Chapter 4

• GABRIEL
• “Don’t do this to me, please, miss,” I begged as my chest grew tight. “You know I won’t do that. You were with me that whole night and even if I know the risk, I brought you home, because I can’t do that to you…Ah!” I sharp strike came from the left side this time, hitting my rib. I bellowed in excruciating pain.
• I dropped on my knees, screamed, pleaded, using all the strength I had left with these bruises I had in my body. I looked up at his glacial expression, and she wasn’t saying anything.
• Two days ago, Audrey asked me to run away with her. I worked at the vineyard the Hopkins owned with my father. I guessed she never noticed me even once, but I always see her. Every day, I watched her from afar, admiring her beauty, her sweet face, listening to her sweet voice. And I thought I was the luckiest man in the world when she suddenly spoke to me. A whole night where she opened up to me, we laughed, she cried and talked about the thing she couldn’t tell anyone—like her father setting up to marry some rich old man when she turned eighteen. It was the same night she chose to trust a farm boy and asked me to take her away.
• I was foolish enough to have brought her to downtown, in the nearest train station, checked her into a motel so that she could rest before she leaves. I tolerated her quirk to run away from her family. She was naïve and immature, but I cared for her all this time that I managed to brought her back before it’s too late. I was wrong, but never once in my life, I would steal something from him. If I was going to steal something, it won’t be food—just like what they were accusing me now—but money. I would steal their money or gold because it was what we needed.
• His half-brother, Anton, had probably plotted this to bring me down. No, I was sure it was him when I saw him speaking to my father the other day, which he never had. It was Samuel, their eldest who was always in the field watching the workers. The lord of the estate Edward Hopkins believed his son, of course, but what’s more dramatic than taking away her precious daughter?
• Anton pulled me with his fist clutched in my hair and gave me another blow in my stomach. I couldn’t feel my body, my limbs, or my knees anymore.
• “How dare you take away my daughter after your filthy family stole from us! This is why I thought people like you are worthless!” Edward cursed.
• I wouldn’t mind if he called me a thief, but I could never take it if he called my family worthless.
• “Audrey…” I tried to speak. “T-tell him… Tell your father the truth…”
• “What truth, you bastard?” Anton kicked my face not once nor twice. “You kidnapped her! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”
• I felt tremendously cold, my muscles igniting, and my spirit breaking. “No… Y-you asked me, Audrey… Say s-something….” I croaked, but I could barely hear my voice. I couldn’t see anything now with my fuzzy vision. It was funny, I could no longer feel anything.
• How could she do this time? I knew she was standing in front of me, doing nothing. She let her family treated me like an animal and she was letting them. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe she wasn’t the person I thought she was. She was just like them. She killed my soul.
• In one last moment, before I lost my sight, I saw her walking away.
• “A-Audrey!” I bellowed, with the last breath.
• “AUDREY!!!”
• “No!!!” I screamed, finally standing up, but all I saw was my bed and drenched with my sweat. My breath was hitched; my chest was pounding. I ran my fingers harshly on my scalp.
• What the fuck was that?
• I couldn’t remember the last time I dreamt of that until…
• I stepped out of my bed, drew out some calming pills from my drawer and tossed it into my mouth with a gulp of water. Then, I went to the shower room and turned the shower on, letting the water fell on my head, not bothering if my clothes would get wet. I exhaled a sigh as relief finally rushed through me. But I kept asking myself this.
• Why did she have to appear in front of me? Wasn’t it enough that she fucking ruined my life?
• She had every chance to tell them my intentions. I didn’t want her to waste her life so I brought her back. She was already beneath me, writhing in pleasure every stroke of my fingers, every press of my mouth onto her mouth, her skin… but I stopped because I thought it was wrong. I wanted her ever since, I watched her turn into a lady, and I couldn’t hurt her in one night of mistake.
• I pulled out a towel, got dressed, then walked back to my bed. I grabbed my phone from the side table and found that it was only two in the morning. I clenched my fist in damn frustration, anger, and insanity all at the same time.
• I needed a diversion.
• I scrolled to my contacts and rang Megan’s number. I met her a couple of times now. First was when Robert introduced her to me as a daughter of a French banking magnate, Alfred Faucheux. She was always at my beck and call whenever I needed her company and a senseless fuck. I could never be wrong when I expect that she’d always answered on the first ring.
• And I was right again.
• “Gabriel?” her voice was slightly stunned, and rasp. “What’s the matter?”
• “Megs, yes, it’s me. I’m sorry, but can I come over?” I pressed the points of my temples with my two fingers.
• I heard a swift movement on the other line. “Of course, Gabe. You don’t need to ask, you know. You’re always welcome to come here at any time of the day.” She chuckled.
• “Alright. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
• “Sure. I’ll just phone the lobby.”
• “Thanks.” I hung up.
• As much as I wanted to despise Audrey, and how much this dream ruined my evening, images of her kept clouding my brain. Ever since I saw her in the interview room, I never got any proper sleep. I could still remember how fucking exquisite she was, and how angelic her face was. She was sexy as fuck, like a ripe fruit ready to be eaten at any time. There were times I pictured her blonde hair spread on my pillow or her pussy sitting in my face all night. I would suck the nipples of her round breasts and I would have her beg me not to stop. Thoughts like this had always left my cock in need.
• Groaning, I cursed under my breath.
• Damn. This fucking madness has to stop.