Chapter 304: You Provoked Me (Part 2)
“Enough!” The man roared, jerking his leg to shake off her clinging arm.
“Jack…” Alison insisted. “Answer me, Jack. Tell me you’re Jack.”
Soft footsteps echoed in the stairwell.
Gabriel stubbed out his cigarette and turned to face Alison.
In the darkness, she couldn’t make out his features.
Dazed, she said, “Jack, argue with me. Okay?”
“Why?” he asked.
“Arguing can make our bond deepen. Please…” She tilted her face up and met Gabriel’s burning gaze, her heart pounding hard.
The footsteps in the stairwell had long since faded, yet Gabriel could sense the two men’s breaths.
He flicked the cigarette butt from his fingers, sending it flying into a blind spot.
Then, his large hand swung without hesitation.
A sharp slap echoed through the air.
A handprint appeared on her tear-streaked face, leaving her only pain.
“Jack, why did you hit me?” she whimpered. “We’re arguing, not fighting — yelling is fine, but not this…”
The man tightened his jaw.
“Listen, I’m not Jack. I hit you because you disturbed me. Get out, now!” He kicked her hard.
Thud! Alison crashed to the ground.
“You kicked me?” she gasped.
Gabriel turned and pressed a button. Instantly, the rooftop lights illuminated the scene.
In the dim light, the disheveled woman sat on the ground, her face flushed crimson from alcohol.
Tears rolled down her cheeks — a sight that stirred pity.
His Adam’s apple bobbed, but his expression remained icy.
“Miss Fairchild, you’ve come to the wrong place. I don’t care for women who throw themselves at me.”
Despite his words, he bent down, scooped her up, and strode toward the stairwell with fierce restraint.
He descended several flights.
At the turn of the staircase, two of Pierre’s men stood waiting.
They hadn’t expected Gabriel to descend so swiftly.
“Don’t get in my way!” he shouted.
The two henchmen froze, startled by the fury in his voice.
“This is my residence. What are you doing here?” Gabriel roared, showing them no mercy.
“We… we came to…” They choked on their words, flustered and unable to respond.
“To protect her? Fine. Then take her. I was about to throw her out anyway.”
His tone was laced with venom.
“Mr. Bruce must really care about this woman,” he added, shoving Alison toward the two men.
“Ah!” Alison screamed. The shove sobered her instantly.
“Gabriel, no! Don’t hand me over to them!” she pleaded, clinging to the railing.
“Get lost,” Gabriel snapped before turning his back and walking away, leaving her with Pierre’s henchmen.
“Who are you two?” Alison demanded, trying to steady her breath.
“We’re just passing through. We’ll be on our way. Miss Fairchild, please stay put.”
They pushed Alison toward Gabriel’s balcony, then raced down the stairs.
As they descended, they muttered under their breath.
“What kind of man tosses a woman like that aside?”
“Guess Pierre’s plan won’t be easy…”
The stairwell and rooftop fell silent once more.
Alison curled up on the rooftop floor, mostly sober but still dazed.
“Gabriel, I want to see you.”
“Go away. I don’t want to see you,” came a hoarse voice from the darkness — strained, as if he were barely holding something back.
“If you don’t join me, I’ll drink alone,” she muttered. She uncorked the bottle and drank straight from it.
One bottle emptied quickly, and she reached for the other.
Just as her fingers touched the cap, a large hand snatched it away.
A long arm swept before her eyes, and in a daze, she found herself cradled in his embrace.
The rooftop lights went dark. The stairwell door locked with a click.
Gabriel strode back inside, carrying her in his arms.
She nestled against him like a kitten and murmured, “Jack, hold me.”
That soft murmur seared his already burning body.
He lowered his head, his thin lips descending…
Amidst the fiery, tangled kisses, he carried her to the bed.
“Jack… Jack…” Her whispers pounded at his heart.
He remained silent, his kisses growing fiercer, wilder — as if he wanted to erase the distance between them entirely.
“Wine… I need more wine…” Her hands flailed weakly as she returned his kisses.
Finally, a hoarse voice broke through the heat.
“Alison,” he rasped, his breath trembling, “don’t regret it. You came to me first.”