Page 135 of Gabriel's Salvation

“Come on boys, I think we’ve all earned ourselves some booze, blow, and bitches,” Phoenix smirks as he leads the guys out the door.

“Oh, and Gabe,” Marko chimes, as he turns to look back at me. “I expect you first thing in the morning, ready to take up your new role as bitch boy. For now, I suggest you go bury your whore. That's if there's anything left to bury; maybe I should send Ryan around there first. He’s always had a fascination with necrophilia, maybe I should let him test it out,” Marko says with a sadistic laugh.

I run towards him, no longer caring about the rules, and simply wanting to murder him, but before I reach him the barn door is slammed shut and something is pushed through pinning the door shut.

I pound against the door, trying to escape, as I hear the truck start and then drive away. I run at the door, pounding against it with all my strength, once… twice… on the third time the door flies open, and I see a broken rake handle on the floor.

I run off in any direction, having no idea how to get home since it's been years since I was last here. Something in me must remember though, as I make it to the road relatively quickly and manage to hitch hike back to town and straight to Riley's.

When I arrive the front door is wide open, and with my heart in my throat, and fearing the worst I rush inside and straight towards her room. As soon as I enter I see she's lying motionless on the bed. Fuck, fuck. FUCK. She's dead! They fucking killed her.

I begin shaking her, not knowing what else to do. “What the…” Riley shouts and the sound of her voice and the relief I feel knowing she's alive opens the floodgates as the tears begin to pour down my face.

“You're alive!” I sob.

“Of course I'm alive,” Riley says, sounding confused as she holds me as I sob like a fucking baby into her chest.

“Baby what happened; was it a nightmare?” she asks groggily.

“No… they were here… Sinners, they were here,” I sob, even though I know I'm not making any sense.

“No one's here baby, it's just us,” Riley tries to soothe. It would have almost worked, had I not spotted the discarded knife on the floor.

Bending down I pick it up. “Then what's this?” I say holding the knife in the air.

“No idea, I've never seen that before. Is it yours?” Riley questions as she rubs her eyes, as if she can't believe what she's seeing. That's when it dawns on me. She really has no idea what the fuck happened tonight, how close she was to dying, or worse, all because of me.

“Err, yeah maybe,” I mumble, because what the fuck else am I supposed to say? Actually no, this belongs to one of the psychos that broke in tonight. Oh yeah, and each one is a thug for hire who’d think nothing of slitting your throat or raping you in your sleep. To top it all off, it's all my fault as I led them straight to you!

I pull her body tightly against me as I snuggle down into the bed, terrified to let her go, knowing once I do, it will be forever.

“Gabe?” Riley attempts to ask, her voice confused and unsure.

“Shhh baby, it's fine. You're fine, go back to sleep my Angel,” I whisper as I bury her head into my chest and I rest my own head against the top of hers.

I hold her in my arms one last time, memorizing everything about her. The way her skin feels pressed against mine. The faint smell of coconut that wafts from her hair. Heck, even the grunt-like sounds she makes when she snores. I lie awake holding her in my arms until I see the sun starting to rise outside the window. I pull out my phone and snap one more picture of her asleep in my arms, then place one final kiss on her temple, before I walk out of her life. Forever.

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