Taking the elevator to the underground parking lot, my heart started beating a frantic tattoo. I couldn't know for sure if Gabriel was waiting for me there or if he'd sent Mathew to pick me up again, but either way I couldn't wait to see him. Like it or not, everything I'd witnessed that morning, plus Ginger's words had left their mark on me. I needed answers. Answers I wasn't going to push for this time, but which I still hoped to get. Furthermore, I needed him. I needed to see him, hear him, feel him... I just needed him desperately. Dear God! I was an addict.
The elevator's doors swang open revealing an empty parking lot. My eyes widened a fraction. So maybe I'd stayed at work for a little longer than usual -since it took me forever to become able to concentrate on what I had to do- but I'd never expected to be the last one to leave the building. As for Gabriel, where was he? Why wasn't he or Mathew there already?
The tires of a huge, black SUV screeched somewhere near me and my heart constricted with fear. That was certainly not my murderer nor his wingman.
Slowly turning on my heels, I started for the elevators, trying to keep my emotions and panic at bay. One of the car's doors opened, the sound breaking through the silence and making me cringe. I didn't know how, but I knew that whoever it was, the person climbing out of that car was after me and that he or she was dangerous. And if you know that, then what the fuck are we waiting for? Run! Scream! Do something! Anything. My conscience screamed, making me shake my head to clear my thoughts. First of all, I was anything but capable of runing at the moment. Second of all, screaming wouldn't have helped, since there was nobody anywhere around that could hear me. My only chance of escaping this nightmare was to get as close as possible to the surveilence cameras.
Quiet footsteps started resonating throughout the parking lot, eating the distance between me and my follower. Fucking hell! For once in my lifetime I really wished I was wrong -I wished I was simply paranoid instead of being in real fucking danger.
The sound of a speeding car heading towards me had me breathing out a sigh of relief. He was here. I knew it by the warmth spreading in my belly. I was safe.
Gabe's SUV pulled up behind me just as I quickly turned around, my eyes desperately searching for him. And there he was, opening the door to the driver's seat and pulling out a gun at the mysterious man following me.
"Get in the car, judge!" My eyes widened the moment I became aware of the fact that I hadn't budged from my spot. "Now!" His harsh tone was what really got me going. Without a second's hesitation, I headed for the car and climbed inside, staring at the dark haired man Gabriel was aiming his gun at. He was the one and only Jasper Saunders I'd danced with that night before Gabriel had stepped in. The man was keeping his hands in the air, the expression on his face dark and darring. What really shocked me though, was the way Gabriel was looking at him, the gun in his hand useless. He wasn't going to shoot him. That much was obvious. Now, the question was why not?
Appearently snapping out of his trance, my murderer quickly climbed back into the car, closing the door and stepping on it.
"Are you ok?" He asked, once we were at a safe distance from the court house.
"I'm fine, I think. Who was that man?" I searched his face for something resembling an answer, but he was giving nothing away. In fact, he seemed to be made of fucking stone.
"Don't worry. He won't bother you again. I promise." Well, I couldn't have given a crap about his promises. That man was representing a danger to me and I wanted to know why.
"You could have shot him back there. Why haven't you?" Because the Gabriel I knew certainly would have.
"I wanted to, trust me." Judging by his short, direct answers, I wasn't going to get a lot out of him this time.
"I danced with him, Gabriel. Back at the ball, I danced with him." His face slightly screwed up at the mention of his name, but I couldn't care less if it bothered him or not. We should've been way past the first name basis. "I'd like to know who's the man I danced with that night and how much trouble I'm in because he was obviously waiting there for me." His fingers flexed on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.
"You're in no trouble at all, Julia. He wasn't waiting there for you. He was waiting there for me." I didn't believe him in the slightest. He might have been trying to protect me, but hiding the truth from me was not an option. Not anymore.
"Tell me who he is. Please!" I could see the muscles in his jaw ticking, but he wasn't scaring me off. "He's not working for you, is he?" That was a dumb question. Of course he wasn't.
"He's not." I carefully nodded.
"Why haven't you shot him if you wanted to?" Had I wanted Gabriel to shoot him?
"Because I can't afford a war right now, judge. There's too much at stake." That could have only meant one thing. Whoever he might have been, that man was powerful and most likely dangerous as fuck. "Now, can you, please, end this questioning? I need to think." I took the hint, turning my head away from him and staring out the window at the huge drops of rain pouring from the sky and onto the asphalt.
$$$
From the moment he'd parked the car, Gabriel had locked himself in his office, the only other person allowed to keep him company being Mathew. He was shutting me out on a problem that concerned me as well and that hurt fucking much. Finding myself alone, I decided to get out of sight for the moment. He needed time and space to think and I was more than willing to give him just that. I needed my own damn time and space at the moment as well.
Heading upstairs, to his penthouse, I tried to take my mind off of the day's events, but it was useless. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake the fear and anxiety off. Now more than ever I needed him to be there for me, but he wasn't and I was all alone in that fucked up place inside my mind.
Reaching the top of the stairs, I opened the door and stepped into his home. Dropping my bag and shoes onto the floor, I made for the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine, but not before turning the music on. Silence was the last damn thing I needed and I gladly welcomed Jessie Ware's voice, begging for the three words every woman craves to hear and also say.
The front door opened behind me, but I didn't turn around to look at him. The wooden floor screeched under his weight and that's how I knew that he was heading for me. Gabriel's strong arms wrapped around my waist, one of his hands grabbing my glass and placing it on the counter.
"I'm so sorry. I don't know what would've happened if I was a minute late." I couldn't help the sarcastic laugh that escaped me.
"If you were a minute late, I would've probably had a chance to drink that wine." Burrying his nose into my hair, Gabriel inhaled deeply, placing a lingering kiss behind my ear.
"You know what I mean." Yes, I knew what he'd meant, but I was no longer in the mood for talking about it. "Please, don't hold back on me." He was the one to complain about that? This man was unbelievable. "Look. I know I've made a mistake by locking myself in the office with Mathew instead of talking to you first and I'm sorry. I want to fix that mistake." His mouth started placing lingering, soft kisses on the lenght of my neck, making me drop my head to give him better access.
"Who was that man?" He shook his head, placing his hands onto my hips and turning me around so that I could face him. His deep hazel eyes locked on mine, the look on his face one of torment.
"Don't expect an answer to that, dea. I'll never tell you something that might endanger or hurt you." Grabbing my thighs, he suddenly picked me up, pushing me back against the counter and forcing me to wrap my legs around him. One of his hands started travelling up the inside of my thigh as his lips started to carress the skin of my neck. "Tell me what you want, baby. Anything. Just talk to me."
My mouth went to his ear, my breath coming out in hot, short gasps. "Touch me. More." The hand resting onto my thigh went to the nape of my hair, gently pulling at it and guiding my lips to his mouth.
"What now, babe?" Moving one foot up the lenght of his leg, I loosely wrapped my hands around his tie, pulling him closer to me.
"I told you I don't like this fancy suit of yours, haven't I?" Harshly pushing him back, I gave him a provocative look. "Take it off." Smirking that damn smirk of his, Gabriel looked down at his clothes.
"You want it off, you'll have to take it off yourself, baby." I immedatelly jumped to my feet, Gabe's scent making me heady. Without paying a second thought to my actions, I procceded to taking his clothes off, dropping to my knees in front of him while fighting with the buckle of his pants, his naked chest a view to behold. "This is inspiring, to say the least." He whispered, his voice hoarse and thick with lust. Smiling my most mischivous smile, I grabbed a cutting knife from the counter and teared the fabric of Gabe's pants open. Gaping at me, he seemed to be frozen to the spot.
"I'll buy you another suit." I mumbled, knowing fully well that I'd just stolen his line -again. Not paying attention to his shocked expression any longer, I procceded to dropping his briefs, his erection springing free right before my eyes. Looking up at my murderer, I could see the pleading look on his face and the way he was fighting every single instict, his jaw tensed to breaking point. Taking his length into my hands, I started to stroke him terribly slowly, my lips barely touching his tip. Gabriel groaned, his head falling back, his fists flexing at his sides.
Continuing to slowly stroke him and then take him into my mouth, I started to feel light headed. He was fucking intoxicating.
"Enough is enough, baby." He grated, picking me up all of a sudden and simply ripping the dress off of me with his bare hands. Placing me back onto the kitchen counter and producing a condom from somewhere, he nudged his way back between my thighs, his erection nudging at my entrance. "Tell me what you want, Julia. I'm not lifting a finger without you telling me to." Grasping his face between my hands and pulling him down for a kiss, I made sure to bite down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Gabriel hissed in pleasure or pain, I couldn't tell which one, maybe even both. "That doesn't change a thing, baby. Tell me what you want." Biting back a frustrated moan, I digged my nails into his backside.
"I want you inside me already. I'm going crazy here, Gabriel." His eyes lit up at the mention of his name this time, his lips curling into a sincere smile.
"You got it, baby." On a sharp, sweet thrust he was inside of me, his tip reaching my end, his length filling me up completely and more. "Talk to me, Julia. What now?" The exquisite, slow manner of his thrusts was driving me insane, my eyes closing in frustration, my teeth digging into my lips.
"Harder. Now. Please." Lust filled Gabriel's eyes, the hazel darkening, becoming a deep shade of black. He pulled out of me completely, leaving me bare and void for a moment and then drove back into me, the force of his thrust knocking the air out of my lungs. A strangled moan left my lips as his length stretched my walls again and again and again, each thrust leaving me breathless and bringing me closer to my release.
"Dea, come for me." My eyes closed, his sweet voice enveloping me completely and I did exactly as told. I let go, the tidal wave washing not only over me but taking Gabriel with me as well. His body went rigid, his chest covered in sweat, his breathing erratic. Looking at the gorgeous man in front of me, I felt the need to say it. The need to just spill it out.
"Gabriel, I..." Stop! What the fuck do you think you're doing? You can't say that to him. But I was afraid it was already too late since his hazel pools were now searching my face, my entire world spinning around those eyes.
"What is it, dea?" I shook my head as if to snap out of a trance and cleared my throat.
"Nothing. I just... I wanted to say it was amazing." My lazy voice sounded distant and lost. Gabriel watched me closely for a few more seconds.
"You are amazing, baby." My eyes dropped to the floor, taking in the mess we'd made, my mind willing my heart to stop jumping into my chest.
$$$
"I have something for you." Gabriel said, his eyes still closed, his hand still under his head.
"I'm already wearing something from you." I moaned, looking down at the nightie I'd chosen to wear from the dozens he'd bought me."Enough with the presents and the surprises, please. I don't think my heart can take it any longer." And I happened to mean it. He'd already bought me a whole fucking wardrobe. That was more than enough.
"I've noticed you're already wearing something from me. I should be either blind or gay not to notice the way that nightie hugs your each and every curve, but this present is a little more special." Ok... My curiosity was officially piqued. Suddenly standing up from the bed we'd crawled into after our crazy kitchen fucking session, Gabriel headded out of the bedroom, returning only moments later. The small, velvety box he was holding immediatelly got my attention. So that was it. Another jewelry.
"What's that?" I asked, my brows furrowing.
"Here. Open it!" Gabriel said, throwing the little box at me. Somehow succeding to catch it, I opened it with trembling hands and found a delicate, gorgeous platinum bracelet with a wonderful set of wings hanging from it resting onto a black silky cussion inside the box . "Do you like it?" Since I'd found out that I couldn't use my voice, tears threatening to choke me, I frantically nodded my head at him. "Good, because I'd like you to wear it constantly." Nodding my head again and pulling the bracelet out of the box, I extended my arm to him, waiting for Gabriel to fasten it around my wrist.
The phone started ringing and my very own murderer instantly jumped from the bed, answering his cell.
"Mathew." He said and it wasn't a question. He had been obviously waiting for his call. "Yes, keep her there. I'll be downstairs in a minute." Hanging up, he turned toward me, giving me a guilty look. "I'm..."
"Needed downstairs? Yeah, I gathered that." Absently munching on his lower lip, Gabriel watched me closely.
"Get dressed. I'm not leaving you here alone anymore. You're gonna go to the kitchen, ask Maria to fix you something to eat and wait for me there in the company of the nicest Italian woman you'll ever meet." Slowly standing up from the bed, I started for the walk-in closet just to be stopped when Gabe's strong hand wrapped around my wrist pulling me into him. "I'll make it up to you. I promise." And I'd heard that so many times before that I wasn't so sure I believed it anymore.
$$$
Appearently Maria was a sweet, fifty something years old, short and curvy brunette woman, wearing a beautiful, blue breezy dress and a white kitchen apron.
"Mio caro ragazzo. Cosa stai facendo? Chi e lei? Ma che bella ragazza!" She was talking so fast that I doubted I could understand what she was saying even if by some miracle she had spoken in English.
"Maria, lei e Julia ed e importante per me. Preparare qualcosa da mangiare per lei, per favore." The woman gave Gabriel a beaming smile, her eyes then starting to study me. I could feel the color rising to my cheeks under her scrutinizing gaze.
"Non preoccupatevi, Gabriel. Mi prendero cura del tuo ragazza." Gabriel smiled kindly back at the woman.
"Non esagerare, Maria. Grazie." Leaving my side for a moment, he bent down to kiss Maria's cheek and she wrapped her short arms around his neck, keeping him in her embrace for a moment longer. "I'll be quick this time, I promise." He said, turning toward me and placing a chaste kiss onto my lips. "Think of something you wanna do when you have me all to yourself later." He whispered into my ear, making me blush further. Winking at me one last time, he started for the door, not looking back anymore.
Maria sighed behind me, making me turn around to look at her.
"Tu sei diverso, si?" She wasn't really expecting me to talk to her in Italian, right? "Don't give me that look, cara. I may be old, but I'm not crazy. I know you don't speak Italian. Now tell me, what would you like to eat?" I shrugged, hoping for her to offer me some choices. "I've been told you love pastas, so what would you say of some carbonara, my dear?" My mouth wattered at the sound of that. I didn't even care how she knew I loved pastas anymore. "Why don't you take a seat, sweety? I'll bring your food here, si?" I nodded smiling and Maria bent down to place a short kiss onto my forehead.
"Maria?" A woman called from somewhere behind me, her voice giving me chills. It's the voice of the woman who'd tried -and almost succeded- to strangle you to death. It should give you chills. My conscince hissed at me, Mei's proximity making her run and hide at the back of my mind. "Well, well, well..." She drawled, now standing right next to me, her hip resting against a chair. "Appearently you're everywhere I look these days. What does it take to get rid of you?" Another strangling session should do it. My conscience spat at the chinesse woman standing a little too close to me for my liking. "I see most of the bruises are gone by now. Believe it or not, I never meant to kill you. I was just doing my job." And if that job of hers also implied getting rid of me that would've simply been a bonus.
"I don't need an explanation and I'm not gonna tell him you apologized to me, but you get credit for trying." I mumbled, refusing to look up at her. Mei let out a short laugh, then pulled the chair next to me and sat down.
"I think I'd actually get to like you if the circumstances were different." And by that she probably meant if I wasn't trying to 'steal' Gabriel from her and if she hadn't tried to kill me.
"Can you please, drop the act? We're not pals and you would never like me, just like I would never like you. We both know that, given the occasion, you would finish what you'd started that night. So what do you want, Mei?" Her eyes narrowed to angry slits of black.
"Appearently there really is more to you... Have you seen Maria?" I nodded my head towards the kitchen.
"She's fixing me some pastas." Mei's jaw tensed, hatred burning deep in her eyes.
"Really? Are you a resident of the house now?" I shook my head, a superior smirk pulling at my lips.
"Nope. Unlike others, I enjoy my independence. I have my own place to leave in, so no need to worry. I'm not moving in." A frown marred Mei's forehead, her lips parting just as Maria made an apearence.
"You think you're so much better than us, but you're not, dear. We've all been where you are and we've all ended up here, just as you will." She hissed, before Maria got close enough as to hear us.
"Mei!" Maria's eyes widened at the sight of the mean looking, chinesse woman. "Were you looking for me, darling?" She asked, a grimace replacing her honest smile.
"Yes. Maria, could you get me a coffee, please? Gabriel had me in the control room last night and I'm exhausted." Poor choice of words, bitch. My conscience snarled, jumping at her throat, but the rational part of me knew that I couldn't possibly match her strength and skill even if by some miracle I actually had the nerve to jump at her throat.
"Certo. Cara, here are your pastas." Maria extended a plate to me and I reached for it, my new bracelet sliding down to my wrist. Mei's eyes widened a little, her head dropping to the side, a smirk pulling at her thin, red lips.
"It happened sooner than I'd expected, appearently." My brows furrowed, my mind trying to proccess her words, but still missing her point.
"And what exactly happened sooner than you'd expected?" Her eyes lit up, happiness softening her features.
"The inevitable, my dear. You're now a protege."
Dictionary:
1-" My dear boy. How are you? Who is she? But what a beautiful girl she is."
2- "Maria, she is Julia and she is really important to me. Please, fix her somehing to eat."
3- "Don't worry, Gabriel. I'll take care of your girl."
4- "Don't over do it, Maria. Thank you."
5- "You are different, yes?"
6- "Of course."