine. “Come on, Angel. Let’s go talk to the officer so we can get it over with and go home.”
“Okay,” he answered weakly and then sat up and got out of the car.
“Hello, I’m Officer Adams,” the policeman greeted us as he approached. He was a short, overweight older man with a large white mustache.
“Thank you for coming out here, Officer,” I spoke and pulled Gabriel against my side. “The car is right there. It was like that when he got off work.”
Officer Adams regarded us with an authoritative look and then focused his attention on Gabriel’s car. Pulling out a notepad, he turned back to us and addressed Gabriel. “Do you know of anyone who might have had motive to do this?”
Shrugging his shoulders, Gabriel answered, “No one specific comes to mind. I’m sure a lot of people have issues with me, though, so it could have been anyone.”
“Unfortunately, there doesn’t look to be any security footage available to help us and I’m assuming there were no eyewitnesses,” Officer Adams said in an indifferent tone and then scribbled something in
his notepad. He unclicked his pen and then placed it and the notepad back into his pocket. “I’ll take a few pictures of the scene and let you boys know of anything I find out, but for now, why don’t y’all go on home.”
I clenched my jaw at the policeman’s obvious disregard of the situation, but I held my tongue. After thanking him, I helped Gabriel into my car and drove off.
When we got to my house, I started him a hot bath, hoping that it would help relax him. I was still new to the ‘caring for someone’ thing, but I was slowly learning. Once I picked him up and carried him to the bathroom, I set him down on the counter by the sink and began undressing him. He watched me with swollen, red eyes and my heart squeezed in my chest.
I hated seeing him look so defeated.
“I wish I knew what to say or do to make you feel better,” I told him before leaning my head against his and closing my eyes.
His arms came around me and he nestled his face in my neck. “What you’re doing is great,” his voice croaked. “I’ll be alright. I’m sorry I’m acting like this.”
I leaned back to look at him. “Angel, don’t apologize. You have every reason to be upset, I understand.” I tenderly kissed his lips and then picked him up to carry him to the tub. “Come on, a nice bath might help you feel better.”
“Only if you take the bath with me.” He nuzzled my shoulder and sighed.
Smiling, I placed him in the tub and then took off my clothes to join him.
After the bath, I dried him off and covered him with one of my robes before carrying him to bed. Once he was nestled under the covers, I lay beside him and wrapped him in my arms. Looking down at him, his eyes were wide open.
“You need to get some sleep.” I stroked the back of his hair gently.
“I can’t. I have too much on my mind,” he murmured softly and tilted his head toward me.
Having an idea, I got up from the bed and grabbed a book from the small bookshelf in the corner of the room.
“What are you doin’?” He asked with a slight frown and lifted his head as I returned to my spot on the bed.
“Lay your head down, Angel.” I wrapped an arm around him and leaned down to kiss his head as he placed it back on the pillow. The book I grabbed was a book of select poems from Robert Frost. Opening it, I flipped through the pages until I found one of my favorite poems, The Trial by Existence, and I started to read aloud. I hoped that by reading to him, it would distract him and ease his mind.
As I read, Gabriel’s eyelids slowly began to close and he snuggled closer against me. By the time I reached the last few lines of the poem, he was fast asleep.
***
The next day, after Gabriel called his insurance company and informed them of the incident, I called and got his car into the repair shop. The mechanic informed me over the phone that the repairs should only take about a week; however, with Thanksgiving that Thursday, it could possibly not be finished until the middle of the following week. I didn’t mind driving Gabriel around until it was finished, though. At least then I would know he was safe.
The thought of Thanksgiving caused my stomach to dance with nerves. I was finally going to meet Gabriel’s family.
Fuck. What if they didn’t like me?
I rubbed a hand down the side of my face as my mind went into freak-out mode. From what Gabriel told me, his family loved and adored the hell out of him. So, if he was happy, they were happy. And he was happy with me, just as I was with him… right?
Taking a deep breath, I shook my head and placed my cell phone on the charger before leaving the bedroom to find Gabriel. The beauty shop was closed on Sundays, so we had the entire day to spend together. Hearing an obnoxious laugh coming from the living room, I furrowed my brow and walked that way. What was he doing?
Entering the room, I saw Gabriel cuddled on the couch with a bowl of fresh fruit next to him and a cup of coffee. He was wearing a pair of my flannel pajama pants and his hair was adorably messy as he laughed at the show he was watching. I watched him for a second before making my presence known, still amazed that he was mine.
The obnoxious laugh resonated from the television again and I looked to see a cartoon playing. I smiled when I realized what he was watching.
“Really?” I asked, amused. “You’re seriously watching Spongebob Squarepants?”
Gabriel turned to look at me, his eyes wide. “Holy fuck, Michael, don’t sneak up on me like that! My heart can’t take it.” He feigned a heart attack and then lay down on the couch, pretending to be dead.
Smirking, I approached him and played along. “Oh no, my poor Princess. What am I ever going to do without him?”
His lips twitched and then he turned his face to hide it in the cushion.
I quietly chuckled and then snuck up on him, making a roaring noise as I attacked him with tickles.
“Ah! No, no, no! Michael, stop! I’m going to piss myself!” He squealed as I tickled him.
“Then should I call you The Princess and the Pea?” I inquired and stopped the assault of tickles.
“Wrong kind of ‘pee’,” he narrowed his eyes at me playfully and then grabbed me, pulling me down on top of him.
Bringing my face down to his, I kissed him softly on the lips as he peered up at me through long lashes. “You’re so beautiful,” I whispered as I stared down into his entrancing eyes. A teal strand of his hair fell into his face and I nuzzled it aside with my nose.
“And I’m all yours.” He took in a sharp breath as his eyes misted over and he buried his face in my neck. “Always.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Michael
“Babe, you look fabulous, knock it off.” Gabriel rolled his eyes at me as I checked myself in the car mirror.
I adjusted my tie and grumbled. “Are you sure the tie isn’t too much?”
Sighing dramatically, Gabriel got out of the car and walked around to my door. “Come on. Out. Don’t make me tell you twice.” He had a hand on his cocked hip and beckoned to me with his other hand. “They will love you.”
Begrudgingly, I opened my door and stepped out. Straightening my shirt, I took a deep breath and looked down at my beautiful little firecracker. He had one finely plucked eyebrow arched and a smug smile curving his beautiful mouth. His makeup was more natural that day, with just a thin line of eyeliner on his lids, mascara, and a light layer of pink gloss on his lips. No matter what he wore, I always thought he looked stunning– both with a smooth, full face of makeup or with stubble on his jaw and completely makeup free.
I loved every side of him.
Gabriel made a green-bean casserole and a blueberry cheesecake for the Thanksgiving dinner, so I opened the back door of my car to get the containers. Handing him one dish, I took the other, and we walked up to the front door of his father’s house.
I raised my hand to knock on the door, but before I did, the door flew open and Gabriel’s brother Zach stood there with a shit-eating grin on his dimpled face. “Well, well. Look who finally showed up.”
Gabriel stepped forward and gave his brother a light kiss on the cheek. “Happy Thanksgiving, fuck face.”
Zach barked out a laugh and took the casserole dish from Gabriel’s hands. “Happy Thanksgiving, to you, too, prissy ass. Here, let me take this, wouldn’t want you to break a nail or something.”
“As if.” Gabriel rolled his eyes and then grabbed my hand and led me inside.
The house had a very relaxing and cozy atmosphere. Logs in the fireplace crackled as they burned, and the smell of freshly cooked food drifted to my nose. We walked through the living room, which had fashionable Victorian chairs on both sides of a matching red couch, and a tall grandfather clock ticking in the corner. Once we were in the kitchen, Gabriel took the dish I was holding and placed it on the counter.
“Since Gabe is gonna be an ass and not introduce us, I’m Zach.” Zach stuck out his hand to me and I shook it with a chuckle.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Michael.” I smiled at Zach and then
glanced at Gabriel.
He had his nose up in the air and scoffed. “I was waiting for Dad to get in here so I could introduce him to both of you at once. Duh,” Gabriel said with adorable feistiness.
“Is that Gabriel I hear causin’ a ruckus in here?” An older man asked as he came around the corner. He was a little taller than Gabriel, but shorter than Zach, and had black hair with streaks of gray. His blue eyes crinkled when he saw Gabriel and he wrapped him in a big hug.
“Dad,” Gabriel spoke after they greeted each other. “This is my boyfriend Michael.” Gabriel took my hand and squeezed it, knowing how nervous I was. Warmth spread through me at his touch, relaxing me.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Greyson. Gabriel has told me wonderful things about you.” I stuck my arm out to shake his hand.
“Please, call me David.” David shook my hand and smiled. “It’s nice to finally meet the mysterious boyfriend I’ve been hearing so much about.”
I turned my head to look at Gabriel and he blushed.
“Can we eat now? I’m starving.” Zach asked and walked over to the pressure cooker to check the turkey.
“Zach, get your fat ass away from that bird,” Gabriel teased and then hid behind me with a squeal when Zach started running for him.
“Hiding behind your boyfriend, huh? No worries, I’ll get you later, Miss Priss.” Zach narrowed his eyes and then winked at me, his hazel eyes were amused.
It was remarkable that they were brothers; they were the exact opposites of each other. Aside from them both being exceptionally attractive men, they had nothing else in common. Gabriel had such a delicate frame, with a face that looked to be sculpted by the gods, while Zach was only an inch shorter than me, with big muscles, and a very masculine face. Where Gabriel had an androgynous appearance, Zach was nothing but masculinity.
I reached around and grabbed Gabriel, bringing him against my side. Lowering my head, I kissed his forehead and then turned back to Gabriel’s family. Zach and David were both watching me with curious expressions. David stared at me and Gabriel with awe and Zach looked slightly intimidating.
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