coursed down her caramel cheeks. Ellie enveloped her in a hug, comforting herself and her sobbing child. Her heart raced so fast that she could taste it in the back of her throat, the fear she'd felt seconds ago, leaving an acrid taste in her mouth.
Having witnessed the scene, Nicholas was relieved to see that Sophie and Ellie were alrigh t, his relief however was short- lived the second Gabe opened his mouth to speak. "What exactly are you r intentions with my goddaughter, Nicholas?"
Nicholas leaned his head against the weeping willow; his gaze remained on Ellie and Sophie. "She's praying for my soul."
Gabe furrowed his brow at Nicholas's cryptic tone. He didn't trust him. He'd always believed himself to be a good judge of character and the very second he'd laid eyes on Nicholas, Gabe knew he was trouble. There was something deceitfully wicked lurking behind that pretty face, something that made the hackles on his neck rise and he sorely wanted to know what that something was.
"Would you listen to me if I asked you to stay away from her?"
Nicholas twirled the cigarette he'd withdrawn from his jacket moments earlier and inserted it between his lips, igniting the butt in the process. He then turned his head sideways, a small, wry grin pulling at the seam of his lips. "Not really." Nicotine and tar filled his lungs before he exhaled the white smoke.
"Ellie's been through so much . She's finally at a stage in life where she's actually happy," Gabe evenly met Nicholas's gaze, making sure his next words had the necessary impact. "Fuck this up for her and I'll be coming after you."
"I would expect nothing less." With that said Nicholas stood and headed t o where Ellie and Sophie played. H e smiled as Sophie ran to him, took his hand and pulled him to see the ducks.
Chapter Seven
"Thanks for the invite, I enjoyed myself."
Ellie believed him, a step up from bullshit lines to actual sincerity . Maybe he wasn't as hopeless as she'd first believed.
"Well, I'm glad. Soph enjoyed having you around."
Nicholas grinned, "She's a great kid, still shocked as hell she's yours though."
"For life."
"You've done a great job so far."
Ellie shrugged, "It's all a learning experience. I do what I can." Silence fell between them and Ellie shuffled her feet. Gabe, having taken a slumbering Sophie inside when they'd arrived, peered at her through the living room window and Ellie fought the urge to sigh in exasperation. "I should get in, it's getting late. I'll see you at school, Nicholas."
"Yeah... night Ellie."
"Goodnight."
He straddled his bike, revved the engine and with one last look at Ellie's retreating back, he sped away, the bike echoing down the silent suburban streets until it was nothing more than a dull hum.
"Tell me you aren't falling for him, Ellie." Ellie heaved a sigh and spun around.
"Like I said, Gabe, he's just a friend."
"He was no one last week and now he's a friend?"
It seemed no matter how hard she tried to forget her past with Tony, it continued to haunt her. Gabe, despite all she'd done to prove herself a responsible parent, still insisted on treating her like a child. Moreover, the fact that she'd never given him reason to doubt her and yet he still distrusted her, greatly disheartened Ellie.
"I know you want to protect me. But you have to understand that I know what I'm doing. Have a little faith in me, Gabe and trust that you've raised me well enough not to make the same stupid mistakes again. I need you to trust me." She'd learned from her mistakes, had taken accountability of those mistakes and seen to rectify them as best as she could. The lessons she'd learned fortified her with knowledge she used to raise her own child.
Gabe raked a hand through his hair, the ge sture hinting at his agitation. H e sighed, reached out and pulled her into his arms. "I do trust you, Elle." He murmured his voice a rumble in the caverns of his chest. Ellie stood close w ith her ear against
Having witnessed the scene, Nicholas was relieved to see that Sophie and Ellie were alrigh t, his relief however was short- lived the second Gabe opened his mouth to speak. "What exactly are you r intentions with my goddaughter, Nicholas?"
Nicholas leaned his head against the weeping willow; his gaze remained on Ellie and Sophie. "She's praying for my soul."
Gabe furrowed his brow at Nicholas's cryptic tone. He didn't trust him. He'd always believed himself to be a good judge of character and the very second he'd laid eyes on Nicholas, Gabe knew he was trouble. There was something deceitfully wicked lurking behind that pretty face, something that made the hackles on his neck rise and he sorely wanted to know what that something was.
"Would you listen to me if I asked you to stay away from her?"
Nicholas twirled the cigarette he'd withdrawn from his jacket moments earlier and inserted it between his lips, igniting the butt in the process. He then turned his head sideways, a small, wry grin pulling at the seam of his lips. "Not really." Nicotine and tar filled his lungs before he exhaled the white smoke.
"Ellie's been through so much . She's finally at a stage in life where she's actually happy," Gabe evenly met Nicholas's gaze, making sure his next words had the necessary impact. "Fuck this up for her and I'll be coming after you."
"I would expect nothing less." With that said Nicholas stood and headed t o where Ellie and Sophie played. H e smiled as Sophie ran to him, took his hand and pulled him to see the ducks.
Chapter Seven
"Thanks for the invite, I enjoyed myself."
Ellie believed him, a step up from bullshit lines to actual sincerity . Maybe he wasn't as hopeless as she'd first believed.
"Well, I'm glad. Soph enjoyed having you around."
Nicholas grinned, "She's a great kid, still shocked as hell she's yours though."
"For life."
"You've done a great job so far."
Ellie shrugged, "It's all a learning experience. I do what I can." Silence fell between them and Ellie shuffled her feet. Gabe, having taken a slumbering Sophie inside when they'd arrived, peered at her through the living room window and Ellie fought the urge to sigh in exasperation. "I should get in, it's getting late. I'll see you at school, Nicholas."
"Yeah... night Ellie."
"Goodnight."
He straddled his bike, revved the engine and with one last look at Ellie's retreating back, he sped away, the bike echoing down the silent suburban streets until it was nothing more than a dull hum.
"Tell me you aren't falling for him, Ellie." Ellie heaved a sigh and spun around.
"Like I said, Gabe, he's just a friend."
"He was no one last week and now he's a friend?"
It seemed no matter how hard she tried to forget her past with Tony, it continued to haunt her. Gabe, despite all she'd done to prove herself a responsible parent, still insisted on treating her like a child. Moreover, the fact that she'd never given him reason to doubt her and yet he still distrusted her, greatly disheartened Ellie.
"I know you want to protect me. But you have to understand that I know what I'm doing. Have a little faith in me, Gabe and trust that you've raised me well enough not to make the same stupid mistakes again. I need you to trust me." She'd learned from her mistakes, had taken accountability of those mistakes and seen to rectify them as best as she could. The lessons she'd learned fortified her with knowledge she used to raise her own child.
Gabe raked a hand through his hair, the ge sture hinting at his agitation. H e sighed, reached out and pulled her into his arms. "I do trust you, Elle." He murmured his voice a rumble in the caverns of his chest. Ellie stood close w ith her ear against
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