Eight
Gabe
When we got back to the apartment, Leonie was distant which annoyed me; considering the massive fucking olive branch I had dealt her.
I glanced over as she sat staring out of the window with her tiny hands curled in her lap. Her ‘I’m not sleeping with you’ comment still circulated that space between us and I unclipped my belt with more force than was necessary. Leonie did the same and climbed out of the car before I could get the door for her.
She was probably on her guard, I’d been a complete prick to her since the day she arrived, I shouldn’t be surprised if she was still wary of me. Fuck me, most of my friends were still wary of me and with good reason.
We rode the lift in silence, Leonie clutching the welcome pack from Felice in her hand.
“If you complete the application form tonight, I can drop it off for you over the weekend,” I offered, checking my phone for messages. I had nine missed calls from my father and two from Max. FFS.
Dear old Dad had probably heard of my interest in one of his rival firms and was calling to give me shit about it. He just didn’t get that I wasn’t interested in his precious firm and was probably reeling from the fact that I wasn’t jumping through hoops of fucking fire to join him. Working for my father would be like signing your life away; in blood, I might add.
My father’s main client swam into my thoughts. I had decided to stay as far out of Gerard Kinlan’s arse as possible. Not easy considering I’d gone to school with his son Kai, aka ‘The Bull’ who was also a certified psycho. He’d been a loner back then, the weird lad that both students and teachers steered clear of. There was a rumour that he was the one who set fire to the gym, whilst several members of the football team were in there.
Leonie’s honeyed voice snapped me out of that dark place.
“I’ve never filled out a job application form before,” she informed me, her pretty little freckled nose wrinkled. Adorable.
“How’d you get the job at Aquarius?”
“A friend already worked there so on a recommendation I suppose,” she replied.
I lifted my eyes from the screen of my phone. “Why am I not surprised? You”re lucky they paid you on time.”
Her mouth dropped open slightly. Here we go.
“They did fucking pay you I assume?” I shot out, feeling a jet of fury at the thought of someone trying to rip her off. Wow, her presence in my life really was fucking with me; I usually didn’t give a shit about other people getting crapped on. Gullible people deserved to get screwed over in my opinion. No one pulled the wool over my eyes. I was always six steps ahead of the game and could smell a con a mile away.
“No, they did pay me, not necessarily on time though,” she replied with a vacant smile. Her comment barely satisfied me but I decided not to be super vocal about that. She was done with that shit hole now.
The lift arrived and we both walked out into the apartment to a shocked Asher. He stood facing the lift doors with a bucket in his hand.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I questioned, striding past Leonie and over to my brother. I noticed she slowly followed me like a puppy.
“Mopping the floor,” he informed me with a twist to his lips.
I threw my car keys onto the counter before pinning him with a look. “Since when do you clean up after yourself?”
He shrugged and placed the bucket on the floor, sloshing some liquid onto the lino before straightening again. “What? I may have dropped some wine is all,” Ash replied. “What have you two been up to?” he added with a stupid grin.
“None of your business,” I said, closing that shit down.
Leonie cleared her throat nervously which caught my eye, “Thank you for today, Gabriel. I’ll have a go at filling out the application. Should I put Aquarius down as my last employer?”
Was this girl for real? I bit back my temper. “No,” I replied in a firm voice and she nodded her understanding.
“I suppose it’s a done deal since you already got me the job.” So that was the reason she was so strangely quiet.
I held back replying that her fucking looks got her the job and said, “And now the rest is up to you.”
“Thank you, I really do appreciate it.” Really? Maybe you want to tell your face that, I felt like saying.
Her, ‘I’m not sleeping with you’ comment shot back into my thoughts. She clearly didn’t know about how dangerous it was to challenge a man like me.
Those words had the opposite effect and had drawn my attention to sex. I’d thought about all the other ways she could thank me before I managed to put a lid on my inner pervert. Something that had come out a little too often lately. Mind you it didn’t help that she left her recently washed Victoria fucking Secret underwear hanging up to dry in the bathroom. I’d be lying if I said that the thought of grabbing a pair of her thongs and holding them to my face hadn’t crossed my mind. Yep, proper shady shit, I was slowly turning into a disgusting bastard with more kinks than he knew what to do with. I’d moaned to Asher about it and he’d explained that some girly shit was delicate and so couldn’t be put in the washing machine. Which meant I was screwed and now stuck to my ensuite.
Asher stopped mopping and looked back and forth between us before he explained, “Garrett was here earlier.”
So, my father had decided to regulate his home visits. That wasn’t a good sign at all. “What did he say?” I dashed a hand down my jaw, feeling irritated.
“I don’t know, I hid and he let himself up. Hence the wine,” Asher replied with an uncomfortable expression.
“Why the hell did you hide?”
“I wasn’t alone,” Asher confessed in between mopping.
“So?” I knew I was being antagonistic but Leonie’s reaction to me doing her a solid had pissed me off.
“I had a friend over.”
“And you’re not allowed to have friends over?” I snarked.
“Well, if he’d have caught me doing what I was doing, then the cat would have been well and truly out of the bag.” My face dropped. Had my brother just intimated that he’d been fucking some dude in the kitchen?
“Meaw,” an amused voice said from around the corner. “Oh, sorry. Hi.” It belonged to a burly-looking black guy. He was wearing jogging bottoms and no top. He attempted to cover himself like he had tits. It could have been considered comical, but my mood had nosedived even further after learning that my old man was after me. The thought of him entering the apartment alone ground my gears.
Both Leonie and I exchanged glances before turning to Ash with a what the fuck expression.
He recovered fairly quickly, “Oh, don’t worry Mark, come out. This is my brother Gabriel and this is Leonie. I’ve told you about them.”
“I remember you from your picture,” Leonie said with a warm smile.
For me, introductions were strained and I felt quite awkward. As I said, I wasn’t homophobic by any stretch but meeting one of my brother’s lovers for the first time was a shock to the system. Was I imagining it or was the dude wearing make-up? Not full-on eyeshadow and shit but that stuff girls wore to cover their zits? Either way, he was definitely a pretty boy and looked exactly like a boyband dropout.
Leonie was all charm of course. Proper rainbows and unicorns, her silent treatment of me forgotten.
After a brief conversation, where she thanked me again and stated that ‘she owed me one’ Leonie excused herself. She said she would fill in her application form and I could sense my help had made her uneasy. I felt a moment of pity for her, had no one ever done the girl a favour before?
The sway of her hips as she walked off would have given me a boner had I not been for Ash and his fuck buddy standing there flirting.
As the boys carried on cleaning up, I went to my room. Leonie had made the bed and I lowered myself onto the pristine sheets, dragging the pillow she had slept on to my face. Her sweet scent mingled with my more masculine one and I realised that the two smells complimented each other.
Past behaviour be damned. So, I’d been a moody twat? I’d had a lot on my mind. Now my exams were over and I had already received several offers from other law firms. I realised that despite her negative response, taking control of Leonie’s situation had felt like a drug to me. Helping her made me feel good and if that was the case, I’d dish out some more chivalry. Maybe we could become friends with benefits or something. Christ knew I wanted to fuck her, especially after that kiss and I knew she wanted me too. Deep down.
I’d always said I wouldn’t become my old man. Doing a good deed made me feel good. Who knew right?
Lowering myself down onto the chair beneath my window, the one where I had watched Leonie sleep, I withdrew my phone and pressed the call-back button.
“Where the fuck have you been?” As expected, my father answered after three rings; a habit he had fallen into due to his mafia friends. The big bad men didn’t like to be kept waiting. He’d have seen it was me from his caller ID but old habits die hard.
“What’s up?” I questioned, dragging my hand across the scruff on my jaw. My entire body was wound so tight it could snap.
“I want you to come to the Charity Ball being hosted by Wright and Penn next weekend; there are a few people I want you to meet.”
Annoyance rolled across my bones. “You already know I’ve been offered another gig right?”
Silence stretched but I gnawed my lip, determined not to fill in the gap.
“I know. I get it. You want to be a made man and all that bullshit, but you’ll never reach your full potential working for Gavin, the ‘Limp Dick’ Preston.
“Really, from what I’ve read, the guy shits gold,” I snarked. Gavin’s firm Preston Jones rivalled my fathers but they were choosy about who they worked with and could afford to be.
“And where’s the fun in that? Don’t you want a challenge?”
I almost laughed at that one. “I’ll tell you what I don’t want.”
“What’s that son.” His use of the word son, made me seethe.
“I don’t want to be dead.” There, I had said it.
The speaker on the phone whistled as my father breathed heavily. “It wouldn’t come to that. I get you don’t want to work for the Kinlan’s but if I were to promise that you would just work on the legitimate side of stuff would you reconsider?”
My old man actually thought I didn’t want to join his firm because of the Kinlan’s when the truth of the matter was that I didn’t want to work with him.
One day my father would go down, one way or another, and I’d be fucked before I’d let him drag me and my brother with him.
“Look, don’t answer. Come to the party, your mother would like to see you. Bring that little bit of fluff with you,” Garrett said, casting a twinge of alarm to shoot through my chest. I raised my eyes towards my door, wondering if he meant Leonie or Natalie. Although you could hardly call Natalie little with those legs that ran all the way up to her armpits.
Pushing thoughts of Natalie’s legs wrapped around my waist away, I feigned ignorance. “What little bit of fluff?” Garrett Knight was a chauvinist and only had one purpose for women. He’d only employed a handful because his HR team had told him he had to.
“The sweet little blonde you have living with you. The girl you tried to palm off as your brother’s. You’ve been seen together.”
Shit. I suddenly felt like the room had closed in around us. As usual, Garrett was attempting to break my balls. He had his spies everywhere.
“What makes you think we’re together, together?” I said, attempting to lie to the shrewdest man I knew.
“You were seeing today, eating lunch at that Italian place. What a romantic you are Gabriel,” my father cooed.
“Said nobody about me, ever,” I snapped back. “Just because I took her to eat, doesn’t mean she means anything to me.” Something glitched inside of me as I said those words and it dawned on me that I knew I was talking shit.
I could almost hear his smile. “Look, either way, bring her to the party. She’ll look pretty fantastic on your arm, irrespective of whether you are fucking her or not.”
My entire body stiffened. Great. Now I was to use Leonie like a fucking trophy. The thought left a sour taste in my mouth.
And then the shit hit the fan when my father said in a tone that brooked no argument. “You will bring the girl as your plus one Gabriel. Your mother needs someone to talk to whilst we talk business. You do as I say and I will think about cutting you free. Until you get as bored as fuck working on dull-as-shit litigation cases for Preston and beg to join me.”
If there was one thing my father didn’t do, it was go back on his word. He was giving me a possible way out. That was the only reason I agreed to join him at the stupid party. There were of course three other silver linings, I got to mingle with like-minded people and network, I could see my mother and I’d also get to take Leonie out. She’d probably be blown away by such an event, this particular Charity Ball was always eye-opening stuff. You just had to be careful not to scratch too much beneath the surface when it came to the guest list.
I thought about Leonie in the red dress she had seen earlier. “I’ll be there.”
I then hung up and dialled Natalie. She was surprised to take my call and I could hear Max in the background bellyaching. “Sorry mate, you’re too late. Fuck him off love and come back to bed.”
I rolled my eyes as I gave Natalie an exact description of the red dress. The one in the window of one of the boutiques we’d passed on the way back from Felice’s. I guessed her size would be between a six and an eight and I went with the latter. I also asked if she’d be able to sort shoes and other shit women needed with an outfit. I already had her shoe size from all the ballet dance shoes she left lying about.
“I’ll call the store and give them my credit card details so they can charge me directly.”
After another surge of bad language from Max, Natalie took the details and left the call.
I was on my last fucking nerve; my pulse was thundering in my ears at the thought of possible freedom. As I showered, I thought about the other bonuses of separating myself professionally from my dad. It opened so many other possibilities.
But as the water powered down my chest, waves of doubt washed haphazardly through my brain.
I felt torn, introducing Leonie to my father was a step in the wrong direction, I knew that but what could I do? I was already in over my head with her.
That circulating thought of being the one to put her in any type of danger hit me in the chest, like a nuclear bomb waiting to explode.
I had never been a slave to my needs as control was usually wired into me. However, I already cared about the girl. Too much.
Leonie
The following morning, I managed to complete the application form for Felice’s, but in the welcome letter, it stated that they would need to take a copy of some identification and I couldn’t find my passport. It was the only thing I had. I didn’t have a driving licence and the rest of my paperwork was back home with my foster parents.
As I ran my hand down the seams of all my bags, in case it had slipped down there, a lump formed in my throat as I realised that I must have left it at my old apartment.
Due to it not being the most secure of places, I had hidden my passport under a loose board on the window sill. It had fit in there perfectly.
Drat. Now that meant I would have to go back and ask my old landlord Simon to be let back into the property.
Pacing my room, I felt annoyed at myself for leaving something so important there. It had been weeks; would Simon have filled the room yet? It wasn’t the nicest, but the rent was cheap and everyone was strapped for cash these days.
I felt wired and needed to wind down and knew that a workout was the perfect remedy. I changed into my leotard and sweatpants and grabbed my bag. A good couple of hours would allow me to work off some of the calories I had eaten.
As I left my room, there was no sign of Gabriel. Asher and his ‘friend’ were in the living room and were watching TV. Not wanting to appear rude, I chatted for a few minutes and then explained I was going to work out.
Setting my stuff down in the empty room next to the gym, I started to stretch. I thought about how Gabriel’s behaviour toward me had changed so quickly and that mind-blowing kiss.
Initially, it had started as a punishment to prove a point, his lips hard and dominant against mine. As he forced his tongue into my mouth, taking control, I couldn’t help but melt against him, pushing myself up against the solidness of his body. The heat I had felt between my legs had been delicious. It was at that point that he had softened towards me and let down his own guard.
Shaking off the memories, which again started to create havoc with my lady parts, I glanced around the space. It could so easily be transformed into a dance studio and was the perfect size. At the minute, it was pretty basic and filled with old chairs and tables. They were stacked at one side and I used the back of one of the chairs as a barre.
As I limbered up, my thoughts darted to Gabriel’s kiss again. I wondered how it would feel to have his mouth all over my body, for him to settle himself above me and press me into my mattress.
Those images in my head turned even steamier and as I pushed myself harder, I realised my body wasn’t just hot from my workout.
I must have been down there for a good couple of hours, my clothes were sticking to me and I knew I needed a shower.
When I got back up to the apartment, Asher was washing the pots.
“I must say, Mark appears to be making you domesticated,” I said as I approached the kitchen. He pulled the plug out and emptied the sink before turning to face me with a smile.
“He’s a darling but a bit of a neat freak. Almost shit myself when Garrett almost caught us yesterday.”
Leaning back against the counter, his eyes roamed over me. “Good workout?”
I nodded, pulling my towel from my gym bag, and rubbing my face. “I take it you worked out alone?”
The look was back. He was making suggestive comments about there being something between Gabriel and me and of course, he wasn’t miles from the truth.
“Yes, I was alone,” I replied with an eye roll.
His tone was then all serious. “Is there something going on between you and my brother Leo?”
I pursed my lips. “No, at least. I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so?” His brow was creased and his eyes drilled into mine. I could feel my face flush.
“I don’t know, it’s complicated.”
“Anything to do with my brother is complicated,” Ash stated, drying his hands on the tea towel.
I gave him a shy reassuring smile. “Anyway, I should get showered.” I was dying to ask where Gabriel was but didn’t as that would only increase his suspicions.
“OK, we’re watching a movie later if you fancy it.”
“We’ll see. I think I’m just going to read and then get an early night,” I explained. “Thanks though.”
“OK, laters roomy.” I smiled and turned to leave but his words snagged me back.
“Oh, and Leonie,” Ash said in a soft voice.
“Yes?”
His expression was serious. “Be careful. With Gabriel I mean.”
I took a deep breath, drinking in his warning but I remained silent and just nodded my head.
Asher was worried about me. He thought I’d be out of my depth with his brother and he was right but it appeared I was already sinking.
I went straight into the bathroom and showered. I made sure the temperature was cooler than usual to soothe my muscles. I then dried myself off, threw on my robe and went back to my bedroom. I could hear Asher watching TV and again, I wondered where Gabriel was.
Closing the door, I turned towards the bed. My brow wrinkled as I saw a large fancy box sitting on the duvet.
What the heck?
Pushing a lock of wet hair back from my shoulders, I moved towards the parcel.
For some strange reason, I approached the box like it was a bomb. As I got closer, I could see my name was written on the card sitting on top.
As I lifted the gold paper, there was a message.
This dress was made for you. I would like to invite you to accompany me to an event next weekend. If you come, you OWE me nothing. G.
Excitement bloomed in my chest as I threw myself onto the bed and lifted the box onto my lap. When I opened it, I was met with gold tissue paper, loads of it and excitement thrummed through me. I’d loved opening presents as a little girl.
Rustling through the paper, my hands touched something silky and it didn’t take me long to push to my feet and draw out a dress. A beautiful satin red dress. It was the one from the boutique I’d seen from the car yesterday.
I felt so thrilled and was dying to find Gabriel to thank him but I decided to play it cool.
Wrapped in my robe, I made the finishing touches to my application form for Felice’s and then pulled on shortie PJs, before heading out of my room to find Gabriel.
Luckily, he was home as both brothers were sitting on the sofa with the TV on but they were talking. As I walked into the kitchen Ash stated that there was pasta left over and I grabbed a bowl.
I plonked myself in the chair around the coffee table. Gabriel was on his phone. I wasn’t sure whether to mention the dress with Ash sitting there.
Spooning some pasta into my mouth, Asher’s phone started ringing and he smiled as he drew the device up to his face. “It’s Mark. He’s left his wallet. Start the movie without me and I’ll be back in a tick.”
Asher’s invitation to watch a movie suddenly felt more appealing.
Plonking myself on the sofa next to Gabriel, I said brightly. “What are you watching?”
Gabriel ignored my question, having bigger fish to fry. “Did you like it?” he questioned, lowering his phone, and pinning me with his beautiful eyes.
I placed my half-eaten pasta on the coffee table without breaking eye contact. “Yes, it’s beautiful.”
“So, what’s your answer? Will you be my plus one?”
“Yes, I’d love to go out with you,” I blurted like a giddy school girl but then thought to add, “I get it’s a work thing and not a date.” I didn’t know why I felt I needed to add the last bit. Self-preservation maybe?
Gabriel pocketed his phone and leaned forward, his thumb sweeping down the corner of my mouth. His touch sent an electric-type jolt to shoot through me and my mouth dropped open as he raised the same thumb to his mouth and sucked on his digit. He must have caught some sauce from my lips. His eyes drilled into mine as he said, “Who says it’s not a date?”
My tummy flipped flopped but I remained silent, pleasure bursting through me like a summer storm.
The smile Gabriel dealt me was one hundred percent genuine. “You finished your application for Felice?”
I nodded and then explained that I had left my passport at my last apartment.
“Do you still have class tomorrow even though it’s the weekend?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t usually but I have practice for the showcase and so yes. I finish at noon.” I replied.
“We’ll give you a lift if you’d like. I’m dropping by to see Asher’s latest sculpture before he submits it next week and we can go via Wood Green on the way back.”
I was surprised by that, as even though I knew Gabriel cared about and supported his brother, I couldn’t see him bothering with that type of art.
“I didn’t see you as someone who would be into sculptures and stuff,” I rasped, trying not to offend him. Yes, we were getting closer but he was still a closed book to me.
“I’m not. But if I don’t go and see it, I won’t hear the last of it. We’ll wait for you outside and then we can drop you by your old place.”
“Yes, and thank you, Gabriel. I seem to be saying that a lot lately,” I began with a shy smile. “You know I appreciate it right.”
His smile widened, “I know.”
I didn’t care if that was a loaded ‘I know’ I was just happy that we were getting on. I liked him, he was a grower.
As I lay in bed that night, I was full of excitement about Gabriel taking me out as his plus one. My eyes focused on the red dress which was hanging on the back of my bedroom door.
I would purposefully put plenty of effort into my appearance, just to show Gabriel Knight the extent of what he was missing.
*****
The next morning, I left for class before the house was awake, catching the Tube, something I didn’t usually do but the fact that it was a Sunday made it feel less intimidating.
The practice went well, I had worried about possible stomach issues having eaten more than my body weight in food over the last few days.
We were practising for the showcase and had to stop several times due to Samantha feeling ill. She looked pale and spent most of the lesson in the toilet.
Once I had finished for the day, I left class just after noon and my spirits lifted as I saw Gabriel’s Range Rover. It was parked illegally on the curb in front of our building. Asher was already in there with a sullen face.
Gabriel climbed out so I could slot myself in between the two boys in the middle as Marco was driving.
“He hated it,” Asher said, his lips turned down.
“I didn’t hate it. It’s just not my sort of thing,” Gabriel replied with a sigh.
Asher darted his brother a look. “I wasn’t talking about you, I meant Mark.”
“What didn’t he like about it?” I questioned, imagining ‘it’ to be Asher’s latest sculpture.
Gabriel snorted, whilst scrolling down his phone, totally distracted. I felt a twinge of disappointment, I wanted him to ask me about my day like a boyfriend for some silly reason. I shoved away the thought, obviously getting ahead of myself.
“He didn’t think it represented him well enough?”
“So, you did a sculpture of Mark?”
Asher grinned, “Not quite. I created the parts of him I love the most and merged them. It was an abstract piece.”
“Abstract my arse. It looked exactly like what it was supposed to Asher.”
“Oh, and what’s that Mr Fine Arts Degree,” Asher snarked, now annoyed.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow and tapped his phone against his thigh. “A giant cock and balls?”
I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my lips. “Really?” I said towards Asher.
“You don’t have to be crude.”
“I say it as I see, Ash. You know that.”
“Anyway, he hated it.”
The banter continued to flow, with me in the middle taking it all in. The atmosphere felt fun, the opposite of what was to come. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t dreading seeing Simon. I hadn’t even called the complex to say I was coming. Part of me hoped that one of the other managers was working so I wouldn’t need to see him.
As Marco pulled up in a no-parking zone in front of the apartment block, Gabriel climbed out of the car so I could get out.
“Thanks, you don’t have to wait, I can get the Tube back,” I suggested as Gabriel held the door open.
He shook his head, his expression showing he didn’t care for that idea. “The trains are few and far between at the weekend and so that’s not going to happen. The Tube station at Wood Green will probably be full of drunken pissheads. We’ll wait. Do you want me to come up with you?”
Anxiety was still swirling in my stomach at the thought of seeing Simon, but I didn’t want Gabriel to see the dive I’d been living in. I smiled and politely declined. “No, it’s fine. I’ll only be a sec.”
“OK, if you’re sure.” He then leaned down and placed a light kiss on my nose which was a shock, a pleasant one, however. Our eyes united as he drew back, his showing what I took as genuine affection. I hadn’t a clue what was going on between us, but I liked it, even if I wasn’t his girlfriend. Being close to him felt like I had found a missing piece.
“Don’t be long,” he instructed in that firm voice I had started to warm to.
Gabriel closed the passenger door and then leaned back against it, pulling out his phone again. I wondered who he was texting.
He looked well fit in blue jeans and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled back showing his veiny muscular forearms. I gave him one last lingering look and then took off into the building.
That familiar smell of bleach haunted my nostrils. Ironic really considering it never looked like anyone had taken a mop to the floors in this century.
Making my way up the stairs, I went up to the fifth floor and found Simon. He was sitting in his office and was just in the process of closing the key safe.
“Leonie? This is a surprise. How’s the new place?” his tone was friendly enough which was odd. His weasel-like eyes roamed over me without apology, and I felt like crossing my arms over my chest.
Play nice Leonie. Get the key, get in and then get the hell out. Simon leaned back against his desk and folded his arms, thoughts of the key safe forgotten.
“It’s great thank you,” I replied, gnawing on my lower lip.
“What did you forget? Or did you come here to see me? One can only hope,” Simon chuckled with a grin.
I returned his smile with a forced one of my own. “I did forget something. Is anyone in my old flat?”
His eyes narrowed and he turned to lift a clipboard off the wall behind him. “Remind me what room you had?”
I watched as he started thumbing through the listed flat numbers. It had only been a matter of weeks and so I was surprised he hadn’t remembered which flat I’d had. He had spent enough time sniffing around outside my door. I imagined he was pretending he didn’t know, playing it down maybe.
“Apartment 6B.”
A look crossed his features as if he had miraculously remembered. “Ah yes, on the next floor. Nope, still empty. I can’t give you the key, but I can take you up there.”
Dread started to pump through me like lava, making me feel hot all over. I looked up and down the corridor. There was no one around.
As he moved away to get the keys, I had a word with myself. What the heck could he do? Yes, he’d been a pain before, but as far as I knew he wasn’t a rapist or anything. If he gave me any trouble, I could just call Gabriel. My phone was in my back pocket.
Once he’d retrieved the key, I followed him up the next flight of stairs as he attempted to make small talk. “How’s the dancing going? You famous yet.”
“It’s good thank you and no, no sign of my name in lights just yet.”
As we approached the door to the shithole I had stayed for my first six months in London, it made me realise how lucky I was to live where I did now.
Simon unlocked the door and pushed it open, motioning for me to proceed him, which I did.
Once inside, I glanced around. The place looked exactly the same as when I’d left it. I walked over to the window and jumped slightly as Simon closed the door. Glancing over, I watched as he leaned back against it, his fingers tapping the surface at either side of him. Turning away briefly, I pushed open the sill and retrieved my passport.
As I turned back, I noticed he looked agitated. He was eyeballing me with a head tilt. “Ah, passport. You going on holiday?”
I flicked through the pages even though I knew it was mine.
“No, it’s my only form of ID and I got a job, so I need it.”
Simon inhaled and pushed off the door taking a few steps towards me. The room was a studio, so everything was in one room with a door to the bathroom. It was partly furnished but only had basic stuff in there. I suddenly felt very aware of the bed behind me. The very uncomfortable bed, I might add.
“So where do you work?”
“I don’t yet.”
“Well, where will you work if you get the job?” he rephrased.
“Does it matter?” I replied through gritted teeth.
“Why won’t you tell me? Do you think I’m going to stalk you or something?” he sneered, taking another step towards me.
He leaned forward and inhaled the air, which was weird. Warning bells started to peel in my head.
“No of course not,” I said with a laugh.
His face turned serious. “You’re still the same stuck-up little cow.”
Panic raced through my chest like wild horses. I hated confrontation. “I’m sorry?”
“You should be. Always looking down that perfect little nose like nothing is good enough for you,” he snorted.
“Well, I don’t mean to come across like that,” I almost stuttered, making to walk around him, the door suddenly feeling miles away.
Simon sidestepped, blocking my exit and the stupid position I’d put myself in slapped me in the face.
“You act so pure, but you’re a fucking dancer; a prick tease that shakes her tits on stage but doesn’t let anyone touch them.”
“I don’t do that type of dancing,” I said although I didn’t know why I was trying to explain myself to him.
“Everyone knows dancers are fricking sluts, proper cock teasers.”
This caused me to push past him, but he caught me by the arms, making me gasp.
“Simon, let go. What are you doing—”
Before I could get another word out, he dragged me against him and crushed his mouth to mine. I felt a wave of terror claw up my spine and went as rigid as I could against him.
He tasted of stale coffee and my gut wrenched. Genuine horror at being held against my will snaked through me and I struggled, attempting to drag my mouth away but he was too strong.
Panting, I managed to tear myself back and yell, it was a strange deep sound and nothing that resembled a scream. I tried to recall who lived in the next apartment.
“Simon, stop. Please, you’re hurting my arms.”
“Fucking chill out, it’s only a kiss. You owe me much more than that considering all the times I allowed you to pay your rent late,” He snarled the last sentence whilst shoving me backwards. I fell onto the bed, my hair half over my face as I pushed up on my elbows and tried to stand.
As I did, Simon put one hand in the middle of my chest and pushed me back again.
“Fuck fucks sake, it’s only a kiss. Come on loosen up, have a bit of fun. I’m only messing with you.”
He then came down on top of me, his wet open mouth kissing my neck and I screamed, loudly.
Simon’s mouth was relentless, and I felt myself going dizzy.
Suddenly, the door came crashing open, but Simon was too busy trying to kiss me to notice. I yelled again and attempted to kick him, but his weight was suddenly lifted off me.
The relief I felt as Gabriel held Simon by the throat was immense and I pushed to my feet, straightening my top.
The veins were bulging in Gabriel’s neck as he shoved the smaller man up against the wall and placed his forearm against his throat.
“What the fuck were you thinking you little cunt!” Gabriel roared, pushing his arm further against Simon’s windpipe. I had never seen anyone so angry.
Simon was gasping for air as his supply was being cut off and I moved towards them, placing my hand on Gabriel’s shoulder to get him to stop.
“Please, I was only playing. Just fucking around.”
At the contact of my hand, Gabriel shot me a glance over his shoulder. “Are you OK, did he hurt you?”
“No, Gabriel, I’m fine. Let’s just go. He isn’t worth it.”
Gabriel moved back and dropped his arm before ramming his hands against Simon’s throat, gripping it tightly.
“You ever come near her again and I will personally feed you your balls, get it?” Gabriel’s free hand moved between Simon’s legs and grabbed his testicles in one fist. The pig-like squeal Simon omitted was high and I felt a stab of regret. Not necessarily for my attacker, but for the ugliness of the situation.
“Please, Gabriel!”
This caused him to release Simon, who in turn clutched at his throat and started coughing. Gabriel turned towards me, his angry eyes searching my face before he raised his hands and stroked my upper arms. He lightly touched the marks which had been caused by Simon’s grip. As he stared down at them, his fury went up a notch and he turned on the other man, drew back his fist and punched Simon in the face. I heard the crunch of bone on bone and a wave of sickness shot up through my stomach.
As Simon fell to his knees, his hands wrapped over his bloodied nose, Gabriel spat on the floor by his feet. “You’re lucky you have an audience mate. If I ever see your face again, I will personally wipe the floor with it.”
Gabriel dragged an aggressive hand across his jaw, his eyes murderous before he turned and gripped me by the arm, yanking me out of the apartment. I was shaking so much that my legs felt like jelly.
“Gabriel, you’re hurting me,” I panted, his hold was so tight.
He was breathing heavily as he twisted to face me, his eyes dipping to where he held me. I could see he too was in shock. Once he realised how hard he held me, Gabriel dropped my arm and wrapped his hand around my shoulders saying, “Sorry.”
Taking a deep breath, I could see he was at war with himself, trying to get control of his temper.
“Are you OK, can you stand?” Gabriel said as he guided me to safety. I hiccupped my reply and he moved his arm to my waist.
It felt like forever to get down those stairs.
When we left the complex, Asher shot out of the car, followed by Marco.
“Fucking hell, is she OK. What happened?”
Asher came to the other side of me as I attempted to control my trembling limbs. I was in shock, from the attack and Gabriel’s scary behaviour. I’d never even seen a fight at school.
“Help her into the car. Marco. Ninth floor, room 6B. I’ve left you something to clean up. Make it quick and clean.”
I only half took in what Gabriel was saying. Had he just told Marco to go up to my old room and make it quick and clean? What did that mean?
As I settled into the backseat, Asher tugged the centre seat belt over me. “Do you want some water?”
My thoughts were racing, and I felt slightly sick. I shook my head knowing it would only come back up again.
“What the fuck happened to you?” Ash said, his face dropping.
Gabriel climbed into the car, his knuckles were bleeding from hitting Simon and I felt a twinge of sadness that I was responsible for that. I should have taken him with me in the first place.
“Leonie’s ex-landlord attacked her,” Gabriel explained.
“You’re fucking joking?” Ash’s face paled and he placed a hand on my arm.
“I’m OK, I’m fine,” I replied with a sob.
“You’re not fine. Come here,” Gabriel instructed in a tone which brooked no argument. Wrapping his arm around my shoulders he tugged me against him, and the seat belt pulled tight over my chest.
“He’s done, Leonie. You don’t have to worry about that prick ever again. Why the hell did you go up there alone?”
Then the tears started and my whole body shook as I turned my face into his shoulder. Gabriel’s body immediately softened. “Please don’t cry, baby. It’s over now. You’re safe.” He stroked my hair with his free hand.
I knew he was apologising for raising his voice, believing himself to be responsible for my tears but that wasn’t the case. I was both relieved and still in shock. I wanted to curl up on Gabriel’s lap, release everything I was feeling and bury my head against his throat. This man at times made me angry, but he also made me feel safe.
As we all sat together in the back of the car, Asher and Gabriel were speaking softly over my head, but I couldn’t focus on what they were saying.
I jumped slightly as Gabriel’s arm tightened when Marco climbed in behind the wheel. His knuckles were now also scuffed up.
“It’s done,” Marco said.
Those two words were so simple and straightforward, but they lit a fuse in me.
What was done?
“And I found this,” Marco stated, twisting around in his seat to hand something to Gabriel. My passport. With his free hand, Gabriel took it and pushed it into the top of my dance bag which was still in the footwell.
As we pulled away from the building into traffic, a cocktail of thoughts plagued me. What had they done to Simon?
My eyes met Marco’s in the rearview mirror, and I knew that he’d been sent to rough Simon up even more. I just prayed that was all he had done.
The Google search I’d carried out on the Knight family circled me like a shark’s fin with the word gangster echoing in my mind.
As we pulled up at our apartment, Gabriel unpeeled me from his body. As he helped me down from the car, I could see that he was still fired up over the incident. Aggressive waves rolled off him.
Asher came around from the other side of the car and joined us on the pavement. “Take her inside, see she has something sweet, tea or some shit like that and maybe a bath. Stay with her.”
I felt a sense of loss as Gabriel stepped back.
“I need to walk this off before I lose my shit,” he explained gruffly. I saw Asher nod in understanding.
“I’ve got her, don’t worry,” he said.
Gabriel’s hands lifted and he cradled my face between his palms. Scanning my face, he lowered his head and kissed my nose before drawing back slightly.
“I never want to see you cry again,” he whispered against the shell of my ear.
My shoulders sagged as he stepped back.
“You want me to follow you, boss?” the driver who I now saw as a henchman questioned.
“No. I need to be alone.” And with that, Gabriel turned away and walked off down the street, his entire body screaming his angst.