Falling into Exposure (8 page)

I’ve often wondered why I didn’t see their photographs in the gossip columns. They always seem to single in on Gabriel, and now it’s apparent. They are just normal, everyday people… the kind of people I would hang out with. Whereas he apparently hit the genetic lottery. I glance back at them nervously, wondering what they think of me.

“Um, it’s nice to meet you.” I manage.

Gabriel leads me over to the bar… the sex bar… and pulls out a stool for me to sit down. I stare at the counter with a sheepish expression while he gives me a devilish grin. I attempt to swallow the lump in my throat and end up having a coughing fit. He pats me on the back, laughing loudly at his own little joke.

Yep, he definitely planned this.
He walks around the bar and pulls a tray of cold cuts from the fridge, setting them on the counter. Next comes a round of drinks for everyone.

“Better drink up.” He grins at his sister.

I glance over at Abel, who’s still gaping at me.

He’s younger than Gabriel, and you’d think the poor kid had never seen a woman in his life. Although, this dress probably has something to do with it.

I try not to think about it as I reach for a cold cut and pop it into my mouth. But then Angelina squeals in delight, scaring the ever loving crap out of me.

“I love her already!” she proclaims.

My eyebrows shoot up in confusion as Gabriel erupts with laughter. “And why is that my darling sister?”

“Look.” She points shamelessly. “She actually eats!”

The whole group erupts in laughter, officially ending the awkwardness of the first meeting. I have two glasses of wine and am regaling Angelina with my story of how I met Gabriel when he disappears into the kitchen again.

Angelina takes the opportunity to lean closer, whispering conspiratorially in my ear. “You are so different to his usual taste in women, and I mean that in a good way.”

I smile weakly at the awkward compliment. I do not want to think about Gabriel with other women.

“And I can tell he is gaga over you,” she continues. “I’ve never seen him like this with anyone. He can’t take his eyes off you.”

“Really?” I smile dreamily. “I hadn’t noticed.”

“Well, apparently neither can Abel,” Angelina adds humorously. “I guess you could have your pick of the Maddox men.”

Abel scowls at Angelina, and both of us burst into laughter as Gabriel returns.

“What’s so funny?” he muses.

“Just how Abel hasn’t stopped eyeballing your woman all night,” Angelina replies.

Gabriel smirks as he walks behind me, wrapping his arms around me protectively. “Sorry, Abel, but she’s all mine. Now quit fucking staring at her.”

Angelina checks her watch and frowns. “I guess we should get going huh?”

Gabriel nods and I stand, wondering why they’re leaving so soon. They haven’t even been here for thirty minutes.

“She really is beautiful, Gabriel.” Angelina gushes as she looks over my dress. “I would die for that figure of yours.”

“Well, we all have our own ways of punishing mom,” Abel retorts, his voice laced with sarcasm.

I can’t hide the confusion on my face as Angelina smacks him in the arm.

“Yes, and mine is by eating too much, apparently. Forever reminding her of the society could-have-been.”

“Nonsense.” Gabriel leans down, kissing Angelina on the cheek. “You are beautiful, baby sister.”

I feel my heart warm at the endearment. This Gabriel is so unlike any I’ve ever seen before. He’s bringing me into his life, introducing me to his family, and showing me a whole new side of him.

“Alright,” Abel grumbles. “Let’s go, please. I want to get this shit over with.”

Gabriel nods and grabs me by the hand, pulling me towards the elevator. “Um, are we going somewhere?”

“Yes.” He grins. “I’m dragging you along to one of my parents boring dinner parties. We’re all going.”

Chapter Twelve

Victoria

In the back of the limo, I curl into Gabriel, listening as he bickers with Angelina. They are making bets about who will piss their mother off first, which isn’t inspiring much confidence about our little trip.

I have no idea what to expect tonight. I can’t even remember the last time I met a boyfriend’s parents. But from everything Gabriel’s told me about his family, I feel like it’s important that I be there for him tonight.

The car pulls into the circular entryway of the Maddox home, and I stare in shock. Home is too loose of a word, really. It’s definitely a mansion. Large and over the top with luxurious gardens and fountains out front.

“Ready or not, here we go,” Gabriel whispers in my ear.

We’re greeted at the door by a servant dressed in a black tuxedo. He gives us a stiff greeting and leads us down a long hallway in silence. Abruptly, Gabriel comes to a halt beside me as a tall, thin blonde woman comes screeching down the hall.

“There you are!” she whines, exasperated. “You know how important this is, couldn’t you at least have been on time for once!”

Her voice is shrill, and the way that Gabriel rolls his eyes immediately tells me this is his mother.

“Mother, we’re here, aren’t we? Quit nagging please, and don’t be rude. I brought a guest as you can see.”

“Fine.” She throws her hands up in defeat, glancing in my direction. “You must be Victoria,” she says sourly.

“Yes, hello Mrs. Maddox it’s nice to meet….”

She cuts me off with an exaggerated wave. “Come on, we don’t have time for this. Everybody is waiting.”

My mouth slams shut in shock as Gabriel gives me an apologetic smile. He’s definitely brought me into the lion’s den. We follow Mrs. Maddox down the hall and into a large sitting area filled with other guests.

Angelina and Abel make a beeline for the bar on the other side of the room, and Gabriel wraps his arm around my waist protectively. I glance around, noticing several other couples who aren’t paying us any notice. But when I see a familiar face glowering back at me, I freeze. Anya Petrovski is here, whispering something into Mrs. Maddox’s ear. They both glance in our direction before sauntering our way.

My heart kicks against my chest in protest, my palms growing clammy in her presence. I don’t know what it is about this woman that I find so intimidating, but I don’t want to be anywhere near her.

Gabriel glances down at me, concern marring his brow. “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head, unable to speak.

“Gabriel, darling!” Anya purrs as she leans in and kisses his cheek with a wicked grin.

My head is spinning, and I hate that mischievous gleam in her eye. I try to pull away from Gabriel, to excuse myself to the powder room, but his grip tightens around me like steel.

“Anya,” he says coolly, shooting his mother a disapproving look. “I didn’t know you would be here tonight. This is my girlfriend, Victoria.”

My heart lurches at his choice of word, and Mrs. Maddox laughs nervously.

“Oh, I completely forgot you were bringing a friend, Gabriel. I invited Anya to keep you company, silly me.”

“I’m sure you did forget,” Gabriel says, “that I was bringing my girlfriend.”

Anya’s face sours as he repeats the word, and inside I’m doing a little victory dance. But still, I can’t help but feel a stab of disappointment as his mother eyes me disapprovingly. It’s obvious who she wants Gabriel to be with, and it isn’t me.

Gabriel leads me over to the bar, pouring me a glass of wine and himself a whiskey. “I’m going to need this tonight,” he sighs.

Several minutes later a servant appears in the door, announcing that dinner is served. Mrs. Maddox ushers us all into the dining room, and I belatedly realize I still haven’t seen Mr. Maddox.

“Where’s your father?” I whisper.

Gabriel shrugs. “Who knows. Working… fucking his secretary, your guess is as good as mine.”

Ouch.
Okay, I’ll stay away from that subject. We find our seats at the dining table and I take a long pull of my wine as a hot plate of food appears in front of me.

“Don’t worry about Anya,” Angelina whispers beside me. “My mother is determined to shove her in Gabriel’s face. But he isn’t interested in her like that. And after tonight, I think it’s safe to say he only has eyes for you.”

I smile and clasp her hand. “Thank you.”

“What are you two whispering about over there?” Mrs. Maddox hisses.

Angelina smiles at me and then winks. “Oh, we were just talking about Gabriel’s new business venture, mother.”

Her jaw nearly drops to the floor as Gabriel groans beside me.

“What new business venture?” an older man sitting next to Gabriel asks.

“I’m starting up my own software company,” Gabriel replies coolly. “It’s in the works right now.”

“But what about Maddox Corp?” Anya shrieks across the table.

“I will be stepping down from Maddox Corp, and either Abel or Angelina may take my place if they wish.”

“That is the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard,” Anya states with disgust.

“Nonsense,” Mrs. Maddox cuts in, panic and embarrassment etched into her delicate features. “This is just a silly dream of his, he needs to get it out of his system. But rest assured he will remain at the company.”

Her words are ice cold, and when I glance up at Gabriel, his barely restrained pain is obvious. And it pisses me off. I don’t know his family, and I should probably stay out of it, but I can’t help myself. Nobody else is defending him.

“Well, I think Gabriel’s going to do great,” I volunteer, squeezing his hand beneath the table. “He’s smart and driven, and he knows exactly what he wants.”

Everyone around the table stares at me like I’ve sprouted three heads as Mrs. Maddox narrows her eyes in my direction. I know I’ve crossed the wrong woman, but I don’t care.

“Oh please,” she jeers, dismissing my opinion with a wave of her perfectly manicured hand. “Where do you think the money comes from, sweetheart? He sure as hell won’t be getting a dime from us if he goes through with this plan, so you can forget whatever you have in mind. I can see right through your act, you little gold digger.”

I feel like I’ve been bitten by a viper as I recoil from the pure hatred in her tone. This is Caroline Maddox, no holds barred. I haven’t even taken my first bite of food, and I feel like I’m going to vomit. I stand abruptly, nearly knocking my chair over in the process.

“I’m not interested in your money, and I’m sorry that you feel that way. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be leaving.”

I burst out the door, Gabriel hot on my heels as I scurry down the hall.

Chapter Thirteen

Victoria

The whole car ride home, Gabriel stays on his own side, brooding. He’s looking out the window, his spine rigid and unyielding as he drums his fingers across his thigh. When I try to talk to him, he simply shakes his head and tells me to wait until we get to his apartment. I feel uneasy, but try to give him his space.

Once we arrive, I briefly entertain the idea of getting a cab and heading home. But before I can even decide, he grabs me by the hand and drags me inside. He releases me as soon as he shuts the door, ambling over to the leather couch and sitting down. He watches me take off my shoes, his expression unreadable.

I can’t tell if it’s me he’s angry with because I’ve never seen him like this before. I figure I probably overstepped my boundaries by talking to his mother that way, but it couldn’t be helped. I hated seeing how she treats him.

“Come here,” Gabriel commands.

I walk to him slowly, gazing down into his stormy blue eyes. And I realize as I step closer, that it isn’t anger behind those eyes, but something else entirely.  A mixture of anguish and longing. He reaches up for my hand and tugs me onto his lap, spreading my legs so that I’m straddling him. He wraps his arms around me, fisting his hands in the fabric of my dress. And then he pulls away, looking lost.

“Kiss me,” he whispers. It isn’t his usual commanding tone. It sounds more pleading than anything.

He’s relinquishing control, letting down his guard for me to tell him how I feel about him. To prove to him that I want this as much as he does. And since I don’t have the courage to say the words that I really feel in the moment, I show him instead.

I stare back at him, pouring every ounce of emotion that I can into my expression. I want him to see, to understand how I feel about him.

“Do anything you wa….”

I put my finger to his mouth to silence him and then replace it with my own lips. I kiss him sweetly, taking my time and savoring the moment. All I’ve wanted to do since I met him was explore his body, and for the first time, Gabriel’s giving me free rein. I cup his face in my hands, deepening the kiss, to which Gabriel responds fervently. I can tell he’s struggling with control, but he follows my lead, watching me carefully to see what I’ll do next.

I graze my teeth down along his jaw before moving onto his neck. The scent of his cologne lingers there, and I inhale deeply, soaking it up greedily while I run my hands through his hair. I nip and lick the sensitive flesh, and Gabriel lets his head fall back against the cushion, giving me unrestrained access. His hands fall limply to his side, and his entire body relaxes beneath me.  My fingers move to the buttons of his shirt, undoing them slowly. 

He opens his eyes as the last button slides free, revealing his broad chest. His skin is flushed with heat, his heart beating strong beneath my fingertips. I trace the lines of his tattoos, and a pained sound escapes his throat, but he doesn’t stop me.

I want to say something profound, but again, the words aren’t there. So instead, I lean in and kiss him where his heart resides. It’s a simple gesture, but one Gabriel seems to appreciate as his gaze locks with mine. Neither of us looks away, and in that moment, I realize just how intimate eye contact is. It’s something he’s denied me before when he was in control, but not now. Now I can see into his very soul, to the depths of his hunger… for me. It’s still hard to wrap my head around that, so I don’t even bother trying.

He groans when I move down to his pants, releasing his swollen cock beneath me. I stroke him with my palm, enjoying the feeling of his velvety flesh against my heated skin. His eyes are hooded now, and he is watching me with anticipation as I nudge him against my arousal. I use his shoulders to support myself as I wiggle my dress up around my hips, sinking down onto him slowly.

A mumbled curse whooshes from his lips, but his eyes are molten hot as he watches me rock my hips against him. This beautiful man, who has the power to do anything he wants to me, is giving me control. I know it isn’t easy for him, and I want to show him how much I appreciate this gift.

I roll my hips forward and back, taking him in and out in a torturously slow rhythm. He doesn’t move, and there’s something so erotic about that. I can see now why he likes to control because the power that I have in this moment is intoxicating. I capture his mouth with mine, and Gabriel doesn’t hold back as he kisses me possessively. It sparks the mounting need inside of me, and I reach for his hands, moving them to my waist.

He groans as I increase the pace of my movements, taking what I need from him. I throw my head back and let the passion take over, riding him until everything inside of me detonates. I collapse against him, milking out the tremors until there’s nothing left.

And then, in a moment of extraordinary bravery, I cup his face and bring his gaze to mine. “I love you, Gabriel,” I whisper.

He freezes beneath me, his body rigid as he stares back at me with assessing eyes. I know he’s probably heard it before from a lot of women who didn’t mean it. But I’m not one of them, and I want him to know that.

Minutes seem to pass as he searches my eyes, his cock still hard inside of me. We aren’t moving, just staring at each other. I feel vulnerable under his scrutiny… and nervous. I don’t know what he’s thinking, and I feel panic setting in. Gabriel sees it and wraps me in his arms and crushes his lips to mine. Instead of speaking, he starts moving inside of me again, and I don’t know what to make of that.

I fist my hands in his hair, never taking his eyes from mine.

“I didn’t mean to,” I sob. “But I do. God help me, I’m in love with you Gabriel Maddox.”

He grins and grunts at the same time, looking so fucking adorable I never want this moment to pass.

His thrusts grow quicker, his hands touching me everywhere as his lips lay claim to my neck. He sucks and nips at my skin until I’m certain he’s marked me, and then he shudders inside of me with a powerful growl.

He pulls me against his chest and strokes my back, nothing but the sound of our breaths filling the room. We lay there forever, not saying a word, and my eyes are growing heavy. He’s still inside of me, and I like that. I like that he hasn’t moved.

“You are so different, Victoria,” he whispers, stroking my hair away from my face.

I give him a gentle kiss, and then he scoops me into his arms and carries me down the hall. We pass by the room that we normally stay in, and I glance up at him. He doesn’t say anything, but when he opens the door, I know we’re in his bedroom.

I look around, surprised by the warmth of this room compared to the cold starkness of the other one. Gabriel sets me down on a plush California King bed with gray and blue blankets, and I sink in with pure delight, noticing it smells like him. Across the room, there’s a large dressing table, a bookshelf, and to my delight, a fireplace.

When he sees my face light up, he reaches for a remote on the nightstand next to me. With the push of a button, the fireplace blazes to life.

“Come here.” He motions for me.

He turns me around and unzips my dress, pulling it off and tossing it onto the chair. Then he pulls back the covers and lays me in his bed, curling up beside me. It’s blissful and warm and exactly where I need to be.

***

The next morning I’m up bright and early, making several deliveries before meeting Alanna for lunch. There’s an extra spring in my step as I think about the night before. While it was a total disaster meeting Gabriel’s mother and seeing Anya again, the emotions that came out afterwards made it worthwhile. And even though he didn’t say it back, I don’t care. I know how he feels about me whether he says the words or not.

As I sit down at the café, greeting Alanna with a smile, she seems equally happy.

“Just look at us!” she beams. “How pathetic are we? I can’t stop fucking smiling.”

“I know what you mean.” I laugh.

“So tell me everything,” she insists.

An hour later, there’s a familiar gold box waiting for me in front of the apartment. I smile as I pick it up and carry it inside. While Alanna heads to the kitchen to get a glass of water, I sneak a peek, expecting something sexy for tonight. But I get the surprise of my life when I pull out an exquisite floor-length red satin halter style dress. It has beautiful crystal beading underneath the bust, and a thigh-length slit up the side. It’s more suited to a dinner party then for what I have in mind.

Alanna reappears, gasping when she sees it.

“Wow, Victoria, that’s beautiful. It must have cost a fortune! What’s it for?”

“I don’t know,” I answer with a puzzled expression on my face.

I reach for the note card and open it up.

Victoria,

6:00 pm, tomorrow night.

Paul and I will pick you up,

You’ll be my date to a charity event.

Gabriel

Holy shit.
I feel sick. I shove the dress back into the box and curl back into the couch, rocking from side to side to keep my heart from splitting into two.

“What’s the matter?” Alanna asks with a furrowed brow.

“He bought the dress for me to wear to a charity function with him tomorrow night.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders slump in perfect understanding. She sits down and wraps her arms around me in a gesture of comfort, but it doesn’t help.

“What will you tell him?” she asks quietly.

“I don’t know. What can I tell him that isn’t going to hurt him? Uh, sorry but I can’t be seen in public with you Gabriel. I’m pretty sure no matter how I spin it, it sounds awful. He’s going to hate me.”

“You don’t know that,” Alanna soothes. “Just try to be as gentle as you can about it.”

I grab my phone from the table and walk into my bedroom, closing the door behind me. I steady my hand as I dial Gabriel’s cell phone.

“Hello beautiful,” he answers playfully.

“Hi,” I say weakly. “Um, how are you?”

“Better now that I’m talking to you.”

Oh God, don’t say that. Not now.

“
I miss you,” he adds.

I almost break down. “I miss you too,” I say shakily.

“So did you get my package?”

“Yes, I did. That’s why I’m calling.” I pause for a moment trying to formulate the right words. “I… um…. I’m so sorry Gabriel, but I can’t go. I’ll send the dress back to you, I can’t accept it.”

“What do you mean you can’t go?” he asks in confusion.

“Listen, it’s really complicated. I…. I can’t really explain it more than that. I just don’t think I’m the right kind of girl for you to take to these types of functions.”

It’s a lie because I’d love nothing more than to be by his side.
But I can’t.

“I see.” His tone has gone arctic. “So… what is it? Are you ashamed to be seen with me in public?”

“What? That’s a ridiculous question.”

“Obviously it’s not,” he says.

I don’t know what to say. What can I say? It hurts me that he would think that, especially after the amazing weekend we just spent together.

“So what you said last night…”

“I meant every word,” I whisper. “But it doesn’t change anything between us. I still can’t stay here. I can’t be this involved in your life. I have no right, and I’m sorry.”

“We’re back to that again?” he snaps. “Victoria, I’ve already reserved two seats at this event. If you don’t accompany me, then I’ll have no choice but to take someone else.”

Ouch.
That fucking hurts.
“Fine,” I reply weakly, hanging up the phone.

I curl into a ball on my bed and cry myself to sleep.