A Dominant Fallen (A Dominant Series Book 2) (33 page)

Suddenly, a firm hand clasps onto my wrist, culling and dragging me into a large, hard mass, and holds me possessively. When I look up, expecting to find Hunt, I’m stunned into silence at the all-to-familiar face of someone I’d never want to see as long as I lived.

“Hello, Gabrielle,” Dante purrs, with that creepy smile plastered across his lips and his slick midnight black hair. He looks like the devil. “If you so much as make a fucking peep, I will kill you where you stand. Are we understood?”

I can only stare with terror into the icy blue eyes that have haunted my nightmares for months. I manage a weak nod of my head.

“Good,” he states and sweeps me across the dance floor, humming the tune casually, as if we’re just a couple of lovers sharing a tender moment. He lifts his hand to my face and grazes my cheek with his fingertips. “I knew we would finally get our dance.”

Hunt

O
nce I manage to subdue and remove Vanessa, I head to the party in the back. I’m stopped a few times by dull business associates, but I’m able to sidestep most advances of conversation. I finally make it out to the back and scan the crowd for Elle.

When I finally spot her, she’s dancing with…I sprint toward them, shoving my way through the thick sea of people. I can’t get to her fast enough. Every second is an eternity, pure agony. I weave through the crowd of never-ending partygoers.

Why won’t they get the fuck out of my fucking way?! If he…If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself. I couldn’t live without her. Why did I leave her alone? Why didn’t I let security handle that fucking wretch?

Suddenly, I hear a blood-curdling shriek and Elle desperately shouting for me, “Ahhhh…! Damian!”

Everyone moves in to see what’s happening, blocking me from her.

“Move the fuck out of my way!” I roar, and the crowd parts, revealing Elle on the floor hysterically crying. “Angel, I’m here.”

I run to her side, falling to my knees and scooping her into my arms.

“Da…Dan…”

“I know, angel. I know.”

The terror causes her to shake like a leaf, her chest to heave, and her tears to choke out. She grabs onto my neck as her breathing becomes rapid and uneven. I can feel her whole body tensing up. She’s in the beginning stages of a panic attack.

“White, I need you,” I call out.

He’s by my side in an instant. “What happened?”

“Dante was here.”

“We need to get her sedated and upstairs.”

“I promised I wouldn’t do that to her again.”

“Well, I didn’t promise her anything…I need my bag.”

“Meet us upstairs,” I state, standing with Gabrielle firmly in my arms and walking toward the house. He nods and runs off. She clings desperately to me, attempting to anchor herself, her overwhelming flood of emotions. She cries and whimpers, tightening her grasp about my neck. I rub her back and attempt to reassure her. “I know, angel. I got you…I will make everything better, I promise.”

The crowd of people part as I rush her across the lawn and into the house, taking her upstairs to our room. Just as I lay her on the bed, White comes charging in, bag in hand.

“You’re going to have to hold her still. I don’t want to have an accident.” He takes a syringe out and collects the medication into the tube, flicking it a few times first. I hold her arm down, which isn’t easy when she keeps fighting us. I manage to keep it pinned, and he quickly injects the miracle solution into her veins.

Not long after, she gradually stops struggling, becoming weak, and then she’s out like a light. I’m finally able to breathe and take a minute to organize everything in my head. I toss my hands into my hair and practically collapse on the bed.

“Thank you, White,” I murmur with my head in my hands.

He pats me on the back. “Anything for Ellie…I’m here if you need to talk.” I weakly nod my head, but I don’t look up at him. I can’t. I glance down at Gabrielle, sleeping, and I feel helpless, powerless to stop my past from coming at us. “Now may be the time to do what we spoke of, Damian.”

He’s right. As I watch her, I know exactly what I need to do.

Waking In Eden

M
y eyes slowly flutter open, adjusting to the bright morning light as it streams through the window. I feel foggy. My eyes are heavy, and my mouth feels like I have dough shoved in it. I turn my head and gaze out the airplane window.

AIRPLANE WINDOW?!

I shoot up when I realize I’m in the small bedroom toward the back of Hunt’s 757. I leap out of bed and over to the window, finding only thick, white clouds.

What the fuck?

“Good morning, Miss Hyde. I take it you slept well,” Hunt’s voice greets me, and I spin around to find him standing at the entrance with a tray of food in hand. “I thought you would be hungry.”

I just peer at him, waiting for him to address the obvious question looming in the air, literally. He continues as he sets the tray on the end of the bed, “I made you a couple eggs, over easy, toast with butter, yogurt with mixed melon, and both coffee and pineapple juice. You should eat your breakfast then dress in the outfit on the couch. Once you’re ready, meet us upfront.”

Us?

He turns to walk out, and I finally speak, “Where the hell are we going, Hunt?”

He glances over his shoulder and replies, “All will be revealed once you’ve finished your meal and you’re dressed.”

He walks out before I can say anything else.

I
quickly finish the delicious meal, slip on the turquoise strapless sundress laid out for me, and shove my feet into white wedges with cork heels. I note that it’s very beachy attire.

I head into the small bathroom, to the right of the bedroom door, to brush my teeth and hair, tossing it into a high, loose bun with wispy tendrils hanging about my face and neck. I spot a bright bottle on the sink with a note attached.

Put this on…I wouldn’t want you

to burn that flawless skin of yours.

What the hell?

I squeeze the cold cream into my palm and begin to apply it to any exposed or reachable area. Once it’s massaged into my skin, I take a deep breath, readying myself for whatever lies ahead.

I walk out of the bathroom, through the bedroom door, and down the corridor into the main cabin. Sitting on the couch is Maya and Chase, talking quietly to one another, flirting even. Hunt’s at the bar with his back to me, and up toward the front is Aubrey, Keira, Vivian, and Pierce. Then, my eyes meet the one person that I’ve dreaded seeing, my mother.

Damn it! What the hell is going on?

She is speaking with Vivian and Pierce, wearing a white halter jumper and a floppy straw hat with strappy sandals. She looks fabulous per usual, but I can see the wear on her face. She doesn’t look as bright, lively as she was when my…Marshall was alive.

She glances away from her current company and spots me. Her eyes become large and watery and her bottom lip quivers. I can only stare at her, this woman I thought I knew is a stranger to me now.

“Gabrielle,” she murmurs, catching everyone’s attention and putting it on me. They just watch me, waiting for me to make my move.

“Elizabeth,” I reply with a nod and turn to Hunt. “How could you?”

With that, I walk out of the cabin and back into the bedroom, locking myself in. Only a moment later, there is a wrapping on the door. “Elle, open the door,” Damian says, attempting to open it.

I take a seat on the edge of the bed and cross my arms over my chest. “No, Damian, this is too much.”

“Come on, angel, open the door for me…Let’s talk.”

“No, I’ve got a better idea. You can leave me alone.”

“Gabrielle, I’m not playing with you. Open the fucking door,” he growls in a low voice so only I can hear.

“No,” I growl back.

Suddenly, Maya’s voice calls to me from behind my barricade, “Ellie? Ellie, will you let me in…? It’ll just be you and me.”

“Pinkie?”

“Pinkie, Ellie. Let me in, Sissy.”

Wow. She hasn’t called me that since we were kids.

I rise off the bed and walk up to the door, opening it for her. She stands there with her big blue eyes and wrenched mouth. Hunt is right behind her, staring at me with worry and irritation swirling in his eyes.

She looks back at him and says, “I’ll be out soon. Why don’t you go check on Lizzy?”

He stares at me with those piercing emerald eyes for a moment before breaking the contact and walks back down the hall to the main cabin. Maya steps into the bedroom and shuts the door behind her. I walk over to the bed and whip back around to her. “What the hell is going on, Maya?”

“How much do you remember about last night?”

“I remember an encounter with his ex, but everything after that is hazy.”

“So, you don’t remember Dante at all?”

Suddenly, his icy blue eyes and groping hands flash through my head. I remember his chilling words before I screamed for Hunt, but after that is just haze.

“A little, but what happened after?”

“Well, you had another panic attack…”

“He didn’t…Hunt promised me he wouldn’t do that again!”

“It wasn’t him…Aden, Dr. White, knocked you out. Damian didn’t want to do it…You should’ve seen him, Ellie. He was a complete mess. I’ve never seen a man like that, never.”

Oh, poor Hunt.

“Do you know where he’s taking us?”

“To be honest, I’m not sure. He didn’t tell us.”

“What do you mean?”

“He hasn’t told us where we’re going. He said he wanted it to be a surprise, but I’m guessing by the appearance of our getups, it’s probably somewhere with a beach.” She scans her hands down her white cotton dress and gladiator sandals.

I take a deep, calming breath then ask, “How long have I been out?”

“You’ve been out for a while, since about ten o’clock last night and it’s ten in the morning now. So, you’ve been in lala land for around twelve hours.”

I place my face in my hands as a wave of nausea comes over me. “I can’t take all this anymore…I wonder why he invited everyone.”

“He didn’t say anything to me. He asked us to change, packed everyone up, and took us off to the airport…Your boyfriend is really secretive.”

My head pops up. “He is, isn’t he…? His lips are sealed tighter than an oysters crack.”

We burst out into laughter, falling back onto the bed giggling like idiots until tears run from our eyes. It feels good to laugh. But, it’s short-lived.

“Ok, well, why is Mom here? Why did he invite her?”

“Yeah…That wasn’t entirely his idea. I may have had a teeny tiny bit to do with her being here.”

“What?! Maya!” I shriek, popping up and staring down at her, stunned.

“Look,” she says, pushing herself back up, “you aren’t the only one hurt by our father’s death or confused by their betrayal, but we have to move on, Ellie. We have to make this work…We’re the only family we have.”

“I know, but I’m just so…”

“Mad, hurt, perplexed, scared, guilty, vulnerable…Whatever you feel, Sissy, I feel it, too…We all do for one reason or another, but it’s time to find out all the facts before we judge her for her sins.”

“Oh god, I don’t want to admit it, but you’re right. I’m just not ready yet.”

She wraps her arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. I rest my head on her shoulder and let out a shaky breath. “I know, but we’ll do it together…I’ve got you, Ellie.”

I toss my arms about her torso and cradle her as she pats me softly on the back. “Since when is it your job to give me advice…? I thought I was the big sister here,” I tease as I pull away from her.

“I learned from the best,” she replies, wiping a runaway tear from my cheek.

Abruptly, the ding goes off for us to strap into our seatbelts and there’s a knock at the door.

“Ladies,” Hunt says, “I need you to come up front and buckle up. We’ll be landing soon.”

“Alright, we’ll be right there,” she answers for us. We rise and walk out with the rest of the guests, taking a seat on the couch with Chase to avoid Elizabeth. We buckle up and begin to make our descent.

W
hen we land and exit the plane, we find ourselves at a private airport with thick greenery all about us. We are definitely somewhere tropical and appear to be the only ones within miles.

We are driven from the airport down a very narrow dirt path through the jungles of our mystery location, but it’s not long before it clears and a massive colonial property lies ahead.

We clamber out, and Hunt turns to us with a huge childlike grin.

“Hunt, where are we?” I ask.

He gazes at me, pleased by the astonished look on my face. “We’re on our island, angel.”

Everyone walks in, leaving us to stand out front. “Our island…Really?”