“That he’s leaving the country. He’s kinda here illegally, Lo.”
My heart pounds against my ribcage. “What? No. That’s not true.”
“Shit. I didn’t ... I thought you knew.”
Tears sting my eyes, and I swallow the lump in my throat. I stand and grab my purse, not really sure of where I’m going since we just ordered, but I have to get ... away.
Gabe scrubs a hand over his face, resigned. He throws a handful of bills on the table and stands. “Lo, where are you going?”
I stalk off in the direction of The Family Business, but I decide that I can’t see him yet. I can’t confront Mace in front of a client, in front of the rest of the guys. I head for my apartment, which thank God is literally right up the street.I need a drink. I need to think about this without all of Venice being privy to my meltdown.
I climb the stairs and shove my keys in the door. It slams back on its hinges, and I take a step into our apartment, glancing at our combined belongings that sit beside one another on the bookshelves, the coffee table, the entertainment unit we found on the street and painted key-lime green and then smothered in plants.
I didn’t want to move in here. I didn’t want to fall for him, but we built a life together, and now he’s just ... walking away?
Mace is leaving. Why wouldn’t he tell me?Who else knows?
I whirl on Gabe, he backs up a half step as I run right into him. “You knew he was leaving, and you didn’t say anything?”
“You’re not mad at me, Freckles.” Gabe takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilts my face up to meet his. “I’m not the one making him leave the country. I’m losing my best artist.”
I frown. “I’m in love with him!”
A muscle in Gabe’s jaw tics and he releases me. “Then marry the guy, keep him here in the country.”
“What? That’s insane.”
“Is it? You agreed to marry me, and you’re not even fucking me.”
“I’m not gonna marry Mace for a green card.”
“Then maybe you don’t love him as much as you think you do.”
“What the fuck are you getting at, Gabe?”
“Maybe he’s not the man for you.” Gabe pulls me close and wraps me in his big arms. “I don’t know, Freckles. Maybe you and him aren’t forever. Maybe you should save that for some other guy.”
I sniff into his T-shirt. “Who, like you?”
He shrugs. “Would it be the worst thing?”
I glare up at him, shocked by the honesty in his gaze. “You’re not serious?”
“A deal’s a deal.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, and we made that deal when we were drunk and too stupid to know any better.”
“Maybe you did, but that’s not how I remember it.”
I search his gaze, wondering where all of this is coming from. Wondering what the hell has gotten into him. “Gabe—”
He lowers his head and presses his lips to mine. I’m so stunned that I don’t kiss him back at least, not at first. My mouth is pliable, soft, open, andhis.All his.
Longing ignites in my belly, a spark, a match to gasoline, a live wire between his soul and mine. I tentatively brush my tongue against his, and then he kisses me without mercy, shoving inside, taking my mouth with his. Gabe’s hands cup my waist, and he lifts me so I have no choice but to wrap my legs around him. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he walks across the room, pressing my back into the drywall.
Kissing him is life altering, kissing him is like coming home. It’s right, and yet, this is all wrong. I’mwithMace. IloveMace.
I pull away and wriggle free, forcing him to set me down or we’ll both go tumbling. “Shit, Freckles. I’m—”