Page 122 of Forking the Billionaire

Layana ran over to Gabriel and pulled on his arm. She tried to console him, calm him.

I rose to my feet, welcoming whatever wrath he wanted to rain down upon me. I deserved his worst. I deserved resentment.

I was poison.

“I’m sorry,” I said, knowing it was inadequate, knowing it would change nothing.

“You need to leave.” Gabriel’s dark eyes burned with hatred. “Now.”

Layana laid her hand on Gabriel’s chest. Softly, she said, “Gabriel.”

You need to leave—it was the push off the already unstable tightrope I’d clung to.

I’d screwed up the one thing I’d come across the ocean to do, support Gabriel. I’d hurt Gabriel instead. I’d hurt Esme, too.

I refused to do more damage.

A tightness gripped my chest, squeezing like a vise as, leaving me breathless with the weight of my remorse.

Trembling and broken, I left.

THIRTY-TWO

ESME

I paced back and forth, stewing in my bungalow.

I wished I didn’t want to talk to Jasper. I wished finding out information about the biscuit bandit didn’t make me want to run right back and share.

I needed space. I needed to get myself together before I could handle seeing anyone.

A knock sounded on the door.

I paused my angry stalking as panic pinged through my brain. Had Jasper followed me home? Was he trying to apologize? Was I willing to hear him?

Nope. I was not.

“Go away,” I yelled at the door.

“Can’t do that,” a voice yelled back at me.

It wasn’t the voice I expected.

It was Gabe’s.

Of course he’d be upset that I’d disappeared without saying anything from the bonfire. That was selfish. But Jasper was even more selfish for not making up an excuse for me.Hewent back to the bonfire…didn’t he?

What if we both disappeared without a word? That would not be great.

And me standing here not letting my brother in as I speculated as to his state of mind wasn’t going to help anything.

Feeling like an idiot, I headed for the door and opened it.

Gabe stood on the porch with a weird look on his face. I forced a smile and waved him in.

“You shouldn’t have had to leave your own party just to check in on me,” I said. “Sorry about that. I should have told you I was taking off.”

He didn’t say anything, just looked around with that same weird look. It wasn’t an expression I’d seen on him before. It was tight and upset but also…unhinged? Like he’d been awake for three days and nights drinking energy drinks and then pretending everything was fine. It was verynotGabe.

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