Until I Met You (COMPLETE)

Chapter Twenty-One

Halex ate his dinner, his prime rib rare and the horseradish sauce spicy enough to clear his sinuses, he was in heaven. "This is amazing Angel thank you for suggesting it." He said with his hands on his napkin. He patted his mouth, the box burning a hole in his suit and he smiled as he looked at her. Angel's tiny pieces, one at a time as she ate in the most delicate ways, enduring her more to his heart than ever and he cleared His throat, "Angel... can I ask you an important question?"

She looked at him and tilted her head, "You can ask me anything. I will always answer you truly." Her eyes searched for his hazel wonders. As she sipped her wine, she watched him get up and kneel at her side, turning her to face him and her eyes widened as she set her wine glass down.

He cleared his throat and looked around as he cupped her hands in one of his, the box in his left, opening out of her view, "Angel... Would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

She choked on her wine and nodded as he slid a ring on her finger, a solitaire diamond that twinkled in the candlelight everything was moving very fast, and she leaned down to kiss him sweetly, "Yes Halex Adler, this time together just reminded me of how much we deserved to be together." She was twisted up inside but jumping for joy. "How long. How long have you known you would ask me?" She stared at the ring tears slipping down her cheeks.

He smiled and nodded, "Thank you, darling, thank you. I've known since the reunion. It felt right then, but I had to see you again to make sure." He smiled and was beyond happy as he stroked her fingers, brushing over the ring on her finger as couples whispered around them with smiles and she turned back as their food arrived. He'd never thought he'd plunge and there was so much she had to learn and know about, but his deepest secret he could never tell her, not until everyone was safe.

"Halex... I am so happy you asked and yet deathly afraid why, you do not seem the marrying type, you're more love them and leave them." She kissed his fingers, "Tell me why you did it so I can understand."

He turned to face her in the pale light of the street and leaned in close to her, so close he could feel her warm breath, and he stroked her cheek. "I've been in love with you a long time, so long that I thought I would go mad. I've been chasing women to try and fill the hole you placed in my heart, unfillable. Stupid women, clueless and vane." He kissed her softly, his lips molding to her supple ones again, a hand sliding over her bare shoulder as he took her in. Today was it, She was finally Halex's, and he stopped himself, pulling back as he scanned her face, "Did I hurt you?"

Angel shook her head and watched him, "No you didn't hurt me that was nice. Thank you." Angel got quiet again as she was still thinking about their union and suddenly she started talking again. "We can get married the morning after the dinner, a civil ceremony at the courthouse. Then we can move on from there will you take me to live in Dubai with you, or will you stay here with me," She asked curiously on the way home from the restaurant, "I want to know everything."

She watched him curiously as he stayed silent, she was bringing up points he hadn't yet thought of. Would he take her to Dubai and end up protecting her on a detail to keep her safe or would he give up his protection service and become docile in the streets of Chicago?

She grinned and slid her hand over his thigh. Making his pulse quicken and a sick feeling enter his stomach followed by nausea and then heartburn. He was stressed and worried. He had to do this right, and he turned into the cul-de-sac, and then the garage closing the door. Maybe he couldn't do this after all. He turned to Angel and caressed her cheek, "A fast, civil ceremony would be good, sealing us together. In this dress and my slacks and a button up will be fine. "Oh, Angel. It will be beautiful."

Halex pulled into the garage and closed the door. He carried their clothes for dinner inside and hung them up on the Master Suite door hook. Halex went into the guest bath and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, forgetting to close the door all the way, and she gasped when she saw the scars on his back, long healed but still speaking of torture. "Halex...My God, what happened to you? You look like you were tortured within an inch of your life!"