Chapter 34 Chapter 34
Gabriel
Inside I was screaming.
Screaming like I was burning in a bath of fire.
But on the outside I was completely silent. Pushing the car as fast as dared on the icy roads.
“Gabriel?”
I ignored the way she called my name like I had ignored every other time since I had pulled her from the bathroom and to her car.
It wasn’t like I didn’t want to speak to her, I did. I always did. But I was too busy going over what she said.
“When was the last time you bled? When was your last period?” My voice shook with the effort it took to keep my panic under control.
She blinked rapidly. Almost like she was trying to work out the dates herself. The line between her eyebrows deepened.
“Audrey?” I prompted.
“I don’t know.” She admitted with a sigh. “I’ve not really been keeping track. I’ve been otherwise occupied.” She tried to joke.
My face remained deadpan. “Think.”
“The last I remembered was before -“ she swallowed so hard that I heard her throat move, and a cold dream flowed over me.
“Before Halloween. I was glad I got it because I was wearing-“ she grimaced. “Well you remember what I was wearing.”
Yes I did. I would never forget that particular white angel costume and the things it made me want to do to her.
But that didn’t matter now because-
Shit.
“So you’ve missed a period.” It wasn’t a question.
“I guess so. But I could just be a little late. Stress can do that. I’m sure I’m not pregnant.”
Only she didn’t sound sure at all. And now faced with the realisation that she could be I felt nothing but an overwhelming feeling of disgust.
Not at her but at me.
I hadn’t been safe with her. I’d cum in her and enjoyed every second of it. I should have been more careful.
But then why would I be when this was never meant to happen for me.
“You can’t be pregnant.”
She started, almost slipping from the edge of the tub. “Well technically I could be.” She snapped back quickly and then quickly softened her voice. “I know we haven’t been together long but we have had a lot of sex.”
“I refuse to believe that you are.” Stuffing the box of tampons back into the cupboard I slammed it shut.
“You can choose to believe what you want Gabriel.” She was getting angry. But then by god so was I.
This couldn’t be happening.
“But we don’t know that yet.” She reached for me and I snatched my hand away. Yanking out the gloves from my pockets I pulled them on.
I couldn’t let her touch me. I was poison and she was-
Jesus what if she was pregnant?
“Ok.” She dropped her hand to her side. “I’ll get a test in the morning. And then we will know but you don’t need to worry-“
Closing my gloved hand around her upper arm I pulled her up. “We need to go to the hospital.”
“Gabriel, it's just a cut.”
I shot her a look and she fell silent. I didn’t want her to go to the hospital for a small head wound which had already stopped bleeding. I needed her there so I knew one way or another what was happening inside of her body.
If I had put a monster there.
Sure it wasn’t the place for those kinds of tests but with my family's name and money I was sure they would do it, and if they didn’t then I would force them.
“If I am-“ she fell silent, falling in line with me as we headed back down the stairs and towards the open door.
I’d left it open. Like I had known I would need to find a way out.
Only if I had put a baby in her belly there was no way out for me. I would burn in hell.
And so would she.
“We don’t even know I am pregnant, Gabriel.” She sighed heavily. “And if I am, we will need to discuss our options. You can’t ignore me forever and just hope it goes away.”
Couldn’t I? I glared at the road like it had done something to me personally.
“Fine.” She huffed. Her shoulder crunched up around her ears. “Ignore me. It wasn’t like-“
“You weren’t on birth control?”
She grumbled. “I have this injection thing. I guess I was late getting it or something.”
“Great.”
I could feel her anger before she said anything. It filled the confines of her car and made it stifling. Making it hard to breathe.
Or maybe it was the fact it was hard to breathe with the knowledge of what I had possibly done that was making it hard to breathe.
“Yeah, because I am the one to blame right. I didn’t see you -“
I reached for her hand before I could stop myself. Sliding my leather clad finger up her palm. “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m not-“ I shook my head and snatched my hand away. “I’m not saying this is your fault.”
“Sounds like it Gabriel.”
I fell silent. Angry Audrey was fine. She had every right to be angry with me. I was angry at me as well. But more than anything I was angry at the past.
“The emergency department isn’t-“
“Yes they will. I’ll make sure of it.” Reaching down I pressed a button and the car was full of the static of a call trying to go through.
“Gabriel?” A sleepy voice answered. “Is everything ok?”
“I need a hospital appointment.” He quickly gave the name of a hospital, that I didn’t recognise.
“Wait what? What’s happened little brother? Are you ok! Where are you? I’ll come and get you.” Adam, the second oldest of my brothers, said in a rushed jumble of words.
“I’m fine. It’s not for me.”
“Audrey? Is she?” Adam’s voice shook with worry. He was scared I had hurt her.
And I had. Not just because she had bumped her head because I demanded she run from me, to get my own kicks but because I might just have-
I couldn’t even finish the thought.
“She’s fine.”
“Gabriel.” Adam’s voice was muffled by the sound of him clearly moving. “If you have done-“
“I’m fine. I slipped.” Audrey said quickly. “On the ice on the porch and bit my head. Gabriel is being over precautious.”
“There’s other tests she needs.” I spoke over her and my brother was quiet for so long that I thought he had put the phone down.
“I see.” He said finally. “Well-“ the sound of him swallowing hard was loud in the sudden quiet. “Get her to ask for Dr Brenman. He knows your history and will be able to help him. I’ll message him and get him to meet Audrey there.”
“Thank you Adam.” I let out a sigh of relief. Having someone who knew me personally was going to make this easier to explain. “Michael?”
“I’ll tell him, don’t worry either way we will work something out.”
The line went dead.
I went back to staring at the road and Audrey went back to staring ag me.
“What did he mean by that?” She finally said.
“Which part?” My hands clenched around the steering wheel.
“Either way we will sort it? Why would your brothers even be involved in that decision Gabriel?”
“I can’t have children’.”
She recoiled like I had slapped her. “We don’t even know I’m pregnant yet and you are already trying to find an excuse to get away from me hey? You’re a piece of shit Gabriel.”
I closed my eyes for a second. “I know and I’m not saying you cheated or -“ I pulled into the hospital. “I’m not saying that but there’s tests and things-“
“So we will get the tests. Both of us. Because I know there has been no one else but you.”
God she was trying not to cry. I was doing this to her. I knew there hadn’t been anyone else for her. Deep down I knew that and that meant the doctors all those years abo had been wrong.
I wasn’t broken. Not in that way anyway. But this would break her.
I should have been more careful. Taken precautions.
I should never have believed I could be happy.
“I won’t be coming in with you.”
“What?”
“You know I can’t. But ask for Brenman. You don’t need to explain. My brothers will have done that already.”
“You’re not coming inside with me?”
This time there was no doubt she was crying.
My hands tightened around the steering wheel until it creaked. “I can’t. I didn’t have - I just can’t.” I pulled to a stop in front of the automatic double doors and the sterile light flooding out.
“You’re a coward.” Audrey swung open the door and let in a blast of cold air. “A fucking coward Gabriel King. A selfish fucking coward.”
I closed my eyes. “I know.” I sucked in a breath. “I’ll see you when you get home.”