Dangerous for You (12 page)

Releasing my hand, he strode into the small room, hugged his mother, and then kissed her powdered cheek. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world, Mama.”

I stood back, suddenly shy at how warm and affectionate they were with each other. I never doubted my mother’s love, but somewhere between her long work hours and my intense focus on school, hugs and kisses weren’t as common as they should’ve been.

I need to make sure I give my mom an especially long hug next time I see her.

Gabriel held out his hand. “Come closer, Emma. I can barely see you in the dark.” His teasing inspired smiles in all of us. I joined his side and he immediately slipped a possessive arm around me. “Doesn’t Emma look especially beautiful tonight, Mama?”

Marie agreed while she took my hand in greeting. “I love that color on you, Emma. You look so regal.”

“Thank you.” I hesitated a beat before saying, “Your dress is spectacular, Marie.”

The voluminous emerald skirt emphasized her tiny waist while the black bodice tastefully showcased her décolletage. The velvet wrap added another level of glamour. Gabriel’s mother truly looked like an exquisite doll. I tried hard not to stare, but she was so beautiful it was hard to ignore.

“You’re so sweet, Emma. No wonder my son is smitten with you.”

I blushed and murmured something appropriate.

“Mama, don’t embarrass us both. My Emma is very shy, can’t you tell?”

She laughed softly. “I’ll try but it seems to be hardwired into mothers to embarrass our children at least once a day. Which apparently includes their girlfriends.”

The lights dimmed several times, an indicator we should take our seats. Soon I forgot all about my blushes as the orchestral program began. The next hour flew as fast as the dancers leapt and twirled onstage, plumed in brightly colored costumes that made me wish I’d worn a tutu at least once. I exchanged glances of admiration with Marie as we both were swept up in the retelling of Romeo and Juliet.

“You look like you’ve gotten ballet-fever,” Marie whispered during a lull. “I’m afraid there’s no cure other than to continue coming to performances.”

“I think you’re right.”

She patted my hand. “I’ll go with you when Gabriel can’t. Which will probably be more often than not considering he doesn’t really like the ballet.”

“I can hear you, Mama.”

We giggled softly together, conspirators.

I almost groaned aloud in disappointment when the intermission came. Turning to Gabriel, I gushed, “I’m so glad I came tonight! I’ve never seen anything this exciting!”

Before he could answer the door opened. We looked over in curiosity. Gabriel’s arm tensed beneath my fingers and Marie immediately rose to her feet. My mouth parted in surprise.

I was looking at Gabriel’s twin.

EIGHT

Everything unraveled quickly once I met Lucas Gordon. Much later I’d wonder what would’ve happened if I hadn’t gone to the ballet that night. Would I have been able to keep Gabriel a little longer?

Or was our end already written from the beginning, long before we were born?

Wednesday

“Hello, family.” The older man’s drawl sounded like honey. Like Gabriel.

“Lucas! What you doing here?” Marie asked flustered, discomposed in a way I’d never heard her be. Instinct told me to keep silent. So I did.

“That was rather rude, Marie. You wound me and in front of a guest no less.
Whatever
will she think of us?”

Although he smiled I could see it didn’t quite reach his eyes. At all. Instantly, I realized this man was an enemy to me. My euphoria from the last hour evaporated, destroyed as if it never was.

This suffocating sensation was what I understood, what I’d been used to since I was forced to go to school with people who automatically thought I was trash because I wasn’t like them.

Aloofness became my cloak, fitting me so well as if I hadn’t cast it off in the last weeks. Except it felt different because I was on edge, unsure of what I should do for the first time. Maybe more so because I could sense Gabriel’s discomfort with each fine tremor pulsing beneath my hand.

I suddenly remembered our long-ago first night and how I’d seen Gabriel’s family portraits on the wall. I remembered remarking on how physically alike Gabriel and his father were.

“
You’re like his younger twin.”

“
He already has a twin.”

I now knew who this man was. Gabriel’s uncle.

How difficult was it for Gabriel to look into the same face as the man who’d beaten him and his mother for years? Judging by the tenseness of his arm beneath my hand—very difficult.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your lovely date, son?” Another smile came and left Lucas’s lips as if it couldn’t stand to be there for long.

Glancing at my lover’s face, I nearly gasped aloud when I saw the mask drop down. It was like high school all over again. He became hollow. A smiling caricature of the man I’d loved forever.

Gabriel gained to his feet, pulling me up with him gracefully. “This is Emma, Uncle.”

Was it my imagination that he added a slight emphasis on the word ‘uncle?’ While I was trying to gauge the currents ebbing around us, Lucas glided forward, stopping until he reached Marie’s side. Panic flew across her face chased by something else I couldn’t decipher.

“Emma, I’ve heard all about you. How fortunate for me to finally meet you.” He extended his hand towards me. I took it while keeping my gaze pinned on his. Lucas’s intense stare sharpened, as if daring me to look away.

So of course I didn’t. Staring people down was something I was really good at.

Who’s going to give in first? Not me.

Marie cleared her throat delicately. “Lucas, I’m surprised you came tonight. Ballet usually bores you.”

He broke away. The lines of his face softened, uncaring about our private battle for the moments he spoke to Marie. “Only in the wrong company.”

Gabriel froze. Infinite moments trickled by. I wondered if he saw the same thing I did.

Of course he did.

Lucas didn’t just view Marie as his brother’s widow. She was more. Much more. And judging from Marie’s subtle reactions to Lucas, the way she seemed to consciously keep her feet anchored even while her body leaned towards him ever-so-slightly, she felt the same.

“I assume you’re here with friends, Lucas?” Gabriel’s clipped tone barely edged this side of polite.

Lucas’s silver stare settled back on us. He looked at me once and then flicked away. “I’m here with a party—as you already know.”

Gabriel nodded, his blinding smile making me ache with sadness. “Don’t let us hold you up then.”

“It’s no holdup, Gabriel, but you are right. I’m here with the Milfords. You remember them, don’t you?”

Embry’s family.

My lover replied smoothly, “How could I forget?”

“I don’t know, son. You tell me.”

It was now beyond obvious that Lucas’s loyalty lay with Embry. Logically, it made perfect sense. She was beautiful and carried a large fortune along with her good name.

“Gabriel, Emma, and I have had the best time tonight. I couldn’t ask for a better pair of companions, Lucas.”

“Is that so?” his voice lost its edge, becoming gentle and perhaps even sweeter.

“Yes. Emma and I will have already made plans to see more shows this year, haven’t we?”

With a handful of softly spoken words, Marie staked claim on approving of my relationship with her son in direct defiance to her brother-in-law. I could kiss her for being so supportive. Instead, I let my genuine smile speak for me. “I can hardly wait. Just name the date and I’ll be here.”

Before Lucas could comment, Gabriel gave him our backs. The mask disappeared as he asked gently, “Mother, would you like me to call for refreshments? Emma and I will be stretching our legs for the rest of intermission.”

Marie shook her head, eyes wide and as watchful as my own. “Thank you, sweetheart, but I’m not thirsty.”

“Uncle.” Gabriel inclined his head slightly before turning around with me in tow. Our sedate pace belied the itch to run plaguing my legs. Lucas’s stare speared us like a physical threat.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Emma,” Lucas called out pleasantly false. “I look forward to seeing you again. Truly.”

Gabriel didn’t slow our leisurely progress, but I felt the hardness in his body seep into mine. While I would’ve preferred to have ignored the man entirely, I looked over my shoulder. Our gazes clashed again.

“Goodbye, Mr. Gordon.”

The door closed behind me but the cold sensation of enmity remained.

Why is Lucas so hostile towards me? Is it just about Embry or something more? What exactly does he know about me?

Gabriel’s feet picked up speed. He nodded to the few people we passed, calling out a friendly greeting to those he knew but not stopping to chat. Like a faithful shadow, I made sure to keep up with him even though I didn’t know where exactly we were going.

It became apparent my lover’s direction had a purpose. Soon we slipped out from the main hall and into a dimly-lit cordoned corridor. Gabriel stopped at a door and then slipped something out of his pants pocket. A jingle of metal and then the lock unlatched.

“Gabriel, did we just break in?”

“Yep.”

“Aren’t you afraid we’ll get caught?”

He slanted a look over pursed lips. “Afraid? Never.” Gabriel pulled me inside and promptly closed and locked the door. Looking around, I could barely make out the shadowed shelves but it looked like we were in a utility closet.

“Do you have your purse with you?”

I held up my wrist to show the tiny rectangle.

“Good.” Gabriel bared his teeth in a wolfish grin. “That makes things much easier for me.”

Backing up, I swallowed and whispered, “What do you plan on doing?”

“Why you, of course.”

“No. Seriously?”

Gabriel closed the distance between us. A ruthless cast took hold of his beautiful face. I was prey and he was my predator. Excitement skated across my spine as I took one step back for every one he stepped forward.

“Where are you going, Emma? Are you trying to get away from me?” he asked with a throaty growl. “You won’t, you know. Not now. Not ever.”

Perhaps I should’ve been disturbed by his ardor. Maybe if I was anyone else I would be. But I wasn’t.

Instead, I was wet.

My back bumped against the wall. “Maybe I’m not trying to get away. Maybe I just want you to chase me.”

“So my Emma wants to play games, does she?” Gabriel’s arms caged me. As always, his cologne intoxicated me. Long after my youth left me and all my senses were dulled, Gabriel’s scent would be the one I remembered even if I forgot everything else.

“I like to play with you.” I ran my hand down the center of his wide chest. My palm came back to rest over his heart, claiming it for myself.

“Good.” Gabriel’s fingertips feathered across my powdered cheek. “We don’t have much time.”

“Time for what?” I whispered softly. His heartbeat quickened much like mine.

“Time for this.” He pressed his other hand between my legs. I immediately spread them wider, shamelessly eager for his touch.

Oh my God!

I whispered his name. My fingers dug into his shoulders as he played me beautifully. I wanted to kiss him, but the glossy lipstick on my mouth prevented me from doing so. Gabriel, attuned to my needs as always, captured my lips anyways. He swallowed my moan while his hand moved faster and deeper.

“This is mine.”

I responded to the guttural groan, wanting to shout my affirmation to the world.

“I own this, Emma. I own all of you, but most especially this. Don’t I?”

I nodded, frantic and breathlessly robbed of speech. Gabriel curled his fingers downwards and my back arched sharply. It was a glorious substitute for his hard shaft. He leaned down and thrust his tongue deep into my mouth.

Gabriel controlled me magnificently with each slippery stroke of his fingers. I was his to do with as he pleased.

All too quickly I felt the telltale tingle spread throughout my belly. Gabriel broke off our kiss to whisper carnal encouragement in my ear.

My hips snapped against his hand as my orgasm crashed over me. He greedily took all of my cries into his mouth, groaning as I tightened around his long fingers.

I felt Gabriel reach into his jacket pocket while he pulled me closer. Knowing what was coming, I clumsily undid his belt and unzipped his pants. I sighed in bliss when I freed him. Gabriel thrust into my hand as my fingers barely wrapped around his thickness.

I would’ve dropped to my knees, but his hand closed roughly around my arm.