Chapter 27

©S A F I E

CHAPTER 27

ELLE

I breathe in and out, my knees trembling from under me. I loosen my grip at the lamp but quickly tighten my hands around it as I realise that it will fall on the floor which will wake my son. I want to turn around to check Neola and Jacob but I cannot remove my eyes from Gabriel.

He adjusted the cloak he is wearing, unbuttoning his shirt. His eyes are trained on me and they held me in place. My eyes lower down to his neck, sweat glistening on the base where his shoulders appear. I suck in a deep breath as I see the spatter of hair peeking out from where he had left the buttons on. I return my gaze at Gabriel to see him a very cold smile plastered on his face. He blinks before he started walking closer, his stance in a defensive one. I felt like I am suffocating as he draws in, his hand covering mind as he takes the lamp off my hand and carefully lay it on the bed, all the while looking at me.

I couldn't think straight as I watch Gabriel take my other hand and held me closer, his face unreadable as he moves, "Elle," his breath fanned my face as he leans closer. My heart is hammering in my chest as he tucks a hair beneath my ear. I draw away from him, my legs are wobbly. I felt Neola's hand holding mine. I turn at her and take my son from her arms, kissing Jacob's cheek as he wakes.

"Gabriel, I can explain," I muttered, my voice breaking as I look down at Jacob who opens his eyes and smiled up at me, his cheeks bright red of the slight fever he is currently suffering with. I lean down to kiss Jacob again and gasp as I felt Gabriel's hand on my waist. I look up to see his eyes hard, "You're running away and you're taking Jacob away from me, am I right?"

I stared back at him, frowning at what he just said for I am unable to comprehend the words he is saying.

What? Me, running away?

I felt Gabriel's hand making it's way up to my spine and my shoulders, he held me in place as I look up at him. Jacob peered from my arms and let out a squeak, his cheeks red of excitement. Gabriel smiled at Jacob but his expression changes as he remembers something. He stared at me, saying, "I guess, Luke is waiting for you back in London and then what? You will find your happy ever after with him, the guy you love, who treats you better than I can. Jacob won't know about me and you'll never cry again the end." He whispered, his voice hard. He catches my confused gaze, but he only shakes his head, leaning close so that he can touch Jacob's forehead.

"What are you talking about? Gabriel—”

"I’d like to confess some of the things I have kept from you,” he whispered, still, nuzzling his nose on my forehead before he kissed it, “ I am so sorry for leaving so suddenly when we fought. I couldn't find the strength to go back knowing that you hated what I have done. It's like everything I'm doing is just making it all worse." He pulled my chin up and kissed me, swiftly, before pulling away. I felt cold of the loss of contact.

Gabriel shakes his head and brushes his hand on his hair, "I miss you which is why I'm following you around the city. You must have felt trapped of what I am doing which is why you ran away." He bowed his head, breathing out a sigh, "I hate ruining my chances."

"Nope. You did not ruin your chance." Gabriel looks up his eyes full of disbelief, as I lean my head on his shoulder, "I don’t feel trapped of what you have done, Gabriel, in fact, I felt safe knowing that you are around. I realize how I've acted so cold towards you. I've been greedy." I adjusted Jacob on my arm and let him rest his cheek on my chest, " I am not running away. Don’t accuse me of being in a relationship with Luke because I am not." I pointed out, trying to convince him about the truth of my and Luke's brotherly relationship.

He shrugged, "But you want him. You treat him as though he's your husband." He frankly stated, eyes blazing and I couldn't help but glare back at him. I pulled away from him breaking contact with his angry gaze. "It's the same with you and Victoria. I am jealous that she met you first, that you loved her first. I should've confessed to you first that I had a crush on you in high school ever since we got trapped in that cupboard." I blushed as soon as the words came out of my mouth.

I shouldn't have said that!

"The cupboard?"

"Yeah," I averted my eyes, ashamed of what I had just declared. "The broom cupboard?" I can hear the smile in his voice and as I look up at him, his grin got wider, " You're making fun of me, Gabriel!"

He chuckled and I hit his shoulder. Jacob looks at us, his brows furrowed making me kiss his forehead and he giggled, "I am not making fun of you."

I rolled my eyes at him, not believing that he has the audacity to laugh at me when I am being serious, "If I hadn’t come, maybe you were already married to Victoria. You like her more than I." I snap, looking at him, my eyes misty, "I should have married someone like Luke." Gabriel turns to me, glaring.

“But you don’t know his true identity.”

“Well, you are wrong about that.” Jacob let out a shriek and he began to cry, trashing in my arms. I shush him, whispering to his ear as I caressed his head and kiss his cheek. As soon as he calms down, I remove Jacob from my arms and transferred him to Neola. She gave me a look but I just brush her off, watching them as they went out of the room.

Gabriel paces back to the balcony and I followed him, shivering as I felt his gaze fall upon me. "You know that he's your brother?" He asked, his voice expectant. I lean back on the railing, still trying to wrap my head around the information that Luke was my brother.

I didn't know if it is true, but the feeling is there and the pictures. Even from the very first moment I met Luke at the accident, I know that we have a connection. His actions and his voice, even the way he smiles. Every time I look at him, I see another person whom I had known in the past. Maybe that's the reason why Luke feels familiar because he is a missing piece in my life. He is a breath from the past, my ghost.

But Gabe knowing about it makes me wonder- how did he know? Unless...

"It's you." He stared back at me, his eyes hooded," You planned all this. You made him leave."

"I didn't make him leave. He left. He told me that he needed to find himself. He wanted to make things clear for himself before goes back to you."

"But what you have done, ruined us. We had developed a bond, I thought Luke's never going to leave me, yet here we go again. You’ve gone behind my back, thinking that you'll be able to give the solution to a problem but all you end up doing is to make it worse." I look at him as he let out a groan, gritting his teeth "That's not the point here, Elle."

"Then tell me what is it that you want!" I am surprised as I hear my voice rising. Breathing in and out, I tried to control my temper by drawing some distance away from him, “Are you punishing me because of my greed of taking Jacob away from you?” I stared at him, trying to figure him out. He shakes his head, his brows furrowed.

" No Elle, I am not punishing you. I just thought that telling Luke about both of your connection will help. I am sorry if I had to keep it to myself before telling you. I had to be sure at least." I was surprised when he pulled me in, tightly wrapping his arms around me. "This is all in the past, Elle. Let it all go."

"I am. I am letting it all go," I rested my head on his chest, glad that we are in each other's arms. We stayed like that for a while, gazing at the clouds as they chased each other. I can hear kids in the distance as they scream and sirens blaring. The city sounds so loud in the morning and the night. I longed for the serenity that the mansion provides for it was near the sea and away from the city.

I wonder if Gabriel felt the same as me or he finds the blaring sirens, comforting for being familiar to his ears.

He nuzzled his nose in my hair and gave me a kiss in the forehead. I look up at him and he sucked in a breath, "Give me the chance now, Elle. For real, this time. I will marry you again, if you will allow me. I will be your husband and a father to Jacob. My only request is to be with you and my son. Elle, we are my family now, we can only do this if you will allow me," I bit my lip and gasp as he kisses my lips, leaving me breathless. " Please, I can't live without you or Jacob. Even if I tried, these last few months are torture for me. Don't leave me again, don't take my happiness away from me." I pulled away and slowly walk back inside the bedroom, feeling like I was doused with cold water because of all the emotions I was presented. I was about to sit on the bed when I felt his hand on my waist, surprise when he pulled me down, sitting me on his lap, his hands supporting my back as we face each other.

"Elle, the things I did about Luke..." he reach for my hands and nuzzled his cheeks against them. "I did not do it to trick you or Luke, I just helped you two to figure it out."

"You still work behind my back again which is why it hurts me. You should've told me about your investigations. I do not want how you deal about things without my knowledge."

"I know. I acted in impulse and I did it tit because I'm scared to lose you and Jacob. I can't resort to a much better plan because I felt like I am losing more time with Luke around. Think about it: If you hadn't known that he is your brother, shouldn’t that be more complicated if you would ever wish to marry him because he's better than me?" His voice wavered as he leaned in.

"You are right. Given more time, I might have chosen to be with him but Gabe, he is not you. Even if he is better, much better, you are the father of my son. You are the one that I love. " I stated, staring at his eyes, "I am ready to give you a chance but knowing that you can do this? How can I trust you when you don't trust me enough to tell me about plans like this?" I look at him as he sighed. He pulled me back, kissing me but I turn my head to the side making his lips land to my neck rather than my lips.

"Don't you dare kiss me as a distraction, Gabriel. A kiss won't simply make it up,” I caress his cheek as I try to ease his tense muscles. “Let’s just stay like this for a while, a cool off. Just a week or two, but I will move in with you." I caress his cheek and kissed it, "Give ourselves some time so we can adjust, until nothing is holding us back. We can’t be together in just a snap of a finger, Gabriel, for I fear that something much worse will happen if we had agreed to head on without reassurance of our feelings. We have to take it slow. ” I smiled at him but he let out a sigh, looking forlorn.

"Why look so hopeless, Gabriel? We are just a step away from marriage now. All I am asking from you is two weeks so that I can get used to the idea of having you in my life again."

"But what if during those two weeks we will fight and you'll change your mind and I will lose the opportunity of having you?" I take his face with my hands and said, "Gabe, listen to me. We have to take it slow. We need to figure ourselves out during those two weeks. You don't have to worry about me leaving you. A fight might arise between us but we are used to it in the past, though we have to tell each other the cause of why we get upset. We have to have trust and faith in each other, so please, accept my conditions." He clenched his jaw, hesitating. I can almost see his brain working through my words and trying to perceive any malicious acts, he stopped and slowly he nodded.

I smiled and kiss his cheek. “I agree,” He says before continuing, “But if you want, we can just stay at the penthouse if you are not comfortable of the mansion. I know that there are so many memories that make you cry, and I don't want you to be lonely because of that. home with me. I can now sleep peacefully knowing that you and Jacob are there,” he pulled me close and hug me tight, “I like the idea of us being together.”

“Alright then, the penthouse it is,” I hug him tighter. “But you have to make sure we are safe. Away from Cherry, or Victoria. Those two are a threat, Gabriel."

"I know. I am doubtful of Victoria but Cherry is another topic. I can't believe her audacity to ruin us knowing that I have doubts about the parentage of our baby. She took advantage of our vulnerable state. I will wring her head if I ever get the chance," Gabriel gritted his teeth as he clenched his fist. I almost had the urge to laugh but my own irritation overwhelmed me. I have yet to wish for a chance to have a one on one with that girl, I wouldn't hesitate to slap her face once I see her.

"I understand you, Gabriel. She is the reason why we ended up in this huge mess. If that Cherry did not tell you that the child is gone, you won't have to go away and I won't suffer." He kissed the top of my head and pulled me closer, "If all of these did not happen, we would've been so happy. I can't help but think about the future we had lost."

"It is not lost, Gabriel. We will simply try to rebuild it from the ruins and hope that we are going to be alright. You have me and Jacob now, all we have to do is to marry and tada! We are together again, as long as you don't go behind my back and do some of your childish antics. I did not marry a spy or a stalker...I married a billionaire for fuck's sake!"

His eyes widen and I couldn't help but laugh at his expression, " Language, Miss Greene. I believe that your mother will be disappointed to hear her daughter talk like a sailor."

"Shut up, West."

"No, you shut up, Greene!" I squared up my shoulders and tackled him on his back, making the both of us topple back on the bed. He tickled my waist and I shrieked, trying to find his groin and kick him in the balls for that. I can feel a bruise forming in my waist as he continued to attack me with his fingers, my chest heaving because of laughing so much. After a while, Gabriel and I stopped and we stayed like that, looking at each other.

He began pulling me in, his face gentle. Once I am near enough, he caressed my cheek and smiled gingerly, "I missed looking at you like this. Your face never fails to make my heart go crazy." I snorted, "Elle, it's true."

I raised an eyebrow at his words, "I have never known that you have it in you to be as cheesy as mozzarella. Your words are melting my ears," He smirked and pulled me closer, sniffing the top of my head.

The sharp tone of his phone ringing pierced the comfortable silence that had settled between the two us. Gabriel raised from the bed, straightening in a sitting position as he frowns taking the phone from his pocket, “Yes, Joe?”

Silence passed. I tried to listen to his phone call and catch snippets: 'It is true, what Ryan had said.' Gabriel looks at me, his expression clouded, 'They are the same, she’s here. You won't believe it but she is talking about her revenge. Please take care, Gabriel and don't go here. Okay? Stay with your family, Victoria is-'

Gabe was silent as he abruptly ended the call. He stared at me, kiss my forehead and he went out of the room, leaving me confused and wondering what shall transpire.

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