"He cried for a little while, but he settled eventually," Amelie replied, her voice softening as she watched Gabriel's large hand look so protective against their son's small head.
"I am truly glad you apologized to Brother Nick. It was... frightening, Gabriel. But why did you go so far as to remove Denzel?"
"Because he bypassed me," Gabriel said. "He contacted Nick behind my back, intentionally sparking a confrontation he had no right to provoke. He broke the chain of command, and in doing so, he broke my trust."
He stepped away from the bed, closing the small distance between them. Taking her hands in his, he looked down at her with eyes that had finally lost their predatory edge. "Are you still upset with me? I am so sorry you had to witness that. I should have been a better man, a better husband, in that moment."
Amelie didn't answer immediately. Instead, she reached up, her thumb grazing the dark, swollen bruise on his lower lip. "Does it hurt?" she whispered.
