Gangster's Girl (Complete)

Chapter 4 - Part 2

This is what I had watched with my mother. She had allowed my father to walk all over her and I would not allow Angel to do that to me. I wouldn't let him suffocate the life out of me. The only alternative was turning to drugs to dumb the pain. I would not suffer the same fate, no matter what circumstances forced us into a loveless marriage.

"You didn't hate me when you dressed in the skimpiest lingerie, promising to fulfill all my sexual fantasies," He said, reminding me of my adolescent mistake.

My past actions mortified me. Why did he have to throw that night in my face every chance he got?

Sex. Marriage entailed sex. With heated cheeks, I swallowed, very aware of him physically. In my dreams, we had been together more times than I would have liked to have admitted.

"That was lust. Don't confuse that for emotion," I said, determined to get the upper hand when he only saw me as some immature girl who had tried to seduce him.

This was going to be a battle of wills and as strong as I was, I didn't know if I could hold my own with him. He was domineering, and he was used to getting his way.

His phone rang, and he answered it.

"Send him in," he said before he ended the call. "Kaiden is here."

Although I was happy to see my brother again, I was unsure of how he would take the proposed solution. My brother had fought against the life we had been stuck with, so I didn't think for a moment he would endorse it. Especially committing my life to a way of life he didn't agree with and had been trying to outrun from the time he had become an adult.

The door to the study opened, and I rose to my feet. My brother came to me and lifted me off my feet with a bear hug.

"I still can't believe you're okay. You don't know how rough it's been the last two years." His eyes filled with emotion.

"I missed you." I hugged him back.

My brother's features tightened when he released me to face Angel. "Angel." He greeted stiffly.

"Kaiden." Angel gave him a brief nod while he remained seated behind his desk.

It was difficult to see the years of friendship they had shared before they had become adults and taken different paths. One into a life of crime, the other into a life of law enforcement. Complete opposites.

"Did you come up with a solution?" Kaiden asked Angel.

I shared a look with Angel, unsure of how my brother was going to react.

"We have been discussing it," Angel answered.

"Good. I'm happy to hear we have a solution. So what is it?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Kira will marry me."

The change in my brother's face was instantaneous. "Are you out of your mind? Is this some sort of sick joke?"

Angel rose from his seat, his expression hard. "Don't forget who you are speaking to."

Kaiden's jaw tensed and I reached for a hand to touch his arm to calm the situation before it spiraled.

"It's the only way." I tried to reason with my brother. "It's my choice."

I would not admit all my doubts about whether it would work. For my brother's sake, I wouldn't waver in my choice.

"Do you know what this means?" His eyes pleaded with mine, ignoring Angel.

I nodded slowly.

"You can never leave this life, never." The finality in his voice reminded me of the finality that only came from death. "It will never let you go. Do you understand that?"