Page 82 of A Vampire's Pain
“But I don’t,” he said. “I don’t see how this woman you have barely known for a little over a week can just come in and have you wrapped around her finger in seconds. I had you for years. She doesn’t know what torments you and what makes you happy. She doesn’t knowyou.”
“She will,” I said.
“But you’re giving me up for her.”
“I’m not. You’re the one walking away.”
“Yes, and I have a right to do so. I’m done looking out for you. Let your little mate do it,” he growled. “I’m done.”
“Ace!”
He tried walking away again and I grabbed his arm, but he just whipped around and punched me in the face.
“I told you not to touch me!” he growled.
I covered my jaw with my hand as I looked at him. I wasn’t going to fight back. I deserved the punch and I hoped it might just help him get some of his anger out.
“I didn’t know you felt like this,” I whispered. “I never meant to hurt you.”
“Yes, you did. You did it all the time to all those women. You left them pining after you, and you knew this. You played them, stole their hearts, and then left them shattered to pieces, and I never said anything, because I never believed you would do it to me.”
“Ace …”
“I was stupid to think I mattered more,” he said.
I had never seen Ace show so many emotions or act so vulnerable, but here he was … and it was all because of the way I had treated him. I wanted to tell him I was sorry, but I knew it wouldn’t matter, so I just watched him walk away, knowing I had most likely lost him forever.
Chapter 34
-Valeri-
I woke up feeling someone drawing figures on my back. I smiled, stretched a little, and then looked over my shoulder, seeing Gabriel already awake and watching me. He smiled down at me, and then lifted his hand and placed it on my cheek, stroking the skin there. I loved this. I wanted to always wake up like this, but then I noticed something strange about Gabriel. It was faint, but it looked like he had a small dark spot under his eye.
“Hey, are you okay?”
I reached up and wanted to place my hand on his cheek, but he grabbed my hand and kissed it instead.
“I’m fine,” he said.
“Did you get hurt?”
I sensed something strange about him. I couldn’t quite say what it was, but there was definitely something going on with him.
“Gabriel?” I asked.
He sighed and looked down.
“I really am fine,” he said.
“No, you’re not.”
I turned around and then scooted closer to him, placing my hand on his chest, and just looking up at him, waiting for him to let his guard down a little and hopefully tell me what was bothering him.
“Talk to me,” I said.
He just looked at me for a long time, stroking my hair a little and almost studying it like he wanted to memorize every single piece of hair. I let him take his time, because clearly there was something that was nagging him, and I wanted to help.
“I’m a bad person, Val.”
