Freeing Her (33 page)

“
Please forgive me if I
don’t jump up down and say, ‘Oh yeah, let’s go back to the way
things were.’” His crestfallen look made her instantly regret her
snarkiness.

“
I understand. Can we at
least talk?”

She bowed her head. Talking to her lap, she
said, “We can talk. For now. Nothing more.”

“
Gabriella, I’ll take
whatever crumbs you’re willing to toss my way. If it’s only
talking, then so be it.”

“
And please don’t bully
the receptionist.”

“
Bully? You think I
bullied her?”

“
Maybe bully isn’t the
right word. I’m sure you charmed her to death as only you can
do.”

He sighed. “I only asked her when you were
free and she checked your schedule.”

Gabriella finally looked up at him. “Hmm. I
need to talk to her, then.”

He smiled. “You’re beautiful when you’re
angry.”

“
I hate being
angry.”

He lifted her hand and inspected her
fingers. “Have you had these checked out?”

“
No.”

“
Gabriella,” he huffed.
“If they don’t heal properly, the bones may grow together
crooked.”

“
Kolson, I’m not stupid.”
Disdain painted her features.

“
I didn’t mean to imply
you were. I’m only concerned for you.”

“
They’re not broken. I can
move them just fine. They’re only sore now. I’m sorry. I’m tired
and I’m taking it out on you. Yesterday was a bit of a strain on
me.”

“
Will you please stay with
me tonight? I don’t want you staying alone. You can sleep in the
guestroom. Or with me. But it doesn’t have to be anything more than
sleep. I miss you and want to hold you in my arms. Please say
yes.”

She wanted to melt into him because the
truth was she felt the same way. “Oh God, Kolson.”

“
Please. Don’t think, kea.
Just say yes.”

“
I’m moonlighting at the
clinic until ten tonight.”

“
I’ll go with you and
bring you home. Please say yes.”

“
Let me think about it.
I’ll call you this afternoon.”

Their food arrived and they ate in silence.
She eyed him warily and he eyed her with hope.

At four forty-five, Gabby
texted Kolson one word:
Yes
. Kolson grinned larger and
longer than he could remember doing in his life.

He knocked on her door at six thirty and
escorted her to the waiting car. And he sat in her office in the
clinic, waiting for her while she worked. At ten fifteen, they rode
home, and she recounted her evening to him. He smiled to himself as
she told him about her various patients. When they got on the
elevator, he asked, “Well?”

“
The yes meant for tonight
as well.”

It took all his strength not to lunge at
her. But he didn’t. Instead, he beamed and gripped the rail in the
elevator until his knuckles turned white.

“
I’ll spoil you tonight,
kea. Would you like a long bath?”

“
You know, I’d really just
like to go to sleep. I’m wiped out.”

“
As you wish.”

She went to her room and put on her favorite
Snoopy pajamas. When she joined him, he raised one brow but didn’t
utter a word. He only lifted the sheets so she could climb into
bed. Then he pulled her to him and rubbed her back and neck,
massaging it in tiny circles, getting the kinks out.

“
Mmm, that feels so
nice.”

“
Glad you like it. Now
sleep, kea.”

“
I’ve missed you so much,
Kolson.”

“
I’ve missed you too. Tell
me what to do to make it right. I’ll do whatever I can, I swear I
will.”

She lifted herself up and looked at him.
“Just love me enough to trust me and know that you hold my heart in
the palm of your hand. As much as I’d like to think it’s made of
steel, it’s not. It’s fragile and can easily be shattered.”

“
Oh fuck, Gabriella.” She
found herself on top of him faster than she could register and his
mouth lightly touched hers. “You’re mine, heart and soul. I love
you more than my life. Your heart is safe with me. I know you don’t
believe me right now, but it is, and I’ll find a way to prove it to
you.” His lips whispered over hers, back and forth as his hands
plunged into her hair. “I’ve never been so miserable, so bereft, as
I have without you these past few days. I don’t want to move
through time like that again. I didn’t know it could be so
dismal.”

“
Neither did I.” She
rested her cheek on his rough stubble and slid the back of her hand
across the other side of his face. He trapped her hand and brought
it to his lips.

“
Jesus, I hate myself for
doing this.” The white tape glared at him.

“
It was an accident—I
didn’t know you would hit it so hard. It was partially my fault for
being so stupid. And look at your own hands.” She was referring to
the still-healing bruises and raw spots from his bout with the
bag.

“
That was my stupidity for
not using gloves.”

“
Lessons learned for both
of us.”

“
Sleep, beautiful. It’s
been a long day for you.”

It didn’t take any more coaxing from him for
her to drift off. He fell swiftly to sleep as well, relieved of the
insomnia that had robbed his last few nights.

Chapter
Twenty-Five

The following
Friday
at work, Gabby had visitors. At the
end of the day, Kolson was supposed to meet her and they were to go
out for drinks. At four thirty he left a text and said he would be
late. Something had come up at work. She finished with her last
patient and went to the reception area where she was met by Case,
Sky, and Cara.

“
Oh my God!” Case told her
Kolson had arranged for a little girl time for Gabby. They would be
driven to their favorite place for cocktails, escorted, of course,
and then on to dinner.

Cara suggested starting with a martini bar
where the working crowd hung in SoHo.

“
Just don’t give me any
Sugar Tits tonight,” Gabby said as they walked inside. The girls
laughed. “That was the worst hangover ever.”

Cara ordered them a round of cosmos and they
got an intimate table where they could chat.

“
This is so much easier
than answering my exploding phone from all the texts like last
week,” Gabby said.

“
What did you expect?” Sky
asked. “After Case told Ryder what happened and how he had to spend
the night at your place we were freaking.”

“
I know. And I’m glad I
have peeps that care so much about me. Thanks guys. It was a crazy
week, let me tell you.”

“
So ... you and Kolson
Hart ...
together
together. Like strong. And for a while now. What’s he like?”
Sky asked.

“
Sexy,” Gabby
smiled.

“
We
know
that! Tell us the juicy
details.”

“
He’s good. Really
good.”

“
Yeah? How so?” Cara
asked.

Gabby looked at them and shook her head. “Oh
no. You two have been around the block too many times for me to
even begin that competition.”

“
Tell us this. Does he
like any kink?”

Gabby heated up like a small inferno.

“
Uh-oh! I think we hit on
something here, Sky. Look at those cheeks.”

“
Come on, Gabs. Give us a
little something.”

“
No way! Besides, he’s not
kinky.”

“
Yes, he is. Maybe just a
little. At least give us a clue. Your face wouldn’t be glowing in
the dark otherwise.”

Gabby broke out into a sweat.

“
Is that perspiration on
your upper lip?” Cara asked. The girls chuckled and Cara reached
over and dabbed it with a napkin.

“
Look, if it makes you
feel any better, Ryder and I like a little kink. You can tell us
and it will stay right here, I swear. Right, Cara?”

Cara nodded.

“
Okay. I’ll tell you once.
Then that’s it. He’s amazing. Everything sexy time with him is the
very best I can possibly imagine. He fulfills my every fantasy.
Knows exactly how to nibble the slut nub and he’s extremely well
endowed. In fact, I’d have to say he’s pretty damn magnificent in
that department.” Then she leaned in and whispered, “And he’s even
pierced down there. How’s that?”

“
No shit? Do you love it?
Does he make you come?”

“
Hell yeah. Multiple
times. In each session.”

“
Do not ever let that man
go. Do you hear me? Never let him go. Well, unless he eats your
firstborn. Or all the ice cream in the house. Got it?” Cara
advised.

“
Yes, ma’am.” They all
laughed.

After work revelers crowded the bar and they
found it hard to converse over all the noise. Everyone was
celebrating the end of the week and the blaring music added to the
commotion.

“
What do you say we head
on over to dinner after this drink?” Gabby asked.

“
I’m up for that. I’m
getting hungry, too.” Sky said.

All of a sudden, Cara burst out, “Shit,
Gabs, here I always thought you had this perfect life and now I
find out you’ve been suffering like the rest of us who’ve been
fucked in the ass all our lives.” Cara hugged her. “Girl, I’m so
sorry.”

“
Hey, stop. We all find a
way to persevere. But Kolson has helped. He freed me. If it hadn’t
been for him, I still would’ve been hiding.”

Cara eyed her curiously. “You’re in love.
The supreme one. Like over the top. Right?”

“
Yeah. Crazy
love.”

“
Damn, girl. You went and
fell in love with one hell of a dude too.
The
Kolson Hart.”

Yeah, I sure did. One heck of a dude with
some kind of issues. Leave it to me …

After they finished their drink, Gabby
recommended an Italian place nearby, so they decided to walk there.
Ovaltine would meet them with the car and their bodyguard would
walk with them.

When they arrived, there was a thirty-minute
wait for a table, so they sat at the bar and sipped wine and
partook of delicious, warm bread until the host showed them to
their table.

Once seated, their lively chatting resumed
as Sky filled them in on her auditions. Midsentence, Gabby glanced
up and saw Danny standing at the restaurant’s entrance.

“
Oh my God. Oh
fuck!

“
What’s wrong?” Sky asked,
alarmed.

“
It’s him.” Gabby’s hand
reached for her throat.

Cara grabbed her hand. “Who? Your cousin?
Where’s your bodyguard? Where’s Max? Why isn’t he here?”

Head bobbing in search of him, she squeaked,
“Shit! I don’t see him. I’m calling him.” Gabby punched his number.
“He’s not answering.” Her gut churned and she swallowed, forcing
the bile back down her throat. Her heart hammered and her blood
roared through her veins. It was so loud she was sure the others
could hear it.

“
Keep your head down. He
won’t do anything in a crowd.” Cara spoke. Then she glanced around,
looking for him.

“
You don’t know that. He’s
fucking crazy! Something’s happened to Ovaltine and Max. They
wouldn’t leave me. I’m calling Kolson. Shit. Shit. Shit.” Her knee
thumped wildly beneath the table. “Fuck, I gotta get out of here.
He’s gonna kill me.”

She called Kolson.

“
Kea.”

“
He’s here Kolson. Danny.
And Max or Ovaltine aren’t answering their phones. I need to get
out of here.”

Kolson started cursing. “DO NOT MOVE FROM
THERE GABRIELLA. I’M ON THE WAY.”

“
Don’t hang up, Kolson.
I’m really scared,” Gabby whimpered into the phone.

Sky said, “He’s searching this room. Like
he’s looking for someone. Keep your head down. He’s headed this
way. What should I do? Call 911?”

“
He won’t act in here.
There are too many people,” Cara reiterated.

“
Kolson, he’s here …”
Gabby cried.

“
Well, hello,
precious
. Put the phone
down. NOW. I’ve been trying to spend some quality time with you but
you keep avoiding me. Now why would that be?”

“
What do you want?” Gabby
couldn’t control the shaking covering her from head to
toe.

“
You’re my cousin. Like I
said, I want to spend some
quality
time with you. Now, why don’t you get up and you
and I will walk on out of here, peacefully, and leave your little
friends to their dinner.”

“
I don’t think so,
Danny.”

“
Listen, you cunt …” He
hissed and opened his jacket just enough for Gabby to see his
gun.

“
You’re gonna do exactly
as I say, or your little friend here,” he pointed the gun at Sky,
“is going to get a brain full of lead. Do you understand
me?”

“
Yes.”

“
Good. Now get up and walk
toward the door.” Then he turned to Cara and Sky and said, “And
when we leave, if either of you make any kind of noise, I’ll shoot
someone in this restaurant. And if you call the police, her
bodyguards are dead. Clear?”