Indebted - Piper Stone Page 0,82
hand around the glass. “At least you have a family, Gabriel. I have no one to care about me. Not a single person. No aunts. No uncles. No living grandparents. Someone murdered my father, taking away the only link to my past that I have. I would love to have a big family who gave a shit about me enough to try and reach out, no matter how long it had been since we talked. Maybe you don’t care and that’s fine, but I think you do. As a matter of fact, I know you do.”
She knew exactly how to get to me, the hard edge crumbling just enough to get her point across. “You know nothing about me.”
“I know enough that whatever caused your scar nearly destroyed you and I think it has everything to do with your family.”
Spots of blood washed in front of my eyes, my heartbeat irregular as the anger shifted to a boiling point. “Just leave it alone. Go to your room, Alessandra. I can see that enjoying dinner wasn’t on your agenda tonight. You should go hungry.”
“You don’t want me to go.”
I laughed as I rocked in the chair. “Let. It. Go.”
She rushed toward me, her hand fisted. “No. You want to remove that damn boulder that’s crushing down on you. You long to trust even a single person, to care about someone again. For a few stupid days, I thought that could be me. I was stupid enough to believe that you are a wonderful man, someone I could learn to care for.” Her words faded off as her breathing became scattered, tears filling her eyes. “I guess as usual, I was stupid for believing that. I knew Bobby Rivers was a bad man, but every little girl loves the dark and dangerous heroes. Right? I’m just a stupid girl and a fool.” She placed both hands in front of her face, taking deep breaths.
“You’re not a fool. You’re an amazing woman.”
“Then trust me! Tell me who the woman was who crushed you. Was she the reason for your scar?”
The way she gripped my arms was far too intimate, enough so that all I wanted to do was push her away.
But I couldn’t.
I saw the light in her eyes, the kind of intangible hurt and frustration that created a dagger in my heart. I hadn’t planned on falling for this woman. She was a nobody, just a method of exacting revenge. Then why did she create such desire? Why did I want to keep her protected, hidden away from the rest of the world? And why did I feel the cold steel armor dissolving?
The anger and frustration continued to build, my mind swimming in the darkness that had nearly destroyed me.
“Christina was the only woman I loved. She meant everything to me, even though I was nothing more than a spoiled playboy. She became my light. My darkness. My very soul. Then she was gone. Gone! And it was all my fault! I killed her! I was the one to blame. She trusted me on that night. She knew I would protect her, but I didn’t. Don’t you see now? Can you understand?”
Alessandra took a deep breath, her lower lip quivering. She could never understand the guilt and shame I’d been through or the embarrassment to my family. My fault. My stupidity.
“That night? Tell me, Gabriel.”
I pushed her away, turning immediately. I couldn’t stand to see the condemnation in her eyes.
The quiet was too much to bear. “Go to your room. Just go!”
“No.”
The single word was everything. She would defy me. She was the kind of woman who refused to be put in a cage, forced to accept her penance. Alessandra was remarkable and infuriating, perfect yet vulnerable. She was far too wonderful for a man who could never accept himself.
“Whatever you did, I won’t believe you killed her. You hide behind so many masks as well as the anger for losing your family, but you are no killer,” she stated defiantly, standing so close, far too close to the monster who could hurt her. Destroy her.
Turning sharply, I yanked her into my arms, fisting her hair as I dragged her onto her toes. “You listen to me, Alessandra. I did kill her. I made the decision to have just one more drink while she begged me not to. I was the one driving when I lost control. I. Killed. Her. You see? I am that monster you accused me of being, a