Page 59 of Thrill Me (Dark Odyssey 3)

“It’s hard to talk about.” I quickly wipe away a tear that slides down my cheek.

He hangs his head down, then looks back at me. “Mimi… I’m gonna just guess. I did a lot of shit during the time I was with you and it wasn’t like people didn’t know what I was up to. They knew. I didn’t hide it. I figured there had to be one thing that happened that maybe you kept back because I was such an asshole. There’s only one thing I can think of,” he states and I already know he’s guessed it.

“What?” I ask nervously.

“You were pregnant …weren’t you?”

I stare at him feeling the cold tendril of anxiety creep down my spine.

I nod and he covers his mouth blowing out a ragged breath.

“Mimi….” He breathes and I blink away more tears. “What happened? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Gabe please don’t go down that road. Don’t. I was stupid for not taking better care of myself.”

“You?” he asks, shaking his head at me. “Mimi, we’ve always taken care of you. You trusted me and you never expected me to be an ass to you. What happened to the baby Mimi?”

“There was an accident… car accident, and I lost her,” I answer and he continues his gaze on me.

“Her?”

“Yeah her.”

“Mimi all of that happened and you never said anything. Why not? I was a monster but I wish like fuck you’d told me. You had an accident?”

This is the part I really don’t want to admit to because I know he’s going to hate himself. Just looking at him though I see he’s not going to let up until I fill in the blanks.

“Gabe, I had the accident after I found you with Sienna in the dressing room. I left and I was too upset to drive. I should have taken a walk instead. Walk it off, do something, just not drive. It wasn’t like it was the first time I’d seen you with one of the girls from the club in the club, andoutside. That day though I was just … I was disappointed and it turned out to be the day that mattered.”

“Oh…God…” he shakes his head and I’m shocked beyond measure when I see a tear run down his cheek. “God Mimi, no wonder you hated me so damn much. I… hate myself.”

“No…Gabe, don’t. It’s taken a lot out of me to move past it. I’m not over it and it’s not okay, but I’m not that person anymore.” I’m just fucked up in other ways from the whole ordeal, but I’m getting better at learning to trust myself one day at a time.

“You’re right it’s not okay, but I do hate myself. You deserved so much more than that, so much more than me. I knew better than to do what I did. No amount of sorrow can make up for it, but I am truly sorry,” he apologizes.

I nod because I do know he’s sorry.

I see it and I accept it. I have to because I already know what hating him feels like and it wasn’t good for me.

The door clicks open and I see a giant bag of groceries first before I see Salvatore.

“I’m making you cannelloni baby –” his voice trails off when he looks across to me and sees Gabe.

I’m not used to the Arctic coldness that’s drifted in the space between us. Not with these two. These two brothers are supposed to be best friends, as close as close can be and I never wanted to come between them.

One look and I can tell things have changed.

While Gabe looks remorseful, Salvatore has that fury in his eyes.

He just looks at Gabe and doesn’t say anything to either of us as he walks in the kitchen and sets the bag down. He completely ignores Gabe.

Gabe looks on at him with the same sadness.

“I’ll leave you guys to enjoy the rest of your evening,” Gabe says and looks back to me.

“Thanks for coming,” I tell him. I felt I should say that, no matter what is going on between him and Salvatore because he didn’t have to come by.

He looks at me like he doesn’t know what to say, remorse heavy in his eyes.

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