Chapter 38
Elena
“Nicole is gone rather early this morning.” Gabriel acknowledges before he steps close behind me and places a soft kiss on my right cheek as he wraps his arms around my waist.
“She has something…” In all honesty I have no idea what that something is but somehow that sounded suspicious. The way I said it. “Not sure what exactly.”
“Weird to have her out of the house before ten. She usually wakes up at midday.”
“Midday?” I accidentally shout out a little louder than I intended to. “That is half of the day. What does she do the rest of the time?”
“She is usually home at around three am. Not sure what she does though.”
“Three? What kind of life is she living at night?”
He shrugs his shoulders from behind me and places his head on my shoulder, his grip on my waist tightens. “Maybe she is Cat woman and needs to save the city?”
I let out a small giggle at his theory and I felt his chest vibrate on my back as he laughed along. “It is laughable to think she could be Cat woman. She would rather be the villain with her voodoo dolls.”
“Sounds about right.”
“Quit touching me and cut the tomatoes.” I point to the uncut tomatoes laying on the board next to me with the tip of my knife.
A huff of strong air ghosts over my cheek before a fast kiss landed. Gabriel unwraps his arms around my waist and starts cutting the tomatoes while I cut carrots.
I was in the mood for lasagne today, that is why we got up early today and did not in fact stay in bed for God knows how long. We visited the market and got all the ingredients we needed. I just never knew that Gabriel prefers to make his own pasta in general but it was educational to watch him make the lasagne sheets.
Not that I was staring while he made them.
A loud thud on the door catches our attention as we were talking about how I should sketch Gabriel nude.
He started the conversation, not me.
I tilt my head slightly as I let the knife fall on the cutting board. “I have reason to believe that she is behind that door with two suitcases.” I told him.
Mio left abruptly yesterday evening because of a family business crisis but I have my own reasons to believe she might be back.
She cannot accept defeat.
“I would not be so sure.”
“Well, you were sure she would not show up the first time. I would not be surprised if she did it a second time.” I mumble the last bit as I grow irritated at the thought that it might be her.
I let out a harsh breath when the knocking got louder. “Dear lord, can’t we be at peace for one day.” I wash the tomato juice off my hands before I make my way to the front door only to be met with a surprise.
My hand fell as I was holding onto the door and my mouth gaped open as I stared at him.
“To be honest, I was expecting a more welcoming face.” he says with much happiness in his voice.
“Ben, wha-” I choke on my own words as I cannot believe my eyes that he is in front of me. Again. “What are you doing here?”
“Is it not obvious? I am visiting you.”
“No, what are you doing here, in Italy? How did you find me?”
“I always know where you are, Lena.”
“No, no. You are not supposed to.” my voice cracks slightly as I try to get the words but I am more worried about how the hell he found me rather than that he is here.
“I will always find you; I did remind you of that.”
He did.
I remember his words. He told me that no matter where I will be, he will be ten steps close to me. I thought he was joking but he was not. He really is always ten steps close.
Through my blurry vision I watch as his expression shifts from a smiley one to a frightened one. Gabriel steps behind me. “What is taking so long?” his words fade away as he sees Ben. “You again.”
“Gabriel Harvey, mind if I steal her for a moment.”
“I do actually.” he says, his voice laced with poison. He wraps a possessive arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him. I stand frozen on the spot, various questions run through my head.
How did he find me?
Did he chip me?
“Elena will not step foot alone with you.”
“Really? Playing an overprotective boyfriend now?”
“Boyfriend? God no.” he chuckles at him. “Elena is my fiancé. In fact, sweetheart, would you mind going inside while I have a small talk with Benedict?”
I nod slightly, keeping my gaze down because I am sure, one more glance at him and I would have cried.
He just makes me so angry.
I sit on the stairs next to the door as I watch it close, leaving me alone in the house.
Tears threaten to break free and I panic as I search around my body for something hard on my skin and before I could continue the search from my neck to my chest, a loud scream comes from outside.
My eyes widen at the possible thought of Gabriel getting hurt and hurrying to the door, only to find Ben hissing in pain as he holds on to his right hand.
His dominant one.
Also, the one he knocked on the door of his house with because he hates knocking with his left.
Gabriel broke his right hand.
“Sorry to have scared you, my love. I was just chatting with him.” Gabriel says with a smug smile on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. He seems relaxed as if he just did not break Ben’s hand.
With my hand in front of my mouth, I try to cover the smile that is threatening to break. It’s funny. How just one second ago I was on the verge of a panic attack and now I am here trying not to laugh as my fiancé just broke my ex-boyfriend’s hand.
My eyes must have given me away because Benedict curses at me for smiling. “You fucking bitch, are you fucking laughing after he just broke my hand?”
“Oh, please you had it coming the second you knocked on the door.” Gabriel rolls his eyes at him and steps closer to me and places and arms over my shoulders. I stay starstruck with my mouth still covered as I just stare.
“You will hear from my fucking lawyer, asshole.” Benedict hisses at Gabriel.
“Oh please, you and your lawyer don’t scare me.” Much sarcasm is hiding behind Gabriel’s words as he is talking to Ben as if he knew him and knows that he cannot hurt him. “I suggest you take your leave.” he offers to him so politely, but somehow my ex is stupider than I thought and just stands there with a hopeful look that I will still talk to him.
“I suggest you accept his kindness and leave because I suspect that he would break your second hand too.” I finally opened my mouth.
For the first time ever since we broke up, I was not scared to talk against him. In his moment I felt confident. Strong. Powerful.
Gabriel’s arm falls from my shoulder and he stands there as I start to walk away and wait by the door for him.
I watch as he slightly tilts his head and his voice turns lethal as he says the last words to Ben. “Next time, think twice before you knock on my wife’s door or your hand won’t be the only broken thing.”
Benedict's eyes shift between us and I can finally fully breath when he actually takes his leave.
“Are you fucking crazy?” is the first thing that leaves my lips as he closes the front door.
“What?”
“Are you going to act like this situation right now was nothing?”
“It’s his fault for showing up after I told him he should leave you the fuck alone.”
“Told him? You talked to him before?”
“Once, twice maybe. All that matters is that he had it coming.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“I trust you. If you say that he was warned,'' I start; I grow shy as I continue. “Then he had it coming.”
“You agree with me that he deserved that I broke his hand?”
“He was warned.” I counter.
I watch as he smiles at my comment and I crack up at the silence swimming between us. My laughter soon enough dies down. “Now will you help me where the hell he has planted the chip in me.”
“A chip?”
“Yes, he said he always knows where I am and the only explanation is that he chipped me a tracker.”
“He couldn’t have,” he says.
“He could have.”
“No, for that to be possible he had to set you into a narcotic sleep. Maybe check your phone.”
“No, I don’t have any tracking apps,” I mumble.
What if he chipped my phone? I carry it with me everywhere and in Monaco I had my phone and it is here too.
I run to the kitchen and Gabriel follows me behind.
By the time I finally found my phone that was tucked under one of the pillows on the couch, the living room turned into total chaos with pillows and blankets on the floor.
I grip my phone in my hand and without a second thought, I smash it on the wooden floor and watch as it shattered.
“You know you could have just brought it to a mechanic to open the back of the phone.” Gabriel comments as I kneel down and pick up the phone and the back of it hanging by a piece to the phone.
“I know,” I say. “But I would not have had the satisfaction of finding this.” I rip the back from the last piece and smile as I take out a small rectangle that was sticking like glue.
“Motherfucker, he really had your phone chipped.”
“That is how he knew where I was every single time.” I examine the small chip and guilt washes over me when I see the shattered phone again. “Maybe you were right. I should have brought it to a mechanic.”
“Don’t worry. We will go to the city later and get you a new one.” Gabriel says and taps me lightly on my back and gets up, waiting for me to get up.
“What?” I look up to him. “You are going to buy me a new one?” I ask and I am just messing around.
“Of course, did you expect to pay for it yourself?”
I raise my eyebrow. “Yes?”
“You are funny.”
“I wasn’t joking.”
“Yeah, no way.” He holds his hand out for me to take. I place my hand in his and he helps me up. “As long as you have me, I will pay for these kinds of expenses. And anything else you wish for.”
“Fine, then I will wait until the deal between us is over and I will get a new one. I won’t have you then, will I?”
“Funny that you believe we are continuing our deal.”
“Are we not? This whole thing between us started because I had a favor to return to you.”
“It did, but quite honestly I forgot the real reason why we are here the moment I had my fingers inside you. Rather way before that.”
“Oh?” My face heats up as the blush creeps up from my neck and my breathing becomes frantic.
“Seems that I need to refresh your memories of what this thing between us is.” His voice grows deep and he steps closer and traps me between him and the dresser that is in the living room.
“Tell me, what is this thing between us?” At this point I am just teasing him and knowing Gabriel his methods to tell me would involve going upstairs. Not that I am one to complain.
“You’re mine, I’m yours, does it need a further explanation?”
“You are mine?” I smile like an idiot as I repeat the words.
His gaze softens as he cups my cheek and caresses it with his thumb. “Isn’t it obvious?”
My heart races at his soft voice and his words and I might just melt into his touch here and now. “A little too obvious, if I might say.”
“Good,” that is the only thing he says before I scream as he throws me over his shoulder. I giggle as the blood runs to my head, making me dizzy.
“Let me down!” I shout at him but it is barely audible from my laughter. “We have to finish cooking.” I argue as I notice he has started to make his way up the stairs.
“Later, we have more pressing matters to attend to.”
Dear Lord, he will be the death of me.
“Gabriel!”
Chapter 39
Gabrie l
To be honest, breaking his hand was not my first intention but the thought of him being able to knock on Elena’s door again infuriated me. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I broke his hand.
Mistakes can happen.
On his side, not mine. I simply did what I promised.
“What do you say we go on a date?”
She shrugs her shoulders; her eyes burn through my skull as she gazes up for a short moment before she resumes tracing lines on my chest.
Each touch of her finger feels like a burning sensation on my skin, as if she is throwing me into a fire while I am doused in gasoline.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“Where?”
“A fancy restaurant in the city.”
She chuckles and gets up from laying on her stomach and sits up on the bed. I watch her as she has her naked back turned to me and she throws a dress shirt of mine over her shoulders and buttons up a few of the upper buttons.
“I would say yes if I had the dress to go with the occasion.”
“Do not worry so much about a dress, but rather just being there with me.”
I watch her with her arms crossed over her chest and her back leaned against the wall as she tries to suppress a smile from breaking out, holding her head high. “Why do I have the feeling that you have planned this date for some time?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Maybe I have.”
“Maybe you’re crazy.”
“About you? Since day one.”
I receive a soft smile from her before she shies away and walks to the closet.
The noise of close hangers covers the silence as I watch her before she speaks up. “Still think we can make the lasagne?”
I spare a quick glance on the clock on my wrist. “We can but by the time it is done it will be time for dinner and we have a date to get to.”
“Fine,” she says and walks up to me still in my shirt and fuck, she might as well keep all of them all because they look way better on her. She sits down next to me on the edge of the bed and pokes her finger into my chest, her face close. ”But by the time I get back tomorrow, I hope to see it done since you are the one who decided a distraction was a good idea.”
“As you wish, my love.”
I get a small smile and just as I was about to touch her soft skin, she stands up abruptly. “I need to shower. Seven?”
For a moment I forgot what she asked, her beauty mesmerised me and caught my attention. I stutter, “Seven. Yes, yes, seven.” I grow nervous at my own stuttering.
I get a small smile and a fast kiss of her heavenly soft lips on mine before she sprints away to the bathroom.
My admiration for her gets interrupted when my phone rings on the bedside table. I reach over and pick up the call without hesitation. “Gabriel Harvey speaking.”
I hear a harsh breath on the other side of the line followed by a sob. “Gabriel, this is Mio. I need your help.” Just as I was about to complain about her call, she interrupted me. “Please, your mother is blackmailing me.”
***
Elena
I am not sure if it is my mind playing tricks on me or I am just insecure but Gabriel has been acting weird ever since we got to the restaurant.
Distant. Not talking much. Always checking his phone.
“Is everything all right?” I decided to finally ask my most anticipated question I had all evening. It has been nagging me and this date was supposed to be great because it is our first as a real couple.
Although I do believe that we have been a real deal since the night of the auction but just today he confirmed it to me.
He flashes me a small smile, one without his dimples baring. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“You seem,” I say, stuttering over my words. “Distracted.”
“Just a small conflict at work,” he groans when the words come out and sets his fork down on the table. He rubs his temple. “Which reminds me to tell you that I will be quite busy the next two days while we are here at the office we have in the city. I apologise.”
I shake my head in understanding. “It is alright. Work is important.”
His eyes wander, searching for something before they lock with mine and they soften. “You are more important though.” His words are soft and I feel my heart race as I feel his warm hand on mine. I turn my hand that was flat on the clothed table and our fingers entangle with one another.
“I’ll miss this.” I murmur against my hand that holds my arm up on the table with my elbow.
“We will still have it.” He reassures me.
“Not for the next two days. Tomorrow we are both busy but the day after I will be stuck in a home that I am unfamiliar with, with your mother who so much likes me.” The tone in my voice can be clearly recognized as sarcasm with the last sentence.
She hates me.
For no reason.
“Just ignore her but if she does start a conversation, walk away.”
“I was planning to do exactly that.”
“Smart girl,” he murmurs approvingly.
I just stare at him and his words. If I had told myself two months earlier that I would be on a date with my boss that I was quite frightened off, I would have laughed at myself.
It would have sounded ridiculous and awkward, which it still is. Ridiculously awkward.
Sometimes.
My good mood from earlier today seems to have vanished and I feel the sudden urge to just leave this restaurant as fast as possible.
I have a feeling the longer I stay here, the more I might lose my mind to the thought that Gabriel might be lying.
I do not believe that he has an emergency at work. Would they not have contacted his assistant, aka me first before disturbing the boss.
It does not make sense to me or they might do it differently here in Italy and take these kinds of things directly to the boss.
I let out a harsh breath, pulling my hand away from him and crossing my fork and knife on the plate.
“Might we leave, please? It is quite noisy here.” I lied. Not that it isn’t noisy here, it is but the noise was not the problem that was making me uncomfortable. It was the half-truths that were coming from his lips.
Or maybe that is just my insecure side talking.
After having to deal with a cheating boyfriend for years, I have built up trust issues. It just made me realise that at any time when I feel insecure, I blame Gabriel. That is how it has been since this morning. Since he has started to act weird.
The thought that he might be just like Ben breaks my heart into a million pieces.
I sit uncomfortable in my seat as Gabriel pays the check and a gut feeling of the fact that I ruined the first date we are at hits me hard.
I bite the inside of my cheek as I try to come up with an idea to save the date I just ruined. I ruined it and it is my responsibility to save it. Isn’t it?
“Ready to leave?” He is suddenly standing in front of me, holding his hand out for me to lake and a small smile on his lips. Quite frankly I am trying not to smile.
Why? I am upset with him and he needs to realise that.
I place my hand in his and stand up from my seat, lifting up the skirt of my dress as I walk. Gabriel wasn’t lying when he said he would find a dress for me to wear.
When I came out of the bathroom, I found a huge box laying on our perfectly made bed, which kind of made me question how long I had been in the bathroom.
In the box, this magnificent maxi dress in baby pink. It perfectly hugs my curves while being flowy from waist down with a square cut out and built in bra. I would say that is the perfect dress.
No one can ever go wrong with pink.
With my handbag in one hand and my other hand holding Gabriel’s, we walk out of the restaurant but Gabriel comes to a sudden stop in front of the door.
“Are you well?” I asked him as the stop was rather sudden. I watch him as he takes off his jacket and drapes it over my shoulders. I look over my shoulder to him with a confused expression.
“It is rather chilly outside at night.” he says in a low whisper near my ear.
“But the car is in the parking lot.” I point out the glass door to his car which he has changed to a family car instead of his Sportwagon.
I am not sure why. Could be that I slightly complained when he picked me up that morning from work because my car was in the parking lot and the car was too small.
Obviously, Gabriel had a variety of choices on which car he wanted to drive around in Rome and he chose the family.
Kind of sweet.
I hate sports cars. They are way too low in my opinion and rather uncomfortable to sit in.
And this time it is rather impossible not to smile. His actions sometimes speak louder than his words. Except in the bedroom. Rather both speak loudly…
I cling to the jacket more than I intended, crossing my arms over my chest to keep it from falling.
“You can give me that,” he reaches for my handbag that I am holding while trying to keep the jacket on my shoulders. I grow defensive and pull away the bag.
“I can carry it myself.”
“Elena,” he calls my name out in a knowing tone.
“I can.”
“But you don’t have to.”
“But I can. I am an independent woman.”
“I am not saying you aren’t. I am just saying it is okay to let others help you with the smallest things. Like me carrying your bag.”
I hesitate to give him my bag but I have grown rather tired. Maybe I should stop starting a small argument with Gabriel any time he wants to help and just accept it.
I give in to his help and also give him my gratitude for his help.
“Thank you,” I whisper to him as we walk out of the restaurant to his car, our hands intertwined.
“For carrying your bag?”
“For everything. I suppose I needed this vacation more than I would like to admit.”
“You are the only person I would have taken here with me.”
I chuckle at his joke. He must be joking. “The only?”
We get to the car and Gabriel opens the door for me like the true gentleman that he is. I step inside and make myself comfortable on the warm seat. He was right. It was rather chilly even if it was a short walk.
He rounds the car and gets to the driver's seat, handing me back my handbag as he gets comfortable himself. “Confession,” he starts out of nowhere.
“Oh.” which was rather an interested ‘oh’ and not a disappointed one.
“I never actually told my mother your name,” he starts and my jaw starts to drop. It does not stop. I feel as if my jaw is dropping from my mouth as he continues. “I lied when I said that I told her that your name was Elena. I just needed an excuse to get you to come with me.”
I blink once. Twice. “You what?” I barely choke out the words.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t suspect it when she asked for your name?” Now he is the one chuckling.
I furrow my brows. “No? I just figured she did not care enough to remember it.”
“She didn’t know.”
“Well, now I know that.” I retort back in a sarcastic tone. I exhale loudly when he just gives me a soft smile, his head slightly tilted. “You really want me here?”
“There is no one else I would rather be here with,” he says in a soft tone.
“Not Mio or,” I start.
“Fuck no, do not even start with her.”
“Or your first crush.” I ask him, playing around but his answer is a rather unexpected one.
“Maybe her.”
“What?”
“You are her.” he points out and I find myself stroked with… with… I don’t know what? Schock?
“You have never had a crush before?” I ask him in a whisper, not believing his words.
He shakes his head. “Not until you. I have not been in love either.”
“Never?”
“Not yet, but I fear I might be falling faster than I expected to.” he reaches for my hands that were balled up on my lap. With my hands together and his wrapped around them, he presses a soft kiss on my knuckles.
“With…” I hesitate, hoping for him to finish the sentence. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
“Goddamn, Elena. Of course, with you. There is no one else more perfect for me than you.”
“You can have any woman in the world,” I get cut off.
“But you are all I want.” He roars back as I was not listening, he knows that. I am not listening because I am finding it hard to believe him.
“Why?”
“Because you are clever, caring, one of the most talented artists I have the honour of knowing.”
“No, why are you telling me all of this?”
“Because I can no longer hold it in me. I want you to know, I want the world to know what an amazing fiancé I have.”
“Technically, fake fiancé.” I point out.
Jeez Elena. He is confessing that he is falling in love with you and you are making a joke. Listen.
“Sorry.”
He just smiles at me, his eyes wandering all over the place. My lips, my eyes. As are mine.
“I still have one last pit stop in mind before we call it a night?”
“A pit stop?” I ask him. I have never heard anyone use that term except in Formula One. Could be that it is a daily used word. Just never heard it.
“Do you have another preferred term?”
I try to bite the smile away, but that is impossible. “No, it’s perfect.”