Page 39 of The Replay
As we pull up in front of his house, I shift in the driver’s seat, fingers gripping the steering wheel like it’ll stop the nervous energy buzzing in my veins. “I can head home if you need space,” I offer, my voice softer than I mean it to be, trying to gauge his mood.
I expect him to say yes. Take the out. But instead, he surprises me.
“No. Stay.” Gabriel’s voice is rough, low, cutting through the silence. His hand finds mine, resting on my thigh, fingers brushing over the denim like he’s holding onto me for balance. “Please.”
My heart stutters. There’s something in his eyes—something desperate, a plea wrapped in all that tension.
“Of course,” I whisper, squeezing his hand.
We get out of the Jeep, the night air biting at my skin as we make our way to the front door. Gabriel unlocks it, and we step inside. The house is dim, quiet except for the low hum of the refrigerator. But before we can get upstairs, Julio’s voice slices through the silence.
“Where’s Adriana?”
Gabriel sighs, his shoulders sagging as he turns toward his roommate. Julio stands in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, eyes sharp with something close to rage. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this upset before. He’s normally the calm, level-headed one in their bunch.
“She’s still out with Kenji,” Gabriel says, his tone clipped like he doesn’t have the energy for this conversation. Not tonight.
Julio’s jaw tightens, the vein in his neck pulsing against his colorful tattoos. “You left her with him? Alone?”
“She’s fine, man,” Gabriel mutters, running a hand through his hair. “She’s a grown-ass woman. She doesn’t need a babysitter.”
Julio grabs his keys off the counter, snatches up his motorcycle helmet, and storms past us, muttering under his breath. “I’m going to check on her.”
Gabriel doesn’t stop him. Just watches as Julio disappears out the door, the sound of his bike roaring to life seconds later.
I glance at Gabriel, worry creeping into my chest. “Should I warn her?”
“Nah,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “He might come to his senses on his way there, and if not …” He shrugs. “She knows how to handle him. Julio’s just …” He trails off, not finishing the thought, but I know what he’s thinking. There’ssomething brewing between those two, and I don’t want to be in the middle of it when things finally come to a head.
“If he causes a scene, I’m sure I’ll hear about it later.”
Gabriel grunts and then motions toward the hall. “Come on.”
I follow him upstairs, my steps light, but the weight in the air between us is heavy. The door shuts behind us, and the stillness thickens. I sit on the edge of the bed, fiddling with my sleeve, unsure if I should say something. I pushed Gabriel to deal with his feelings before, and it blew up in my face. I’m not making that mistake again.
He paces the room, hands dragging through his hair, his frustration radiating off him in waves. It’s like he’s searching for a fight that won’t come.
“I know Adam’s not the enemy,” he finally says, his voice strained like it’s costing him something to admit it. “He didn’t do anything wrong. Hell, he’s just trying to be nice. But I fucking hate him anyway.”
I stay quiet, letting him talk. His muscles are tight, his jaw clenched so hard I can almost hear his teeth grinding.
“He’s who she replaced us with, you know? Me. Carlos.” His voice cracks on his brother’s name, and my heart twists in my chest.
Gabriel stops pacing, his eyes locking on mine, raw and exposed. “I’m an asshole, Cecilia. I know that. He didn’t ask for any of this. But every time I see him, it’s like he’s taking what’s mine. What’s supposed to be mine.”
I stand up, closing the space between us. My fingers brush his arm, trying to anchor him. “It’s okay to feel that way, Gabriel. To be angry. Your feelings don’t have to make sense. Not to anyone else. And you don’t owe Adam a relationship just because he wants one.”
His eyes flicker, the storm in them softening just enough. “I know. But fuck, I don’t know how to let go of it.”
“You don’t have to. Not yet.” My voice is quiet, but firm. “You’ll figure it out when you’re ready.”
Gabriel’s hand cups the back of my neck, pulling me close until our foreheads touch, his breath warm against my lips. “Thank you,” he whispers, his voice rough. “For being here. For understanding.”
Before I can respond, his lips crash into mine, rough and desperate, like he needs this. Needs me. It’s not just a kiss—it’s a claiming, and I melt into him, my hands gripping his shirt as I kiss him back with the same hunger.
He doesn’t slow down. His hands slide to my waist, fingers digging into my skin as he lifts me, my legs wrapping around his hips as he carries me to the bed, the heat between us growing hotter by the second.
I know we were supposed to take things slow. We promised. But right now? Right now, I don’t give a damn.
