He put his hands around Daniel’s throat. Tightened them. Daniel started to gasp.
“If you ever come after me again, I’ll do the same to you,” he promised. “So you’d better pray they never let you out of jail…because if they do…brother,” Ethan spat, “you’re as dead as our father.”
The doors flew open. Faith stood there, glaring at him. “Let the perp go!”
Daniel was struggling to breathe, and Ethan wasn’t letting him go.
Faith shook her head. “You know he’s not worth it.”
“I’ve got friends in prison,” Ethan muttered into Daniel’s ear. “Maybe you won’t survive very long…” Then he let Daniel go. He sucked in a deep breath. Straightened his shoulders.
Ethan headed toward Faith. She glanced down at his shirt. “You must have popped some of your stitches,” she said, voice expressionless. “You’re bleeding.”
The pain had been worth it. He passed by her and found Chance standing in the hallway. The interrogation room door shut behind Ethan, and the two men measured each other.
“I’m sorry,” Ethan finally said. “For everything that happened to Gwen. I never wanted her hurt.”
Chance nodded. “I know.”
Ethan swallowed. “You love her.”
Again, Chance nodded.
“Gwen deserves to be happy. Treat her well.” He kept his spine straight as he strode forward.
Chance stepped in his path.
Hell.
He waited for the punch that had to be coming.
But Chance said, “Don’t let what that bastard did…don’t let it destroy you. We can all be more than our pasts. So much more.” Then Chance turned around and left.
Ethan’s shoulders sagged. I want to be more…But, some days, he just wasn’t sure if he could be.
***
The snow was falling again. Chance stood outside of Gwen’s apartment, the snowflakes drifting down on him, and he thought about the twists and turns a life could take.
When he’d been in the hospital, Gwen had stayed by his side. Every moment. And every time he’d looked into her eyes, he’d realized just how damn lucky he was.
Gwen loved him. Truly loved him. She knew he wasn’t perfect. She knew he had a darkness inside. Knew just what he was capable of doing.
And she still loved him.
I am such a lucky bastard. Because he didn’t deserve her. Not really.
But he’d be damned if he ever let her go.
After he’d listened to that interrogation at the police station, he’d been more determined than ever to spend the rest of his life with Gwen. She was all that he wanted. And he’d move heaven and earth to make her happy. Hell, he’d deal with the devil if it meant Gwen would always be safe.
He headed toward her building. It was time to stop watching. Time to take the next step. He rode the elevator up to her apartment. Knocked on her door. The snowflakes had melted on his coat when she opened that door.
And he was down on his knees.
“Chance?”
He took the ring box out of his pocket. He opened it. Chance stared up at Gwen, knowing this was the most important moment of his life.
“I love you,” he told her simply. Because there really wasn’t anything else to say. “Will you marry me, Gwen?”
She smiled. A slow, beautiful smile that lit her eyes, that lit her whole face. Gwen nodded. She pulled him to his feet, then she pulled Chance into her apartment.
There weren’t cameras hidden there any longer. No one to watch them.
Just us.
He shut the door behind him. Pulled Gwen even closer. He slid the ring onto her finger. A perfect fit, just like she was to him.
Perfect.
Chance kissed her and knew that his life had just altered. He wasn’t going to desperately dream any more, wasn’t going to wake, reaching for Gwen…only to find that she wasn’t there.
Now, she’d be with him. He’d be with her.
Always.
And if anyone ever tried to hurt her again…
He’d fucking destroy them. Because Gwen was the woman he’d fight to protect. The woman he’d die to possess…the woman who’d brought him to his knees.
His world. His life.
His.