Page 120 of Gabriel

“I’ll make the offer,” I said to no one in particular. “He deserves the chance to say yes or to destroy us.”

Amara

Outside Gabriel’s room, the air changed, announcing the arrival of newcomers.

You could feel it in the way the security team subtly repositioned themselves by the door, and the way Kian’s shoulders went still.

“Keep an eye on him and let me know the moment he wakes up,” I instructed the nurse, then slipped out of the room with Kian to ensure we wouldn’t disturb Gabriel, who had yet to wake up.

Raphael Santos strode toward us like he was God’s gift to the human race, and suddenly I knew exactly where Gabriel got his confidence from.

His suit was crisp, dark, and his expression was carved from stone. Beside him, his wife, Sailor Santos, walked in with soft feet and an even softer smile. Her platinum hair was pulled into a severe twist, her eyes unreadable behind dark sunglasses. But her hands were clenched and there was a distinct wobble to her chin.

Kian stepped forward to greet them, the hospital hallway suspiciously empty.

I stood beside him, spine straight, hands clenched in front of me like Mother Liana taught us when dealing with powerful men.

“Raphael,” Kian greeted. “Sailor.”

Raphael’s eyes didn’t flicker. “Where is my brother?”

“Stable. Recovering from surgery. His internal organs weren’t damaged.” Kian gestured toward the door behind us. “He still hasn’t woken up from surgery, and they have him under observation. He’s not alone.”

Raphael’s chin twitched. “And my daughter?”

“Anya’s with my brother,” I chimed in. There was a beat. A pause in which I felt the heat of Raphael’s attention move to me. “She’s safe. Jet took her away so they can lie low in case the Triad attacks again.”

Truthfully, I couldn’t believe that after all the manipulation, I was saving my brother’s ass. The only excuse I had was that I knew—at least, I hoped I knew—that he would do the same for me.

“Amara Cullen.” His voice was low and smooth, but beneath it was thunder. “So you’re the girl who says she’s going to marry my brother.”

Dammit, how much had Kian told them? I silently cursed him for saying anything at all, especially since I hadn’t had a chance to ask Gabriel.

Jesus Christ, am I actually proposing to a man? Talk about unorthodox.

“Don’t tell me I rendered you speechless, girl,” Raphael said sharply, causing Sailor to pat his hand as if to soothe him.

The weight of the moment squeezed my chest like a vise. I stepped forward.

“Yes,” I said. “I’m going to marry Gabriel if he’ll have me.”

“You think he will?” Raphael asked. “After you kidnapped him?”

Well, this was going splendidly.

I squared my shoulders. “It doesn’t seem to be a problem when one of you kidnaps your future wife, so I thought I’d just follow suit.”

Sailor’s lips twitched and her head tilted slightly, eyes locked on to me even behind the tint of her lenses. It was as if she were judging my worth.

“The result of our future wives’ kidnapping never ended in a trip to the hospital,” Raphael continued.

I scoffed, my brows furrowing. “You’re joking, right? Do you think I’m an idiot just because I’m young?”

He ignored my sarcasm and my comment.

“My brother is blind and unconscious. Jet has taken my daughter. And all of this”—he turned to look at Kian—“happened under your protection.”

“Excuse me, but you won’t be putting all this on me,” Kian cut him off, cold and deadly. “You never mentioned the girl had a boyfriend.”