by Tania Trozzo
As he walked to their table, he met Sonia’s gaze who nodded. After he pulled out Sarah’s chair for her to sit, Sonia went into action pulling Sarah close and he knew she would confirm what he said. He pushed his glass to Alex, needing something stronger to drink. Alex held his gaze a moment, a silent conversation between the two of them. He made sure to lay on just enough charm that didn’t seem like he was trying too hard and enough coldness to make him seem like a challenge. If the hour were any indication of where her head was at, he was pretty sure she was swallowing everything. Hook, line and sinker.
43
Gabe
“How about we take the party to the golf course?” Sonia asked everyone. They all murmured their agreement and got up from the table, pulling on their coats or shawls. Everyone else was on the dance floor and barely noticed that they were leaving the ballroom. Alex with Zoe holding his hand, Connor who was sticking awfully close to Sonia, and Sarah with Gabe finally bringing up the rear, all headed towards the 15th hole. It was bit farther and much more private.
Alex looked at Gabe and nodded slightly. “To an amazing second half of the year!” Alex pulled out a bottle of vodka and passed it around. Gabe only pretended to take a shot. He wanted Sarah, on the other hand, to be a little bit tipsy. She was almost there. After she took a shot, he pretended to take another and passed it again to her, smirking. As he thought, she rose to the challenge.
Alex put his arm around Zoe. “See you in a bit, guys.” Zoe giggled as he led her to the left where there was a lighted path in the trees.
The remaining four continued to walk forward. “You know, tonight was actually pretty fun. Why don’t we usually come to these things?” Sonia asked laughing.
“Because they’re usually stuffy and boring, but not tonight, ” responded Connor who stopped abruptly and grabbed Sonia lifting her over his shoulder. Both of them began laughing.
“Definitely, not boring tonight,” Gabe murmured, his gaze on Sarah as he trailed his hand down her back towards her hip and pulled her to him. She relaxed.
“I gotta talk to Sonia right over here.” Connor walked away.
Sarah looked at them curiously and turned to Gabe. “Are they…?”
“Nah, they’re just giving us some privacy,” Gabe grinned. He grabbed her hand. “This way.” As he led her down a small hill, he pretended to take another sip of vodka before handing the bottle to her. “You know, you surprise me more and more.”
“In a good way or a bad way?” Sarah asked him grinning.
“Oh, definitely good.” He let his gaze trail down her body and back up. He took a step closer to her. “You know,” he began to say softly, “it just dawned on me, that you’re like me.”
“What do you mean?” she questioned him.
He began trailing his fingers along her collar bone and circled around her, caressing her hair down her back. She began breathing heavily. He took a step forward and he nuzzled her neck. She shuddered as he gripped her waist lightly with his hand. He continued to finish the circle around her. “You’re determined in a different way than most others. High school- it’s all nonsense for you, isn’t it? You want bigger. Better. All the other girls, they follow you. Even the seniors.”
“Just like you,” she whispered peering through her eyelashes up at him.
“Yeah, I guess. But you’re resourceful. You fucking take charge and you demand respect.” He tilted his head to look at her. “The other girls, that’s why they don’t last with me. They need me too much.”
“They’re weak, Gabe. We’re not,” Sarah responded. Her breathing hitched as Gabe ran his hand down her back to the curve of her ass. Gabe could tell she just wanted to get it all out. “Kristin, really, Gabe? She has no personality. She’s weak, she does whatever I or anyone like us tells her to do. No backbone at all. But she got to you before I could, I saw her latch onto you like a leech. Initially I was livid but after I didn’t care.” This time she was circling Gabe. “I knew you would dump her. It was just a matter of time. People like us, we need someone strong next to us.”
Gabe took a shot and handed her the bottle. After she took a sip she continued. “Clara? Now she kind of surprised me in a way. I guess now that I think about what you said, how you wanted to win, I get it. Being her hero would fulfill your need to feel dominant. To feel like the alpha male you are. But I knew her past would catch up to her.” She stopped a second like she was thinking what to say next.
Gabe took the lead. “And it is. Someone helped with that though, didn’t they? I guess I hoped that she would surprise me. Initially I was furious that someone would take her paper and show it to everyone or that they would pull a prank on her but then I realized something,” as he looked at Sarah.
“What?” she whispered not seeming surprised about the prank part.
“That sooner or later, her past was going to come out and it was always going to be her crutch. Her weakness. She would use it as one, to play the victim. I don’t want that. It totally turned me off.”
Sarah exhaled and closed her eyes a moment. “She would hold you back. You and I. We’re meant for better things, Gabe. I was patient and I can still be patient. But Kristin and Clara aren’t right for you.”
“Not like you are, right?” Gabe said softly. She shook her head. He grabbed her by the waist and as he nuzzled her neck, he carefully slid down the zipper to her dress. She was panting. “It doesn’t bother you that I was with Kristin, one of your friends? Even though she just satisfied an itch I had? Or that she still wants to satisfy any itch I have?”
“You don’t need her to satisfy you.” Sara spoke, leaning her head to the side and Gabe finished pulling down her zipper.
“Why is that, Sarah?” Gabe asked her softly, taking a step back.
“Because I can do that.” She took a step back and let go of her shawl.
“Show me.” He goaded her. “Here. Now.”
She looked around but barely hesitated as her dress fell to the floor. He shook his head. She smiled seductively, thinking he was shaking his head in awe. He took her hand and helped her to step out of it, pretending as he picked it up gently and put it to the side saying, “Wouldn’t want it to get ruined.” He traced his finger along her collar bone. He looked her straight in the eye as he began to take off his suit jacket. Her eyes flared triumphant, but suddenly he stopped.
“But, I’m still with Clara. For now. She’s probably leaving anyway.” Gabe said.
“It doesn’t matter Gabe. Maybe if she were to find out, it would get her to leave sooner.” Sarah said carefully.
“Would you do that for me?” Gabe asked her. “Like you helped prank her?”
“I..” She began.
“It’s fine, Sarah.” He laughed. “It opened my eyes, remember? I’ve known. Kristin told me that it was you.”
Anger flared on her face, “She did?”
He nodded. “She thought it would help her. You know, put her in my good graces. She tried to act like she had nothing to do with it, but I know better. And I hate tattlers. I admit I was angry in the beginning, but the more I thought about it, the more you surprised me. You make things happen.”
“I do.” Sarah whispered, “and I will.”
Sarah began to speak again but Gabe placed his finger on top of her lips. “But right now I don’t fucking care. I mean look at you.” Her eyes flared again. He finally took off his suit jacket and pulled off his tie and tilted his head smiling. Undoing the entire tie quickly, he approached her moving in on her lips. She immediately closed her eyes and leaned in for the kiss but Gabe stopped as he placed the tie over her eyes.
“Gabe, what are you doing?” she asked hesitantly. He came up behind her to finish tying it.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” She relaxed as he skimmed his fingertips along her arms. “Stay right there. I promise I’ll make it worth your whil
e.” Gabe started taking a few steps back, looking behind him as Connor approached filming Sarah. Sonia took a few quick pics with Sarah’s phone, sending it to all her contacts.
“And I’ll make it worth yours, Gabe.”
Gabe smirked. “I’m sure you will. Talk to me Sarah.” Sarah was shuddering from the cold but it was like a dam broke and she began speaking about them and how they were on top. He caressed her hair and urged her to speak. Connor filmed about another minute until they quickly backed away and left her there talking to herself. Sonia erased everything from Sarah’s phone and threw it in a bush nearby. At a certain point, as they rushed up the path, Sonia asked, “where’s her dress?”
Alex had reached them, “It wasn’t there, I thought you had taken it.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it.” All their heads turned to the right. There was Clara holding Sarah’s dress in her hands, with her cousin Sal standing behind her grinning. Shit.
44
Clara
Everyone decided to go to Gabe’s house. On the way there, Clara asked Gabe to pull over, so she could put the dress in one of those big donation boxes. He briefly chuckled, when he saw her stuff it in there, but still didn’t say a word. Clara could tell he was extremely tense yet nervous. He kept glancing at her as he drove home, opening his mouth to speak quite a few times, but nothing came out. She definitely was not ready to put him out of his misery just yet, so she just crossed her arms and looked out the window. His face when he saw her standing there holding Sarah’s dress was priceless. She was thankful that she was able to convince Sal to bring her to the golf club. As she left with Gabe, Sal shook his head saying she was nuts. But he had smiled fondly and told her to make sure she wasn’t late or it would be his ass on the line.
When they entered Gabe’s house, Connor led them all to the basement and quickly went behind the bar to make them drinks. Clara went to the bar and poured herself a shot. Alex and Connor’s eyes widened watching her doing so. Gabe observed Clara carefully. He was most likely trying to get a read on her as she just stared at him defiantly.
“How did you…” Alex began to ask but Sonia interrupted him.
“It was me.” They all turned to her. “She couldn’t stay on the outside anymore. It wasn’t fair. You can yell at me later, but honestly,” she looked at Clara, “I’d do it again. The only way Clara can move forward is by being some part of it. Doing what we did tonight made me realize that. Getting back at Sarah, helped me feel vindicated for what Sarah’s cousin and her mom did to me. I wanted Clara to feel that way too.” Clara’s eyes softened. Sonia had confided in her when she told her the plan and Clara loved her friend even more.
Alex and Connor nodded. Gabe’s jaw ticked. Clara didn’t stop holding his gaze until she went and poured herself another drink and downed it and then she just continued staring at him.
“How about we go upstairs?” Alex spoke to Connor and Sonia. Sonia squeezed Clara’s hand leaving them alone.
Gabe let out a breath and looked as though he was about to deal with a wild animal. In a way she felt like one. “Don’t.” Clara told him, “Whatever you’re going to say don’t.”
“You don’t even know what I’m going to say.” Gabe told her. “Are you just going to stare at me and take another shot?” She smirked at him, as she took a bottle of vodka and poured some in her glass. “Then will you please say something?” He asked her but she stayed quiet. He groaned and sat down. He ran his hands through his hair until he left his hands hanging and lifted his gaze to look at her. He looked lost.
Clara exhaled. “I don’t know what to say yet. I don’t know if I’m supposed to kiss you for…for what you did. For doing whatever it takes to defend me or to slap you for touching her, for the things you said, and I didn’t even hear it all, I’m sure.”
“Clara…this is exactly why I didn’t include you. I knew a part of you wouldn’t want me to spew all those things from my mouth, and the other part would be hurt from them. It would leave you doubtful and I don’t want you to doubt me. Ever.”
“Did you kiss her?” Clara asked him.
“No.” He answered quickly, straight in her eyes. No hesitation. She nodded.
“What if it had gotten to that?” She challenged him.
“It didn’t.” Gabe responded. They continued to stare at each other.
“But what if it did? What if…”
“It didn’t! And if it would have gotten to that then I would have figured something out!” Gabe’s voice was hard. He stood up from the couch and stalked towards her. Gabe stopped right in front of her but he didn’t touch her. She ached for his touch, even if she didn’t agree 100% with what he had done, she just wanted to be in his arms. Instead, she stood firm.
Watching him she asked, “Was there any truth to what you said to her?” He paused for a second but softened his voice.
“No, other than what I said about Kristin. But what I said about you? Of course not. I didn’t mean any of that.” Gabe tried to convince her. Clara let out a breath and broke her gaze looking at the floor. “Clara, don’t doubt me now.”
She lifted her gaze and looked in his eyes. They were so earnest and yet determined. “Sonia had warned me. But hearing you say those things, it was like hearing my biggest doubts and fears come to life. She was willing to have sex with you on a golf course! And here I am making you wait. I just. When I took her dress, it was like I was having an awful dream and you were there with her. I had to keep repeating to myself that it was all an act. I trust you Gabe. I do. But if it was me doing those things with another guy, would you feel great about it?” His jaw began ticking again. He shook his head. “How could you say those things? Was it easy?”
Gabe exhaled and ran his hands through his hair. “It was and it wasn’t. There were moments that it wasn’t because the shit coming out of my mouth about you, it bothered me. Complimenting her, left a sour taste in my mouth. Especially when my father saw me talking to her.” He stopped a second. “I was embarrassed that he saw me with her even though I could tell he questioned it. But I’m going to be totally honest here and tell you that when I thought about why I was doing it, about all that she’s done to you, then it wasn’t hard. At all. I put on a show to get the result that she deserved. Period.” Clara was quiet for a moment until Gabe reached out his hand to grab hers and goosebumps broke out across her skin. “Can I touch you now or are you going to throw that glass at my head?” She sighed.
Initially he hesitated but then pulled her closer, looking straight at her. “I don’t lie especially to those I care about. I know that may sound hypocritical of me since I didn’t tell you what was happening but if you didn’t come tonight I had every intention of telling you what happened. I wouldn’t have wanted you to hear it from someone else.” Clara nodded.
“So you don’t feel any twinge of remorse for what happened? For what we did?”
“No,” he responded without breaking her gaze. “I don’t care about Sarah, or that we humiliated her. I’d do it again. She hurt you. Her family hurt Sonia. We had taken care of the douche that dared touch Sonia. If he ever decides to come back we will finish him off.” He paused looking at her intensely and continued, “But then they interfered with you. You’re mine. And nobody fucks with what is mine. I love you Clara. Not Kristin, or Sarah. I love YOU.” Clara gasped but he didn’t break his stare. “Whatever it takes, I don’t care who it is, I will always protect you.”
Her eyes widened. “You love me?” she whispered in awe.
Gabe pulled her in his arms, towering over her and softly said, “Yeah, I do.” Clara could feel her face flushing, as she was trying to contain her smile. He opened his mouth, “Clara...” but Clara stopped him with a kiss pulling away only slightly, with her lips still touching his she responded. “I love you too.”
He let out a breath. “Thank God.” He kissed her deeply before he pulled away to
hold her tightly to him, with his head bent down near hers. “I’m sorry you had to see that. But I am not sorry for protecting you.”
She pulled away and cupped his jaw. “It’s done with her?”
“It’s done. Sonia took a picture with her same phone and sent it to her friends, making sure to delete it so until someone texts her, she will have no idea, but Sonia changed her passcode and threw her phone in a bush with her purse. And Connor took a video as backup.” She nodded. “And just for the record. You like that, with another guy, it’s not happening. Ever. Did I mention, never?” She knew Gabe was trying to lighten the mood and lessen the sting of what she saw by getting her to laugh but what he didn’t realize was that all of it went out the window the moment he told her he loved her.
“Should we call the others down here?” Gabe asked her, kissing her across her cheek to her ear and her special spot.
“I have to go soon,” she answered breathlessly.
“Do you?” He pulled back and grinned, “I’m pretty sure there are rules to this.”
“To what?”
“Well, I just told you I love you and you said the same. So I’m pretty sure we need to kiss for a while. Make out maybe. Be close. You know?” He pulled her closer, kissing the side of her mouth.
She smiled. “Oh yeah? I didn’t realize there were rules to these things.”
“Well, the great thing is, that we make our own rules so they sound like good rules to me.” He slowly inched closer and began kissing her again until the door upstairs opened. She pulled back and he groaned. She grinned, he looked so handsome in his suit and his messy hair. He held her close with his hand on her hip, while his other hand ran through his hair and turned to the steps. “Hey, we were just going to call you guys.”
“Were you?” Gabe’s father stood there with Alex, Connor and Sonia behind him. Sonia grimaced. “So I guess now is a good time to explain?”