Chapter 30 Chapter 30
Audrey
“You have to let her go, Gabriel.”
Confused, I came awake. Suddenly jolting. And at first I thought I was still sleeping but then another voice rose up. Louder and angrier than the first.
“I will not.”
I sat upright in Gabriel’s giant bed. Clutching the heavy quilt to my naked chest. My heart was beating so hard and so fast that it felt like I had just run a marathon. I was scared and I didn’t know why.
It wasn’t like any of them were threatening me. And even if someone was then I knew Gabriel would protect me. Nothing bad could happen to me here in his bed when he was just downstairs.
“You have to Gabriel.” This time the other voice was softer but that somehow made it worse. “Now isn’t the time to-“
Like a wounded animal Gabriel roared. From downstairs it sounded like something heavy crashed to the floor or maybe it was smashed. I didn’t know and honestly it didn’t matter.
Scrambling out of the bed, I looked wildly around for my clothes only to remember to late that Gabriel had ripped them from my body at the party. He had brought me home wrapped in altar cloth and there was no way I was going downstairs in that.
Yanking the open drawer I pulled out the first shirt I found. Something steel grey and soft. Almost bobbly, the graphic design on the front almost gone, like it had been washed a thousand times.
Slipping it on, I headed towards the stairs.
“I need her,” something else smashed and this time I gave a startled cry as something heavy smashed into the wall just in front of my head. Crouching down I brought a fist to my lips and bit down.
Gabriel was down there. But this wasn’t the Gabriel I knew. This wasn’t the man I had just fallen asleep next to. That Gabriel was intense and more than a little psychotic. This one was a monster. A raging lunatic. Beyond all reason.
“You need to calm down brother.” His older brother Michael stepped forward. His hands and arms were loose at his sides but I wasn’t fooled there was a predatory air to the way he moved.
He was going to hurt him.
My heart lodged itself in my throat.
“You have someone, you all have someone.” Again Gabriel roared. “Why don’t I get to be happy too?”
“You do but-“ Michael took another step forward and froze and I knew he saw me hunched in the shadows. His eyes widened for a second and then he turned angrily back to his brother.
“She’s here?” The anger dripped from him. “You brought her here?” He screeched. “Gabriel what were you fucking thinking. We told you, I told you.” He shook his head in disbelief. “Audrey go and wait in the car. I am taking you back to the city tonight and-“
I scrambled down the last steps just as Gabriel launched himself forward. Catching him by the shoulders at the last minute.
“No.”
Gabriel’s head snapped up.
“What?”
I turned to meet Michael’s gaze. The same blue as his Gabriel’s but different somehow. I didn’t want to fall into Michael’s eyes. Not the same way I did Gabriel’s.
“I said no.” Planting my feet firmly I met the oldest Kings eyes. “You don’t get to order me around Mr King.” I said firmly and bully for me my voice didn’t shake. “Gabriel didn’t force me here. He didn’t kidnap me.”
Well not really. I added silently.
“I am here because I want to be.”
“You don’t mean that. You don’t know-“ Michael shook his head. “My brother needs help.”
Wrapping my arms around Gabriel I felt him sag next to me. “He has help because he has me. I won’t leave him Michael if that’s what you are afraid of. I’ve seen him , and I am still here. There is nothing-“
Michael shook his head. “It’s not you leaving him that worries me, Audrey.”
What the hell did he mean by that?
Gabriel’s arm looped around my waist. “Did you hear that Michael. She sees me and she’s here. She doesn’t see a broken monster.”
“I-“ pain rippled across Michael’s face. He shook his head. “I don’t see a monster Gabriel. None of the family do. But you don’t let us in enough to see that. You are too busy wallowing in the misery. In the pain-“
“Pain.” Gabriel bellowed. “What do you know about pain Michael. What do you fucking know about the pain I went through.”
He lurched forward and it took all my strength to keep him back.
Michael didn’t flinch. “You’re right I didn’t live though what you did Gabriel. But we have watched you rip yourself apart every single day since. We love and care for you even if you don’t believe it.” His eyes darted towards me. “Your right as well Audrey. I can’t force you to give him up but you need to be prepared for what is going to come. He’s good now. Better than I have seen him in a long time but I don’t know how long that will last. You have to be prepared for the bad days as well.”
“I would never fucking hurt her.”
“I know you wouldn’t mean to.” A flash of a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and Michael stepped away. “You have my number Audrey. Call me if you need us. Day or night. Someone will come.”
He didn’t say another word , just walked away and the sound of the slamming door was so loud I jumped.
It was only when the screech of car tyres faded away that I dared to look at Gabriel again.
“What was that about?” I whispered,
It happened in slow motion. One second he was standing there, tall and foreboding and the next he crumpled in on himself. I heard the wet sounds of his sobs from beneath his mask as he curled up on the floor,
I didn’t even think about it. I reached for him. Pulling him half on to my lap and rocking him gently. I let him cry for a second.
He didn’t sound like a man anymore. He sounded like a scared boy. I held him closer.
“Don’t leave me Audrey.” He cried into my stomach. The mask muffling his words.
“I won’t.”
“Everyone leaves me, they don’t see- I couldn’t-“
Grabbing his chin I moved him to look at me. My hands sliding up under his mask to cup his cheeks. They were wet with his tears.
“Look at me Gabriel.”
I watched him blink slowly.
“I am not going to leave you. You were right. We are meant to be together. I won’t abandon you. Not ever.”
Slowly he closed his eyes. “You mean that don’t you?”
I pulled him into me even tighter and just held him. Rocking us back and forth.
“Youre a crazy as I am Audrey. You know that right?”
I couldn’t help it I laughed. Maybe he was right. He was my stalker after all. Maybe we were both certifiable, and needed to be locked up in a padded cell but I knew something else as well.
We were meant to be together. Reading the diary had made me realise that. Right from that night all those years ago it was always going to be us.
Together.
He said I saved him but he had me as well. He had saved me from being the Audrey I had been before. The weak- the sad- the uncomplicated.
I had never been any of those things deep down. With Gabriel I could be myself. Finally.
And it was like coming awake after a deep sleep.
“I think.” Chuckling I smoothed my hand down his side. “I think you might be right.” Reaching down I brushed my lips against his mask and wished I could kiss his face. “I think we are both nuts.”