Page 4 of You Belong With Me

Scrambling up into a sitting position, I recoil, my back slamming against my headboard with a heavythud. The water in Gabriel’s hand sloshes over the lip of the glass.

“What the fuck?” I bite out. “How are you alive? How did we get here? What the fuck is happening?”

For weeks I’ve suspected Gabriel might be alive, but a theory ismilesdifferent thanactuallyseeing him sitting in front of me. He looks the same, and so much like Lucas, it’s crazy. The same blond hair, and blue eyes. The same flawless features.

He sets the glass down on my nightstand and smiles at me. “We were at Rush House,” he answers calmly. “And you passed out, so I brought you here.”

Okay, well, that answers that.

I’m panting, and it feels like I might hyperventilate. “Y-you held a knife to my throat,” I say, scanning his hands for said knife. I don’t see it, but he could have it hidden somewhere.

He reaches out to brush a thumb over my cheek, and I flinch. “I’m sorry about that, baby. I was freaked out, confused…”

I blink at him, my heart beating so hard, it’s all I can hear. “Did you fake your own death?”

It’s the question I’d been asking myself for weeks now, and honestly, I’m afraid of his answer. I can’t even begin to imagine why he might do something like that. But what other explanation could there be?

He drops his hand, and there’s a spark of something in his eyes—anger, maybe—before it’s gone, replaced with a softness I’ve never seen in him before. He laughs, but it’s void of humor. It’s an uncomfortable laugh.

“Why would I do that?” He shakes his head. “I don’t know what happened, actually. I just woke up one day without mymemory. It’s taken time, but eventually, a couple of things came back. Rush House.You.”

I nod, because I don’t know what else to do. I’m so fucking confused. First, I find evidence in Lucas’ closet thathewas my stalker, but then, immediately after, Gabriel shows up with theexactflower my stalker used to torment me.

“Were you the one stalking me?” I ask.

“I was keeping tabs on you,” he corrects.

So, knocking Kai out, and fucking me in the middle of the night is what we're calling “keeping tabs” now? Is he fucking with me? I honestly wouldn’t put it past him.

“I’m sorry if I scared you, baby. I couldn’t reveal myself until I knew it was safe. And even now, I’m not sure it is, but I couldn’t wait any longer to be with you…”

My back is still plastered against the headboard, and I tilt my head. “What does that mean? Why wouldn’t it be safe?”

He shakes his head and plays with the strap of my dress. I’m still wearing the dress I wore last night. “I’ll explain everything, I promise—” He slides a little closer to me on the bed, his eyelids heavy, hooded. “But first, we have a lot of catching up to do…”

I stiffen. “Don’t you remember what happened on the day you—” I cut myself off from sayingdied“—went missing…?”

His gaze rakes over my face like he hasn’t eaten in weeks, and I’m a county fair buffet. “I don’t remember anything.”

“We broke up,” I answer.

He shakes his head. “Baby, I don’t know who I was back then, but I can tell you, I’ve changed.” His thumb brushes over my shoulder. “All I remember…is loving you.”

I relax a little. Aside from the knife from last night, he hasn’t tried to hurt me. Could this be genuine? I want to believe it is, but I still haveso manyquestions.

“Where have you been all this time?” I ask.

He’s watching his own thumb as it brushes over my collarbone. “I don’t want to get into all that right now,” he says quietly. “I’ve been imagining this exact moment for weeks and I just want to soak you up. My Pretty Thing.” He whispers that last bit, and it sends a chill down my spine.

I should be glad that Gabriel is alive, and I am. But I’m also confused, and scared, and more than a little suspicious. How fucked up is that? God, I feel like such a horrible person. He’s alive, and all I can focus on is how he managed to pull it off.

I swallow, and try to calm my rioting heart. “Who else knows you’re alive? Does Lucas know?”

His gaze flicks up to meet mine. “Just you—and we need to keep it that way. For now.”

I’m clenching my teeth, and I don’t even realize it until my jaw starts throbbing. “Why, Gabriel? What happened?”

He shakes his head again but says nothing.

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