Page 143 of Make Us Yours
“No, baby, go to bed. I’m gonna head in as well.” I stand and grab my phone from the side table, waking the screen to see if I have a message from Noah. It blinks back at me empty, and my heart cracks a little more.
Gabe lifts from the couch and takes me in his arms. “He’ll come home.”
“I hope you’re right…”
We turn off the lights in the penthouse and head upstairs, hand in hand. Once on the landing, he brings me to Noah’s door and opens it. His fingers slide through my hair as he pulls me in, tilting my head back and capturing my lips between his. I melt against him, hands fisting his shirt, a soft moan falling from my lips as he swallows it up.
“Thank you, Vixen,” he whispers against me.
“You never need to thank me, Gabriel. I’ll do anything for you.” I kiss him again.
“Anything for you,” he repeats.
I lean back, staring into his vibrating grayish-blue eyes. “Anything.”
He smiles lovingly, pressing his lips one last time to mine. “Goodnight, my beautiful queen.”
“Goodnight, Gabriel.”
I step into the room and close the door behind me, heading into the ensuite tobrush my teeth and clean my face. Once I’m done, I turn off all the lights and climb into bed with my phone in hand as I lie on my side. Facing where Noah should be sleeping with the cover tucked under my chin, I dial his number one last time and bring the phone up to my ear.
“This is Adler. Leave a message.” It doesn’t even ring, sending me straight to voicemail.
“Hey, babe. I was just wondering where you were…. I’m worried about you… we all are…” I sniffle as the tears begin to run freely down my cheeks. “I miss you… please come home, Noah… please.” I end the call, throwing my phone down on his pillow and curling into a ball as I cry into my pillow.
Two hours later, I’m tossing and turning, still unable to fall asleep as worry eats at me from the inside. I sit up, passing my fingers through my hair.I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be in this bed alone, when he’s out there, somewhere, doing God knows what. I don’t want to be alone anymore.
I flip the covers off my body and climb out of bed, walking to the door and out into the hall. I look toward Gabe’s room, then down the stairs. I know he doesn’t want us to sleep in the same room because of his nightmares, but right now, I don’t care.
The only place I want to be is in his arms. Because over the last few days, he’s been the only thing keeping me together when all I want to do is fall apart. He’s been my saving grace, my comfort, my happy place. And at this moment, I really need my happy place.
I need him.
I turn back to his room and walk over to the door. I press my ear against it, listening in to see if he’s awake, but I don’t hear anything. I slowly turn the knob and quietly step in, closing it softly behind me. I stretch my hands out in front of me and tiptoe cautiously toward his bed. It’s so dark that I can’t even see my hands before me, but I’ve been in this room so many times that I know the layout by heart.
Bending slightly, I move my hands around until I feel the comforter. I slide my hand up slowly, trying to determine where exactly Gabe is in the bed. My fingers collide with his arm, and I stop, waiting to see if the touch might wake him, but he doesn’t even stir.
I lift the cover slowly and sidle underneath it, then lie on my side, facing him, and close my eyes as I breathe in his scent. I can never put my finger down on what exactly he smells like, but it’s spicy with a hint of citrus, and I love it.
As if he can sense me near, he turns from his back to his side, his arm reaching over my body and pulling me into him. I curl up against his neck with a blissfulsmile resting on my lips as I fall asleep to the sound of his beating heart.
One that beats for me, the same way mine beats for him.
GABRIEL
I gather the warm dish from the oven, carrying it over to the dining room table with pride. Looking down at the smoked salmon, roasted asparagus, and white rice with slices of lemon, I place it down on the center of the table and take note of the four place settings. Two on each side of the table.
When I look up, I find my mother and father sitting on the other side of the table, a disgusted look on their faces as they take in the dish. I stand straight, confused by their sudden presence in my home. “Mom?... Dad?... What are you doing here?”
Ronnie grabs my arm and forces me down in my seat beside her. Her beautiful rainbow hair perfectly styled with big curls. “Come on, Gabriel. Don’t be like that. Let’s enjoy a nice meal with your family,” she scolds me with warning eyes.
I don’t understand… Ronnie hates my parents, why would she want to have dinner with them? Why are they even here?
I swallow the lump in my throat, forcing the bile rising to my mouth back down, and nod.I can do this. I can sit through one meal with them, then send them on their merry way and never see them again.
“Aren’t you going to serve us, boy?” my father starts. “Or is that what your bitch is for?”
I clench my jaw, nostrils flaring as I glare at him, squeezing my fist around the butter knife that rests beside my plate. “Don’t call her that!” I bark.
