Gangster's Girl (Complete)

Chapter 6 - Part 1

I surveyed all the expensive sparkling rings laid out in front of me. There was everything from diamonds to emeralds in every type of cut in different settings. Instead of being excited I was angry and trying to hide it from the watchful man across from me. My marriage to Angel was not going to based on love and respect but I at least expected him to have some input into the ring I would wear as his wife but he had been a no show when the jeweler had arrived.

"If none of these are to your liking I can show you some different designs," the jeweler said as I lifted my attention from the rings.

None of them felt right even though no expense had been spared. Maybe it was because it was a lie. There would be no love and maybe that made it more difficult to choose a ring to represent that.

Did he think it was strange that I didn't have my doting fiancé with me?

"I think I just need a little more time to figure out what I want," I finally admitted, trying to bring the meeting to an end. I could look all day and would still be no closer to picking one. I was wasting his time and my own.

I felt disheartened and annoyed when he finally pack his merchandise up and left. There had still been no sign of Angel and I fumed in my bubble of anger. The toxic feeling simmered under the surface and would explode like a volcano when Angel finally made an appearance.

I was inside my closet going through the boxes of my stuff Angel had kept for me when I heard a knock at my bedroom door.

I opened the door and Angel entered without any invitation. He owned the house but my bedroom was still my own, it was beyond irritating.

All the feelings of anger returned swiftly and I glared at him as I closed the door.

"You didn't pick a ring," he said with a frown. "Were they not to your liking? I made sure he was instructed to bring the best he had."

"Where were you?"

He seemed taken aback by my question.

"I was dealing with your new security requirements. He can bring some more designs around until you find one you like."

I put my hands on my hips and tried to count to ten to reign in my temper but I only got to two before I exploded.

"That wont be necessary, I'm not going to wear a ring," I declared. "What's the point of all of this if I'm in it on my own?"

His frown deepened. "You will wear a ring. If you don't choose one, I will," he scowled.

"If you're not interested in what ring I choose, what does it matter?" I snapped. My chest rose and feel with each hate filled breath. "Do you know what it felt like to be on my own choosing my own engagement ring?"

"If you wanted me there, all you had to do was ask Kira," he replied angrily and that fueled my anger. What right did he have to mad at me? I was the only who had a right to feel like I was doing this all on my own.

"Why did I have to ask you to be there Angel? In most engagements the guy picks the ring, or if the couple pick the ring they do it together." I wanted to rid myself of the feeling that I was an inferior choice. If this had been for love he would have chosen a ring and proposed. That's what stood out the most in the whole scenario and it was hard to swallow.

Was the problem that I had different expectations to what he had? Was I still playing out some fairytale in my head that didn't exist in reality? Were my expectations too high?

"I can't read your mind Kira. If you had wanted me to be there all you had to do was ask." He didn't seem to understand why I was getting so upset over something inconsequential to him.

I blew out a frustrated breath. "There is no point if I have to explain it to you or ask you to be there."

He did something uncharacteristic and took my hand in his. He had never done something like this before I was taken aback, unsure of how to deal with it. I lowered my gaze to his long fingers that held mine and I let out a shaky breath. When he touched me I felt something strange come over me, where it blocked everything else other than him and where his skin touched mine. It reminded me of how lost I had been with him on his desk in the study and it made my cheeks warm to remember what we had done. I swallowed.

"I'll reschedule with him and this time I'll be there with you." His thumb brushed against the back of my hand soothingly.

I shook my head and pulled my hands from his.

"Why bother? This isn't a real marriage. This is just to protect me." I crossed my arms. "Why would you care what ring I wear, right?"

I turned around and walked away from him, feeling the weight of the situation bear down on me.

It wasn't his fault that things had ended up like this. In all honesty, it was the actions of my father that had led us to this.

"I'll choose the ring." He moved closer but didn't touch me. "And you will wear it."

"This isn't a real marriage so what's the point." I let out a frustrated breath.

"Our marriage will be a real as any one else's. We might not love each other and at times we might not even like each other but once you say those vows you will be mine and I expect you to wear a ring to show that."

"To show that you possess me?" I asked. He had possessed me fully the day before and it was impossible not to think of that right then.

He nodded.

"And you? Will you be wearing one to show everyone that I own you?" I turned to face him.

"If that's what you want, then I will." He shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal.

I hadn't quite expected him to agree to it. He had taken the wind right of my sails and I was left floundering.

What confused me the most when I thought of anyone else treating me like this I rebelled against the thought, but with Angel I reveled in it. Was there something wrong with me? That the thought of him wanting to posses me made me hot all over and I wanted it more than anything else.

Was this the power my father had held over my mother? Is that why she had stayed instead of leaving? Was this what ultimately destroyed her?

"If people don't believe this marriage is for real aren't we kidding ourselves that it will be enough to keep the Vincents at bay?" I asked, trying to put my fears into words so he could understand why it was so important for people to believe that he loved me, so they would believe he would start a war if something happened to me. It was the fear of retribution that would keep them from trying to take me.

"You will be my wife, you will wear my ring and I will kill for you." His words were softly spoken but impactful. There was a defiant glint to his eye and I knew he meant every word he said.

"Maybe I still question why you are going to so much trouble for me. I don't get it Angel. I know you don't love me so why would you do this? It makes no sense."

Maybe if I understood why he was doing this I would be able to deal with it better than I was.

"I've known you since you were six years old. My blood might not run in your veins but you are family Kira and I protect family."

His words touched a damaged part of me that had felt completely alone in the world.

My mother died and left me with a father who didn't care about me at all and my brother, who was too busy trying to outrun his past to be the brother I needed him to be.

As far back as I could remember Angel had been a part of my life whether they were good or bad memories the one thing that had been constant was him.

He is the one who had tried to protect me when my father had tried to use me to pay off his debt to the Vincents. He was the one trying to protect me now. Angel protected me more than the people whose blood I shared and that meant something to me.

For the first time I wasn't seeing the domineering man who stood before me now, I was seeing the boy who had shared my childhood and all the moments where he had been kind and stood by me when no one else had.