Chapter 18 - The New Rules
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The morning sun was beginning to break over the city skyline, casting long, pale rays of light through the diner's front windows.
Gabriel turned to leave, his men falling into step behind him. But before he reached the door, he stopped and looked back at Brier.
"Silas will never bother you again," Gabriel stated, the absolute certainty in his voice leaving no room for doubt. "He is currently locked in one of his own cages, waiting for the federal authorities to find him. His operation is entirely dismantled."
Brier let out a ragged breath, leaning against the counter. The nightmare she had been running from for seven years was finally, permanently over.
"However," Gabriel continued, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. "Your apartment is compromised. The door is broken. It isn't safe."
"I'll fix the lock," Brier said defensively. "We can manage."
"You don't need to manage," Gabriel countered smoothly. "I own an apartment building three blocks from here. Ground floor unit. No stairs for the wheelchair. It has a fenced-in courtyard in the back for the dog. The rent is already covered for the next five years."
Brier stared at him, utterly stunned. "Gabriel... I can't accept that. It's too much. I'm just a waitress."
"You are a mother who fought a monster to protect her child," Gabriel corrected, stepping closer. "You possess more courage than most of the men in my syndicate. You will take the apartment, Brier. Because if you don't, I will worry. And I am a very dangerous man when I worry."
It wasn't a threat. It was a terrifyingly genuine confession of care.
Brier looked at Posie, who was happily asleep in the booth, her hand resting firmly on Brutus's broad head. She looked back at Gabriel, realizing that the monster the city feared was the only true guardian they had ever known.
"Okay," Brier whispered, tears pricking her eyes again. "Thank you."
Gabriel smiled—a rare, genuine expression that transformed his sharp features. He reached out, his thumb gently brushing the bruised, swollen skin on her cheek where Silas had struck her. His touch was incredibly light, a stark contrast to the violence he was capable of.
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"Take a few days off, Mrs. Fam," Gabriel said over his shoulder to the diner owner, who was quietly watching the exchange. "The tab is on me."
He turned and walked out the door, disappearing into the cold, bright morning, leaving Brier standing in the quiet diner, her world entirely remade.
