28. Gabriel
Chapter twenty-eight
Gabriel
Better luck next time.
I was shocked.
After Ronnie told me what was going on with Noah, that he had a sister that had just died, I was shocked beyond belief.
I was hurt that he would keep this from me, angry that he didn’t trust me with his secrets.
Jesus, we’ve lived together for the past five years, we do everything together, yet I didn’t know about her existence.
What kind of friend does that make me? A shitty one.
I should have questioned him more every time he left the house and wouldn’t tell me where he was going. I should have pushed harder for answers. I should have followed him. I should have put two and two together.
After the funeral, Ronnie managed to convince Noah to go over to Hayes’s place. He was reluctant at first but eventually agreed. I know he didn’t owe us anything, but we all wanted answers.
So, we sat down together in their living room with a beer in hand, except for Noah, who wanted his heavier drink of choice.
One I’ve realized he’s becoming too friendly with.
Something we’ll have to watch out for with preseason starting up soon.
Then we waited patiently for him to be ready to share with us, and he did.
He told us every possible memory he could think of involving his sister.
He filled us in on his life, about his mother leaving, his father passing, then what happened to Trinity.
It fucking crushed me knowing he went through all of this alone. But at least he had Vixen in the end when it truly mattered the most. I just wish I could have been there for him, too.
I get why he did it, though. I get that hiding it from us wasn’t intentional.
When her accident happened, our careers were just taking off.
The spotlight was shining on us, and the media and reporters wanted to know everything about us.
Where we went, what we did, where we ate.
They dug up everything they could about us.
How he managed to hide his whole family from them is actually pretty impressive. Although I get it, because I did the same with mine. I gave them my attention by partying and going crazy with the female fans, like that their focus was on my present and not my past. He did the same.
I just wish he would have come clean at some point, would have told us what he was going through.
We would have been there for him. We would have helped him in any way we could.
But I get it, it’s why I’m putting my feelings aside and focusing on him, because he’s my best friend and he’s what really matters at this moment.
After a few hours with our friends, Noah started retreating and we understood it was time to go home. He needed his space and time to grieve on his own. The car ride home was made in silence, and so is the elevator ride up to the penthouse.
Ronnie stands at his side, head leaning on his shoulder, body pressed up against his with his arm around her waist. We haven’t had sex since the night we went out clubbing, and it had been driving me crazy, but I understand why now. Their minds weren’t in it, rightfully so.
We enter the penthouse and I head for the living room. “You guys want to watch a movie?” It’s pretty late, but I’m not really tired yet, and another lonely night without my girl is not something I’m looking forward to.
“Sure.” Ronnie smiles my way.
“Actually, I’m gonna head up. You two watch it without me.” Noah throws his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the stairs.
Ronnie’s face drops. “Oh…”
He turns her in his arms, hugging her. “I’ll see you later in bed.”
She offers him a sad smile. “Okay,” she says quietly as he kisses her for a second then retreats up the stairs.
I walk over to her quickly and take her against me. “We’ll get him back. He just needs a little time.” I kiss her crown.
“I know… I just miss him… I miss us,” she murmurs against my chest.
“VERONICA!”
Ronnie and I pull apart suddenly, looking up the stairs where Noah’s worried voice travels down, seconds before she sprints up the steps with me on her tail.
I don’t have time to see what’s going on before her loud gasp fills my ears.
Her hands are pressed to her mouth as she stares down at the bed.
Above the perfectly made bed lies a certain blue dress neatly, one I easily recognize.
It’s the same dress she wore to the nightclub.
There’s a white piece of paper lying above it.
Ronnie steps up tentatively and reaches out with a shaky hand.
Noah stands to the side of the bed with a glare while I take a step closer to Ronnie’s back, reading over her shoulder what’s written on the note.
“You always did look good in blue,” I say out loud as realization sinks in. “That bastard was at the club.”
“Oh my God! He was here… he was in our room!” She drops the paper like it’s just burnt her hand and steps back quickly, bumping into my chest as I grab her arms.
“Oh God. He got into the penthouse.” She begins to hyperventilate, her entire body shaking violently as tears start to fall from her eyes. “He got in…”
“Take her back downstairs. Wait in the living room while I check out the rooms to make sure he’s gone, and call Julian,” Noah instructs.
I nod and lift Ronnie into my arms as she sobs, then carry her downstairs and sit her down on the couch while pulling out my phone to call Julian. He picks up on the first ring.
“Storm.”
“We have a problem. He was in the penthouse,” I tell him.
“We are on our way. Marcos and Ricky will be up in a few seconds to scope out the place. They are the security details that have been assigned to you.” He hangs up without letting me get another word in, and true to his word, two huge men walk out of the elevator seconds later.
They introduce themselves quickly, telling us to stay in place while they look around, just as Noah comes down the stairs. “I just checked upstairs but haven’t done the main floor,” he tells them, joining us on the couch.
“We’ll look again, just to make sure. These kinds of people can get creative with their hideouts,” Ricky says as they both head off farther into the penthouse, Marcos on the main floor while Ricky heads upstairs.
I settle down beside Ronnie and lift her into my lap. “It’s okay, baby. If he’s here, they’ll find him.”
She sobs louder. “It’s not okay, Gabriel. He was here. He touched our things. What if this wasn’t the first time? Maybe he’s been coming and going. Oh God, what if he came in during the night when we were sleeping, and we didn’t even know?” She begins to gasp for air again.
“Shh, everything will be okay, love. Just breathe. I promise you. We won’t let anything happen to you.” Noah rubs his hand up and down her back, kissing her shoulder.
“We can’t stay here. We can’t risk it,” she cries and buries her face into the crook of my neck.
She’s right, I’m not sure staying here is a good idea anymore. If he was able to get past security and up to the penthouse when it should have been impossible. Who’s to say what else he can do?
Fifteen minutes later, Julian, Jason, and Jessie stride out of the elevator. Julian taps away on his phone, Jason looks mighty pissed off, and Jessie carries an open laptop as he punches on keys at lightning speed. He’s also wearing glasses, which is a new look I haven’t seen before.
Marcos and Ricky march back into the living room at the same time. “All clear, boss,” Marcos announces to Julian.
“Any bugs?”
“None that we could find,” Ricky tells him next.
“My device isn’t picking up on anything either, except for ours,” Jessie tells him, not looking up from his screen.
Julian nods. “Good.” He puts his phone away and angles his attention our way. “We have run through the footage. He is gone, but he left us a message.” He turns his head to Jessie. “Show them.”
Jessie comes over as I place Ronnie between Noah and me. He sets the laptop down on the coffee table and presses play. It’s footage from inside our penthouse. We see Victor strolling out of the elevator, casually walking through the penthouse, looking everything over.
Jessie presses a button and the camera changes to the one at the top of the stairs.
We see him head up and walk directly into Noah’s room first. A few seconds later he walks out and goes down the hall to mine, then the spare.
He comes back into view and returns to Noah’s room, where he stays for a few minutes, clearly setting the dress down and writing the note.
He finally exits the room and goes back to the main floor. Once again Jessie changes the camera as we watch Victor head to the kitchen, pull open the fridge, and take out an orange. He then proceeds to bite directly into it like an apple.
I scrunch up my face in disgust. “What the hell? What kind of savage eats an orange like that?” I mutter out loud.
Victor then leaves the kitchen and comes to stand in front of the camera, one hand on his hip as he looks around and continues to eat his orange. Or should I say, my orange. Eventually he chuckles and looks directly into the camera with a smirk. Ronnie gasps, her nails digging into my thigh.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Better luck next time, boys.” He shakes his head as if he’s disappointed that he didn’t get caught right then and there. An evil smile suddenly takes over his face, disturbing enough to make my skin crawl. “Sweet dreams, Veronica.” He then steps into the elevator and disappears.
“Oh God! I’m going to be sick.” Ronnie stands quickly from the couch and runs to the bathroom on the ground level.
“I’ll go check on her,” Noah says as he hurries to his feet and follows after her.
Barely a minute goes by when the elevator dings and the doors open. A man I don’t recognize walks in, but Julian turns and greets him immediately. “Agent Callahan, thank you for coming.” Julian shakes his hand.
So this is the agent Ronnie was in touch with. Originally, we were meant to meet him last week to drop off the box Victor left her, but he had other obligations and sent his partner instead.