Chapter 39
Things became awkward. Lori didn’t know why or how it became awkward, but it had been three days and Gabriel spent all of his time at the office. She wondered if it had anything to do with her.
She was feeling much more better. Her bruises had bealed and she was no longer sore but her period came barging in like an unwanted visitor three days ago and she got very moody too. Very moody
Gabriel had also been arriving home so late that she was already asleep when he got into bed. She tried the first night to wait up for him but she had slept off. The next morning, he had left shortly after she woke up, offering her only a brief good morning. Lori cosidn’t tell where it all went wrong.
She had asked Grace, Wondering if he had confided in the woman about something and Grace had chalked it all up to work.
“Gabriel is a very busy man. He’s just busy at work. Don’t worry yourself.”
She patted Lori’s shoulder and teassured her.
Oh well.
1, that made her relieved, at
- at least for a little bit. If Grace didn’t see anything wrong in hi
ang in his recent behavior then she had nothing to say.
Elliot was the only one who seemed to keep her company. Lori didn’t know if it was because they were close in age or he was very persistent but she found him very easy to talk to,
And he was also giving her the right motivation she needed to apply for college. It was a big step, but she knew it was something she should consider. She wasn’t going to be a nanny forever and it would be nice for her to actually finish ber education.
So college, college didn’t seem like a bad idea.
It was something she could think about, something she could plan
“Have you played video games before?”
hot asked out of the blues, pulling Lori out of her thoughts.
for
They had been sitting in the living room, watching tv while Lari held Emilia in her arms. She wasn’t really watching the show, she had just been mindlessly staring at the television consumed with her thoughts until Elliot asked her a question.
“No. I haven’t really played one before.”
Wh
She asked and he shrugged.
“I was hoping we could play some.”
Lori chuckled.
“You’re bored?”
She asked and he
“This house is too damn boring. And Gabriel won’t let me bring any friends.”
“Why don’t you go out then?”
She asked and Ellot shrugged.
oh he wished he could actually go out. But ever
ever since that morning
g where Gabriel asked him to punch him, he had been acting strange. And then he had told
to protect loni and not.
Trave
her side.
He asked why, but Gabriel didn’t give him a straightforward answer. Elliot wondered if there was some kind of problem that Gabriel was worried about.
, he had listened to him and agreed to it. Only because he was looking for a way to make Gabriel fully trust him.
ith his brother, Gabriel girw weary of Elliot, even though time should have told him that Elliot would never actually oppose him, or
How could be? He was young, inexperienced with nothing but has family name. His own mother didn’t even care enough about him.
Why would be try to defend a brother whom he barely knew? Expecially when he was so young.
“You haven’t actually been out in a couple of days. It’s very unusual. For you.”
Inti added and he nodded.
“My friends aren’t really in town.”
“We only meet up when we’re in town.”
He said and Lori nodded.
“Oh. Doesn’t mean you can’t go out. You look bored as hell.”
“Hey I’m not bored. I’m with you, that’s entertaining.”
Lori scoffed.
“I’m not doing anything entertaining.”
Elliot shrugged.
“You could be.”
ni skill set that would be useful in the future.”
“I could teach you how to den gansen. It’s a very important i
“Useful for
to play
and Elliot shrugged.
She asked as she laughed and Elliot
“I don’t know. But it’s fun and you should try it anyways.
Lori nodded. If she didn’t agree, he would mae her about it.
“After. That would be after I put Emilia down for her map.”
She said and Elliot nodded.
“Okay. Fll go set up in the lounge room.”
Lori’s eyes widened but she remained mute.
Jenny walked in.
heard you and Elliot want to play some games, why don’t I take the baby then you can go ahead.”
She said enthusiastically and Lori shook her head.
“Oh no. I can’t. You must have
or your own work to do. I can’t just dump her on you.”
“Trudes, I need to feed her soon
The said as the hugged the baby tighter.
Jy shrugged
you worry about that! I’m done with work. In fact I had nothing to do, that’s why I came take her off your hands.”
She said and Lori contemplated her words. She didn’t want to burden Jenny, especially since she had been helping so well with the night feeds.
Chapter 39
“Oh don’t tell me you’re actually thinking about it! It’s not a big deal. Hand her over.”
She stretched her hands and Lori begrudgingly handed her the baby.
“I left some milk out for her bottle. You should warm it up and make sure you test
Lon instracted and Jenny nodded.
the temperature before giving her.”
“Yer. Yes. Off you go ”
She said as she practically shooed her away.
In the kitchen, Jenny saw the storage pack of milk that Loni had put out, She looked around nervously.
For the past three days she had been replacing Lon’s breast milk, with formula.
She didn’t know why she was doing it, she just knew it was the instructions of Mr Gabriel
She had been confused when he had told her
She asked him
“Mr Gabriel, if you don’t want Lon to give Emilia her breast milk anymore I think it’s best you just tell her”
d sighed.
Gabriel had
“I don’t know how to tell her. Especially in a way that it wouldn’t hurt her feelings. So just keep doing this while we watch Emilia’s health.”
Jenny complied. Every time Lori wanted to make a bottle she would volunteer, helping her warm the milk and bring it up for her while simultaneously throwing away Lon’s milk. Loni didn’t notice. The only time she didn’t interfere were the occasions in which Lori would breastfeed the baby from her own
That, that she couldn’t intervene with…
But she helped as she could. Hoping Lori would never notice.
Gabearl wash T expecting Lon to be awake when he got home, but he found her in the kitchen hair up, barefoot and making herself some noodles.
He greeted Lori turned to see him.
She was wearing a large T–shirt. He wasn’t sure if she was wearing any other thing underneath. He tried not to think of that.
“You’re kind of early today.”
“Yes. Find of”
He said as he removed his suit jacket and dropped it on the chair.
“I thought you’d be asleep already”
He said and Lori shrugged.
Chapter 39
Che’s finally asleep.”
Gabriel nodded.
“That’s good”
“Do you want some noodles?”
She asked and he shook his head. He had dinner before he left the office.
“No. I don’t think so. I already ate dinner.”
She didn’t. She had been too busy playing video games with Elliot. They must have spent close to four hours in the lounge playing games. Lori didn’t even realize that time had gone by so fast.
By that time she didn’t feel like eating dinner and Elliot had
back
to the pool house.
“That’s good.”
He sat there awkwardly as he watched her move around the kitchen. Humming softly.
He had so many things to say to her, so many things that he wanted to say, but couldn’t.
He had been avoiding her, simply because he couldn’t look at her after the things he had done and found out.
He was torn between telling her about her true nature or letting her live a little more without the knowledge of what she was. Of what he was. Draco wanted him to tell her everything as soon as possible, but Gabriel didn’t think she was ready.
Why would she? She was young, it would be a lot for her to take in, especially after all that she had been through.
He also expecially felt bad for telling Jenny to replace her breast milk with formals. It was only for Emilia’s sake. He hoped that if he at least lessened the quantity of Lon’s breast milk she was taking, it would at least stop Emilia from having growth spurts.
He couldn’t bring himself to tell her not to breastfeed Emilia again. He could only imagine what she would think after he said that.
He picked up his jacket.
“Okay. I’m heading to bed. I’ll see you upstairs.* –
He said and Lon nodded.
He was walking away when she called out to him.
She had been thinking about it. And it didn’t seem right, or remotely sensible that she was still sleeping in Gabriel’s room.
She thought it would be best if she went back to her rooni.
“I think it’s best I go back to my own room now.”
The said and Gabriel fro
“Why Did something happen?”
He finally asked and she shook her head
But I no longer have nightmares. The door of my room is fixed and I’m not sick anymore. I don’t think I have any reason to still stay”
he twisted her fingers in her shirt as she looked down, clearly nervous. And anxious, about how he would react to
to what she said.
sted to tell you in person before I left.”
Chapter 19
Their was silence and it seemed to span for hours as Gabriel thought of the right thing to say. He liked her sleeping in his bed. He liked that the heat of his body could provide warmth and he liked that he could provide ber comfort when she was distressed in her sleep.
He walked up to her, till he was standing right in front of her.
with one finger, he raised her chin up
“Tell me. Tell me that you don’t want to sleep in my room anymore.”
Lori’s knees almost gave in at the sound of his voice. He was staring at her, the full intensity of his blue eyes on her, his finger still under her chin, forcing her to stare at him.
Forcing her to think about those thoughts that she had pushed so far away from her mind.
Those bad bad thoughts that someti
sometimes kept her awake at night when they were in bed together.
She was unable to say it. Or even utter a proper sentence. Because it would be a lie.
A blatant lie.
She didn’t want to leave. Not him, not his bed. Not his room.
Gabriel could see the answer written on her face, but he decided he’d wait for the words to come out of her mouth.
So he decided to taunt her a little.
With one hand around her waist he pulled her close to him, the movement jerking Lori right towards him, their faces merely inches away from each other.
“Do you want to leave?”
He asked again, his voice husky, low, Lori heard the words, but her eyes were on his lips.
She finally breathed out
And that was all he needed to hear,
The lips collided.
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