GREG

He began with his story. Narrating each and every part out to them, as far as he could remember. He was asked to spare no detail. From the fire in his home, to the time he arrived at the house he was in now, Greg told his story. Not leaving out the part of Angelica and the drunkard.

Susan, Jordan and Thomas looked at Greg with adoration lighting up in their eyes. They knew their boss had finally found a woman. A woman that could maybe tame him and his beast. A woman that may help him ease his own inner pain. Susan knew it would take time though.

"She was such a lovely girl. She always tried to help. Her and her friend, his father and more. I never accepted it. Life isn't worth living if the people you love aren't by your side".

"We've been dreaming of this since the day of the fire", Thomas whispered.

"I am proud of you both, for looking after your mother, and I am even prouder that you are still here with her. When you were younger, your mother used to get emotional about her boys leaving for university", Greg chuckled. Susan was still speechless.

Out of nowhere, Greg's stomach began to rumble, loudly and aggressively.

"Food time!", Susan happily said. Standing up, she dusted herself off, addressing any crinkles in her clothing. Grabbing her hand, Greg stood up and walked to the bedroom door, Thomas and Jordan following on behind them. Walking down the stairs, Greg began to hear loud talking. Following the noise as it seemed, he waked into a dining room, full of at least 30 men, including Bruce and Christopher.

As he stood there and gazed at the men, and no doubt the food, the loud speaking became a low murmur. Men looking at Greg with stern eyes. An unknown man to them could be a threat.

"Oh stop it! I'd like to introduce to you all to my husband, the boys father, Greg", Susan let out.

One by one, the men stood up and shook Greg's hand, smiles lighting up on their faces, patting his back, the boys back's and then kissing Susan on the top go her hand.

"Come and sit!", one man slightly yelled.

Joining the table, Greg sat with his family and the people who helped them, eating more food than he had since the morning of his life's tragedy.

He finally felt at peace.

ANGELICA

"I hate you! Let me go!", Angelica screamed. To Gabriel, it was loud and clear, but to anyone else, her voice would have been drowned out by the crashing of the waves.

"Let me go! Please!", Angelica tried to pry Gabriel's arms off her body, successfully getting free in her last attempt when she decided to bite his non bandaged hand.

"You!", she turned around and pointed her finger at him, accusing him, "You! You take me away from my home, you split me up from my family, by friends, kidnap me!". Gabriel took a step closer. His eyes were stormy, and growing darker with anger each time she spoke, but she didn't stop.

"You force me to marry you! You force yourself on me, bruise me, hurt me, all whilst keeping me locked away on an island! I HATE you! You are insufferable!". Breathing in and out rapidly, she noticed Gabriel slowly inching himself towards her. Without a thought, Angelica kicked sand up onto him, and as he flinched away, she ran again.

Before she knew it, the sand was dry, and her running became harder. Each footstep buried deep in the dry sand. She had lost her energy screaming at Gabriel and trying to escape, not thinking about what would happen to her body. Getting up to the house, she detoured and began to run around it, still hearing Gabriel run behind her.

To her shock, there was a garage parked to the water. Having no choice, Angelica ran up to the door and tried to yank it open. With the last pull, the door slid open to reveal a yacht. She was excited. This could be her ticket out of here. Alas, this wasn't her day. Like a sack of potatoes, she was hauled up by her husband and thrown over his shoulder, towards the house.

"It's no use my love. It operates by my voice and fingerprint only". Angelica could hear the smirk in his voice and began to cry. She couldn't deal with what was happening. It was like everything, every event, every action had finally dawned on her. Getting into the house, she wriggled off Gabriel's shoulder and did what she did in the beginning, but twice. She slapped him, as hard as she could. She didn't care anymore about the consequences of her actions. She was too distraught, too much in panic, too anxious and in fear. She was now married. Forcefully.

It was like her life had exploded right in her face. Her dreams had collapsed. Her family had no idea as to where she was and yet the funny part was neither did Angelica. She only knew she was on an island somewhere. No location. No map. No contact to anyone. And in front of her stood her nightmare. The man who caused it all. The man who stole her. The man who was notorious for being a horrible man. The man who had been through so much, and inflicted the same pain on the woman he said he loved. The man who had a gun on his office table, when Angelica tried to escape. She wasn't stupid. She knew what she had seen.

"Why! Why!", she got close to Gabriel and began to pound his chest.

"This is all your fault! My dreams, my hard work, my family, gone! And for what?!? For you! Who do you think you are! How dare you!". Angelica fell into Gabriel's chest and cried her heart out. She cried for the loss of all she had. She cried for her father to come and save her. She cried because she knew she was married to a man in the Mafia.

He could hurt her, kill her, rape her like she had been before. He had her life in his hands, and she was trapped.

"Kill me! Kill me please", Angelica whispered, "I can't do this".

GABRIEL

"Kill me! Kill me please", Angelica whispered into his chest, "I can't do this".

Gabriel was angry, yet stunned. Is this what Daniel meant by calm before the storm? It had a double meaning, that he knew.

"Why did you do this to me?" Angelica whispered again. Her eyes were closed, and her body was slumped against him, tired, worn out, exhausted from the events that had transpired. Usually, his animalistic side would take over. Bathe in her touch. But not now.

Gabriel stood there, and held her slowly. Looking down, he notices her eyes were puffy and red. She was staring directly at him, tears dripping down her face. With each tear gone, a new one appeared.

"Is this your love for me?".

Gabriel's jaw clenched. Love. A word he had only used for her. Love. A word that meant so little to him before, that now described his world. He knew what 'love' was where he came from. The men he'd seen. What they would do to those they 'loved'. He was surrounded by abuse, violence and infidelity. Men who wanted to take over his empire had women like his wife by their sides. Innocence was an attraction to men in the underworld. They kidnapped them, bought them, abused them. Even whilst being married to old hags as he liked to call them. Gold diggers. He had seen what they would do to women they 'loved'. It was a facade he had seen. Most men who pleaded their 'love' in the underworld only wanted one thing. And there he was, doing what they had done. He had taken her, stolen her. Bruised her, chased her. He had ripped her away from everything that she had known. Everything close to her. He had adopted their ways because of his selfish needs.

He knew she was the one for him. He knew she was his angel, but he had gone the wrong way about it. Not that she would have been with him. At the time it seemed like his only option. To steal her away. Who would love a beast? Who would love someone like him? It was this moment he wished he was like Daniel, and even like Caleb. They understood women. Even if Caleb didn't have one, and even if Daniel had never loved one, they seemed to understand.

Picking her up bridal style, Gabriel walked up the stairs slowly and passed her room. He could feel Angelica tear up and stiffen.

"I won't hurt you, princess". The words didn't help her, he concluded. She was still so fearful of him. Walking up to his bedroom door, he opened it slightly and shuffled in, kicking the door shut.  Placing her on the foot of his bed, he walked to his closet and found a shirt and pants for her to wear. Nodding towards the bathroom, he watched her duffle away, facing him the whole time as if she was assessing his moves. She didn't want him to do anything to her if she turned around.

Five minutes later, she came out. She looked adorable in his clothing he thought to himself.

She sat on his bed, far away from him as tears dripped out her eyes. They became continuous along with the subtle shaking of her body. Gabriel slowly walked towards her and sat at her feet. She leant back, he noticed.

"Hit me if you must". Angelica looked up at Gabriel wide eyed. "Hit me, punch me, slap me. Hurt me if you must. Get the anger out, but do not hate me".

Gabriel stared into her eyes. Yes, he was angry with her for trying to run, but more because of her knowledge of where she was going. Even if she had managed to get into a boat, she had no idea where to go, or even where she would end up. And if she kept her wedding ring on, people would know who's she was. She could be targeted, she could be taken and hurt,

"You don't deserve anything but hatred", her voice wavered, "You stole me away. You have taken  me away from my life and placed me in a cage". Her voice died down into a whisper. He knew she became scared. Almost as if she had spoken to him out of place.

"I know you hate me. I know you are hurt-".

"No! You know nothing of my hurt and pain. You, you who are known for your money, your company, your role as a criminal leader. I will NEVER stop running away from you!" Her breaths were laboured again.

She was scared. Of the world he came from. Of what he really was.

Looking down, he took a deep breath.

"I know you hate me. I know you are hurt, but you are my wife. I will wash away every sin I have committed towards you. I will never hurt you, my angel. I will make you love me as I love you". Lifting his head, he gazed into her eyes, with determination.

"That is a promise".

Hey lovely readers,

I hope you like my update. I have been attending University and was caught up. My apologies! This is NOT edited so I also apologise for any mistakes!

Do comment your thoughts about my book so far as I love reading your ideas and feedback. They do mean a lot to me. I hope you are all well! Thank you for the support!

The next update will be a roller coaster! I hope you are all ready!

Yours Truly,

M.