Stay

3

"I'm Gabriel ... Gabriel Curtis."

For some reason, I stayed standing in front of him, unmoving. Maybe it was fear, maybe it was curiosity, that I stared at the man, waiting for him to continue.

"I want to help you."

I scoffed. "Why would you help me? Your father ..."

"I know he's ... I know he's the Hunter. I know who and what my father is, Alayna."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Yes, I think you do. That's why you're on the run, from your family, from the police. I know my father killed your best friend, Suzannah Collins. I know that he framed you. I know that he threatened to kill your family - that's why you're on the run."

"You don't know-"

"I know, Alayna. I won't hurt you." His eccentric blue eyes never left mine. "I want to help you."

I didn't know whether to trust this man.

"What have you got to lose from listening?" Suzannah whispered beside me. "Listen to him, see what he has to say. I'll be here for you."

Her presence comforted me. Gabriel's words hung in the air, and a mixture of emotions swirled within me. Suzannah's reassuring presence urged me to hear him out. Suzannah's gentle whisper echoed in my mind, "He might be the ally you need. Trust your instincts."

"Okay," I finally said, breaking the tense silence.

Gabriel smiled, looking relieved, and gestured to the booth seating behind him. "Come, we have a lot to talk about and not much time. Jacob, get us some menus," he ordered and I followed him, taking in all the unfamiliar faces.

He stopped at a booth at the back of the restaurant. He slid into the leather seat, gesturing for me to sit across from him.

"Isn't he cute?" Suzannah asked and I rolled my eyes. Gabriel raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Jacob, appeared with menus.

"Can I get you something to drink?" He asked and I shook my head.

Gabriel sighed. "You need to eat, kid. God knows how long it's been since you've had a decent meal." I glared at him and he pushed the menu towards me.

"He's right, you're starving." Suzannah nudged my arm. "Eat and listen to what he has to say."

I picked up the menu, pointing to the nachos. "Add chicken and beef. Iced tea to drink, please."

"Get her a side of fries too. Put it on my tab."

I studied Gabriel, trying to figure him out. Why didn't he kill me, like his father would?

"You don't seem to like your father, why?" I asked as Jacob brought back the drinks. I sipped on my iced tea, waiting for him to answer.

Gabriel took a swig of his whiskey and nodded. "My father is an evil, cruel man, as you already know. He beat me as a child, lock me in a closet for hours and hours, he'd call me useless and pathetic. It wasn't until I was sixteen that I gave him a taste of his own medicine. But mostly, I hate him for what he did to my mother. He beat and raped her, every day. I tried to protect her but I couldn't save her. She died a few years ago, a car accident."

"Are you trying to save me?"

"In a sense, yeah, I guess so."

"Why doesn't your father just kill me? Why's he toying with me?"

"My father wants to kill you but because of his alliance with your father and brother, you're off limits. They'd skin him alive if he hurt you. He knows if you talk, they'll kill him, that's why he made you go on the run. He threatened you with your family but by staying silent, you empower him."