103
LINDEN
Watching the love of my life with a gun pointed at her head, I just died a thousand times and came back and watched that scenario over and over again. I couldn’t get rid of the image of her crying on her knees as she waited for the moment to die.
I wanted to kill Klayton Weston, but dying would be merciful for him. I wanted him to suffer the rest of his remaining worthless life.
I didn’t know if I deserved to be with Estelle. I put her in so much more danger than I could ever imagine. If she hadn’t met me, she wouldn’t have gone through those nightmares. All this happened because of me.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Moses gripped my shoulder. Just right after dinner with a British billionaire, he called me to say Gustav might be in danger. If I could just be five seconds late, I would have found my wife lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood.
“I need some air.”
“Don’t fool me. Stay put, and stop blaming yourself. I can read what’s on your mind right now and how you fist your hands. You’re seeking vengeance. You want blood in your hands so bad it drives you insane, and that won’t happen while you’re on my watch, son. Take a deep breath and sit down.”
I blinked off and sat back on the bench.
“You need to get in that room and stay by her side,” he added. “She will wake up soon. You’re the first person she wants to see when she wakes up. And you’ll be there to explain everything. I know this is hard for you, but she needs you now more than ever.”
“I can’t.”
“Man up, Gabriel. Either you get in her room, or I will drag you myself and put you next to her. Your choice.”
“I’m bad for her. She’d been on the brink of death twice, and it’s all because of me.” I looked down at my hand and toyed with my wedding ring.
“I call it bullshit. She sneaked out alone—”
“Because she’d mad at me. I pushed myself to her when she wasn’t ready. She wanted to be alone because I was there in her house.”
“It happened. An accident is inevitable. Estelle was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, as what happened tonight. And that was not your fault. She wanted to spend time with her father. It’s Weston’s fault. He’s insane. Get in that room before I tie you to bed.”
I drew a deep breath and forced myself to stand. My walk took time to reach the door. I wanted to flee and never come back so that my wife and child would live in peace and harmony, but at the same time, I couldn’t disappoint her, and I would be just like my mother, giving up my child if I cowardly did the same thing.
I pushed the door open with a bit of strength left in my body. At the same time, my wife stirred in bed. I was fast enough to hold her hand before her eyes cracked open.
“Hey, my love.”
“Gabriel.” There was still a shock and pain in her puffy eyes. I wished she wouldn’t remember what happened, but the pain was deep, and tears streamed down her face. “Dad.”
“He’s okay.” I managed to put a slight smile on my lips
“What? Really?” Her eyes grew bigger. The pain vanished, replaced with hope, as she flashed her smile. “Oh, my God. He’s okay. Where is he? I wanna see him.”
“First, calm down. You’re going to pass out again.”
“Oh, my God. Is our baby okay?” She put her hand on her tummy.
“Yeah.” I nodded as I picked up the image from my jacket pocket. “Here.”
Despite tears rolling down her cheeks, she broke into a wide smile. “I thought I was going to die.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. I wish I were there with you.”
She threw herself into me, and I caught her and hugged her tight. I kissed her head, hoping she would stay in a place protected. But I knew that was not living, and she had a lot of things she wanted to do in her life. She had a lot of things to offer and wanted to raise our child as normally as possible.
“Thank you, Gabriel.”
I pulled away, staring at those eyes. “For what?”
“For being there to save us.”
“You wouldn’t be in that situation if not for me. Your father wouldn’t be in the ICU right now if I didn’t meet you.”
Anger quickly flashed in her eyes. “What the hell are you talking about? What happened back there has nothing to do with you? Why do you always blame yourself for something you didn’t do and out of your control? Or you’d rather choose that I should marry that asshole?”
I looked down at her hand, took it, and kissed it. “I’m still one of the reasons why he came after you and your father.”
“That’s bullshit. Klayton thought Dad tipped off those bastards that shot his father. Did you?”
“No. I didn’t even know Weston got shot in the shootout if Moses didn’t tell me this morning.”
“So you knew.”
“Yeah. Your father knew. I told him.”
“Oh, my God. Where’s Qamar? Is he still alive? That dick said he killed him.”
“Q is alive. That dick stabbed him, but he missed vital organs. He’s recovering.”
“Gabriel, I wanna see my father, please?” How could I resist when she looked at me with those sad eyes?
“You will, but first, how are you feeling?”
“I’ll live. I’d never felt so relieved to hear your voice and see you standing there. I thought I wouldn’t see the light of day. I thought of you and our baby. Maybe that’s what people feel when they know they’ll die. I want you to teach me how to shoot.”
I was taken aback that she suddenly suggested holding a gun when she was terrified of it. “To shoot?”
“Yes. I want to learn how to use a gun and protect myself. I can’t depend on my details. I wanna learn, Gabriel.”
“Baby, that’s not a good idea. First, you’re pregnant—”
“My baby is protected with my uterus and fluids. She can’t be harmed. I want to learn, Gabriel. Either you teach me, or I will find someone who will.”
“After you give birth. Not in your situation. And she’s also my baby.”
“When I get home, I will see you at Osmium or find a shooting range.”
Fuck. I breathed through my nose, and she saw it.
“Don’t give me that look.” She pulled off everything attached to her. “Let’s go see my father and Qamar.”
“Baby. Estelle.”
“Wait. How did you know we were in trouble?”
“Moses.”
“Who shot Klayton? Is he dead?”
“Hope.”
“Hope, your assistant Hope?” she asked in shock.
“Yeah. She’s a sniper.”
“Wow. She’s hot and badass.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “She’s hot, huh?”
“I’m straight, Gabriel. I know you do.” She cupped my head and kissed me hard, which took my breath away. “You’re my hero.”
My heart melted. My emotions were everywhere. I wanted to cry, but I held it back. “Let me take a wheelchair so that you can see your father.”
“Thank you, husband.” I ignored that my face had just burned.
When I left the room, Lynx met me in the hallway. “Mr. Braddson left. I added two more men. I could add more if you want. Our guys are just a call away.”
“I think that’s enough. I want protection for Gustav. Assign three best men from our HQ here.”
“Got it, boss.”
“I have to pick a wheelchair. My wife is awake and wants to see her father.”
“I’ll get it for you.”
“Thanks.” I went inside, and she changed from the hospital gown to her clothes. “Do you realize you’re not discharged?”
“Then talk to the doctor and tell them I’m good to go.”
“Baby, you’re only going to see your father.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, my love. Your iron is below normal.”
“Wait. What?” She even looked surprised. “I took my supplements regularly. What did the doctor said?”
“You need rest.”
“You’re lying.”
“Baby, you have to believe me.” I took the wheelchair from Lynx. “We’ll see your dad, and you’ll return to bed. When the doctor clears you to go home, then we will.”
“I don’t wanna go back home until Dad can get out of the hospital.” She willingly sat in the wheelchair.
“Your mom. I haven’t informed her what happened. So she doesn’t know.”
“I’ll call her.”
Her father’s ICU room was just a floor to hers. Gustav was lucky the bullet missed his subclavian artery, but he still lost a lot of blood. Thankfully, his house wasn’t far from the hospital. They did the surgery quickly, which saved his life from bleeding. Yue took charge of Gustav’s protection.
As soon as she saw Gustav on the bed, sleeping, Estelle asked, “How long have I been out?”
“Not long.”
“But my father has undergone surgery?”
“Yes. The bullet went through and through, just an inch below his artery.”
She gasped. “Oh, my God. Where’s that asshole now?”
“Brought to another hospital. Hope didn’t want to kill him, but he probably had a broken bone. He’s in police custody. He can’t go anywhere.” I brought her to Gustav. “I’ll be outside.”
“The cops want to take your wife’s statement.” Lynx came. “And Mr. Bladwyn once he wakes up.”
“What is it?”
I turned to my wife. “I thought you wanna stay with your Dad.”
“I want to add security for him.”
“I already did.”
“Then where are they?”
“In the briefing right now, Mrs. L. Yue was here before I came.”
“Oh, I didn’t notice him. Okay then.”
“And you will have Hunter and Q, but in the meantime, while Q is recovering, Yue and Hunter will be your protective details. No more sneaking out, Estelle.”
“Quinn is back?” Her eyes widened in excitement.
“Miss me?” Quinn just walked in our direction.
“Oh, my God!” She might have forgotten she was pregnant. She ran towards Quinn and hugged him. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“Easy there, preggy.” Quinn laughed, hugging my wife back.
“You don’t get jealous?”
I looked at Lynx and shook my head. “At first, yeah. He has feelings for my wife, but they’re more like best friends now. And he will do everything to protect her.”
“Gabriel, I wanna see Qamar.”
“Go ahead. Sit on the wheelchair.”
“I can walk.”
When I didn’t talk, she rolled her eyes, making Lynx laugh.
I watched them leave for the next elevator until they disappeared. “Make sure Klayton cannot escape.”
