Something had happened. That was the only thing I knew for sure as my mind started to slowly rid itself of the dizziness clouding it. Now, the question was what did 'something' mean? Making a quick assesment of my current condition, I realised that my eyes hurt from all the light spilling into the room and coming to think of it, so did my wrist. Wait! My wrist hurt. Why the hell did my wrist hurt?
Suddenly realising I was lying into a bed, I hurriedly stood up, trying to understand what I was looking at while also fighting the need to throw up. I had no fucking idea where I was. In fact, I'd never seen the room I was currently finding myself in before in my life. Panic was quickly taking over me and I had to take a few deep breaths before finally being capable of using my logic again.
Since continuously telling myself that I was in no danger didn't seem to help -and could you honestly blame me after everything that had happened with Marco?- I decided it was the time for a more thorough inspection of my surroundings. One of the small circular windows on the right caught my attention a moment later, giving me a clue as to where I might have been and making the rest of the inspection unnecessary. But that wasn't possible, was it? First of all, there were no bedrooms in an airplane and then, even if there were, what the fuck was I doing on an airplane?
The small door that I'd failed to notice up until now slowly opened, Gabriel's head poking inside and that's when it all came back to me. The Courthouse, judge Ross, my resignation, Brandon, the shooting, Mathew getting me out of there, me driving to the mansion, Gabriel taking me to the Penthouse, him serving me a drink, Maria fixing us tea, Mathew sitting next to me on the couch, Gabriel saying we had to leave California and then him spiking my fucking drink. Great! So now I had an answer to all my questions. Maybe except for one though... I still didn't know why my fucking wrist hurt. Looking down at my right hand, I noticed a large, white patch covering a good amount of my skin. A lump got stuck in my throat, my eyes snapping up to Gabriel's.
"Morning, sunshine." The fucking bastard had the nerve to smile, pretending he didn't even notice my shocked expression, every bone and muscle in my body preparing itself to launch at him. I felt the crazy need to poke his fucking eyes out. "Feeling good?" The bastard stepped into the room, closing the door behind him and headed for the armchair seated by the small window I'd noticed earlier. "Experiencing any nausea, dizziness... anger?" He asked while lowering himself into the chair, my temper escalating. So now he was playing fucking shrink?
"Where are we going?" I asked, a small, crazy part of me hoping for him to say anything else but what I knew he would eventually say.
"Italy, judge. We're going to Italy." He looked victorious and pleased with himself, the smile he was sporting perfect proof of that. He'd gotten exactly what he wanted and I must admit that I wasn't particularly happy with the bitter taste of the defeat. I wasn't supposed to be on a fucking plane to Italy. Actually, I wasn't supposed to be anywhere near Gabriel. He had brought me enough trouble as it was. Allowing a deep sigh to go past my lips, I let myself fall back onto the bed and hissed the moment my hand suffered a small collision with my thigh. I'd completely forgotten about the patch covering my wrist.
Carefully removing the white dressing, I uncovered a perfectly healthy piece of skin. But then, I guess I would've rathered I found a bloody wound than what I actually did find. My mouth dropped open, my eyes widening even further if possible. Did I mention the fact that Gabriel Shaffer was a fucking bastard?
"Do you like it?" My eyes flew to his face, finding the fucker wiggling his brow at me a little. And that was it. Without really being aware of my actions I stood up, steady steps taking me to the chair where my murderer was seated. Then, before I even got the chance to understand what was happening my newly tattooed member collided with Gabriel's face. "Should I take that as a 'no'?" He asked, his hand going to rub at his cheek. My mouth opened, a sarcastic laugh slipping past my lips.
"Why would you do that to me?" Slightly shrugging his shoulders, Gabriel rose to his full height. Why did he have to be such a huge fucker?
"Because I happen to know what's best for you and because you gave me no other choice." He was perfectly calm, his voice low and soothing, his hands reaching out for me and softly grabbing my upper arms. "I know you're angry right now, but you need to calm down and we need to talk. I can explain everything." Shortly, incredulously snorting, I somehow succeeded to free myself from his grip and turned around, taking a few steps in the direction of the bed. I needed to distance myself from him before he got me all hot and bothered -and I knew that was what the bastard was planning to do.
Looking down at my wrist again, I took a deep breath while allowing my eyes to roam over the contours of my new set of wings. The tattoo was identical to the one I knew Gabriel to have on his back, the perfection of the drawing making my mouth open -in admiration this time. But then I realised what that meant, my heart aching more than any other wound I'd gotten lately.
"Does this make me a protege?" I asked, my voice weak and shaky, my eyes full of tears. I knew what that meant and my heart ached at the concept of becoming one of those girls -of meaning nothing more to him than a person he owed something to.
"It puts you under my protection, yes, but it doesn't make you one of them. I thought we were past that. You'll never be one of them. You can't be one of them." His arms snaked around my waist, pulling my back flat against his chest, his lips meeting the back of my neck in a series of soft kisses. "If anything, dea, that tattoo on your wrist puts you above all of them. You're a priority. You're my priority." My fingers went to pinch the top of my nose in a stupid, useless attempt to stop the tears from running down my face.
"What about my life, Gabriel? You drugged me, put me on a plane with a destination of your choice and given me a fucking tattoo while I was passed out. You're already treating me like I'm your fucking property." My body went rigid, my hands removing him from me a moment later. I couldn't stand his proximity. I couldn't -I simply refused- to become his.
"Please, for God's sake, understand that I had to do what was best for you. The attack on the Courthouse scared the shit out of me. I had to get you as far away from California as possible." His voice was strained and I understood that he was probably fighting to maintain his temper. I wasn't though. I knew that would've been a lost fight. There was nothing left of my temper to maintain.
"Why did you have to come back?" That was a stupid question, I knew it was. He had saved my fucking life.
"Because you needed me." His hand landed onto my shoulder, squeezing gently. "Because I needed you." Right then and there, everything broke -my shackles, my heart...
Turning around, I did launch myself at him this time, but not to hurt him. My arms circled his neck, one of my hands going to his hair and pulling harshly while my lips attacked his. I was savage, my actions uncontrolled, my body craving for a release only Gabriel could grant me. And then his eyes opened and I could feel him watching me, my eyes opening as well, lustful hazels greeting my blues. Desire replaced his surprise, my murderer's arm picking me up and dropping me onto the bed behind me, my blond hair ending up covering my face.
"Dea, it's been too long. If we start this, I won't be able to stop. Are you sure...?" Without letting him finish his sentence, my arms helped me crawl at the edge of the bed, one of my hands then shooting out and grabbing a fistful of his shirt, giving it a little tug. Losing his balance, Gabriel's body fell into mine, his hands shooting out to support most of his weight, his mouth drawing deliberately slow paths down my jaw and towards my collarbone.
I was already feeling light headed by the time my fingers deftly unbuttoned his dark shirt, my mouth struggling to catch his. And then his hand grabbed my thigh, pulling my leg up and tearing up the blue dress I was apparently still wearing. My eyes widened slightly, his hazels finally meeting my blues, mischief written all over his face.
"I'll get you a new one?" Playfully narrowing my eyes on him, my hand went to his hair, harshly pulling at it until finally bringing his face next to mine again.
"I heard that before, Mr Shaffer." My lips crushed his once again, a deep, low moan slipping from his mouth into mine. Lacking the capacity to refrain myself anymore, I quickly switched places with Gabriel, my hips cradling his, his erection hitting just the right spot. My back arched, my hands going to my breasts and gently pinching my nipples.
A gush of air left my murderer's lungs, his eyes darkening by the minute. The surge of power I felt coursing through me the moment I understood just how much control I had over a man like Gabriel almost took me over the edge. And yet, I didn't allow myself to let go. I wanted more. I wanted him to give me the pleasure I knew he was capable of giving. I wanted to watch him writhe in agony while trying to hold back on his own release until I got mine. I wanted to torture him until he could no longer hold back. I wanted him out of control.
Slowly lifting myself from the bed, I made sure my core brushed against his arousal one last time, the pained hiss escaping him making me smile. My hands went to the back of my dress, slowly unzipping it, allowing the blue fabric to glide down to my ankles, revealing the white lace Victoria's Secret set perfectly fitting my small frame. My left hand slowly went to my mouth, my tongue slightly darting out and moistening one of my fingers which then traveled to my breast.
My eyes briefly closed, my nipples puckering and pushing against the bra, another growl travelling to my ears and prompting me to glance at the man watching me from the bed. His hand sneaked into his pants a moment later, his head falling back on a hiss and I found myself unwillingly taking my free hand to the apex of my thighs, my knees almost buckling the moment my finger met the liquid heat of my own arousal. I was almost completely lost to the world the moment a quick knock at the door resonated through the room.
"Not now." Gabriel barked, his eyes focused on mine, his hand working his huge arousal.
"Um... The pilot said we should land in about an hour or so." I recognized Mathew's voice speaking from the other side of the door, his confusion obvious in his tone.
"Then come back in an hour or so." My murderer barked again, his hand squeezing harder on his erection, his head flying back on a low curse.
My own hand was still moving, my orgasm building up fast, my eyes closing for a moment, my body preparing for the tidal wave that was going to take everything away from me. And then my hand was captured and so was my body, Gabriel's lips covering mine, his wet, hot tongue plunging deep into my mouth, his steps taking us to the armchair by the window. I barely got the chance to understand that my orgasm had vanished before being turned around and forced to bend down, my hands quickly pinned to the arms of the chair. Gabriel's chest was pressed to my back, his tongue licking the contours of my ear, my breath turning into fast, short gasps.
"Fucking hell, dea! I haven't even entered you and I'm already on the brink of exploding. This is what you do to me. This is what the thought of burying my cock deep inside you does to me." My insides clenched, my teeth biting into my lower lip. I was fucking desperate. "Spread your legs for me, dea." Without any inhibitions left in me, I did as I was told, his fingers hooking into the fabric of my panties and pulling them down my legs. The huge, smooth head of his erection met my flesh a moment later, my hips bucking wildly forcing Gabe's hand to grip the side of my body in an attempt to hold me still. "My way, Julia. We're doing it my way." And with that, he slowly entered me, his arousal perfectly filling every inch of me.
The moment he started to slowly move was also the moment I forgot how to breathe. Not that I wanted to breathe. Oh, no, as long as he stood buried deeply inside of me I needed no air, no nothing. I was finally feeling complete after such a long time of feeling rather abandoned. Oh, for fuck's sake! Wake up to reality, dear girl. Nothing's changed. Yes, he's still a God in bed. And yes, you two still fucking complete each other in bed. But let's face the truth, honey. That's about it. My conscience was yelling into my ear, my body under the complete control of my murderer. What the fuck was I supposed to do? Who the fuck was I supposed to listen to? But then my body won the argument, my mind going all blank.
A sharp wave of pleasure took over my body as Gabriel bucked his hips in the most wonderful way possible, my knees almost giving in for the thousandth time already. And then something happened. My back arched as my insides started to quicken, his hands squeezing my hips.
"Let go, dea. I'm here to catch you." His urgent whisper was my undoing, my release washing over me, my hands having to support the weight of my entire body. My murderer followed suit, his body going rigid, his fingers digging into my skin, his chest then colliding with my back. The soft, feather kiss placed just bellow my ear a moment later was what really woke me up. What the fuck was I doing? I already knew how this was going to end.
Straightening up, I forced Gabriel to do the same, the confused look he gave me making my breath hitch. What the hell had I done?
"I'm going to clean up a bit." I said while hurriedly collecting my clothes from the floor. "I'll be right out. You don't have to wait for me." Quickly opening the bathroom door, I somehow managed not to trip over my own two legs while stepping inside. Looking into the small mirror placed just above the sink, I slightly recoiled. My face was glowing, lust still clouding my blue eyes. You had to be either blind or stupid not to understand what had just happened between me and Gabriel. Fucking hell!
Washing my face several times, I tried to mask the afterglow of a fucking session with my murderer. Unfortunately, the water I'd splashed my face with did nothing to help me and since I had no available makeup, I decided to quit trying to do anything about my face and slipped into the dress. Smoothening down the fabric, the tear in it caught my attention, my eyes closing in frustration, a groan leaving my lips. I apparently had no other choice but to go out there and do the walk of shame. For fuck's sake...
$$$
Gabriel was no longer inside the room by the time I exited the small bathroom and I thanked God for that at least. I wasn't so sure I could've handled talking to him right now. And I also knew that if he was still there he would've wanted to talk.
Slowly opening the door, I stepped into the spacious aisle of the plane doing my best not to draw any attention to me. Of course I knew that was not going to happen, eyes finding me from everywhere just as soon as the door closed behind me -yet I thanked God that there were not so many people on the plane at least. And then I realised something else. The seats were luxurious and few, the people watching me vaguely familiar. I saw Mathew and Angie, Maria, Mei, Stephanie and many other women I'd seen at the mansion before -women I guessed were Gabriel's proteges- maybe even a man or two -men I guessed also worked for my murderer- but except for that, nobody.
His eyes found me a moment too soon, his lips forming a small smile as his hand patted the empty seat next to him. Knowing I had no other choice but to sit down and buckle up, I walked to the plush armchair and lowered myself into it, my hands starting to fumble with the belt. His deep sigh took me by surprise, my murderer's hand reaching for mine and squeezing gently.
"What's going on, Julia?" I fought to breathe, the lump in my throat also fighting to choke me.
"Nothing." My hand carefully slipped out of his hold and landed onto my thigh. I could feel his eyes following it, but that didn't make me back down. I couldn't have allowed myself to hold his hand. Not now, that my head was clear of Gabriel's influence and I knew I was delusional to think we could be together. For fuck's sake! Look where that had brought us in the first place. "This is a personal flight, isn't it?" I didn't have to see him to know he was smiling. I did look at him though.
"It is, indeed." I couldn't help the smile that pulled at my own lips. "Now, do you think you can tell me what's wrong?" Slightly turning into his seat, Gabriel took the safety belt from me and buckled me up himself, his hands then resting just above my breasts, his eyes staring at my lips. The moment his head started descending towards mine was also the moment I looked away from him.
"Stop it! People will start thinking there's something going on between us. Maria and Mathew already think that." Grabbing my chin, my murderer harshly turned my face to his again.
"What do you mean people will start thinking there's something going on between us?" His hazels searched my face for a moment before he opened his mouth to speak again. "Julia, there is something going on between us. There always has been -it's never stopped." My teeth clenched, my heart aching. Of course it has stopped. It has stopped for a couple of months and he was away and I got abducted and everything has changed.
"You're wrong." His eyes widened ever so slightly, his mouth gaping a little. He knew I was lying and I knew I was lying, but I wasn't going to let myself fall for him again. I knew I wasn't going to survive him this time, if I did.
"Julia..." He didn't get to say anything else though, the voice coming through the speakers cutting him off.
Dear passengers, this is your captain speaking. It is a beautiful, sunny day here in Verona. We will be landing at the Villafranca airport in five. Please make sure you buckle up and enjoy the rest of the flight.
The speakers went quiet and so did Gabriel. Turning into his seat again, he kept his eyes on the small screen placed right in front of him, his hands fisting at his sides, so I followed his example, keeping my mouth shut and my eyes closed.
The plane did land five minutes later, the sunny, warm weather welcoming us to Verona.