Page 3 of Gabe's Obsession

"Discussion is overrated. Why don't you let her know that I've gone to the cafe and I'll meet up with her there later?"

His eyes narrowed. "So where are you really going then?"

Nina sighed. Damned man was like a bloodhound. “I told you."

"Not everything you didn't. How about I rephrase my question. Where are you going first?”

She huffed out the air in her lungs and crossed her arms over her chest. "You are not the boss of me, nor are you my father. I do not need to report every move I make to you."

He laughed, a rich, deep sound that filled the room around them while also wrapping around her like a safe cocoon, making him a walking, talking distraction.

They hadn't had much occasion to laugh lately and she'd forgotten how much she liked the sound of his or how it so easily affected her by basically melting her insides.

"I promised your brothers that I would keep you out of trouble. And that's what I intend to do. If that means keeping tabs on you, so be it. Besides, haven't you learned by now that I like to get my way?"

"I'm not one of your many submissives, Gabe. I don't work like that and you know it. I swear. You and my brothers are power hungry and can't stand for a second to let someone else be in control, can you?" She didn't wait for a response. "That's your issue, by the way. Not mine." She took another deep breath before she continued. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I needed a place to hunker down and think for a while and I appreciate you helping me out with that. But I'm ready now to rejoin the world. I'm going home."

"Is that so?"

She nodded. "For sure."

"Okay, if everything is so great as you put it, let me ask you one question. If you can answer it, then I will let you go."

Her heartbeat sped up as she tried to imagine what one question he could possibly ask. What one thing could she tell him that would make him believe her?

"Did you kill Reverend Lewis?"

The shock of the question hit her across the face as violently as if he'd slapped her. She sucked in air and bent at the waist.Please, this couldn't be happening. Her chest suddenly ached with a pain so fierce she wanted to scream.

"That's what I thought."

His statement caught her off guard. Enough for her to raise up and stare daggers at him. Anger surged through her, pushing some of the hurt away. "That's what you thought? Are you freaking kidding me? What the hell, asshole? You took me in, you made me feel safe again and now this? I've had it. I'm not going to listen to any more conjecture or innuendo and I'm certainly not going to stand here and watch you doubt me. What kind of bullshit is that? I trusted you."

"No, you didn't," he replied as vehemently as she. "If you did, you wouldn't be sneaking out of my house right now. Or you wouldn't have stopped talking to me when you got scared. And you most certainly wouldn't be lying to me right now."

"I am not scared," she said. Although, if she was, she certainly wouldn't admit it. Deep down, in a place she refused to look, fear might be lurking. But at the moment, she was annoyed and that's where she'd live for now if that's what it took to get through the day. "And I wasn't sneaking. You left, I got up asinstructedand now I'm leaving just as soon as you get out of my way."

"I didn't ask that question because I doubt you. I don't. In fact, I already know the answer."

She turned from looking over his shoulder and met his gaze. The clear blue ocean of his eyes gave her little clues to the man inside. For whatever reason, he learned long ago how to control his emotions. She guessed it was a Dom thing, but she also suspected there was more. That need to know him on some level she couldn't describe was what kept her coming back to him time and time again.

To a man she could never have.

"If you are so sure you know the answer, then why ask?"

"Because I wanted to see your reaction. You claim you're fine. You're not. I know the answer, but you do not. And that," he stroked his fingers down her cheek, "is why you arenotfine. But if you'd let me, I can help. You just have to stop shutting me out. I am not them, Angel."

Nina shivered. So much of her wanted to give in. Especially when he called her 'Angel.' The husky tone it came out on melted her insides. Oh, how she wanted to keep leaning on Gabe and allow him to take care of her. But she just couldn't. Her whole life had become about how well she stood on her own two feet. To backtrack now and rely on someone else any longer, it just didn't feel right. Not to mention unfair.

Gabe had his own life. As the manager of Purgatory Club and the Fire and Ice restaurant, he ran a tight, but busy ship.

He lived a life she couldn't be a part of.

She'd watched him too over the years. Yes, he played hard at the club and demanded more than most would give, but in the end, he always sacrificed what he needed for others. She admired him for that, but it also broke her heart. He'd already given his fair share to this family. It wouldn't be right to ask him for more. It was time to end this cycle.

"Don't be so sure that you know who I am," she said. "If I can't remember, then you can't be sure. Whatever you're thinking, you're making assumptions and that's not fair. There's only one person who knows the truth and she's not talking."

His hand wrapped around the back of her neck and tugged her closer. So close she could feel his body heat along her front. She closed her eyes and allowed that warmth to comfort her one last time. She couldn't help herself.

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