Chapter 2 - The Man Waiting Behind Her
Rose didn’t board the bus.
Not because of Gabriel.
Because she saw her father.
Richard Vain entered the terminal with two men.
Rose immediately stepped behind a concrete column.
Gabriel noticed.
“Interesting.”
“Don’t.”
Richard approached the ticket counter.
“Blonde woman. Gray hoodie. Did she buy a ticket?”
Rose’s face tightened.
“My own father is looking for me.”
Gabriel’s voice was flat.
“No. He’s looking for his investment.”
Rose looked at him.
“Then why are you here?”
“Same reason I told you.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You shouldn’t.”
That surprised her.
Gabriel nodded toward a side exit.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere your father doesn’t know about.”
Rose laughed bitterly.
“You expect me to hide with the mafia boss I escaped from?”
“No.”
Gabriel opened the door.
“I expect you to make your own decision quickly.”
Richard’s voice came from behind them.
“Rose!”
She froze.
Richard hurried closer.
“Thank God.”
Rose stepped away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Sweetheart, stop this nonsense.”
“Nonsense?”
“You embarrassed everyone.”
“I climbed down three floors barefoot because you sold me.”
Richard lowered his voice.
“I saved this family.”
“You saved yourself.”
“Rose—”
“You owed Gabriel two million dollars.”
Richard looked toward Gabriel.
“This is family business.”
Gabriel’s expression turned cold.
“She is my business only if she chooses to be.”
Richard stared at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“I changed the arrangement.”
“You can’t.”
Gabriel took one step closer.
“I just did.”
Richard’s confidence cracked.
Rose saw it.
And suddenly understood something.
Her father feared Gabriel.
Gabriel did not need her.
That changed everything.
Rose looked at Gabriel.
“If I go with you tonight, I’m not agreeing to marry you.”
“Correct.”
“You don’t lock me inside.”
“No.”
“You don’t take my passport.”
“No.”
“And tomorrow, if I leave?”
“I’ll have a car take you anywhere you want.”
Richard interrupted.
“This is ridiculous!”
Rose turned.
“No, Dad.”
She held up the passport.
“This is the first honest deal anybody has offered me.”
She walked out beside Gabriel.
---
The safe house wasn’t what Rose expected.
No armed guards standing dramatically in hallways.
No dungeon.
It was a quiet townhouse overlooking the river.
Gabriel handed her a key.
Rose stared at it.
“What’s this?”
“Front door.”
“You’re giving me a key?”
“You seem unusually interested in windows. I’m trying to encourage doors.”
Despite herself, Rose laughed.
Gabriel looked surprised.
“So you can laugh.”
“Don’t get excited.”
He handed her a folded stack of clothes.
“You’ll find food upstairs.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“To find out why your father arrived at that terminal so quickly.”
Rose’s amusement vanished.
“What do you mean?”
“Only three people knew where you were.”
Gabriel held her gaze.
May you like
“You. Me. And whoever was tracking you before tonight.”
---
