Avenging Us - Gina Whitney Page 0,73

the tree line.

“Can I offer you any wine or cocktails this evening?” He only made eye contact with Abel. It was probably very clear how dominant he was, so there would be no point in asking me anything.

“Opus One, 2010 cabernet please, and some sparkling water.” Arrogance flowed from his every word, and at the same time, I found it all together arousing. He disarmed people with his tattooed image and piercings. However, when he opened his mouth, he was confident and articulate. Mindfuck.

The waiter returned with the bottle of wine Abel ordered, making a show out of uncorking and pouring. He waited for Abel to taste before he lavished my glass with some purple heaven. I could only have a glass or two, because of the breastfeeding. Luckily, I’d been pumping so I had some saved up in stock for the occasional alcoholic splurge. It took twelve hours for alcohol to synthesize through your body, and since I was Bella’s personal milk cow, I had to be careful. It didn’t help that I had a fear of intoxicating my newborn with my milk.

“Do you see what is in front of you, my beauty?” he asked, the rasp in his voice crashing against my thighs and causing me to squeeze them together. He clinked his glass with mine, toasting us, and I focused on what was in front of me.

I saw the picture-perfect view in front of me. The sun sank rapidly into the horizon, eventually melting into the sea. The star’s bright voices came alive in the night sky—a perfect canvas for seduction.

The heat of his gaze ignited tiny flames along my skin, alighting my body in a familiar warmth. “It’s beautiful. I don’t have any other words for it. Simply stunning.” And it was. But, I couldn’t concentrate on anything but his fingers settling on my thigh…squeezing every so often. A reminder that he occupied me and the space around me.

His emotions seemed to roll off him. “I feel it’s on me to show you how much you mean to me. That there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. Any distance I wouldn’t travel, and any line I wouldn’t cross. You are my bottom line, Beauty. And I don’t have to remind you that I play for keeps.”

What was wrong with him? I knew all this. All of a sudden, his expression turned very serious.

“The album drops at the end of the year.” He paused, his eyes seeking my own. “There will be a tour, and I won’t go without you and Bella.”

His eyes shone in the moonlight, waiting—watching. Transcendence. Before I was utterly paralyzed by him, I answered. “Do you honestly think the road is a wise choice for Bella? I mean, we barely survived it. How do you think a baby will do in the chaotic-nomadic-mess called rock and roll?”

He looked like I just slashed him across the face with a butcher’s knife. The smile he wore was instantly replaced with something else. Anger. Rejection. Hurt. Pain. The intoxicating cocktail blew through my mind, into my veins, and out of my pores. I wanted to take it back. My skin began to heat up for an entirely different reason. I felt dizzy with remorse.

“I’m sorry,” I amended. “I sound like a witch, and it didn’t come out how I intended.” I continued grabbing his hesitant hand. “I’d follow you anywhere. It’s your business. I get that, but…I’m just saying, it’s no longer just you and me. We have our dragonfly now.” I hedged, hoping he’d see where I was coming from.

“Would you like to order now?” I heard someone say from behind me, releasing me from the numbing trance. I deferred to Abel, as I didn’t see a menu to order from. A look of concern lingered beyond his handsome features, but he remained composed.

“I’ll have a word with your chef,” he said, throwing his napkin on the table.

I watched his retreating silhouette fade into the backdrop of the scenery. I had to wonder what this all meant—if anything—or was I an insecure gaggle of hormones and bad karma? Unsure of how long he was gone, it may have only been a few minutes, but I felt a succinct separation. My words, as innocent or truthful as they were, unbalanced me. I couldn’t imagine what they did to him. At the end of the day, all I wanted to do was thank him for loving me. Beyond all the pain, emotional cracks, and wicked insecurity…I