Page 143 of Gabriel
“So uh, do you come to these parties a lot?”
I ignore the question, still scanning the crowd.
There.
My eyes latch onto what I know is the back of Felix’s head, and I shove my way toward him, ignoring the girl when she calls out my name.
“Gabriel! Wait up.”
Not happening. I’m not here for some cleat chaser’s attention. I’m here to get my girl.
“Where is she?” I demand as soon as I’m within earshot.
Felix looks up at the sound of my voice, relief washing over his features.
He steps aside, revealing Cecilia.
Her skin is pale, her brown eyes wide and filled with fear. Her hair is pulled back into twin braids, exposing the column of her neck, and I can see the rapid thrum of her pulse. But what my eyes get stuck on is what she’s wearing.
Cecilia’s in a dress.
I can’t help but do a double-take. Holy shit. That’s some dress—black and figure-hugging, short, resting on the tops of her thighs.
It’s a sight I can’t quite wrap my head around. Don’t get me wrong, she looks good. Better than good. She looks amazing. But still, my brows furrow in confusion.
Why is she dressed like this?
There’s a guy talking to her, but it doesn’t look like she’s paying him any attention, and Felix doesn’t let him get too close.
Good.
I give the guy a quick once-over. He’s not familiar, not someone I know.
“That was fast,” Felix comments, a hint of humor in his voice.
Fucker.
I shoot him a glare. Like he didn’t expect me to ride over here like a bat out of hell after that text he sent me. When Felix turnshis attention to me, the guy trying to talk to Cecilia manages to shift closer, reaching out to touch her arm. My eyes sharpen, and my blood boils with barely tempered rage.
Why is this asshole touching her?
Cecilia flinches away from his touch, and my anger intensifies.
“What did you do?” I growl, my voice like gravel.
The guy jerks his eyes toward me. “I’ve got this,” he says to me with misplaced confidence.
Cecilia offers no response. Her eyes are locked on something in the distance, and I follow her gaze to see Austin Holt standing on the other side of the room, near the kitchen’s back door. He offers me a smug grin and raises his beer in a mocking salute.
Son of a bitch.
I position myself to block him from Cecilia’s view and move closer to her.
“Cecilia,” I pitch my voice low, “Hey, baby girl, look at me.”
But there’s no response from her. Tears well up in her eyes, and she trembles on her feet. That guy is still fucking touching her, but to her, it’s like he’s not even there. None of us are.
All she can see is Austin.
