Page 14 of Salvation

Hope is here?!

Mother fucker… I didn’t know she was here. I didn’t see her car. I assumed she’d gone home earlier.

Hope is here… and she looks like she just rolled out of bed after a wild round of lovemaking… out of Gabrial’s bed after he fucked her.

Her face is as shocked as I know mine must be. I want to cross the room and punch Gabrial, and I want to grab Hope and remove her from this house.

My stomach is clenching as if someone just sucker punched me in it. I feel lightheaded.

I knew that Hope and Gabrial were involved. I’ve always known that. She’s never lied to me about loving him.

I even knew they were sleeping together. I’m not an idiot. It’s why I’ve never let myself get too caught up and past the point of no return with her.

She and I have never… we’ve never gone that far, but I know she’s not a virgin.

Knowing she’s fucking Gabrial and seeing her after the fact with my own eyes…

Nothing could have prepared me for this feeling.

Rage overtakes me.

I snap out, “You’re still here? No wonder you couldn’t be bothered to answer my calls.”

Her eyes widen and she gasps as she grabs ahold of the doorframe. “I didn’t know you called me… I would have answered, Luke.”

The hurt in her eyes causes my pulse to jump, but I refuse to acknowledge it. I can’t. I will not react in front of Gabrial. Instead, I shutter my emotions and look at her as I would anyone I need to question for a case. “Yes. I’ve called you three times since this afternoon. I had some questions for you about Gabrial’s visit yesterday afternoon. I left messages for you to return my call.” My eyes briefly glance over her. My nostrils flare at the expanse of smooth leg under the hem of the shirt that is barely covering her body… Gabrial’s shirt. Through gritted teeth, I snap, “Apparently you were occupied.”

Gabrial has been standing silently, watching the exchange between Hope and me, but at my last comment, he points at me and rages, “You will not speak to her that way, Sanchez! She has done nothing wrong and unless you have a warrant, or are planning on arresting me, you need to get out of my house.”

I know he’s right and I don’t want to treat Hope this way… it just hurts. It hurts more than I can stand to see her in his clothes in his house after sharing a bed with him.

Ha. You’ve always known that loving Hope meant sharing her.

Yeah, but now that I’m actually seeing them together this way… it’s more than I can stand.

Time to leave, Luke. Staying here means attacking Gabrial and hurting Hope… the first I can deal with, and I’d even welcome it… but the second… I can’t hurt Hope… even though my heart is breaking the longer I’m in this room…

It’ll break more leaving her here… with him.

I’m fucked either way.

Time to go.

Grabbing my jacket from the chair I threw it over; I shrug it on. Without looking at Hope, I say, “You need to call me tomorrow. I have some questions for you.” And then, I glare at Gabrial. “This is bigger than me and you really fucked up this time. I’ll be in touch.”

Without another word, I turn to the door and stroll across the room.

Hope’s mournful gasp as she calls my name firmly shatters my heart, but I ignore it. Clenching my fists, I walk through the foyer and out the front door. Once I reach my Mustang, I slide into the leather seat and as the door shuts, I can’t prevent my shout of rage or from hitting the steering wheel a few times. I allow myself to completely lose it for the briefest of moments.

My head falls back on my headrest, and I take a deep breath as I try to calm my heartrate and push back the headache brewing behind my eyes. After a few minutes, I crack my eyes open and look in the rearview mirror. The face staring back at me looks shell-shocked. I’m pale. Paler than I’ve ever been. My forehead is deeply creased. My blue eyes are flat and almost lifeless and there are lines at the corners of my eyes. The lower half of my face is covered in stubble and shadow and my lips are tight and pinched with no color.

The job is rough, but I love it and I deal with it. I love knowing that because of me scum bags are taken off the streets. But… when the main player in a game that no matter how it ends means the person you love the most is going to get hurt… Honor and loyalty are tested.

In my soul, I know that this is the case that is going to take Gabrial down… one way or the other… no matter how I look at it and who else I take down… he’s at the center of it all. All roads lead back to him and it’s time his reign ends.

I only hope that I can protect Hope from the battle that I know is about to ensue.

Damnit, Gabrial…

---