Chapter 18

Heather

After I got home, well fled home I sighed in relieve. I can't believe I had such courage to let him kiss me and touch me. The bounding was also something new but the part about him being in control scared me. I know he'd never ever hurt me but there was still a 'what if' factor in my mind.

I need to talk to him, just talk and get to know him. There was a knock on my door, I took a few deep breaths. Maybe Gabriele wanted to talk to me too. I opened up my door to see Nichola standing there, her always perfect makeup running down her face. Why was she here, but the better question is what was so bad that she came to me?

"Heather, I'm sorry...I" She broke down into sobs, I was in shock for a few seconds that she uttered the word 'sorry' but I let her in.

"Nichola, what's wrong?" I asked softly, I actually still didn't want to talk to her but I was her older sister and I'm not going to be as bitchy as she was towards me.

She let out another sob.

"Tristen asked me if I was pregnant at the wedding. Alex told him it's the truth and that...that it is the only reason why he is marrying me. Mom and dad are so mad at me and Tristen said that I deserved it. Heather, Alex left me and told me he wanted a divorce...we've hardly been married a month. I thought he loved me, he doesn't and he left me..." She sobbed all I could do was sympathetically pat her back and hand her the box of tissues as she continued. Once she's done crying I could talk sense into her, just like I do with the kids I look after.

There was a knock on the door, I groaned and stood up to open it. What now?

Gabriele stood there at my door, my eyes widened and I felt the heat move to my cheeks.

"Gabriele?" I swallowed hard when I saw his face, it was set in stone. A look Luca and he shared, the look of perseverance. I had no idea why he was here. Maybe he wanted to demand an explanation as to why as soon as our session was done I fled because of his certain problem. My simple answer would be because I didn't know what to feel. Things were moving fast and we weren't going to slow down. We could crash and just burn and I had everything to lose.

"Heather, will you be mine?" I think I felt my heart stop. Woah-his? As in his woman? I opened the door wider to show him that this wasn't the best time, with a scheming bitch of a sister behind me this was also going to spread like wildfire. Let's hope she didn't hear that.

"Uhm, can I call you later?" I asked awkwardly. He looked at me and nodded. Before I could say goodbye he wrapped me in his arms and placed a kiss on my forehead so gently. My heart was beating rapidly from all the things going on but as soon as he touched me, I calmed down.

"I'll be back later and good luck." He left and I watched as his tall figure fade into the dark.

I turned around and Nichola didn't even notice I stood up she just kept staring at her phone, her sobbing stopped so it was my turn to actually talk to her.

"What did Alex say to you...exactly?" I asked with a frown.

"He...said it's over and that he didn't want the baby." Those words made me angry as hell, yes I used to love him but she's my little sister and the baby is my niece or nephew to be.

"What? Maybe it's better to get a divorce. You can't stay with someone like that." I commented as I put the kettle on. She looked at me in shock. I wasn't going to lay it on thick, it's time she hears what she should've from the start.

"He didn't want that baby, he isn't going to do what he should by you. He isn't staying. You're lucky he married you because of the baby...if it is his. He left you which means that he stopped caring about you enough to stay. I don't think he loved you but you just had to go and pressure him into a marriage and a baby...you've got a screw loose. He wouldn't have left you with a baby if he had no reason to and loved you."

"But...he said he loved me, he chose me and we got married –he's coming back for me it's just a stupid argument." She sobbed and I shook my head. If she was so sure she wouldn't be sitting here right now.

"I don't think so, as for the rest I think Tristen was right. Mom and Dad have good reason to freak out-you're pregnant and got married because of it before telling them. Now the repercussions of your actions are that you're going to be a single mom. But I know dad and mom will come around and warm up to the idea. You know Tristen, he's going to ignore you for some time, he needs to cool down too." She looked at me and I think I saw fire surge in her eyes. Guess the truth pisses her off.

"You're probably so happy right now, you can have Alex now, all yours and I'm going to be stuck with this  baby for the rest of my life and my family hate me including you." She hissed and grabbed her bag storming out of my apartment slamming my new door shut as she left. I rolled my eyes at her dramatic escapade. I'm happy Tristen finally told the brat her fortune but I am also very sad knowing that a baby will be having her as a mother, that's if she keeps the baby.

I didn't want Alex. I have Gabriele and from what I saw the other day when he was hitting Tyler-he felt something much deeper than just love. He tries to protect me, the way he touches me makes all my senses come to life.

I took a sip of the tea I brewed; this was one hell of a day. I started thinking about my encounter with Gabriele and how loving his touch was, the way his brown eyes lit up when he talked. I sighed, he wants me to be his, which means Luca will think of me as a mother since I'll be his father's girlfriend. I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mother, I mean I love children but to have one as my own seems intimidating.

I sighed again frustratedly, I heard my phone humming in my bag. I rushed to it to answer it. When I did the smooth voice of Gabriele greeted me. It caused me to bite down on my lip.

"Hi, uhm I have a surprise for you, is your sister there?"

"No, not anymore. Don't you have Luca at home?"

"No, he's at a sleepover, remember and my dad is in his element with the kids, back to my surprise..." I heard a knock. I looked at the time it was already 10 PM.

I opened the door and Gabriele stood there with 5 roses and a bag.

I knew why he was here, the whole be mine thing.

"I still want that answer you know. I don't want to keep this thing between us vague maybe I'm moving too fast but it's been 3 months that you've been working for me and...I don't know, I want you..well not 'want' as in sex...I mean all of you...but-" he rambled, I stopped his rambling by kissing him.

I pulled back.

"I understand what you mean, what's in the bag?" For a moment he composed himself and looked into the bag. He gave me the roses.

"Dinner, I figured you haven't eaten."

"Thank you, sorry about before..." I opened the door to let him in, he smiled at me. He placed the food on the kitchen counter, I grabbed a few plates.

"Do you have a blanket?" I nodded.

"Where?" I showed him to the cabinet with linen. He grabbed the blanket and threw it on the ground in a living room.

"A picnic and Chinese food." I sat across from him and in silence while we ate. I didn't know what to say because I did feel guilty that I fled out of his house.

"What was wrong with your sister, if you don't mind me asking?"I shrugged.

"Alex left her, my brother and parents are most likely peeved at her and yeah...she came to me for advice. I tried to help to tell her she should divorce Alex but that made her think I want him, ha, funny I've got you." In his eyes flashed something.

"You've got me, does that mean your answer to my question is yes?" I slowly started nodding.

We continued to talk and finished eating while sitting on the blanket. It was already past midnight so we cuddled together. I looked at him as he had his arms around my waist in a warm cocoon. I grabbed a pillow on my couch for him.

"Are you going home?" His eyes were shut but from his breathing, I could hear he wasn't asleep.

"No, I'm where I should be. I'm already home." I sighed contently in his arms.

In the little time that I knew him, I think I found my peace with him. Yes, things were going fast but I couldn't help think that maybe it was the best thing ever that Tyler cheated on me-he gave me the chance to experience everything I've been missing out on with Gabriele.

I still had a knot in the pit of my stomach. Luca and Gabriele are a package deal and I don't think I'm good enough to be a mother. I don't think I deserve Gabriele, he deserves someone who would be the best mother to Luca.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly opening his eyes.

"Just...nothing." He kissed me on the top of my head as we laid on the blanket, my head on his chest and his arms holding me like he was afraid I might disappear.

I listened to his heart beating and heard his soft shallow breathing. I just laid there for an hour before I started falling asleep.

Knocks came from my door. I ignored it not wanting to wake up Gabriele, I'm not sure how late it was but I'm sure it was early in the morning. There was another knock. Seriously it's like 3 AM, this better be very important.

I pulled myself out of Gabriele's embrace, out of his arms. He grumbled and pulled me closer now waking up.

"Where are you going?"He asked half asleep.

"Someone's at the door."He sighed and released, I had a neck cramp from the uncomfortable floor. I didn't even ask who was at the door, I'm too tired right now and as far as I know, no one is going to kill me.

I walked to the door opening it, I was surprised by who it was.

"Alex, what are you doing here?"

"I want you back."

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