**GABRIEL**
“Don’t do this to me, please, miss,” I begged. My chest was growing tight. “You know I won’t do that. You were with me that whole night, and even if I knew the risk, I brought you home because I can’t do that to you… Ah!” This time, a sharp strike from the left side hit me. I bellowed in excruciating pain.
I dropped to my knees, screamed, pleaded, and used all the strength I had left in my body. I looked up at my assaulter’s glacial expression. Audrey remained standing still.
Two days ago, Samuel asked me to take his sister, Audrey. I was going to New York, where I would start a new life. Audrey Hopkins was the youngest daughter of the vineyard owner where my father and I worked. She was sixteen. I was three years older than her. I guessed she never noticed me even once, but I always saw her. Every day, I watched her from afar, admiring her beauty and her sweet face and listening to her sweet voice. And I thought I was the luckiest man in the world when she suddenly spoke to me. The whole night when she opened up to me, we laughed, she cried and talked about the thing she couldn’t tell anyone—like her father set her up to marry some rich old man when she turned eighteen. The same night she trusted a farm boy and asked me to take her away.
I was foolish enough to have listened to her brother’s request to bring her downtown to the nearest train station. I took her to the hotel Samuel had arranged for us so that she could rest the day before we left. Audrey was naïve and innocent. And when we got close in those sweet, short moments, she was ready and willing to give herself to me, but I cared for her all this time that I brought her back before it was too late. I was wrong in agreeing to take her with me to New York, but never once in my life would I steal something from her family.
His half-brother, Anton, probably knew Audrey ran away, and she was with me, so she plotted this to punish me. No, I was sure it was him when I saw him speaking to my father the other day, which he never had. It was always Samuel, their eldest brother, and my friend, who was always in the field watching the workers. The lord of the estate, Edward Hopkins, believed his favorite son, Anton, of course, but what’s more dramatic than taking away her precious daughter?
Anton pulled me with his fist clenched in my hair and gave me another blow in my stomach. I couldn’t feel my body, limbs, or knees anymore.
“How dare you take away my daughter after your filthy family stole from us! This is why I thought people like you were worthless!” Edward cursed.
I wouldn’t mind if he called me a thief, but I could never take it if he called my family worthless.
“Audrey, tell him… Tell your father the truth.”
“What truth, you bastard?” Anton kicked my face not once nor twice. “You kidnapped her! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”
I felt cold, my muscles igniting, and my spirit breaking. “No, Audrey. Say something….” I croaked, but I could barely hear my voice. I couldn’t see anything now with my fuzzy vision. It was funny that I could no longer feel anything.
How could she do this to me? I knew she was standing in front of me, doing nothing. She let her family treat me like an animal. Maybe I was wrong. Perhaps she wasn’t the person I thought she was. She was just like them. She killed my soul.
Before I lost my sanity, I saw her walking away.
“Audrey!” I bellowed with my last breath.
“AUDREY!”
“No!” I screamed, finally standing up, but all I saw was my bed, drenched with my sweat. My breath was hitched; my chest was pounding. I ran my fingers harshly on my scalp.
What the fuck was that?
I couldn’t remember the last time I dreamt of that until…
I stepped out of my bed, drew out some calming pills from my drawer, and tossed it into my mouth with a gulp of water. Then, I went to the bathroom and turned the shower on, letting the water fall on my head, not bothering me if my clothes got wet. I exhaled a sigh as relief finally rushed through me. But I kept asking myself this.
Why did she have to appear in front of me? Wasn’t it enough that she fucking ruined my life?
She had every chance to tell them my intentions. I didn’t want her to waste her life, so I returned her. She was already beneath me, writhing in pleasure with every stroke of my fingers, every press of my mouth onto her mouth, her skin… but I stopped because I thought it was wrong. I have wanted her ever since. I watched her turn into a lady, and I couldn’t hurt her in one night of mistake.
I pulled out a towel, took off my wet clothes, got dressed, and then walked back to bed. I grabbed my phone from the side table and found that it was only two in the morning. I clenched my fist in frustration, anger, and insanity all at the same time.
I needed a diversion.
I scrolled through my contacts and rang Megan’s number. I had met her two times. First was when Robert introduced her to me as a daughter of a French banking magnate, Alfred Faucheux. She was always at my beck and call whenever I needed her company and a senseless fuck. She always answered on the first ring.
“Gabriel?” her voice was slightly stunned and raspy. “What’s the matter?”
“Megs, yes, it’s me. I’m sorry, but can I come over?” I pressed the points of my temples with my two fingers.
I heard a swift movement on the other line. “Of course, Gabe. You don’t need to ask, you know. You’re always welcome to come here at any time of the day.” She chuckled.
“Alright. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Sure. I’ll just phone the lobby.”
“Thanks.” I hung up.
However, I wanted to despise Audrey and how much this dream ruined my evening. Images of her kept clouding my brain. Ever since I saw her in the interview room, I hadn’t gotten proper sleep. I could still remember how fucking exquisite she was and how angelic her face was. She was sexy as fuck, like a ripe fruit ready to be eaten. There were times I pictured her blonde hair spread on my pillow or her pussy sitting on my face all night. I would suck the nipples of her round breasts, and I would have her beg me not to stop. Thoughts like this have always left my cock in need.
Groaning, I cursed under my breath.
Damn. This fucking madness had to stop.