Chapter 6 - The Debt Gabriel Couldn't Collect
Six months later, The Rusted Anchor had new floors.
New plumbing.
A functioning radiator.
And an owner named Sadie Hayes.
She discovered the ownership papers inside an envelope on her birthday.
She stormed directly into Gabriel's office.
“You bought my bar.”
Gabriel looked up.
“No.”
She threw the papers down.
“You bought the building.”
“Technically different.”
“You can't keep buying things for me.”
“I can. You simply dislike it.”
“I wanted to earn this.”
“You did.”
“How?”
Gabriel leaned back.
“You worked there for five years. You kept Frank's books when his eyesight started failing. You covered shifts when he was sick. When he decided to retire, I made an investment.”
Sadie narrowed her eyes.
“How much?”
“That's private.”
“Gabriel.”
“Fine. Too much.”
She sighed.
Then noticed something.
“You put my name on everything.”
“Yes.”
“Not yours.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Gabriel's expression became serious.
“Because I never want you wondering whether something belongs to you because you're with me.”
Sadie's anger disappeared.
He stood.
“I know what people say about men like me.”
“Some of it is probably accurate.”
“Most.”
She smiled.
Gabriel took her hand.
“I can't promise you a normal life.”
“I don't want your life.”
He paused.
Sadie continued.
“I want mine. With you in it.”
Something vulnerable crossed his face.
“That's considerably more terrifying.”
“Good.”
She kissed him.
The office door opened.
Dean walked in.
“Oh, come on.”
Sadie stepped away.
“Knock.”
“This is technically a criminal organization. Do we knock?”
Gabriel stared at him.
Dean immediately reconsidered.
“I'll knock.”
He closed the door.
Then knocked.
Sadie laughed.
“Come in.”
Dean entered carrying a folder.
Six months sober.
Six months without gambling.
He now worked for a legitimate shipping company Gabriel partly owned.
“I got promoted.”
Sadie's face lit up.
“You did?”
“Operations supervisor.”
She hugged him.
Gabriel said, “Don't make me regret signing the paperwork.”
Dean looked at him.
“Do you practice sounding threatening?”
“No.”
“That somehow makes it worse.”
Sadie looked between them.
For the first time in years, Dean looked proud instead of desperate.
Later that evening, Sadie and Gabriel walked through Philadelphia beneath a light rain.
They stopped near the alley behind The Rusted Anchor.
Sadie looked down it.
“This is where I ruined my life.”
Gabriel raised an eyebrow.
“Ruined?”
“I had a simple existence before you.”
“You had three jobs and a broken radiator.”
“Simple.”
Gabriel smiled.
“Do you regret it?”
She looked at him.
“No.”
His smile disappeared.
“Neither do I.”
Then Sadie noticed him reach into his coat.
“Gabriel.”
“What?”
“If that's a ridiculous diamond—”
“It isn't.”
He pulled out a small black box.
Sadie's heart stopped.
Gabriel Rossi, the man half of Philadelphia feared, suddenly looked uncertain.
It was the strangest thing she had ever seen.
“Sadie Hayes.”
“Don't kneel in the alley.”
“I wasn't planning to.”
“Good.”
He opened the box.
The ring was elegant and surprisingly simple.
“You saved my life before you knew my name. You challenged me when everyone else agreed with me. You protected your brother even when he didn't deserve it.”
Dean's voice suddenly came from behind a dumpster.
“I heard that.”
Sadie spun.
“Dean!”
Dean stepped out beside Marco.
Gabriel closed his eyes.
“I specifically told you to stay around the corner.”
Marco shrugged.
“He insisted.”
Sadie burst out laughing.
Gabriel looked at Dean.
“I may reconsider the promotion.”
Dean retreated.
“Leaving.”
Gabriel turned back.
“Where was I?”
“You were proposing badly.”
“Right.”
He took her hand.
“Marry me.”
Sadie looked into those same gray eyes she had first seen through rain and blood.
“Yes.”
Gabriel exhaled.
She smiled.
“Were you nervous?”
“No.”
“You were.”
“I've survived worse situations.”
“Name one.”
He thought.
“That alley.”
Sadie wrapped her arms around him.
“You survived that because of me.”
May you like
“Exactly.”
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