As Long As You Love Me ✓

10. Talk

Down the hall, Gabriel caught a glimpse of Lewis and called out to him. "Hey, can I have a word?"

Seconds later, he joined the trio. "What's up?"

"We've reached an agreement. Zari can stay with me for two weeks. After that, they'll have to make other arrangements."

Lewis eyed Gabriel, probably silently wondering if he knew what he was getting himself into. "You sure about this?"

He sighed, exasperated. "No, but I'm going to do it. How much longer can you keep her here?"

"Don't know. I'll abide by whatever Dr. Rodriguez recommends."

Gabriel glanced at Matthew and Owen, then turned his attention back to Lewis. "Can I speak to you privately?"

"Sure."

Gabriel walked down the hallway with Lewis on his heels, then turned to face him. "I have a request."

"What?"

He lowered his voice an octave. "I need for you to tell her she can't have sex."

Lewis pulled his brows together. "You realize it will be unethical for me to lie to her."

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look. I don't want you to break your oath, but you've got to come up with something. You saw how she acted. She was all over me. I can't have that. If something isn't done to protect me from her advances, then I'll have to tell her what's going on."

"As her physician, I wouldn't recommend it. At least, not at first. She's going to suffer enough anxiety because she can't remember things, but telling her this lie of yours might cause even more. You're her only lifeline, Gabriel. The one person she trusts. Break that, and it might not be good for her." Lewis pretended to thumb through the chart on another patient's door.

He quirked an eyebrow. "So it's alright for us to lie to her, but not you? You know this entire plan is whack."

"Hey, I didn't come up with this plan and I'm not condoning it. It'll be stressful for her to return to Dallas since she doesn't have any recollection of her family, but I'm not sure this plan is any better."

"Well then, just keep her in the hospital or send her to some kind of rehab."

"You're missing the point," he emphasized. "She knows you. Depends on you. Feels safe with you." He held up his hand. "I know what you're going to say and you're right. That's all a lie. But not in her mind. Thus, the problem."

Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck, then pulled the antacids from his pocket and popped a couple in his mouth.

Lewis eyed him. "You should probably go ahead and get that script I gave you filled. I have a feeling you're going to need it."

"No shit." He glared.

Lewis's phone dinged and he glanced at the screen. "I have to go. Dr. Rodriguez is waiting in my office. As soon as I know something, I'll let you know."

When Gabriel returned, Matthew waited, but Owen had disappeared. Probably went to see Silbie and Gabriel didn't like the thought of that. But this gave him one last opportunity to convince Zari's godfather this harebrained scheme might not be a good idea.

Gabriel scrubbed a palm over his face. Zari and her entire family were so mind-bogglingly exhausting, he felt like he could lay down and nap for a week. "I want to make sure you're clear about the situation you're putting Zari in. My house has one bedroom, which means we'll be sleeping together. Knowing how she feels about me—or thinks she feels about me, you good with that?"

"Even if I'd not checked you out, the fact you're asking tells me you're an honorable man," Matthew said.

"Yeah, well I may not be that righteous. She's already questioning why I'm not more affectionate so that's going to be a big problem. I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with it." He really wanted to stress what a bad idea this was.

Matthew placed his hand on Gabriel's shoulder and squeezed roughly. "I trust you to do the right thing."

It sounded like a threat.

"There's just one problem. I don't know what that is. Let's just pray she gets her memory back sooner than later because if she doesn't this could blow up and she might never forgive you. Are you willing to risk that?" Come on, take the bait, he thought.

"Right now, I'm willing to risk any and everything to get my daughter back." It had been the first time he referred to Zari as his daughter, not just Alisha's daughter, or his goddaughter. He went above and beyond his duties as a godparent. He treated Zari as if she were his own, just like Silbie's dad had treated him the same as he did his kin.

Both his eyebrows rose into his hairline. He hadn't expected that. "Even her having sex with a stranger?" He absolutely had no intent on forming any sort of relationship with Zari beyond begrudging housemate. Surely Matthew wouldn't agree to such an atrocity. He had to see reason.

Matthew swallowed hard and stared at him for a long moment, deathly silent. His eyes were distant, and Gabriel got the impression that he was looking through him, not at him.

"Yes," he croaked, as if the thought had physically pained him. "Even that."

Holy hell. Things were going from bad to worse. That eerie calm settled over the two of them – like the silence before the storm. Gabriel had an overwhelming sensation of standing in the eye of a tornado.

None of this was going to end well.

*

Two hours later, Gabriel and Matthew waited for Dr. Rodriguez and Lewis to finish their evaluation of Zari. Gabriel had taken the opportunity to learn as much about her as he could because he knew she would have questions, and for this charade to be successful, he needed to have answers. He and Matthew had fallen into a companionable conversation which surprised Gabriel. He'd thought the man would be apprehensive given the circumstances, but if he was, he didn't show it. He supposed that came from his profession. Lawyers hid their emotions better than most. Especially criminal attorneys.

One thing had been crystal clear. Zari Aliehs Davis was Matthew's pride and joy. Especially if he was willing to risk the wrath of both Davis women.

Fourteen days. Not a lifetime. Surely he could pull this off. Make it through Thanksgiving, then send her back home, right along with Owen. She'd probably willfully run for the hills if Dawn served up crispy pata and whiskey rhubarb pie. After that, Gabriel only had to worry about Silbie's crush returning for the auction.

He took a deep breath. Yeah, he looked forward to when the Davis-Kline-Filgard-whatever clan would be out of his life—forever.

____________________________

Daaaaaang, who was expecting THAT.

Kline risking some serious ass kicking.

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