Chapter 80 #2
The doorbell rings, and I rush downstairs, tugging the door open to find Gabriel standing there, looking effortlessly sexy in low-slung jeans and a fitted white t-shirt. My eyes can’t help but sweep over his broad shoulders, the way the fabric pulls tight across his chest.
No sexy thoughts, Cecilia. We’re taking things slow, not daydreaming about how to jump his bones.
“Hey,” I say, grinning despite my nerves.
His smile is just as big. “You ready?”
Before I can answer, the sound of a car door slamming pulls our attention. I turn just in time to see my attorney, Mr. Ayala, stepping out of his sedan, his expression grim. My stomach tightens. This can’t be good.
Gabriel’s brow furrows. “Were you expecting him today?”
“No.” My voice comes out more uncertain than I’d like.
I step aside, and Gabriel follows me into the house, his expression leery at the unexpected guest. The air feels suddenly too thick, the easy mood Gabriel and I had just moments ago shattered.
“Ms. Russo, Mr. Herrera,” Mr. Ayala greets us. “Do you have a moment?” The question is directed at me, but it feels like a dismissal for Gabriel.
“We were actually about to head out,” Gabriel interjects, his tone casual, but I don’t miss the edge to it. “But we’ve got a few minutes. Right?” He glances at me, his smile tight, as if asking for permission to stay.
“Yeah.” I manage. Whatever this is, I’m not ready. “What’s up?”
Mr. Ayala doesn’t seem happy about having an audience, which should’ve been my first warning.
“I’ll get straight to the point,” Mr. Ayala begins, his voice clipped. “I spoke with Mr. Holt’s counsel this morning, and there’s been talk of a plea agreement.”
My stomach drops. Already? Jaymin didn’t waste any time.
Gabriel shakes his head in disbelief. “No way,” he snaps, his voice rising. “Tell them to shove their deal where the sun doesn’t shine. Cecilia’s not about to accept whatever bullshit offer they’re making.”
“Actually …” Shit. I was not prepared for this.
Gabriel’s head snaps toward me, his golden brown eyes darkening. “Did you already know about this?”
I shift on my feet, my pulse quickening, avoiding his gaze. I do not want to have this conversation right now. “I ... Umm. Sort of. I spoke with Jaymin Holt last night and she offered five years for Austin, three for Gregory and Parker—”
“Fucking hell!” Gabriel’s voice explodes, his hand flying to his hair in frustration. “You talked to her? That’s where you were?” His eyes bore into mine, and I flinch.
My pulse quickens. His anger is a palpable force, like a heat wave pressing down on me. “It’s not what you think—”
“You can’t seriously be considering this!
” His hands rake through his hair, his eyes blazing.
“He’s facing fifteen years to life, Cecilia.
You’re honestly considering letting that asshole get off with five?
You can’t trust anything that comes out of that family’s mouth. You know that. I can’t believe you’d—”
“Gabe—”
“After everything he did? Why would you even agree to speak with them?” His voice is raw and dripping with disappointment.
I flinch again. I didn’t expect him to take it well, but the intensity of his disapproval … it cuts deeper than I thought.
“I’m not doing this for him.” My voice cracks under the weight of my frustration. “I’m doing it for me.”
Gabriel’s jaw tightens, his chest rising and falling as he tries to rein in his temper. His eyes search mine, disbelief flickering there. “For you?” he mutters, low and dangerous. “How is this for you?”
I step forward, hands clenched at my sides. “If we go to trial, there’s no guarantee Holt gets more than five years. And Gregory and Parker? They walk without this deal. I can’t live with that, Gabriel. I won’t. Not if there’s another way.” My voice strengthens, resolve unfurling in my chest.
Gabriel mutters a curse under his breath, his body tense. “You should have talked to me. You know how worried I was last night. We all were.”
“I know,” I whisper, my throat tight. “And I was going to. But you stormed off, remember? I couldn’t exactly call you when she showed up, and even if I could’ve, you wouldn’t have answered.”
Silence stretches between us, the weight of my words sinking in. Gabriel’s eyes lock on mine. It was a low blow, and part of me regrets it, but it’s still the truth.
“Tell him,” I say, turning to Mr. Ayala. “Explain what happens if we go to trial.”
Mr. Ayala clears his throat. “A trial like this is going to be long and arduous, with no guarantee when it comes to sentencing. Without this deal, it’s likely that the other boys walk free.
The charges are too light and for both boys, it’s only their first offense.
Neither has a record and both come from well-known families.
The prosecutor will opt to focus their efforts on Mr. Holt and wash their hands clean of the others.
This arrangement ensures all three perpetrators face jail time. ”
Gabriel’s nostrils flare, his hands now fisted at his sides. “But five years? It isn’t enough. Holt will get out, and then what?”
I swallow hard, my voice barely audible. “I’ll be free of him. I’ll have finished college. I can move. Start over.”
Gabriel turns away, glaring out the window, his frustration simmering in the air between us.
“If we go to trial,” Mr Ayala says, “there is always the risk of Austin Holt walking free. I’m very good at my job,” he assures us, “but you should both understand that being found ‘not guilty,’ is always a possibility in situations like this.”
Which is exactly the reason I’m giving thought to Jaymin’s offer at all.
“I should’ve told you sooner,” I admit, my voice shaky. I don’t want to fight with him, but this is still my decision. “But this is my choice. My life.”
Gabriel finally looks back at me, his eyes a mix of anger and hurt. “We’re supposed to be in this together, Cecilia. You said you wanted a real relationship, but this—” He shakes his head. “You can’t shut me out of the big decisions like this.”
Tears prick my eyes, but I blink them back, standing my ground.
“I can when they’re my decisions to make.
” My voice thickens, but I push through.
“I know you don’t want to hear that, and I’m sorry.
I really was going to tell you. But I need you to understand that I’m doing what I need to do to move on.
I want us to be a team. To be on the same page.
But I also need you to support me, even when I’m making decisions you don’t necessarily agree with. ”
Gabriel’s shoulders sag, some of the fight leaving him. “Right,” he mutters. “Looks like you’ve already made up your mind.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I think I have.”
He steps forward, pulling me into his arms, and I bury my face in his chest, breathing him in.
“I just need this to be over,” I murmur, my voice barely holding steady.
Gabriel presses his lips to the top of my head. His touch is gentler now, but there’s still tension coiled in his body. “I know, baby. I’m trying to understand that. But I also need you to understand that if we’re going to make this work, you have to start letting me in.”
I close my eyes, trying to block out the mess of emotions swirling inside me. “I’ll try.”