Chapter 36 Chapter 36
Audrey
Every day I woke up and reached for him, and every day the house was cold and empty.
Gabriel was gone and he wasn’t coming back. That’s what Adam had said and I was beginning to believe him.
The house was just too empty. Like it’s soul had been ripped away which was exactly how I felt as well. Like my soul was gone.
I ached to hear him whisper run from the shadows. I craved it as much as I craved oxygen. Not no whisper came.
No one was watching me. I had never felt so alone.
In the beginning Adam had tried stopping by, his face blank every time I asked after his brother. Michael called and said the offer to buy the house was still there if I needed a fresh start.
I had put the phone down on him.
I wasn’t going anywhere. How could I? Gabriel could find me easily here , if I left I might not ever see him again. How would he find me if I ran off to the city.
How could he catch me.
Yesterday a red haired beauty had knocked the door. I recognised her from the tv but she had introduced herself as Erika. Gabriel’s cousin.
I knew her as the little Siren.
She was sweet, she wanted to talk about my options and tell me that the Kings would support me no matter what my decisions were.
It had taken me a few minutes to realise she meant the baby. Like I had any options. I wouldn’t lose this child any more than I would leave this house.
They were the only things that tied me to Gabriel.
She had looked at me so sadly that I had burst into tears and then held me and told me it was all going to be ok.
Only it wasn’t going to be ok because Gabriel was gone and he wasn’t coming back.
Then she had left, and I was back to being alone. Just me and the child I couldn’t even feel move yet but I knew was there.
I loved my baby.
I loved Gabriel as well.
One was still with me, one had left.
Gabriel King had run and he wasn’t coming back.
The more I told myself that, the hollower I became. It was like there was no more joy left , not that I could see.
Christmas had always been my favourite time of the year, but not I felt nothing. The decorations and trinkets lay forgotten in the box.
What would be the point of putting a tree up anyway? I didn’t have a family, I didn’t have friends.
I didn’t have Gabriel.
Morosely I curled my legs up under me on the sofa where Gabriel had pinned me down. Pulling the duvet from my bed up more firmly over my legs.
I didn’t sleep up there anymore either. I couldn’t bare to sleep in the place where I expected him to be. So I camped down here and I tried not to give into the pain that was wrecking my body.
I told myself over and over again that I had to pull myself together for the sake of my baby but every morning I woke up to his name on my lips and every night I cried myself to sleep with his name in my head.
Gabriel had made me promise that I would run only when he could catch me. I had sworn never to leave him and I had kept my promise.
It was him that had left? Why? Because I was pregnant. Because in his crazy mind he didn’t want to corrupt either of us and put us in danger.
My poor crazy King.
“We’re going to be ok-“ I mumbled and froze. My heart skipped a beat.
Was that- fuck was that.
I was off the sofa and running towards the front door as fast as I could because I knew what I had heard. Heavy booted footsteps on the snowy porch.
Men’s footsteps.
“Gabr-“ his name died on my lips as I stared out at the man standing there. His pristine camel coat out of place next to mine dishevelled sweat pants and stained tshirt.
“No audrey, just me.” Kind eyes swept over me. “Is this a bad time?”
Mutely I shook my head. “No it’s fine Duncan.” I forced myself to smile at my friend and colleague but I didn’t move so he could come in. “Is Bethan?” I tried to peer around his wide shoulders and failed. “With you?”
“No.” He said sadly. “We broke up.”
My head snapped up. “You did? I’m so sorry. I thought you guys were so good together. I mean . I- is she still angry with me?”
He nodded. “That’s one of the reasons we split. She didn’t think you deserved another ,” he blew out a white misty breath.
Bethan didn’t think I deserved a chance to explain. And she was right. I didn’t. She had been right about Gabriel and I had been wrong.
“Can I come in Audrey. It’s freezing out here.”
I hesitated, glancing behind me like I expected Gabriel to appear like an avenging angel.
Of course the hallway was empty.
“Oh is - you masked friend here?”
I shook my head quickly. “No.” My voice wobbled and tears threatened to overwhelm me again. “No, we broke up to.”
“Oh Audrey.” Suddenly I was crushed to his chest. “I’m so sorry.”
Duncan’s arms felt warm around me, his expensive aftershave tickled my senses and the fact that someone was here for me brought a rush of tears to my eyes but it didn’t feel right to be held by another man.
“I’m ok.” Quickly untangling myself I motioned for him to come in. “Best come in. I’ll put the kettle on. I don’t have much else in.” I smiled sadly.
“No festive celebrations this year, I expected you to have the house decked out seeing as it’s Christmas Day tomorrow?” Jokingly he followed after me.
“Is it? I must have lost track of time.” I shrugged. “I don’t much feel like celebrating anyway.”
“He really did a number on you huh? I can’t say I’m surprised. He wasn’t right for you,” he paused, catching my look and held up his hands quickly. “Sorry that’s enough. I know you cared for him. Tell you what, I have a bottle of scotch in the car. How about I grab it and we have a Christmas Eve like we did last year. Do you remember?”
Yeah k remembered, we had drunk scotch and ate Indian food Christmas Eve. The three of us. And then just hung round all day Christmas Day , cooking and laughing together in our PJs as we cooked up more food than any of us could finish.
“No it’s fine. I don’t drink anymore.” I flicked in the kettle.
“Oh come on Audrey.” Duncan’s arm went around my shoulders. “It will be fun. Like old times. It’s even the -“
I danced away from him. “I can’t drink anymore.”
It took zero point two seconds for his eyes to widened. “You’re joking?”
I shook my head.
“Jesus.” He let out a ragged breath, tugging at his hair. “You best put that kettle on then. I think I’m going to need a strong brew before you tell me this story.” His eyes searched my face. “I mean are you sure? Are you sure you are pregnant?”
He didn’t seem to want to say the word.
“I’m sure.”
He took a deep breath and so did I.
“Tell me about it.” He demanded.
A flicker of unease filled my stomach. There and gone again in a heart beat. I had no reason to feel uncomfortable around Duncan.
He was one of my oldest friends.
“Not much to say.” I shrugged. Pushing a steaming cup of tea over to him and sliding into one of the stools. “He couldn’t handle the fact I was having his baby.”
“So you are keeping it?”
“Yes.” I said without hesitation. “Of course I am.”
“I see.”
“Tell me what happened between you and Bethan? Why did you guys break up?” I nursed the mug in my hands, savouring the burning heat but I was still cold.
I was always cold these days.
He looked away guilty.
“Tell me you didn’t cheat.” I groaned. “For the love of god Duncan. Tell me you didn’t cheat.”
His eyes lifted angrily. “Never. But there was someone else. Someone I’ve had feelings for for a long time. I think Bethan realised the truth and well,” he shrugged. “It wasn’t fair on her. So I ended it.”
I stared at him open mouthed. “You liked someone else? Who?”
“Loved someone else.” He said simply and his eyes clashed with mine.
The unease intensified.
“But she didn’t see me. It took me a while to realise why but I get it now.” He reached down and I held my breath.
“This is what I needed to be, isn't it Audrey?”
He slapped a mask on the island between us. My heart jumped into my throat. I could feel the throb of my pulse in my ears.
It wasn’t the same as Gabriel’s mask but it was similar.
“You need to be loved by a monster don’t you? That’s how a man gets you to love him back isn’t it?”
I wanted to move but I was frozen to the spot.
The hand holding the cup trembled and spilt hot tea down her my knuckles.
The stinging pain brought me back to my senses.
“That’s just daft Duncan. I didn’t love Gabriel because of the mask. I loved him because-“
He stood , towering over me. “You loved him because he was a monster and now you are carrying his child.” He spat.
His eyes narrowed into slits and then a crooked smile spread across his face.
“I can make you love me as well Audrey. I know I can. I can be him for you.” The smile spread. “What is that thing he used to say to you, the one that got you all wet and willing for him?”
Fuck. I looked around quickly. Looking for anything that could be used as a weapon. But there was nothing. And Gabriel wasn’t going to come.
Duncan reached for the mask , sliding it over his head.
“Oh yeah that was it. Run.”
Run, the word echoed around in my brain because there was nothing else there.
It didn’t fill me with a throbbing need like it did when Gabriel said it. It filled me with dread.
I slipped from the stool. Keeping the island between us.
“This is what you want isn’t it.” Slowly Duncan moved around the island. Folding his sleeves up over his forearms as he went. I back tracked the other way. My eyes darted to the back door. It was locked. But the key was still there.
Maybe if I was quick I could get through and disappear into the woods. It wasn’t ideal but I knew these woods and-
He lunged in that direction and I jumped back the other way.
“Don’t do this Duncan.” I begged around the pulse in my throat. “You don’t need to.”
His eyes narrowed. “Don’t I?”
Holding my hands out , I walked backwards. Keeping my hands before me. “Of course not.” I tried to keep my voice steady but it broke. This couldn’t be happening. I had known Duncan my entire adult life. “You are my best friend.”
It was the wrong thing to say. Roaring he launched my coffee cup at my head. It shattered against the wall behind me. Forcing me to duck as boiling hot liquid rained down at me.
And it hurt, but that kind of pain was good. It would keep me sharp.
“I don’t want to be your fucking friend Audrey. I never have. I kept waiting for you to notice me.” He stalked forward. But unlike Gabriel there was nothing graceful about it.
Duncan’s anger was making him shake.
“I thought when you walked in on me and Bethan , that you realised I was right here. I saw the jealousy in your face.”
“It wasn’t jealousy Duncan it was shock.” I said without thinking.
“Don’t say that.” Furious he shook his head. “You wanted me then. I saw it. You were dating Johnny to make me jealous. I get that.” He took another step forward. “But why did you have to fuck him.”
I started. “I didn’t fuck Johnny.”
“Not Johnny, Gabriel. That’s his name isn’t it. Gabriel fucking King. A monster , a killer who somehow gets to climb into your bed and touch you. Do you know the things he’s done?”
I remained silent. Really there wasn’t much to say. Duncan wasn’t talking to me, he was talking to himself. Working himself up.
“You know and you let him touch you anyway?”
“It’s not just fucking. Don’t say it like it is. He makes me feel-“
“Feel-?” Duncan roared. “What does he make you feel. I’ve watched you Audrey. It was pretty easy to hack the cameras he installed. I’ve seen what you let him do you to and the only thing you should feel is fear.”
“You watched me?” Out of the corner of my eye I glanced towards the door. If I could just get through it and into the snow then I could get to a car.
I might not know where Gabriel was but I could drive to the city, throw myself into the mercy of the Kings.
“Don’t even think about it?” Duncan lifted his hand and my car keys swung from his finger. “I grabbed them on the way in. You always did just throw your keys down Audrey.” He shook his head.
My back hit the fridge. There was no where else to go.
“Why were you watching me Duncan? Why not just tell me how you feel?” I tried to slide to the left and his arm lashed out. Blocking my way.
“Because you don’t listen Audrey. You have never listened but I can make you feel.” He grabbed at my hair and I was too slow to stop him.
Twisting it in his fist he smashed my face downward towards the edge of marble counter top.
“I can make you feel.”
There was a crack and then everything went black.