The next day, I’m back at work. We have a few issues with another casino. The owner owes us money, but he has now turned sick. So, I’ve got to deal with how to handle him. I’m having a hard time concentrating on work, though. Fallon is not far from my mind. Since I gave her the ring last night, I haven’t heard from either her or my mother. I guess Baxter or Fallon hasn’t told Dear Ole Mom yet. Good, let her wait.

As I’m deep in thought, my brothers decide to interrupt me.

“Hey, Gabriel, what’s up?” Liam asks.

“What’s up is I’m working. What do you two want?”

Liam laughs. “Come on, Gabriel, is that any way to greet us? What’s got your panties all in a twist? Is it a certain girl we know?”  

“No, it’s the business with the casino on the north.”

Zander knows what button to push, because he starts, “So, how is our Fallon? I haven’t seen her in a couple of days; I might actually miss her. Go figure.”

“Me, too,” Liam says.

“Leave it alone. Number one, neither of you should miss Fallon. Two, she is not our Fallon. She is my Fallon.” I watch as their faces show confusion. “Fallon and I are engaged to be married. I gave her a ring last night. So, leave her alone. She’s mine, and I won’t have my brothers drooling all over my fiancée. Got it?”

They both look shocked, but then Zander smiles and says, “Wow, you did it. I knew you would. I just didn’t know you would give up so easily. I mean, I’m sure Mom is happy.”

“Shut up, Zander. I don’t give up shit. This was my decision.”

“Sure it was, big brother. Just tell me what made you decide to do it last night. Did it have anything to do with Fallon’s date?”

Liam laughs again. “Really? She had a date? Oh, that’s priceless.”

I shout, “Both of you shut the fuck up and leave me alone!”

Before I can physically kick them out of my office, someone knocks on the door.

“Come in.”

A delivery guy walks in with my security. He hands me a letter and the ring box I left for Fallon.

“What’s this?” I ask the messenger.

He shrugs his shoulders and walks out of the room.

Liam looks over at the box. “Gabriel, what is it?”

I ignore him and open the letter. It is one word in all caps.

“NO!”

I crumple the paper, throw it across the room, and start cursing like a bitch.

Zander grabs the ring box, opens it, and whistles. “So, Gabriel, I guess the engagement is off.”

Liam asks, “Gabriel, what did the letter say?”

I slam my fist on my desk. “It said, ‘NO.’”

“Damn, man, sorry about that. I never would have thought any woman would have turned you down. That’s just cold.”

“Yeah, man,” Zander says.

Liam starts to smile and says, “Well, I’m not letting a woman like Fallon go that easy. If Mom wants her as a daughter-in-law, then maybe she’ll say yes to me.” Before I can react, he grabs his phone and makes a call.

I yell out, “Liam, what the hell are you doing?!”

He stands and walks to the other side of the room, then starts to speak into the phone.

“Fallon, hey! It’s Liam. I was wondering if you would like to join me for dinner tonight?”

I rush towards him and grab the phone as I push him to the wall. Screaming into the phone, I tell her, “Fallon, this shit is not up for debate. You will take this ring back. And if you think about going out with Liam –”

She cuts me off. “Gabriel, I do not appreciate your tone. I believe you already got your message, and your ring. By the way, tell Liam I’ll be ready for him at seven. At least he was gentleman enough to ask for what he wants.” She then hangs the phone up on me.

I throw the phone at Liam and tell him what she said. I also inform him if he knows what was good for him, he won't dare touch her. Because if he does, I will forget he’s my brother.

Zander and Liam are both laughing. Zander then looks at me and says, “Boy, brother, you got it bad. How did you propose? You know, so I don’t do it that way.”

“I just gave her a ring and left,” I tell them with a shrug.

“You what?!” Zander shouts. “You’re an idiot! To think I looked up to you. No wonder she said no!”

I turn to look at him, baffled. “You don’t know shit, Zander. She was sent here by Mother for one purpose, to marry me, so I gave her a ring. She should be happy. What else am I supposed to do? I’m not her or mother’s dog.”

Zander stands, shaking his head. “Like I said, you’re an idiot. First, we all know why she’s here, and you are one lucky son of a bitch. Mother found you a girl who surpasses all the others. Still, you stomp around like a petulant child. Then you throw a ring at her and wonder why she’s not grateful. You should have asked her to marry you. Better yet, you should have begged. You think Mom would have brought just any girl here for you to have? You won’t do any better, and we all know it. But I tell you what, if you don’t want her and won’t love her, all because of your stupidity, then someone else will. You will lose her.”

He turns and storms out the door, slamming it behind him. Liam follows, shaking his head.

“What the fuck?”