Chapter 21

Chapter 21
A shrill scream pierced through the quiet of the night, jolting Gabriel awake from a deep sleep. Heart racing, he bolted upright in bed, the sound echoing in his ears. Without hesitating, he leaped out of bed and rushed towards the source of the cry—the guest room where Joslyn was staying for the night.

As he flung open the door, his heart sank at the sight before him. Joslyn sat huddled on the bed, her shoulders shaking with sobs, her face contorted in anguish and sadness. Without a word, Gabriel crossed the room in quick strides and sat beside her, gently reaching out to touch her trembling shoulder.

"Jos? Baby, what happened?" He asked softly, his voice filled with concern. But she was too consumed by her distress to respond, her sobs echoing off the walls of the room.

Gabriel felt a surge of helplessness wash over him as he watched her break down before him. Wrapping his arms around her, Gabriel held her tightly, offering what little solace he could.

Tenderly, he brushed the tears from her cheeks, his touch tender and reassuring. "It's okay," he murmured softly. "You're safe with me, Jos. I'm here."

Joslyn looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying, Gabriel's heart clenched at the raw pain etched on her face. He could feel the weight of her words even before she spoke them, her voice choked with tears and hiccups as she struggled to form each syllable.

"I saw him die," she muttered, her voice only a smidgen more than a hoarse whisper.

Gabriel's brows furrowed in confusion, a pang of worry creeping into his chest. "Who, baby?" He asked softly, his voice mirroring hers barely above a whisper as his hand gently stroked her back.

"Joshua," Joslyn choked out between sobs, her voice thick with grief. Gabriel's heart skipped a beat as he tried to make sense of her words.

Joshua? Could Joshua perhaps be someone she loved? Obviously, he was very important to her to have her so shattered like this at the thought of him dying, but who exactly was he? A lover, maybe? A fiancé? A husband?

The thought ignited a flame of jealousy within Gabriel, so hot and consuming. Anger surged through him like a storm, his mind reeling with the possibility of Joslyn being with someone else. The mere idea of her finding solace in another's arms like she's doing with him now sent a pang of hurt through his chest, a sharp ache that threatened to overwhelm him.

He hadn't thought to make any investigations about Joslyn after returning to her life again all those months ago because he'd been so certain that she wasn't taken, especially since her hand remained ring-less—something he had always made sure to check on every flight with her.

However, a ring was only to indicate marriage or an engagement. There were conventionally no items to signify a mere boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. The thought chilled Gabriel to the bone. That would, at least, explain her constant refusal of his advances, even though she hadn't just come out and said it to him. Why? Did she enjoy watching him pant foolishly after her?

Gabriel, with much effort, pushed his feelings aside, casting them into the depths of his mind, even as jealousy, anger and hurt threatened to consume him. He couldn't afford to dwell on his own emotions, not when Joslyn was in such a situation. She needed him now more than ever, and he couldn't let his own issues get in the way of providing her with the comfort she so desperately needed. And he was choosing to be here for her, at least for tonight, no matter what relationship she shared with Joshua.

With a deep breath, Gabriel forced himself to focus on Joslyn, on the pain etched into her tear-streaked face. His heart ached at the sight of her grief, his turmoil momentarily forgotten. Leaning closer, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as she continued to sob against his chest.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he murmured softly, his gentle voice attempting to draw her out of her pain. "I'm here."

He continued to hold her, offering what little comfort he could as she quieted down, her sobs gradually fading into hiccups and sniffles. Another moment of silence stretched tautly between them, the weight of Joslyn's pain palpable in the air.

"He was fine, Gabriel," she began, her voice trembling with sorrow. "I visited him like I do every week, and he was fine. But then… then his body started to shake, and I… I thought he was going to d-die right there in front of me."

As he listened to her words, his mind raced again with questions and concerns. Who was this Joshua? And why had Joslyn kept his existence a secret from him? The questions swirled constantly through Gabriel's mind like a whirlwind, each one more bewildering than the last. Joslyn spoke again, her words cutting through the silence like a knife.

"And then he flatlined, and I thought I had lost him, I thought I’d lost my brother forever," She continued, her voice still a mere whisper. "For a moment, it felt like my world was crumbling. But thankfully, the doctor was able to stabilize him."

She paused, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "They said that he'd had ventricular fibrillation, and that's why his heart stopped. It was—it was terrifying, Gabriel. I've never felt so helpless in my life."

As Joslyn spoke, Gabriel felt a surge of relief wash over him, but it was quickly followed by a pang of guilt. Her brother. It had been her brother all along, and Gabriel realized that he'd let his own insecurities cloud his judgment. He was almost consumed by his jealousy and anger that he had failed to see past his own emotions, almost letting his feelings get in the way of comforting her. This moment belonged to her after all, not him.

Even though the guilt weighed heavily on his conscience, Gabriel, once again, suppressed his feelings once and for all. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, her head resting on his chest.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, baby." He murmured softly, his voice filled with empathy. "But I'm glad your brother is okay. You must have been so scared."

Joslyn nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek as she nestled into Gabriel's embrace. "I was," she admitted quietly. "But I'm just grateful that he's still here with us."

"Sometimes," Joslyn continued softly, her words a whisper in the otherwise quiet room, "I can't help but wonder if I shouldn't hold on to that hope any longer. Perhaps, I've simply been fooling myself into thinking that one day, my brother would miraculously come back to me."

In the silent darkness of the room, Gabriel's thoughts raced, his heart heavy with concern for Joslyn. He wanted to offer her more than just comforting words; he wanted to reassure her that she wasn't facing this alone, that he was there for her no matter what.

Gently, he stroked her hair, his touch a silent reassurance of his presence. He could feel the weight of her grief pressing against him, the depth of her pain echoing in the stillness of the night.

"You're incredibly strong, Jos," he whispered softly, his voice barely audible in the stillness of the night. "To have carried this burden for so long and still strive is truly brave."

Joslyn shifted in his embrace, her head resting against his chest as she sighed heavily. "I don't feel strong or brave, Gabriel," she confessed. "I feel completely lost and helpless."

Gabriel's heart clenched at her words, a pang of sorrow washing over him. He wished he could take away her pain, to shield her from the harsh realities of life. But all he could do was hold her close, offering his silent presence as a source of comfort.

"I feel so helpless," Joslyn continued, her voice assuming a frustrated tone. "And it doesn't help that my father is always nowhere to be found. I have to go through this hopelessness alone, and it's suffocating. It sucks."

Gabriel didn't even want to start to imagine the agony Joslyn must have endured watching her brother teeter on the brink of death without any other person there to serve as her support.

"I'm really sorry you had to go through all that alone, sweetheart,” he murmured softly. “But I want you to continue trusting in your brother's fighting spirit. Miracles can happen and I know he's strong enough to overcome this and come back to you."

He cupped her chin, guiding her face up gently to meet his gaze. "And you're not alone in this, darling," he assured her, his voice gentle but firm. "I'm here for you, every step of the way, and whenever you need someone, I promise to be here. We'll get through this together. Ok, my love?"

Joslyn nodded in response, her gaze remaining glued to Gabriel's. They stared into each other's eyes, the atmosphere in the room shifting from the morose heaviness that'd been present there since Gabriel had rushed in, to an aura slightly less depressing but just as compelling.

Drugged by the comforting warmth and heady natural scent of Gabriel and absolutely fatigued by the overwhelming waves of emotions that had drowned her today, Joslyn found herself leaning closer to him, her eyes fixed on his lips.

However, just as their lips were about to touch, Gabriel swerved his head so her lips met with his neck instead while he planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Joslyn ducked her head in shame, feeling a pang of rejection as her heart sunk at the sudden distance between them.

She thought he had always wanted her and this would be a golden opportunity for him to have her, but it seemed as though he didn't tonight or maybe, not anymore.

Joslyn’s throat ached but before she could pull away from his embrace, Gabriel whispered tenderly against her forehead, his words gently caressing her skin. "I refuse to take advantage of you while you're this disoriented, darling," he whispered. "But when you're much more clear-headed and still want to indulge, I won't deny you. So for now, go to sleep, my love. I'm here with you."

Joslyn nodded, her eyelids fluttering closed in obedience, a sense of comfort washing over her as Gabriel rested back on the bed with her, his hold not relenting one bit. Almost immediately, she surrendered to sleep again, cocooned in Gabriel's arms this time.