Redeeming-Love-By-Francine-Rivers

R E D E E M I N G L O V E
“Angel,” she said under her breath. “My name’s Angel.”
Everyone gathered at the blankets when Elizabeth, Miriam, and Angel
brought out the food. Angel pushed her food around so the others would
think she was enjoying the meal, but her throat closed every time she took a
small bite.
Paul looked at her coldly. She tried not to let it bother her. It was his own
weakness that made him hate her so much.
She remembered a few young men who paid for her services and came
face-to-face with their own hypocrisy when they were putting their pants
and boots on and getting ready to walk out the door. It suddenly dawned on
them what they had done. Not to her. That didn’t matter one way or the
other. But to themselves.
“Haven’t you forgotten something?” she would say, wanting to drive the
knife straight into their hearts any way she could. They ought to know. First
the red flags in their pale cheeks, then the dark, loathing in their eyes.
Well, she had driven the blade straight and sure into Paul, but she knew
now she was the one impaled. It would have been better if she had walked
all the way to Pair-a-Dice that day. Maybe then Michael would have caught
up to her before it was too late. Maybe Paul wouldn’t hate her so much.
Maybe she would not have so much to regret.
Her whole life was one huge regret, right from the beginning. “She should
never have been born, Mae.”
Michael took her hand, and she started. “What are you thinking about?”
he asked quietly.
“Nothing.” Warmth spread through her at his touch. Disturbed, she drew
her hand away. He frowned slightly. “Something’s bothering you.”
She shrugged, not meeting his eyes.
He studied her thoughtfully. “Paul isn’t going to say or do anything to
hurt you.”
“It wouldn’t matter if he did.”
“If he hurts you, he hurts me.”
His tone caught her full attention. She had intended to hurt Paul and
had hurt Michael instead. Not once had she thought that day of what it
would do to him. She thought only of herself and her anger and her hope-
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