I drove around for hours. I had to leave. At the time I needed to get away from her, but now I can’t seem to bring myself to go to my house. I just keep going in circles. Maybe if I see her just one more time, I could go home and finally sleep. After the day I’ve had, I am completely exhausted, but I still can’t find my way to bed. I need to see her.

With the decision made, I find myself back at the mansion. I climb the stairs and quietly open Fallon’s door. I find myself watching her sleep. Her hair is spread over her head on the pillow, and her face looks tear-ridden. She’s been crying...why?

She stirs, then I hear her whisper my name.

“Gabriel.”

My God, I love hearing her say my name. Is she dreaming of me? She stirs again and starts to get restless, like her dream is turning bad. I see one tear fall. I can’t help it; I need to hold and console her. Maybe I can help soothe her.

I take my suit jacket off, then my shirt and pants, and by the time I’m finished I walk around to the other side of her bed. Getting under the sheets, I scoot over to where she lays. As I embrace her, she stirs more and again whispers my name.

“Gabriel?”

I answer, “It’s me. Just sleep. I’ll be here for you, I promise.”

She turns and wraps herself around me but never wakes.

With her head on my chest and her breathing returned to normal, I find a peace only she has ever been able to give me, then slowly drift off to sleep.

I awake with a sense of loss. I know Gabriel’s gone, but I can still smell him all over me. I know he climbed into bed with me last night. I did nothing but allow him to hold me. I needed him here with me, and I have a feeling he needed me, too. It was the best night of sleep I’ve ever had. No nightmares, no dread; just peace. I wish he wouldn’t have left. I would have loved to know what it felt like to wake up in his arms.

I dress and make my way to the kitchen, where I see Catherine; I’m shocked to see her cooking breakfast. She seems happy as she gracefully moves around the kitchen like a pro. Like she cooks every day.  She turns and joyfully greets me.

“Fallon, good morning. I hope you slept well. You just missed Gabriel.”

“Good morning, Catherine. You look cheerful today.”

“Ah, yes, I am. All our hard work has paid off. We have a wedding to plan, and in record time, thanks to Gabriel. I have the finest wedding planner coming over in about an hour, and I have the stylist coming over with dresses for you to try. Everything will be handled swiftly.” She brings a full plate over to me and says, “I let most of the staff go for the day. I didn’t want any wedding information being leaked. Besides, I wanted to cook for my new daughter.”

“Thank you, Catherine, for everything. I’m not sure where I would be if it weren’t for you. I owe you everything.”

“Just be loyal to this family, make my son happy, and give me lots of grandchildren.”

I choke on my food, and we both laugh. I think it’s the first time I see Catherine let out a carefree laugh.

We both blush, then she asks, “I didn’t know Gabriel was here. I thought I heard him leave last night. He came back, didn’t he?”

“Yes, he came and held me while we slept.”

“Good. Very good. Have you two –”

“No, Catherine. I am still a virgin, and I think Gabriel plans to keep me that way till we’re married.”

She starts to laugh again. “That’s why he can’t wait for the wedding. That’s what the rush is for. My son must be going crazy. I have heard he hasn’t been with anyone since Brittany, and for my son, that is like being a saint. I thought maybe you and he were, but now it all makes sense.”

“Oh, that reminds me, Catherine. I know you have the guest list all planned, but I was wondering if I could invite one person. I would like to have Brittany there. I know I’m not supposed to know her, but there must be a way to have her there. She’s my friend, my only friend.”

“I will think of something. Don’t worry, Fallon, I will make sure she’s there.”

“Thank you.”

The rest of the day is filled with the wedding plans. Catherine says with money, the impossible becomes possible. The overpriced wedding planner arrives telling us everything will be done the way we asked and for us not to worry.

Catherine informs her, “I never worry. I am paying you for a job, and I expect it to be done, or you will never work in this state again. And if you surpass my expectations, I’ll have two more sons who will marry soon. The press you will get from this wedding should be more than enough to scare the shit out of you. So please, for your own sake, do a good job.”

Shit. She just threatened the wedding planner without lifting so much as an eyebrow. She’s a master at intimidation.

By the end of our meeting, the plan is for there to be about a hundred of the closest associates in attendance. To control the press, the wedding will take place on the grounds. The flowers will be peonies in a mixture of varying soft pinks and ivory. There will be live music by a local band.

Before the wedding planner leaves, she shows me an article I’m told will be on the front page of the newspaper tomorrow. It tells of our upcoming nuptials and states no pictures will be given till after the ceremony.

With all the plans decided, we have a late lunch, then wait for the stylist to come with the dresses for me to try.

It’s the afternoon, and the dresses arrive promptly on time. There are three racks full. I have already decided since it is an outside wedding, I don’t want anything too big. I want something light and simple. I try on so many, and soon I try on one that is perfect. I look over to Catherine, and it looks like we’ve found the right one. It’s a white lace top dress with a plunging neckline, sheer lace, and long sleeves. The lace molds to my skin, showing off the perfect amount of cleavage. It’s a cross between being sexy and classy. The bottom of the dress is simple. It flows down and has a high slit in the front to the side and a small train. The seamstress tells me since I am full C cup, the dress will need just a few minor adjustments to make sure my breast will not become exposed. The lace will be formed to mold my top perfectly. A simple veil, shoes, and accessories are also chosen.

Later that afternoon, Zander and Liam arrive. They say they just heard the good news. I ask Zander if I can speak to him, then we walk into another room where we can speak in private.

I nervously start, “Zander, I was wondering if maybe...if...well, you see, I have no family or any friends. So, I was wondering if you would stand up for me?”

“Fallon, are you asking me to be your maid of honor?”

“No, no, not exactly. Just stand on my side of the podium.”

Zander says proudly, “Like I said, your maid of honor.”

I tell him with a chuckle, “I guess so, but I promise I won’t make you wear a dress or carry any flowers. If that makes you feel any better about it.”

“It does make me feel better, and I feel honored you asked. I would love to be your man of honor.” He then picks me up and swings me around. “It’s going to be great, sis, and it’s about damn time you said yes. If it were me, I would have had you kicking and screaming all the way to the altar. I wouldn’t have given you the chance to say no.”

I slap his arm and call him a big oaf.

That night and the rest of the week, Gabriel stays away.

I haven’t seen Fallon in days. I can’t be sure if I will be able to control myself around her anymore. It’s been hard to stay away, especially after spending the night in her bed again. Not being able to touch her the way I want is nearly killing me. I thought about calling Brittany, but it just doesn’t feel right. I can wait, but Saturday can’t come soon enough.

Mother has been on the ball. She has all the arrangements made, and the guests have already RSVP’d. My tuxedo has been made. It’s just a waiting game now. Two more days and Fallon will be my wife.

Zander, Vin, and Liam meet me at the casino. We’re having a bachelor party tonight, but I asked them to meet me before it starts. They arrive right on time.

“Hey, boys!” I yell out.

Liam asks, “Hello, brother. You ready for tonight? What did you want to talk about, Gabriel? Why did you make us come early? You know we have plans to finish.”

“I wanted to ask you all to stand up for me at the wedding.”

I ask Vin, too. He might not be our biological brother, but he was raised with us almost all of his life. So, to us, he is our brother. And he is loyal to our mother to a fault.

“Zander, I’d like for you to be my best man.”

“Why, Gabriel, are you asking me, or just stating a fact?”

“Fuck you, Zander. Will you or not?”

“Sorry, brother, can’t. Fallon asked me to be her man of honor.”

All of us ask at the same time, “Her fucking what?”

“I am her official man of honor, and I take my role very seriously, thank you very much. I have already planned her bachelorette party, filled with male strippers and male prostitutes.”

I punch him in the gut, forcing the big guy to fall to his knees. “You better not have done any of that shit, or I’ll punch you again, Mr. Maid of Honor.”

“Ah shit, Gabriel, I was just joking. And call me what you want. I am secure enough in my sexuality to be whatever she wants me to be. As long as she wants me, I’m happy.”

I fucking punch him again.

“Son of a bitch!” Zander curses.

Liam jumps in and says, “Whoa, don’t talk about my mom that way!”

Now it’s Zander’s and my turn to jump his shit.

“Fucking baby!”

Vin just stands there, laughing at the fucking show.

“I don’t know what you’re laughing at, big guy. You’re serving, too.”

“So, Liam, you can be my best man – and before you ask, no, I’m not fucking asking.”

“Fine, Gabriel, I’ll be your best man, but let’s get this shit started.  With all this family bonding and shit, I need pussy thrown in my face, like now, before you have us all crying and shit. Let’s go.”

We leave and start our night. The girls and booze are flowing. With all the ass thrown my way, I still can’t help thinking of Fallon. Is she home alone, thinking of me? All these women, and not one is worth it. I hang around for as long as I can, then leave the party quietly. I ask my driver to take me home. On the drive, I call Fallon; I just need to hear her voice.

“Gabriel, is that you?”

In a husky voice, I answer, “Yeah, it’s me.”

“What are you doing? I thought the boys planned a big party for you tonight?”

“They did. I just left. I needed to hear you. Talk to me for a while.”

“Gabriel, are you drunk?”

With a chuckle, I answer, “Yep, I guess I am.”

She tells me, “Maybe I should find you and spank your ass.” She laughs, and my night instantly gets so much better.

“Fallon, don’t tempt me. A man can only take so much.”

“Gabriel, maybe you should come home and let me take care of you.”

“No, home is the last place I need to be.”

“Why?”

“Because all I want to do is bury myself in you and hear you scream my name.”

Silence.

I can hear her breath, but she says nothing for a minute or two, then she says softly, “Gabriel.”

I just can’t take any more, so I hang up, with my name on her lips.

I stumble through the door of my townhouse. Without turning any lights on, I make my way to my bedroom. As I sit on the bed and start to undress. I feel an arm come around me, so I jump and throw the person off. I hear a female scream, so I walk over to the lights and switch them on.

“Who the fuck?!!”

I see Angelle in my bed, naked. I storm over to her, roughly grab her fucking arm, and throw her to the floor.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“I thought you could use some company. Besides, it's your bachelor night; I thought maybe we could have some fun. You know, for old times’ sake, before you become a married man. Maybe you’d like to see what you’ll be missing.”

“Angelle, I suggest you get your ass up and get fucking dressed, because you are leaving – with or without fucking clothes!”

She stands and tries to throw herself at me. “Come on, Gabriel. You know you want to, one last time. We were good together, remember?”

“The fuck we were! Angelle, get your hands off me. You look desperate.”

She flinches but doesn’t move. She then tries even harder, rubbing me and trying to kiss me.

“I gave you a chance, Angelle.”

I grab her, throw her over my shoulder, then carry her downstairs with her kicking and screaming. I open the front door and put her down on my stoop, then shut the door.

I run back upstairs while I’m on the phone with my driver, find and grab her clothes, then go back, open the door, and throw her clothes at her.

She yells at me, “You’ll be fucking sorry, Gabriel!”

“You keep telling me that, but I’m already sorry. Sorry I didn’t end this shit between us sooner.”

“Are you actually going to go through with marrying that trash?”

I grab her by her fucking arms and pull her close to my face. “Don’t you ever call her that. Not ever! You hear me, Angelle? She is going to be my wife, and if I ever hear you say a nasty word about her or even hear of you looking at her wrong, I will end you. Do you fucking understand me?”

“That was supposed to be us, Gabriel! Us!”

“Angelle, let me explain something to you. It was never going to be us. Never! I would never have married you. You got me? I don’t want you. I will be polite to you in public and at events, on the one condition that you leave my family and me alone. This is kindness I’m showing you. Don’t make me show you the other side of me. Now, your ride is here. Get the fuck out of my sight.”

I put her in the vehicle and tell the driver to take her home.

Fuck. I go back in and spend the rest of the night looking for any bullshit she might have left behind and scrubbing any trace of her away.