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“Gabriel.” His name came out in a whispered plea. My body trembled, and my breathing stalled. He knew. Somehow, he’d found out what I’d done. I wasn’t ready yet. I needed more time with him. “I can explain.”
His face fell at my words, his body caving in on itself. He lifted a nearly empty ouzo bottle to his mouth, his fingers white from holding on so tightly. “I can’t believe I fell for your shit.”
His voice dripped venom, and I shattered into a thousand pieces at the disgusted expression on his face.
This is it.
Daisy jumped off the bed, nudging Gabriel, who, for the first time since she came to live with us, ignored her.
I gathered the sheet close, sliding out of bed with it held against me. “Please. It’s not what it looks like. I had no choice.”
“No need for you to explain how you played me for a fool this whole time. I guess he must have whipped you into submission after all.”
Tears made my vision blurry, and my hands shook. His words stung, but I knew they were spoken in anger. “I love you. I didn’t want to betray you.”
“You can drop the act. And tell Aleksándrwe’re coming for him.”
I took a step forward, but Gabriel shot up, holding a hand out as if to ward me off. Daisy let out a confused yip.
My heart hammered in my chest, the pain at his dismissal tearing me in half.
“Get dressed and pack your stuff. Whatever you can’t pack now, I can send you later.” He stood up, his body ramrod straight. “Stay away from my family. If I hear you talked to anyone, I won’t be as lenient as I am now.”
He walked out without another word or glance at me.
I dropped the sheet with a choked sob. I was numb, barely feeling the cold floor under my feet or the tug of the shirt I’d picked up from the ground when my hair wrapped around one of the buttons, pulling out a chunk. I grabbed a random pair of pants, not concerned with what they looked like or if they were even mine.
Daisy followed me around the room, her cold nose nudging my hand.
I pulled out my bag, throwing whatever was closest inside. I knew this day was coming. Had tried to get ready for it. But nothing could have prepared me for the reality of losing Gabriel. I felt irrevocably broken, shattered into a million pieces.
Gabriel had become the most important person to me in the short time we’d spent together. Not only had I lost the only person who ever gave a shit about me, but I’d also lost everyone else.
I could do nothing to prevent the agonized wail that escaped me when I realized I was once again on my own. I crumpled to the floor in the closet, the sobs ripping out of me. What had I done? Why hadn’t I refused to spy on my husband?
Daisy whimpered and ran around the closet, bringing me her toys, nudging them closer when I didn’t take them.
I didn’t know how long I spent on the floor, wishing I would die so the pain would stop. But eventually my tears slowed down, the only noise making it past my lips were choked whimpers.
A hand on my back made me freeze. If Gabriel had come back before I’d left, there’d be no telling what he would do.
“Vanna? Oh my God, what happened?” Cleo’s concerned face appeared in my vision. “Did you hurt yourself? Should I call an ambulance?”
Taking a shuddering inhale, I forced the tears back and sat up. “I’m fine.” Getting back to my feet, I gave her a tired smile. “Sorry to worry you. Everything’s okay now. I was just having a moment.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’ve always been a shitty liar.” She pointedly stared at the dresses I was dropping on top of the mountain of fabric already in the overflowing suitcase. “And why are you packing?”
“I did something unforgivable. And Gabriel found out. He’s asked me to leave.” And if Cleo knew what I’d done, she’d kick me out herself.
Her arms dropped to her side, and she shook her head. “No way. He’d never do that. Whatever happened, I’m sure you can work it out. He loves you.”
A half sob, half laugh escaped me, and I turned away from her confused gaze. “There’s nothing I can do to make this right.”
But that’s not right.Because there might be something I could do to at least make up for my betrayal. I knew Gabriel would never forgive me, but I wanted to make this right. I had to try, at least.
And the only way to do that was to go back to the one place I swore I’d never return to.
But I didn’t care what Aleksándr would do to me once he found out about my failure. I had nothing left for him to take except my life. And he wouldn’t kill me unless he could benefit from it somehow.
