Violent Ends

He pulled up toward the sea front. Being the only car parked, he kept the engine running so it didn’t get too cold.

Removing his seatbelt, he turned to look at the woman that belonged to him.

Emma Colton.

He’d been so shocked the first time he saw her and knew she was his.

Every instinct inside him begged him to take her. Instead, he’d shown great control, and now they were here, together. She was the most beautiful woman in the world as far as he was concerned. All she had to do was walk into a room to gain his attention. She shone brighter than any light he’d ever come across.

Whenever he saw her smile, it brightened his whole world.

She wants to leave. To create a life away from this, away from us.

Could he make her stay?

Gideon knew he could make anything happen so long as he put his mind to it. Even make a woman happy who really didn’t want to stay, but was that how he wanted things to go? For her to be so miserable in years to come?

If he made her stay, he wouldn’t be around every single second of the day to make sure she was happy. There would be moments when she was alone and he couldn’t stop her feeling sad or angry, or miserable.

The only other question he had … could he leave this lifestyle behind? Could he walk away from everything that he’d ever known?

Staring at her, he knew that whatever she wanted to do, he’d follow her.

She owned his heart, plain and simple. He’d do whatever it took to make her happy. If that meant leaving, then he’d leave.

He waited as she rolled over and watched as she slowly came awake. Her eyes opened, and he smiled at her.

“Hello, sleepyhead.”

It was amazing how just being in her company was enough for him. The distance he’d tried to keep wouldn’t be happening anymore.

She owned him.

Now, he had to own her.

“We’re here? How long have we been here?”

“A couple of minutes. Would you like to watch the sunrise with me?” he asked. “And how about that walk?”

He held his hand out, and she took it. “Yes.”

He released her hand, climbed out of the car, and grabbed his jacket so that she wouldn’t be cold. Rounding the car to her side, he opened the door and offered his hand, which she took, and waited.

Once she was out of the car, he put the jacket over her arms, covering her, keeping her warm. Then taking her hand, he led the way down onto the beach.

“This is really sweet, Gideon.”

“No one ever taken you to the beach for a stroll?”

“No.” She giggled. “They have never driven miles out of their way to make it happen either. This is really quite magical. Thank you.”

He locked their fingers together.

It was too soon to tell her what she meant to him, too soon to let her know the plans he had and hoped to achieve with her and her alone.

So many things he wanted.

A family.

Children.

To spend every waking moment with her.

“Have you thought more about leaving?” he asked.

“I have. I mean, it’s not exactly hard to think about it. I work in the basement of your father’s casino. My life has been pretty limited so far, so thinking about a life away where I don’t have to worry about a security guard or anything like that is pretty damn appealing.”

“Can I ask for one favor?”

“Of course.”

“Don’t make any rash decisions yet. I want the opportunity to … date you.”

Silence met his confession.

Date was the only word he could think to say that wouldn’t set off any alarm bells in her head.

“Date me?”

“Yes, I want to date you. To show you what it could mean to be with someone who cares. I care about you, Emma. I don’t want you to leave without you knowing what it feels like falling for someone.”

She stopped, and he refused to let her hand go.

“Gideon, I know you mean well. I see past the act that you give to everyone else, and I get it. It’s hard to put yourself out like that, but I can’t do this.”

His heart shattered.

“Why not?” he asked.

He wasn’t going to cry in front of her. He never cried. Tears glistened in her eyes though. He hated seeing them there.

“We talked about this, Gideon. You’re going to meet a woman and fall in love, and everything is going to be amazing. What about me? I get to watch you walk away. There’s only so much pain I can handle, and I don’t want to do that.”

“You’re worried I’m going to fall for someone else?”

“The legacy thing says you are.”

“Damn it, Emma, you are my legacy.”

Another long pause.

“What?”

“You’re the woman I’m destined to be with.” He placed her hand right over his chest. “This is not how I wanted to do this, but I can see I don’t have much choice. I want you. Only you.”