Chapter 33 Chapter 33
Audrey
A month.
One whole month, 43800 minutes of happiness.
Sure our relationship wasn’t normal by any stretch of the imagination but then who wanted normal when you had Gabriel King sneaking into your bed in the middle of the night and rocking your world?
Not me, but there was-
Something missing. I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was.
We had intimacy , that wasn’t the problem. Even if he kept his face either hidden behind a mask or in the shadows of his hood I had never felt closer to anyone before.
There was something so primal about being chased by him, caught by him and loved by him. It was something I hadn’t realised I needed until then.
There was nothing soft about Gabriel Kings life, so there was nothing soft about the way he loved me.
But he did love me.
Not that I expected my friends to understand, hell they weren’t even answering my calls and that left a hollow feeling in my chest.
I knew I hadn’t been a great friend. In fact i had been a shitty one and what Gabriel has done to Johnny was unforgivable but -
I sighed, the sound of it loud in the quiet room.
I missed my friends, especially Bethan’s excited chatter but it didn’t matter which way I tried to reach out so didn’t reply. I couldn’t even find her social media accounts anymore.
She had blocked me and it broke my heart.
But I missed Gabriel as well. He had been gone two days and I had felt every single minute of it.
Christmas was coming up, and I didn’t know how Gabriel celebrated but I wanted to make it special for him.
No that wasn’t right I was going to make it special for him.
With that thought I turned back to the open boxes in front of me. Rifling through the Christmas decorations that I remembered from my childhood. There were so many memories linked to each one of these sparkling baubles and every one of them was happy.
I wanted that for us as well-
“You look lost in happy thoughts.”
Gabriel’s voice was coming from the doorway, I turned sharply, and there he was. The usual black jeans and hoodie pulled up around his face. His arms were crossed over his chest and from the way his oh so blue eyes sparkled I knew he had been watching me for a while.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that.”
Under the hood I was sure I saw him smile. I could picture the way his lips moved so easily.
“Do what?” Cocking his head to the side he reached into his pocket.
“Sneaking in. You have a key Gabriel.” Jumping up to my feet I sauntered over to him. Slapping his hand down before he could withdraw it from his pocket. “You don’t need to sneak in like a thief. And no smoking.”
His hand dropped whatever it was he was reaching for to lace his fingers through mine. He brought my hand to his lips.
“And where’s the fun in that Audrey?” Over and over again he kissed my skin, sending a shiver up my spine.
“That you won’t die of lung cancer?” I quirked up an eyebrow.
He chuckled, a low husky sound in the back of his throat. “I meant the using the front door thing.”
“Oh.” It was my turn to laugh. “Well one of these days you’re going to scare me half to death. And then how will you ever live with yourself.”
“I won’t.” He said simply. “There is no me if there’s no you Audrey and you know it.”
Fingers tiptoed up my arm to curl around my skull and he yanked me to him.
Hard.
The air left my lungs in a whoosh.
As soon as his lips found mine I was breathless for a whole new reason and every single one of them was him.
I clung to him, my hands grabbing hold of his hoody so I could anchor myself to him harder.
There was magic in the way his tongue lapped against mine and it was the kind of magic that made you forget about anything else.
“So what have you been doing?” Pulling away he glanced over my shoulder and I felt him go stiff. “Why do you have boxes out Audrey?” Gabriel’s voice shook. “Are you leaving?”
Shifting my weight out of his arms I shook my head. “No of course not. I thought we were over that?”
Lacing my fingers through his I led him forward.
I knew it was his weakness, being abandoned was a sore point for Gabriel but I had spent the last month forcing him to believe that I was never going to do that.
The only time I would ever run from him was when he needed me to and then I knew he would always catch me.
It was our thing.
He remained silent as I pointed down to the boxes glittery contents and a sigh of relief moved the hair on the back of my neck but he didn’t relax.
“It’s almost Christmas and I wanted to start decorating-“
His hand moved back from mine.
“What’s wrong?”
“No.” He shook his head and took a step back like seeing tinsel and pretty things was a trigger to him.
“What’s going on Gabriel.” I didn’t reach for him although I wanted to. “Why don’t you like -“
He stood there silent and shaking. His head down. And by his side his hands clenched and unclenched.
“Gabriel?” This time my voice shook.
Gabriel’s head snapped up with so much force that I heard the bones in his neck crack.
“Run.”
One simple word but the meaning was clear and I wasn’t about to ignore it.
He needed me to run, so I ran.
Bolting passed him, I headed for the front door and I couldn’t help the smile on my face.
Bethan would say I was messed up for enjoying our little game but she wasn’t the one in this relationship, I was and if running from him so he could hunt me down relieved some of the madness in him then that’s what I would do.
Gladly.
I didn’t hear him behind me but then I rarely did. He was like a predator , a big cat who was absolutely silent in its hunt.
Silent and deadly.
Only instead of death, Gabriel would force my body to feel things that shouldn’t even be real. He would catch me and force me into the kind of shaking orgasm that-
My foot hit the porch decking and I slipped. Shrieking my arms pinwheeled to try and catch my balance.
I fell hard onto my back. My head cracked painfully and for a second there was nothing but stars in my eyes as I stared upwards.
“Audrey.” Gabriels feet pounded after me.
“I’m ok.” Gingerly I pushed myself up to sitting and a splitting pain lanced through the back of my head. Gingerly I touched it. And my fingers came back wet.
“You’re bleeding.” He said in a completely dead pan voice.
I glanced down at the red smudge on my fingers.
“Only a little bit.” I said quickly because I didn’t need to see him to know that he was freaking out.
Gabriel King, who the world thought was dead and who had more blood on his hands than anyone else I knew was close to a panic attack before I had cut my head.
It didn’t make sense.
“I forgot the porch was icy that’s all. I’m fine. See.” Pushing myself to standing I turned to him.
“You’re bleeding.” He said again.
“Just a little bit.” Gingerly because the last thing I wanted was to fall down again. It would probably give him so kind of aneurysm.
“You got hurt-“
“Gabriel.” I ran my hands up his chest and not even the heavy material of his jumper could hide the hard ridges of the muscles underneath. “I am ok. You didn’t hurt me. I just fell. I’ll go and clean up kn the bathroom and -“
“Yes.” He didn’t let me finish. Swinging me into his arms he headed back into the house, leaving the door open behind him.
“Yes let’s get you cleaned up and then -“ he froze in the bathroom doorway. His eyes scanned every where at once.
“There’s no bad guys in there Gabriel and I could have walked. It’s just a little cut.”
Although it was nice to be carried and looked after by him.
“There’s bad guys everywhere Audrey. Never forget that. Not everyone who wears a pretty face is good.” Balancing me on the edge of the bathtub, he knelt.
I reached for him again. This time sliding my hands across his shoulders. “I know that. You’re good and-“
“Hideous.” He said with a laugh. “Now where is your first aid kit.”
I pointed to the cabinet and he had it open in a second. Pulling out the box of supplies. “Let’s have a look at it and then we can either go to bed or the hospital depending how bad it is.”
“Bed hey?” I giggled. I could think of worse things to do on an icy December night then go to bed with him. Even if he never let me see his face.
He didn’t answer.
“Gabriel?” I called. He didn’t move. I couldn’t see his face but I knew he was staring.
“Audrey?” He yanked something into his lap and turned his face to me. “When was the last time you bled?”
“What?” My eyebrows scrunched together.
“When?” His voice was icy. “Was the last time you had your period?”