Page 109 of A Vampire's Pain
“Damon, truly look at what happened that night when you found out Valeri had been living with us,” he said.
“Thanks for telling me, by the way.”
“I told her to call you,” he said. “And I thought she did.”
“So, she lied to you too?!” I asked.
“Let’s not focus on that,” he said. “Just really think about that night. Valeri saw Gabriel wasn’t fighting back because he knew she would never forgive him if he ever hurt you, and when you asked her to come home with you, she went, even though she wanted to stay.”
“Maybe she didn’t.”
“She did,” he said. “She has fallen for him.”
“No, my sister realized it was all a trick,” I said.
Dominic shook his head.
“Only because you said it was. She looks up to you. She adores you. She will always listen to you, but you need to realize this and set her free,” he said.
“People will hurt her again.”
“They probably will, but not like she once was. There are mean people out there, I can’t deny it, but you should have seen how happy she was with Gabriel. How much she came out of her shell and started living!” Dominic said. “Gabriel changed her, and she changed him.”
I shook my head.
“No, he can’t change.”
“But he did. I know Gabriel, and you know me. I don’t lie,” he said.
“Dominic—”
“She needs you to tell her that it is okay for her to be with him,” he said. “Or she will continue to stay here and she will slowly wither away.”
“No, she made her choice.”
“Only because she knew she couldn’t let you go. You are what has been keeping her together. If she lost you, she would lose herself.”
“I won’t see her getting used again!” I told him.
“Gabriel is not using her,” he said.
“How can you be sure?”
“Because if he was using her, he wouldn’t even bother to get to know her name,” Dominic said. “And definitely not taking her out on dates and teaching her to drive.”
“He taught her to drive?”
Dominic smiled and nodded.
“He did, and just like I can’t stop looking at Lara, he can’t stop looking at your sister,” he said. “He looks at her like I have never seen him looking at anyone else before. He has fallen for your sister too.”
I sighed and leaned back in my seat. Could it be true? Had I been too quick in making my decision? I remembered Gabriel as being the flirt, the charmer, and someone who used people. I didn’t want my sister to be used as well, but could it really be true? Could they be mates?!
“You need to talk to your sister,” Dominic said.
“I’m not sure I truly believe they are mates.”
Dominic nodded.
