Maxwell: Not Without Guilt (Phoenix Club) Read Online Free PDF Page A

like that,” Gabe smirked. “Are you gonna call me ‘sir’ after we’re married?”
    Cole winked, “Only if it will get me sexual favors.”
    “Oh, indeed,” Gabe assured.
    After we’re married. Cole smiled as his heart fluttered against his ribs. He hadn’t been certain whether what Gabe had said to him in the hospital had qualified as a proposal, and they hadn’t said much else about it afterwards. But the way Gabe was looking at him now, he knew it was for real; Gabe had every intention of making Cole his husband.
    The thought overwhelmed him with love for the man, but also brought with it an anxious dread; Cole had fucked Faron Ryland without any protection. He had thought it was over, everything between him and Gabe, and he hadn’t given a shit about anything at that point in time. But now... now it mattered. He thought about Savannah, the sickness within her. What if her fate became his own? What would that do to him and Gabe?
    ♦
    T he aroma of fresh coffee and strawberry waffles reached Abel down the hall before he set foot in the kitchen. When he entered the room, Savannah sat with a plate in front of her, taking mini bites of her waffles, eyes distant as she stared blankly at the table.
    “Morning, beautiful.” Abel smiled at her when she glanced up. She was dreading this day even more than him, if that were possible.
    “Morning,” she murmured. Her soft, sea green eyes gazed at him with a shadow of sorrow; she knew what he had to do today, and her heart was breaking.
    Abel walked over and leaned down, kissing her hair. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered, and was thankful he sounded much more confident than he felt. Outwardly, he was doing his best to put on a brave front, but inside – he wanted to stuff his head in the toilet and puke his guts out.
    “How are you doing?” Devlin asked when he approached the counter where the man was cooking breakfast. He might be able to pretend for others, but Devlin could see right through him. Just last night he had confided in him that just the thought of getting up there and recounting the events at the orphanage made him lightheaded and sick to his stomach.
    “I’m...” He shrugged and murmured, “Coping.”
    “We’ll get through today.” Devlin touched his face and kissed him softly. “And then that part will be behind us.” That part. But Devlin would have to take his turn, and Savannah. Abel was more concerned with how his detailed testimony would affect Devlin than he was with what it would do to himself. Even Savannah didn’t know everything. She had been present a few times, but for the most part Abel had been alone with Craig. And though Devlin knew what Craig had done to him, in the abstract – Abel had never gone into detail. How would Devlin react to hearing it all?
    “Yeah.” Abel nodded and hugged him, laying his head on his shoulder.
    “You’re going to do fine,” Devlin whispered and rubbed his hand up his back. “We’ll all be there for you.”
    “I know.” Abel swallowed hard and blinked back his tears.
    Devlin kissed his neck. “Want me to fix you a plate?”
    Shaking his head, Abel stepped back. “I can’t eat. I don’t think it would stay down.”
    “It’s going to be a long day, babe,” Devlin pointed out. “You should try to eat something.”
    Abel nodded slowly, though the thought of eating anything made his stomach revolt. “Maybe just some toast then.”
    “Toast it is.” Devlin dropped two slices into the toaster and popped them down.
    Glancing at Savannah, looking so solemn as she picked at her breakfast, Abel asked quietly, “Does she have to be in the courtroom when I give my testimony?”
    “I don’t know,” Devlin murmured. “I don’t see why she should have to be. Ask Taylor about it when we get there. See what he has to say.”
    Jensen Taylor was the supervising attorney of the legal team Kaplan had assigned to his case, and the one they had been working most closely with to