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Gabby
I walk into my apartment and fall onto the sofa, trying desperately not to cry. After a year of crying non-stop, I swore four years ago that I would never shed another tear over Daniel Sullivan. I will not let him break me again.
Did I really believe that he would pick me when he could have any woman he wanted? Was I still that love-sick child who thought he loved her more than anyone else? I’m a fucking idiot.
I’d been fast asleep when that woman barged into the room and demanded to know where he was. I took one look and recognised her as his date. She was furious that he had left her there and that I was in his bed. I’ve been through enough tonight; I didn’t need her shouting at me. I jumped from the bed, grabbed some sweatpants and a T-shirt from the chair in his room, pulled them on and left. I had no idea how I was going to get home. I had no money, no purse or phone, but then I found my clutch handbag by the front door and grabbed it before leaving. Luckily a taxi drove past as I reached the road, and I flagged it down.
I wanted to call Oli, but he would have gone berserk if he had seen me with this many bruises and cuts on my face. Plus, I figured he would be cross at me for being around Daniel, considering he hid that he was back. I know Oli is just being a protective big brother. He hated how I reacted to Daniel leaving. But I’m a big girl now; I can make a fool of myself on my own. Tonight is a prime example of that.
I hear my phone ringing, and I look into the clutch and pull it out. A number I don’t recognise flashes on the screen. I quickly end the call and throw my phone onto the other sofa. I can guess who it is and don’t want to hear from him. I don’t give a shit whether he has a reason why that woman was able to storm into his house, and I hadn’t even known where he lived.
I pick my phone up and turn it off. It’s not the first time that number has called since I left his place, and I can’t handle the hassle right now.
I stand up from the sofa, my whole body protesting from head to toe. Heading to the cabinet where I keep my drink, I pour myself a considerable measure of vodka and neck it. My throat burns as the liquid rushes down it, and I start coughing, which hurts my already aching throat and chest. My whole body hurts after tonight. I took more of a beating than I realised. I guess I had been so frightened and purely focused on surviving that I hadn’t registered half my injuries.
I walk into the bathroom and switch the light on before stepping in front of the mirror. The bruising on my face makes my heart stop. Both cheeks are bruised. One of my eyes is swollen and also bruised. My bottom lip is also split and swollen. I knew he’d hit me hard but hadn’t realised how bad I looked. The injuries didn’t register when Daniel had brushed my hair before. There is also a large cut down my cheek where the skin must have split. I pick up my refilled glass and neck what’s in it, using the burn from the liquid to distract me from the tears filling my bloodshot eyes.
I’m heading to my bedroom when I hear a loud banging from the front door. I jump, stopping in my tracks as my heart freezes for a second before pounding hard in my chest. Shit, is that Leo? Has he come looking for me? I’d been so distracted by Daniel’s girlfriend that I hadn’t even considered that Leo could come looking for me to finish what he started.
I quickly head into the bathroom and am about to close the door when I hear his voice.
“Gabriella, open this door right now!”
I step back out of the bathroom and frown at the front door. The son of a bitch knows where I live. Of course, he does; his bodyguard gave me a lift home yesterday. Why didn’t I think of that? Idiot!
“Gabriella, I know you’re in there. Open this door right now,” Daniel demands through the door. Fuck he sounds angry. Actually, so am I.
“Go away, Danny. I’m sure your girlfriend is still waiting for you.”
“That woman is not my girlfriend. She’s just a desperate gold-digger. She had no right to force her way into my house or approach you,” Daniel snaps from the other side of the door. “Open this door, princess. I want to speak to you face to face, not through a fucking door,” he says a little softer, but I shake my head.
“I don’t want to speak to you,” I snap as I walk away, wanting to put as much space between us as possible.
“Fuck this,” I hear him snap as I slam my bedroom door.
I walk over to my bed and plan on getting some rest. He can shout as much as he wants; I won’t be able to hear him from here. I jump with fright as the bedroom door flies open, and Daniel stands in the doorway, glaring at me.
“You were attacked this evening, and you didn’t even put the deadbolt on the door! Do you want to be murdered?” he snaps, pointing behind him. It takes me a moment to process that Daniel is standing in my room.
“How the fuck did you get in?” I demand, jumping to my feet.
“I let myself in,” Daniel answers, holding up a set of keys like he’s done nothing wrong.
“How did you get a key to my apartment?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Who do you think owns this apartment, princess?” he asks calmly, walking into my room and closing the door behind him, giving me no way of leaving. I stare at him as it clicks.
“Oliver didn’t buy this place with his inheritance, did he?”
Daniel shakes his head. “I told him to say that as I knew you would never accept me buying you an apartment, and I hated the idea of you living in a dump,” Daniel says as he takes another step into my room.
“Why do you care where I live?” I ask, frowning. Daniel runs his fingers through his hair as he looks at me.
“Because I care about every aspect of your life,” he answers, stepping closer to me.
“The bookstore?” I ask, having already guessed the answer.
“I own that too,” he admits leaning against the board at the bottom of my bed.
