Gabriella Ch. 08

In his quest to mend what he had broken, he managed to smash the last few pieces that had been intact, but at least, in the beginning, she had been stronger than he had. She'd finally gained her senses and realized she deserved more. He should have rejoiced when she asked to him leave, and a small part of him had. A very small part. Everything else was hollow. His insides had felt empty as he left in a daze, completely stunned by her rejection.

But what did he expect? That he could keep a girl as bright and beautiful as her in a dark corner, taking her out only when he wanted something from her? That she would be okay with that arrangement forever? And although his proposition had not been a part of his plan to win her back, her words, her body, everything about her caused his IQ to drop by the minute. He had played the last card he had and lost.

When he'd walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, he'd been ready to give up. It wasn't until he saw a bum pissing in the bushes two doors down from her that he remembered his reason for coming. It would be over his dead body before she spent another night here. He was going to knock on the door, tell her she had to come with him and that he'd drop her off anywhere else within the city limits, but she wasn't staying there. He had his argument geared up and ready to go when she opened the door. But her face... her tears...they completely undid him and all good intentions went out the window along with his clear judgment. She had held up so strong in the room, almost fooling him into believing that she was over him. That Nolan had easily replaced what he'd given her. All that was forgotten the moment he saw her face and the tears she tried so hard to hide. He'd only wanted her to feel better.

Her lips had teased him as she licked the tears from them, and he couldn't help himself as he kissed her. And when she told him she needed it...that he needed it...he knew he couldn't fight it anymore. He couldn't have pried himself from that room, or his hands from her body, had his life depended on it.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Why couldn't he have just left things as they were? Why did he have to tell her he loved her? He had just wanted to put her mind at ease and lift the pressing confession from his chest. But when she looked down at him, her eyes full of pain, he realized his words were only salt in a freshly opened wound.

The pipes screeched again as the water shut off, pulling him from his thoughts. He took that cue to gather his clothes. He pulled up his boxers and pants right as she emerged from the bathroom. She clutched a small white towel that was securely wrapped around her body. It left a gaping upside down V shape at the apex of her legs, giving him a view of her soft dark curls. She quickly placed her hand over the opening as an annoyed expression played across her face.

He looked away and zipped his pants. He needed to get his mind straight again. "Gabriella, I'm still not leaving you in this place."

"I knew you were going to say that." She waited a moment before she added, "I thought of where else I could go."

He picked both shirts up from the floor. It was too hot for his sweater, so he chose the light weight dress shirt instead. He fumbled with the buttons as he spoke. "What's the verdict?"

"The place I have in mind, I don't think you'll like, but it's my only other option."

His hands froze midway through his buttons and he looked up at her. She glanced down at her feet as a hot poker stabbed at his chest. No.

"So I was thinking—"

"No," he said aloud this time.

She looked up, her eyes nervous as she bit her bottom lip. "Simon—"

"You are not staying with him." He shook his head. "Not gonna happen."

Nervousness gave way to defiance. She crossed her hands over her chest. "Fine, then I'll stay here."

"No you're not." The room was sweltering. He wished he could yank the fucking heater from beneath the window sill and toss it into the parking lot with the ton of trash already littering the pavement.

"Then I'm going to Steven's. One or the other."

He blew out a frustrated breath as he finished with his buttons. Why was there never any common ground with them? All or nothing. He stepped into his sneakers and sat on the bed to tie them, stalling, trying to figure out how to win another losing battle. He would never make her stay somewhere unsafe due to his own insecurities, but he couldn't let her go to Steven's. He trusted him, but Gabriella was vulnerable, more so now than ever before and underestimating that power...things could happen, and then he would have to kill Steven.

"I wouldn't stay there long," she coaxed, her voice lower, more understanding. "Just until I can figure something else out."

Heat traveled up his spine as he stared at the closed burgundy curtain. "Why there?"

"Because I won't be welcomed or feel comfortable anywhere else. I'm not doing it to mess with you, Simon. It's just the only place that makes sense right now."

Everyone had that moment in life where had they gone left instead of right, chosen option one instead of two, then things would be different. He had been given several of those moments, the last being when Gabriella had hurled that glass toward his head. He could have let it hit him and put them all out of their misery or ducked, brushed it off and calmly left the house. But he had chosen none of the above and they were all struggling through the aftermath of his decision.

The results of that decision now included Steven.

He didn't want to make the call, but he had nothing better to offer her. She gave him two choices and no matter how much it pained him, Steven's condo was the only option he'd even consider. He pulled out his phone and tried to rationalize that she had already stayed there, but as it rang, it only brought back how Steven had hid that night from him. He squeezed the phone when Steven's voice came through the other end.

"What?" he asked gruffly.

"It's me."

Steven sighed. "Look man, I'm sorry about earlier. I chalk it up to being drunk and—"

"Don't worry about it," Simon said cutting him off. He needed to do this exchange quickly or else he would lose his nerve. And his cool. "Look, I need to ask a big favor."

"Sure, anything."

"Can Gabriella stay with you for a few days?"

Silence.

"Steven?"

"Yeah, I'm here." His voice came through more clear and alert. "Just checking to make sure you called the right person."

Simon rubbed his temple. "I know, it's a long story. I'll explain it later. So, it's okay?"

"Yeah, of course. I just...are you okay with it?"

He looked over at Gabriella. She had slipped on a black bra and panties as she rifled around in her bag. "Not really. Can I bring her by now?"

"Uh, yeah. Just give me a minute to get myself together. Fiona just left."

"Who?"

"The lezzy bartender." He could hear the smile in Steven's voice. "Oh man, I—nevermind, I'll see you when you get here."

Simon closed his eyes as the line went dead. It took a moment to remove the phone from his ear and pry his jaw open to release the tension.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He gave a quick nod, but held his eyes tightly shut. Typically around this time on a Saturday morning, Gabriella would have been nestled safely in her bed, and Patricia warm in his arms. Being the weekend, Gabriella would have slept in while he and Patricia ate breakfast together before he went to play ball with his friends. He'd return to find Patricia in her flower garden and Gabriella would sit with him as he watched college football. Later in the evening, he and Patricia would drive into the city and walk around her favorite park with the heart shaped bushes that mesmerized her and talk about life, while Gabriella went off and did whatever it was she did on a Saturday night.

A small chuckle escaped his lips as he thought back on that time and how he thought that his life couldn't get any worse. Now he would sell his soul for another Saturday like that and gladly bear the brunt of his internal anguish again, if it could bring to an end any pain they all felt.

He felt delirious as he stood.

Gabriella was now dressed in jeans and a shirt and she leaned in as if she were about to give him a hug, but he quickly moved away.

"Can you manage those on my bike?" he asked, nodding to her bags.

She lowered to the floor and stuffed the last of her clothing and books into her bags. "Yes."

He tried to block out the resigned hurt in her eyes, a look he was surely mimicking, but the break had to be clean if he was going to get through tonight. One touch from her, feeling the way he did, she'd be back on the bed, promises forgotten.

"Okay. I'm gonna...I'll check you out and..." His brain was done, he had no more words. He grabbed his sweater and helmet and walked out the door.

He had never been more grateful for his motorcycle than tonight. No awkward talks or silence on the way to Steven's. Just the cold air whipping around them as he flew through town and back to civilization. The streets were clear, creating no barriers to keep him from letting her go.

When they reached Steven's condo, he grabbed her bags and punched in the security code. They rode up the elevator in silence, him on one side and her leaning against the other. Any new passengers would have thought they were strangers. Both weary, but unfamiliar with one another.

Steven was waiting in the hallway when they exited. He was barefoot and his hair was wet, a wide smile on his face as they approached.

"Well, I didn't expect to see you back so soon." He hugged Gabriella's shoulders with one arm, keeping his distance, while he mouthed 'what the fuck' to him over her head.

Simon shook his head. He was too worn down to explain anything tonight.

"I hope I'm not bothering you," she said when she pulled away.

"Of course not." Steven pulled the bags from him and pushed the door open.

It would take too much energy for him to smile and pretend that he was even remotely okay with this arrangement. So to avoid any last minute reneging, he kept his mouth shut and followed behind them, wondering when this day would end.

"So, I was thinking you can stay in the game room," Steven said over his shoulder as they walked down his hallway. "There's a comfy pullout sofa and full closet. Oh, and you have your own bathroom."

When Steven opened the door, he'd forgotten just how large the game room was, but it easily dwarfed Gabriella's bedroom at home. And compared to the Gaslight, this room was Versailles. The ceiling was vaulted and large glass doors led out to a private balcony.

But after the initial awe, the rest of the room screamed bachelor, from the arcade machines to the pool table in the center of the room. Several collector's items lined his walls, including signed sports memorabilia and 70's blaxploitation posters. A high-tech treadmill and weight lifting bench sat in the back corner while the front housed the latest in home theater equipment.

"And don't worry, I'll have all of this junk moved out," Steven added. "And, I can get you a dresser and mirror or any of those girly things you need."

"I'll get those for her." Simon was too exhausted to mask any feelings of possession.

Steven nodded. "Alright."

"Actually, this is more than enough," Gabriella chimed in. "Thank you, Steven. I don't need anything else."

An awkward silence settled over the room. Steven looked away and examined the layout as he mumbled under his breath about moving something somewhere, and Simon stared down at Gabriella, but she refused to meet his gaze. He ran his tongue across the front of his teeth to loosen the tension. Less than an hour ago, she had stared intently into his eyes as she rode him and now she couldn't even look at him.

Steven cleared his throat and rubbed his hands lifting the heavy atmosphere. "Okay then, so let's get this stuff moved so you can get some sleep."

Gabriella moved to the far end of the pool table ready to lift.

"No, we got this," Steven told her. "Take a load off and we'll be done in no time."

"I can help. It's the least I can do."

"You're my guest," Steven said. "But this bum isn't, so he doesn't get a pass." Simon rubbed his chest after Steven whacked him with the back of his hand.

She nodded, but Simon knew her well enough to know that Steven wasn't fooling her. She knew it was a ploy to get her out of the room, but she went along with it and fished her book from her bag. "I'll be in the living room."

"Alright princess," Steven called out.

Simon flinched at the term of endearment. But Steven didn't notice, his eyes following Gabriella until she cleared the door, before he jerked his head around. "Okay, what the fuck is going on?" he whispered loudly.

"Princess?" Simon asked trying to keep the edge out of his voice.

"Huh?"

Simon gripped the rim of the pool table and lifted. "Why did you call her that?"

"Are you serious? Fine, I'll call her frog if that makes you happy," Steven said lifting his end as they walked to the far corner of the room.

"She has a name."

"What's going on?" Steven asked.

"Nothing."

Steven leaned on the table unconvinced.

"I found out she was staying at the Gaslight, you know that shady motel near the old National Guard Armory. Well, I had to get her out of there. So, here we are." He refused to give Steven the added bonus that this was the where Gabriella wanted to be.

Steven's eyes narrowed as he stood upright. "You were in her motel room tonight?"

Simon looked around for the next object to move, avoiding Steven's gaze. He started pulling the sofa from the wall.

"Fuck, Simon," he heard Steven say behind him.

"I know, but everything is fine now." He grabbed one end of the foosball table. "It's over, so...and this is only temporary. I'll figure something else out."

Steven grabbed the other end. "You know I don't care about that. She can stay as long as she wants. I just want to know that you're okay with it."

"Look, it was either here or the shithole she was staying in."

"Tough decision," Steven said with a smirk.

Simon wanted to drop the table on his toes to wipe the grin off his face. "You have no fucking idea."

They folded, slid and disassembled everything until the room was nearly empty. Simon glanced around, making sure they hadn't left anything in the way when he noticed the dartboard on the far wall. He wondered if the small hole in the wall from where he'd missed the board due to Gabriella's last-second distraction was still there. He had been so pissed when she showed up at Steven's, but now a sadness came over him as he realized that time had come and gone so fast. Everything had changed, and now he was the one following her when all she wanted was to be left alone.

"You okay?"

Simon nodded and walked toward the door. He patted Steven's original Pac-Man arcade machine that sat beside his Star Wars Pinball machine. "What about these?"

"Oh hell no, I'm not moving my babies. Plus, she might want to play, right?"

"Outside of the bedroom, you don't really understand women, do you?" Simon asked.

Steven scoffed and pushed him out of the room. "Do you?"

Gabriella was sitting on the loveseat with her legs folded beneath her when they entered the living room. She looked up from her book and her eyes quickly shifted to Steven.

"All set prin—Ella," Steven said.

She smiled and stood. "Thank you so much. And I promise I won't get in the way."

"Well, since you promised..." Steven said.

She traced a cross over her heart...breast...and smiled up at him. "Cross my heart."

Simon watched the exchange and bit back his remarks as she continued to ignore his presence.

Another silence stretched between them, making it painfully obvious that he was the one that no longer belonged in the scenario.

"So, I guess I should be going," he said.

Gabriella finally looked at him as if she was going to say something, but bit her lip instead and grabbed her book. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night," she said, again talking only to Steven.

He smiled. "Good night, sleep tight."

She hesitated a moment before heading down the hall and into her new room.

They walked to the door in silence, nothing much left to say. He lifted all the change he had from his wallet, around hundred and seventy-four dollars and handed it to Steven. "This is all I have on me, but I'll give you more."

Steven pushed his hands away. "No, I got it."

"Well, then just give it to her."

He nodded and stuck the money in his pocket. "So, any instructions?"

Simon sighed. The realization still hadn't hit that she'd be out of his life in just a few minutes. "She's more fragile than she seems, so just be careful with her."

"I will man, don't worry," Steven said.

Simon nodded and headed to the elevator.

"Everything will be fine," Steven called out before the bell dinged and the doors slid shut.

The cold rushed him when he walked outside. He placed his helmet on and looked up. Light still shone through the window of the game room. He wondered what she was doing. Maybe she was changing into her pajamas. Or maybe she was finishing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His skin prickled as his thoughts continued. Maybe she and Steven were talking. What if she was crying? Would he console her? Tell her one of his corny, racy jokes that many women found irresistible, or hold her until she was all cried out. Would anything happen between them?

He was going to drive himself crazy. He trusted Steven and Gabriella, but it still wasn't enough to set aside his irrational jealousy.

His brain tried to force him to look away, to speed off and defy the laws of physics as he made it home in record time, but he'd be going home to an empty house. No Patricia. No Gabriella. And now he couldn't even crash at Steven's to escape it all.

His heart wanted her to look down at him. One glance to know there was still something left for them and all would be okay. He waited with bated breath, hoping for one glimpse.

But his hopes were dashed when the light faded and the room flooded into darkness, the last thing he saw before she finally shut him out of her life.

***

Thank you all so much for sticking with me after so many months of no updates. I hope you enjoyed! Big ups to Kaia for editing this beast for me. What would I do w/o you?! Chapter 9 should be out shortly...keep checking my bio page for updates.