Reprisal (23 page)

Leslie opens her door and there stands the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid my tired eyes on.

The man that rescued me and saved my life. Well, one of the men anyway. I need to check in on Franco soon and thank him. And smack him for getting involved with that asshole that almost killed me.

“Hey Leslie. How is she?” I hear him ask.

“I’m right here, Gabe, and I can hear you.” I smile as I walk towards the door.

“Babe, you look beautiful.” He says as he kisses my cheek. No one has ever called me ‘babe’ before him, and I’m finding I like it. “Did you sleep well?”

I nod, “Yes. For the first time in...years, I think.”

“No nightmares?”

“No, thank goodness.”

“These are for you.” He says as he hands me the vase of flowers.

“Thank you, they’re beautiful.”

“Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman.”

I find myself blushing, which I do easily anyway. But I take the vase and place it on the table as Leslie locks the door back.

“Everything quiet last night?” Gabe asks Leslie.

She cuts her eyes to me, but nods to Gabe.

“What’s going on?” I ask Leslie, but she just walks away towards the kitchen.

“Les?” I ask as I follow her.

“Nothing’s going on Sydney, he was just concerned.”

I know Leslie, and I know she’s keeping something from me. But I let it go, for now.

“You ready to go home?” Gabe asks.

“Yes, I am. Leslie, thank you so much for picking me up at the airport and letting me crash here last night. I’m sorry I’ve been such an inconvenience.”

“Shut up,
Syd. You are never an inconvenience. You’re my friend and I love you, but don’t you ever try to keep shit like this from me again. I know where you live.”

I laugh and it feels good,
cause I haven’t laughed in forever. Laughter is the spice of life, without it you’ll go mad. I know now, that I’m going to be fine. It might take while, but I’ll be stronger than I ever was. I feel freer than I’ve felt in years, almost like my psyche knew my nightmare wasn’t over yet. But now I feel closure, though I know I have a long way to go. You don’t just kill two people and get over that right away, but with my friends and my man beside me, I know I can conquer anything.

My man? I’m not sure where that came from, but he’s seen me go through Hell and knows the prior Hell I’ve gone through, and he’s still here. That says something. What, at this point, I can be sure. But time heals all wounds, they say.

“Let’s go babe.” Gabe whispers as he takes my hand in his.

I give Leslie a hug and she hugs Gabe back, whispering in his ear. I wonder what she said, but I don’t ask. They obviously have some sort of secret going on and I’ll get it out of one of them eventually, but now is not the time. Right now I want to go home.

The fifteen minute cab ride takes thirty minutes, but we finally get back to my place. Gabe sits on my sofa and pulls me down in to his lap, his fingers brushing my cheek. I close my eyes and press my face harder in to his hand, absorbing the comfort of his warmth.

“Where are your bandages?”

“I took them off. Bleeding has stopped and the tape was pulling on my skin.” He answers.

“Can I see?” I ask, tugging the hem of his shirt up.

“Are you sure? It’s not pretty.”

I nod and pull his shirt over his head, watching him grimace at the pain that still lingers.

I examine the wound, lightly brushing the puckered skin around it.

“I’m sorry.” I say quietly.

“Sorry for what? Sydney, you didn’t cause any of this. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“If I had just stayed with you at your house, none of this.......”

“SHHHH, stop it. What’s done is done, now we work on getting past it. It’s over and no one will ever bother you again, that I can promise you.”

“I’ve said this before Gabe, don’t make promises you can’t keep. We both know the world is unpredictable and no one knows the future.”

“Well then, I promise you this. I promise to do whatever I need to do to make sure you’re protected. I’ll never let anyone hurt you, not again.”

I smile at him and he smiles back.

“How did we get here?” I ask.

“Where?”

“Me, sitting on your lap in my apartment. We just met recently, but I........” Stop it Sydney, it’s too soon to start pouring you feelings out. I’m still an emotional wreck, but I need to feel him.

“But what,
Syd. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

I shake my head, “Never mind. It isn’t important.”

“Bullshit, everything about you is important.”

“When I was in that basement, Stephan......forced me to do things I didn’t want to do. I felt so ugly and dirty, so weak. I never want to feel that way again.”

“I know baby, and you never will.”

“Make love to me.”

I can’t believe I just said that, but it’s out there.

“What?”

“You heard me, Gabe. I need you to bring
me
back to life. I know it’s soon, and the wounds are still fresh. But I need to feel beautiful again. Take away the ugliness and bring back the beauty, Gabe. Please, I need that to feel whole again.”

He stares at me for a moment while my fingers trace his hard stomach, my eyes glued to his wound. He reaches up and presses his fingers against my chin, turning my face towards his.

“Are you sure, Sydney? I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You’ll only hurt me if you say no. I need to feel your body on me, I need to feel you inside me. I need to feel alive again, and only you can do that to me. Please, Gabe. Bring me back to life.”

He brushes his lips over mine in a tender kiss, his tongue swiping the seam of my lips. I immediately feel my body relax as I part my lips and take him in. The kiss is soft, sweet. But as our mouths are fused together, our breathing picks up and the kiss becomes frantic. My hands are pressed against his chest and I feel him hardening under me. I grind myself on him, but before I know it he’s picking me up and flipping us, so that I’m on my back and he’s hovering over me.

Our lips stay locked and he puts his weight on me and my body begins to throb. I ache for him and I need him inside me. “Now Gabe, please.” I beg.

He lifts my tee shirt over my head and his eyes go to my breasts, before his large hand cups my flesh. His thumb brushes over my hardening nipple and that throbbing heads between my legs. I reach down and unbutton his belt and his jeans, shoving them down his hips, exposing his erection.

He stands up and pulls his jeans all the way off, so that he is completely naked and staring down at me with heated eyes. I move to remove my pants and he shakes his head. “That’s my job.” And he tucks his thumbs under the elastic and slowly pulls my pants over my hips and legs, tossing them to the floor.

We’re both naked now, and suddenly I feel vulnerable lying under him. “Are you sure, Sydney?”

I nod, because I need this. I need to feel loved and wanted, after feeling so hated for so long.

“Yes, please.”

He gets on his knees and draws a finger through my folds before sinking his middle finger inside me. My back arches and I suck him in further, my juices spilling on to his fingers. His thumb presses against my clit and I feel my eyes roll back in my head. “Look at me Sydney.”

And I open my eyes, focusing on Gabe's face. “At any point this is too much, you stop me baby.”

I nod, but all I want is to feel him inside me. He positions his body and I feel him at my entrance. He pushes slowly inside and I feel my body come alive. I place my hands on his shoulders and keep my eyes on his, so that he can see that I need this. I need him to make love to me. And he knows, I can see it in his eyes as he sinks deeper and deeper in to me.

His body drops and his weight is on me. I trace my fingers down his back and cup his ass as I pull my knees up and back, his cock sinking even deeper inside. He pulls back and strokes back in, over and over until we’re both sweating and panting. His cock hits that sweet spot inside and I feel my body tensing. Gabe must feel it too cause he looks down at me searching for confirmation that I’m all right.

But before I can nod at him, my sex clenches and I explode as I say his name, “Gabe!” He picks up his speed and his thrusts get harder and harder, his lips finding mine and he breathes my name as he comes.

“Did I hurt you?” He asks against my ear, his hot breath sending tingles down my spine.

“No Gabe, you loved me.”

He pulls back and looks at me with surprise, and I realize I’ve stepped over the line. I need to work on not getting overcome with emotion.

“You’re right Sydney, I do love you.” He whispers has his hand gently cups my cheek and he kisses me before I can respond.

“You love me?” I ask.

“More than you’ll ever know. I know it’s soon, I know it’s probably too much right now, but I wanted you to know.”

I smile against his mouth, “I already knew.”

“How?”

I chuckle as he sits up, his body separating from mine.

“You came for me, Gabe.
I knew when you came barging into that grimy motel room, I knew then you love me.”

He smiles before he says, “I knew it long before that Sydney. Long before that.”

His eyes stay on mine as he waits. I know what he’s waiting for, and while saying those words scare the shit out of me, I know it needs to be said.

“I love you, Gabe. Thank you for saving me and for loving me.”

He smiles as his lips press against mine, harder and deeper than before. He rolls us over and cradles me in his arms, his fingers tangling in my hair. But we don’t speak, not for a while. We just lay there in each other’s arms.

Then a thickness invades the air, but neither of us speaks. Reality has come back and discussions need to be had, but right now it’s just us.

“We’ll take this slow, Sydney. You have a long road ahead of you. CPD still needs your statement, since you split before they could speak to you. And you need to go visit your family, to make peace with them.”

“And I have a tattoo to get removed.” I say brushing the ugly serpent behind my ear.

“What about the one on your hip?” Gabe asks me.

“I’ll keep that one, it symbolizes my survival. But this ugly snake has to go.” I chuckle.

“I can take you to Chicago, when you’re ready.” He whispers.

“I know. We’ll go soon, but not right now. Right now, I just want to lay here with you and not think about the past. Our future is ahead of us, and that’s all I want to focus on right now.

You and me. Not Franco, not Stephan and certainly not my father. Right now, in this room there’s you and me. No one will ever come between us, not again Gabe.”

He kisses me on the top of my head.

“No, never again.”

The End

Other works by Christa Lynn

Running from Destiny - Book 1 of the Destined Series

Accepting Destiny - Book 2 of the Destined Series

Please visit me on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christa-Lynn-Author/186996248141318

Or Follow me on Twitter @ authorclynn

Continue reading for a glance at Running from Destiny.

Chapter 1

“C’mon, you’re going with me.” Heather told me as she packed for her trip to Miami.

“No, Heather, I’m not. I have to work. I can’t just take time off on a whim like you can. I have bills to pay and a job I need to keep.” I replied with a bit of sarcasm in my voice.

I am Ally Sanders, and I have no life.

Well, not an interesting life anyway. I’m overweight, single and broke. I’ve got a decent job as an Administrative Assistant to the CFO of Robertson Industries, but it barely pays my bills.

And that’s just the way I like it.

“C’mon Al, live a little!” Her eyes bored into me.

“Heather, you are a model slash fashion guru heading into one of the most important times in your career. You’ll be there primping and scooting along that runway having the time of your life. What exactly am I supposed to do while you’re off being beautiful and living your dream?

I don’t belong in that world, and you know it.” I sighed.

“Stupid, that’s what you are, Ally. You’re a gorgeous woman, and I’m totally surprised that a plus sized modeling agency hasn’t gobbled you up.” She glared at me while she said that, I just chuckled under my breath.

“Yeah, okay. Whatever you say Miss Optimistic.” I said back to her. “I’m not exactly plus size, either H. At least I don’t think I am. Am I?”

“See, that’s your problem Missy Miss, no self-esteem what-so-ever. Your glass is always half empty instead of half full. You need to get off your ass, have some fun, forget that bastard Ryan, and move on. He was an idiot and wouldn’t know the first thing on how to treat a lady. You’re better off without that douche bag.”

Heather Langley is always so uppity. She’s also anxious, exciting and lives life without regrets. I envy her, because I’m the exact opposite. Maybe that’s why we’re such good friends.

She has no problems calling me to the carpet.

She’s tall and thin, probably five foot six and built like a brick shit house, whatever that
means. Tan, sleek and a natural blonde. I know, because she could care less who sees her naked.

I, on the other hand, am five foot three and a size fourteen with big boobs and a matching big butt. No figure whatsoever. Heather is an hourglass. I’m just a glass, a plain ole water glass.

But I am happy with who I am. Most of the time anyway, or at least I thought I was. The only thing I’ve got going for me are my eyes, a light blue with golden flecks scattered about.

I’ve got shoulder length straight brown hair which is all one length and quite plain compared to her long blonde locks that settle at the small of her back. Damn, we really are the polar opposite of each other. But we have been friends since high school, when Michael Jameson purposely slammed into me in the math hall, just so I’d drop my books and look like an idiot.

She came to my rescue, cussing at the stupid jock that thought he owned the school. The whole football team thought they were God’s gift to women when, in fact, they were all assholes.

But, the majority of the cheerleading squad swooned and giggled whenever they were around.

Heather helped me pick up my books and papers that had spread over the entire hall way.

She then proceeded to ask me to join her and the other cheerleaders at their table at lunch. I was flattered, but in way over my head. I thanked her for her help and then politely declined lunch knowing how awkward that would have been. But she insisted and defended me to all the other giggly, whiny cheerleaders. It turned out to be the best day of my life, so far anyway.

We ended up at the University of Georgia together and our friendship continued to bloom through exams, bad boyfriends and crappy one night stands. We were both there for each other when we needed it the most, which was often.

“C’mon girl, you have never taken a vacation. Your boss is a gem, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind you taking a long weekend to hit the
baddest city in the world. Take a chance, Al. Live a little would ya?” Heather begged.

I glared at her with steely eyes. I’m good at that. She flinched, but smiled when I finally agreed. “Fine, what should I pack?” I responded on a huff.

“Well, for starters, you will pack nothing that is in your closet. You wear frumpy suits and long skirts that cover all of your assets.” She said while peering at my ass. “So, we’re going shopping.”

“No
no, H, I can’t afford to go shopping. I am already struggling to pay my credit card bill off from that damn washing machine I had to buy last month when it flooded the laundry room.”

I was determined to win this argument, even though the look on Heather’s face said otherwise.

“Fuck that, come on.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door.

The next thing I know we’re at the Mall of Georgia. I called my boss and told him I was taking some much needed R&R and would see him on Monday. Surprisingly enough, he was all for it. “Enjoy, Ally. You deserve it. Have fun, be safe and I’ll see you on Monday.”

Being an administrative assistant, my boss was on speed dial so he could be reached at any given moment. Which was great, but I too was on his speed dial, meaning he could call me at any given time, at any given hour. I didn’t mind it usually. As I said before, I have no life. I had no idea how my life was about to change.

We shopped until we dropped.
Dillards, Nordstrom and every little boutique store in between. I may be short and round, but Heather has this fashion sense about her that had me wrapped me in clothing I would have never bought for myself. I have to admit, I looked and felt good. I guess her Fashion Design degree is paying off for her.

Skinny jeans, cute ruffled tops, shorts and the most amazing cocktail dress. “What do I need this for, Heather? I’ll be in the hotel the whole time you are out strutting your stuff.”

“Oh hell no you won’t, you’re going to be sitting at the bar with me, in that HOT little number and those black strappy sandals that you have right there.” She pointed at the Nordstrom bag in my hand, “And you’re going to have a good time. Maybe even get laid.” She gleamed, so sure of herself.

“Ha!! Laid? Are you kidding me?” I exclaimed. “I am not getting laid, no way, no how.

End of story.” I glared back at her.

“
Hmph, we’ll see about that.” She smiled coyly back at me.

After a quick bite to eat in the food court, we headed home. My apartment is across the
street from the mall, but since traffic is so heavy in the evenings, we drove her little Prius and it still takes us 15 minutes. We could have walked in that time.