Chapter 60
CECILIA
My mouth is dry and my head aches when I wake up the next morning. Sun filters in through the windows and I squeeze my eyes shut against the bright rays.
Where—? Realization dawns on me. Everything that happened. Austin trying to drown me. Parker and Gregory standing guard close by and … letting him.
Bile rises in the back of my throat.
Not a dream.
Fuck.
Shifting, the body beneath me lets out a soft groan.
What?
Oh.
I’m still in Gabriel’s lap. His arms cage me in, his head thrown back against the sofa and lips slightly parted. I can’t believe he fell asleep sitting up like this. That can’t be comfortable.
Carefully, so as not to disturb him, I climb out of his lap, stifling a groan of my own as my body screams at me in protest. Fuck, just moving hurts. My entire body feels like one giant bruise.
A floorboard creaks, and my head jerks up to find Julio beside the stairs.
“Morning,” he says, his voice soft as he brings a mug of coffee to his lips.
“Hi. Umm … Morning.”
He tilts his head, a silent suggestion to follow him, so I do. Julio leads me into the kitchen where he pours a second cup of coffee before handing it to me. “Milk and sugar are on the counter,” he says.
“Thanks.” I curl my fingers around the cup, the warmth seeping into my skin. “What time is it?” I ask.
“Just after seven. Everyone else is still asleep.”
I nod.
Adding milk to my coffee, I slip onto one of the bar stools and try not to think about what Gabriel and I did on this counter. God, I hope he disinfected it.
A blush steals over my cheeks, and I duck my head. Now isn’t the time for those kinds of thoughts.
I wonder what’s going to happen now.
“Do you know—” I cut myself off, too afraid of the answer to voice the question. But Julio must know what I was about to say because he answers me anyway.
“Holt’s at PacNorth medical,” he says, and I stiffen.
“Under guard, so not as a free citizen.” That’s a relief.
“He’s been arrested, and from the sounds of it, he’s being charged with attempted murder, assault, attempted manslaughter, and reckless endangerment.
When the hospital discharges him, he’ll be transferred into police custody.
After he’s booked, the judge will schedule an arraignment and we’ll go from there. ”
Swallowing hard, I nod. “How long do you think until …”
“I don’t know,” he says, rubbing the back of his tattooed neck.
“The hospital isn’t going to disclose his injuries to just anyone, and I doubt his parents feel like sharing.
” He shrugs. “Could be a few days. Could be longer. Gabe did a number on him, but for all we know, his injuries could all be superficial. Bruises and swelling. Or it could be more serious. Broken ribs. Some internal bleeding.” Another shrug. “There’s no real way for us to know.”
Taking it all in, I try to tell myself this is a good thing. As long as Austin is recovering, he won’t have time to worry about me.
Only I don’t believe that. Austin tried drowning me all because he lost his position on the soccer team. What will he do to me now that I’m the reason he’s been arrested?
Fear sinks its claws into my skin, its icy tendrils creeping up my spine and constricting around my heart.
If he gets away with this … I swallow hard. No. I can’t think about that.
But fuck. It’s all my mind wants to think about.
“I have a friend who works at the hospital. He can’t give me details, HIPPA and all that, but he’ll give us a heads up when they get ready to discharge him.”
“Okay. That’s … that’s good.”
“Yeah.” Julio rubs the back of his neck again, a nervous gesture. “So, uh, your parents have been calling. A lot.”
I freeze with my coffee cup halfway to my mouth. “What?”
His smile is apologetic. “Your dad’s the mayor,” he says. “Someone down at the precinct let him know his daughter was assaulted yesterday. When he couldn’t get a hold of you, he started blowing up Gabriel’s phone.”
The mention of my parents' attempts to reach me sends a pang of guilt coursing through me.
“Shit.” I groan. “I left my phone on campus.” They must be so worried. I didn’t even think about letting them know about what happened. Hell, I didn’t even bother to text Mom that I wouldn’t be home last night.
Stupid. That was so freaking stupid.
Julio pulls a slim black phone out of his back pocket.
“Adriana helped me out by grabbing your things from your locker when I went back last night. I turned it off,” he apologizes.
“You were asleep and you needed the rest. But I spoke to your pops. He knows you’re here with Gabe and that you’re okay. ”
With a mix of gratitude and trepidation, I accept my phone from Julio, its screen dark and silent, a stark contrast to the cacophony of missed calls and messages that are undoubtedly waiting for me.
“And my dad was okay with that?”
He sighs. “He wasn’t happy about it. I had to talk him out of coming here to get you, but …
” he hesitates. “Your parents love you. They know you’ve been through a lot and this, it’s scary for them.
But I promised them you were okay, and when I told them you were sleeping, your father agreed it was best to let you rest and recover.
Though I’m sure he’s expecting a call this morning now that you’re up. ”
“Thank you,” I tell him. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“It was no problem.”
A comfortable silence stretches between us and we each drink our coffee. I contemplate powering on my phone, but something tells me it’ll only push me into motion, and I’m not ready for my day to start just yet.
Mom and Dad can wait. As can the rest of the world. I still need time to wrap my head around all of this.
Finishing my cup, I rinse it in the sink before loading it into the dishwasher. I’m about to return to the living room and see if Gabriel is awake, but Julio’s soft voice stops me.
“He really cares about you,” he says, voice pitched low.
“I know,” I tell him, not sure of what else to say.
The scrape of his chair on the floor has me turning back around to face him.
Julio rises to his feet, dark eyes troubled as he refills his mug.
“I don’t want to see him hurt. After the first time—” He shakes his head and, without looking at me, takes a drink of his coffee. “If you’re leading him on—”
“I’m not,” I assure him.
“Then what is it?” he asks. “You two aren’t back together, are you?”
I shake my head.
“Then what are you doing? Because you’re acting like you are, and Gabriel isn’t capable of casual. Not when it comes to you.”
Ducking my head, I avert my gaze. I know that. At least, I do now. But—
“I don’t know,” I tell him, my voice little more than a whisper. “I thought we …” I shake my head. “I don’t know what I thought.”
“And now?” he asks.
I tuck my hair behind my ear, hating the direction of this conversation. “What do you mean?”
“Has anything changed?” he asks. “Do you want to be with him now?”
Swallowing hard, I shake my head. “I’m not ready for that.
” And after what happened yesterday, I don’t know if I’ll ever be.
I thought what we were doing, that it was okay.
It worked for both of us. But he lied to me.
He went behind my back when he knew how I felt about him being involved.
I don’t trust him. And I can’t be with someone I don’t trust.
“Then let him go, Cecilia.” Tears prick the backs of my eyes. “If you care about him at all, let him go.”