by S. Valentine
“I hope you know how much I care about you,” he said, the sincerity apparent in his eyes.
Gabi’s spine stiffened. She wondered whether he was declaring his feelings because he was feeling guilty about something.
“I know you do,” she responded. “And I hope you know I’d never hurt you again.” She meant it. Kissing Lawrence was the worst thing she had ever done. Would Darion hurt her?
She studied his expression intently to see if a flicker of guilt flashed across his face, remorse, sadness, anything—yet it was devoid of emotion. Darion was good at pretending to be confident, and immune to any other feelings, especially ones that made him weak.
“I believe you, Gabi,” he said softly.
“Right.” She stood up. “I better get to work. Are you going home?”
“Yeah. Let me get dressed and I’ll walk out with you.”
Gabi stared at the wall before her for what seemed like an eternity. She had made up her mind. It was time to see what Darion was hiding.
When they were both outside ten minutes later, Gabi allowed Darion to kiss her, his tongue wrestling with hers, his hands wrapping around her waist. He kissed her like it was only them in the world, as if they weren’t standing on the street with people walking past. Pulling back, she wiped her mouth.
“Have a good day, darlin’.” He took hold of her hand and squeezed it.
“You too,” she responded.
Gabi turned on her heel, the smile vanishing from her face. She unlocked her car door, climbed in and waited patiently. She watched as Darion got into his Audi. He pulled off hastily, leaving a trail of exhaust smoke behind him. He was obviously in a rush. She allowed a couple of cars to drive past, and then she started the engine, put the car in gear, and set off to follow him. She felt insane playing little Miss Detective, but she needed answers. There was no point in confronting him about the messages and calls. If he didn’t mind her knowing about whatever it was, then he wouldn’t have deleted everything.
As she turned several corners, keeping a close watch on his car, she became claustrophobic. She was afraid of what she would find. Winding down the window, she sucked in air. Please don’t break my heart, Darion, she thought, knowing she couldn’t handle it. If he was having an affair, it was obviously serious if he was in contact with the person regularly. It wasn’t like her stupid one-off kiss with Lawrence. It would have been planned—the calls and text messages, the secret meetings. With a free hand, she rubbed her throbbing temple. Shit! The traffic lights turned red. Drumming her hands on the steering wheel, she craned her neck, trying to ensure she didn’t lose sight of his car. When the lights changed to green, she floored the accelerator and caught up with him.
After fifteen minutes of tailing him, he turned a corner, and then she noticed his right indicator light flashing. He was pulling into a car park of a hospital. Confusion swept over her. She drove on by and headed for work.
What was Darion doing at a hospital? Her heart slammed against her chest with worry. Was a member of his family sick? But surely he wouldn’t keep that from her. Was he sick? She felt faint at the thought. What if there was something wrong with Darion and he hadn’t mentioned it so as not to worry her? Maybe the text message was from someone he trusted, someone he confided in to keep his secret. Darion was the sort of person to hide an illness should he have one. He rarely ever moaned or complained about anything. He kept everything bottled up, thinking that discussing feelings was weak.
Her head ached with confused thoughts, as she didn’t know what course of action to take. She didn’t want to admit she had checked his mobile and followed him like some crazy person. She knew waiting patiently until he opened up to her was probably the best idea. At least he wasn’t having an affair. Well, it didn’t appear that way. She wished Darion could open up to her, that whatever it was, he didn’t have to face it alone.
***
Darion
Darion rubbed the tense muscles in the back of his neck as he neared the hospital. His hands were damp, his mouth bone-dry. He lifted his gaze to the grey coloured, depressing looking building, the place where bad news was often delivered. Was he ready for answers? Fearing his weak legs would buckle beneath him, he balanced against the wall for support. He couldn’t do it. He wasn’t ready. Removing his mobile from his pocket, he switched it off.
He paced to his car. Once inside he buried his head in his hands. He had never been so scared, so worried in his entire life. When his heartbeat and body temperature resumed to normal, he started the engine. He needed a strong drink. He needed something to take his mind off everything. A game of cards and some beers with Lennie and Travis had never seemed so tempting.
Chapter Thirteen
Gabi
The working day passed quickly, and afterwards, Gabi and Mallory headed to a salon to get their hair and nails done. Gabi didn’t confide in her about the text messages she had found in Darion’s mobile, or his hospital visit. She wouldn’t have minded Mallory’s opinion, or a reassuring speech to soothe her worries, should one come. However, she wanted to find out for certain what was going on before she made a big deal about it.
“How’s dance class going these days?” Mallory asked, admiring her glittery, grey nails.
“Yeah. It’s good.” Gabi watched the lady stroke pink polish onto her nails.
“Have you seen Ben yet?” she asked, her eyes lighting up.
“I saw him by the elevator the other day.” Gabi chuckled. “Mal, are you going through that dry patch with Steve again?” she teased.
“Nothing wrong with a bit of eye candy, sweetie.”
“I suppose not.” She lifted her head to the mirror. Her blonde hair fell in soft waves down her shoulders. If only she was feeling as good on the inside as she did on the outside.
“It looks gorgeous, Gab.”
“Thanks.” She studied Mallory’s hair, which was perfectly straight, and a darker blonde than she’d previously had it. “Yours looks stunning too.”
Gabi rose to her feet when she was instructed to place her hands under the ultra-violet light. Sitting at the counter, she waited patiently for her nails to dry. When satisfied they were, both she and Mallory left the salon.
“Fancy going for a quick drink somewhere?”
“Sure, but it’ll have to be coffee. I’m driving, remember?”
They settled at a table in the nearest coffee shop they could find. It was fairly busy with people in suits, having recently finished work, or youngsters transfixed on their mobiles or laptops. They spent the next hour discussing work, Suzie, Steve, and celebrity gossip. For the first time that day, Gabi had completely forgotten about all of her worries.
It was 9 p.m. when she strolled into her apartment. Hanging her coat and handbag in the hallway, her stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten properly. She kicked off her heels and entered the kitchen. Nothing in the fridge looked appetizing. She wasn’t up to cooking, so grabbed a container of cold pasta.
She took it, along with a fork, into the living room. She sat in silence as she ate it, no noise distractions from the television, no words of a book or magazine filling her mind, just complete silence. As she shovelled the pasta into her mouth, she studied her living room. Romance books lined her bookshelf, only a few of which had been read. Photographs sat in pretty silver frames of her family, and the special holidays she had been to abroad. Ornaments decorated shelves and stunning oil paintings hung from the walls. The place was neat as usual, and it looked homely. It was then she realised she had nothing in sight to remind her of Darion, or to even show she had a boyfriend.
Leaning back on the sofa, she searched her mind of whether she had any of her belongings in his apartment. She didn’t. Well, except for a toothbrush and a few cosmetics. She made it her mission to capture and print some photographs of them for her place. Maybe even leave some at his ‘bachelor pad,’ and replace the ones he had of Eva in his bedside drawer.
Finishing the pasta, she threw
the container in the bin, the fork in the sink, and trudged to the bathroom. A hot relaxing bath would do her the world of good. Once inside, she stripped off her clothes and stuffed them into the laundry basket.
Perched on the side of the tub, she waited for it to fill up halfway with hot water and then added cold. Climbing in, she gasped in delight as the warm water spread over her body, softening her tense muscles. She submerged her body in the bubbles, and rested her head against the tub. Closing her lids, she imagined she was at some fancy spa hotel in a Jacuzzi. She wouldn’t have minded a short break somewhere. Perhaps she and Darion needed to get away from everything for a while. She decided then and there she would book somewhere special for her and Darion. Maybe it would strengthen their bond. Perhaps he would open up and tell her what was going on with him.
After she soaped and shaved everywhere, she climbed out of the tub. She was drying herself with a towel when she heard her mobile ringing.
“Hello,” she said, as she slipped a robe on.
“Gabi,” Darion’s sultry voice filled the line, followed by a low blowing sound as if he was smoking.
“Hi.” She padded over to the bed, and sat down. “How was your day?”
“Good.”
She bit her lip in exasperation at his one word answers. “Did you do much?” she pried and waited with bated breath for his response, hoping he would come clean and tell her about his hospital visit.
“No…how did your day go?”
Ah, subject changer. “Work went well. Then I had my hair and nails done.” She stroked her hair. It was silky soft. “Is everything okay with you?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“No reason.” She rearranged the cushions and then lay down. “Oh,” she said cheerily, suddenly remembering. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“I love surprises.” From the sound of his tone, she could just imagine the twinkle in his pupils and the mischievous grin on his face. “What is it?”
“You’ll soon find out. Do you have anything planned for tonight?”
“I’m going to the club to get the last of my stuff.”
“Okay. Well, I’ll speak to you tomorrow.”
When they said their goodbyes and Gabi ended the call, her shoulders sagged in disappointment. Why hadn’t he confided in her about the hospital visit? Was he really going to the club or was he meeting someone? The truth always comes out in the end, she told herself.
Chapter Fourteen
Darion
Darion exited his Jeep and strolled toward The Black Door. As he took in the lonely-looking building, the lights off, and no music booming from the doors, a pain shot through his heart. Carl needed to get the business up and running. He hated seeing it closed. He wondered whether the locals and members were missing it as much as he was. He made a mental note in his head to arrange some bar viewings with the estate agent. He was going insane having nothing to take his mind off things. He needed to be around loud people, have chatter and rock music filling his ears, a business to motivate him.
Tossing his cigarette butt to the curb, he pushed on the door and was surprised to find it was open. He stepped inside and was instantly met with the fumes of paint. Black sofas and marble tables surrounded the room, protected by plastic covers. The shelves behind the bar were empty and there was nothing of his in sight. Carl was buying the club fully furnished, although it appeared he really did want to leave his mark on the place.
Sliding onto a new stool at the corner of the bar where he always used to sit, he sighed heavily. He hoped he’d done the right thing. Then he reassured himself that he had. He couldn’t run that sort of business facing the new chapter in his life.
“It won’t be the same without you.”
He straightened when he heard her familiar silky voice. Eva swayed toward him, a smile tilting her lips. Grabbing a stool, she sat next to him.
“What are you doing here?”
“Carl asked me to open up. He said you needed to collect some things.”
“Why didn’t he come himself?”
“There was no point in him traipsing across town when I’m just around the corner.”
“Any news on the opening?” He stroked the stubble on his jawline and knew he could have done with a decent shave.
“Soon.” She flicked her hair back. “Don’t worry, Daz, I’ll make sure he takes care of this club.”
He nodded.
“The girls too,” she added quickly.
“You do that.”
“How are things with you and Gabi?”
“Fine,” he lied, the engagement ring torturing him again. He rubbed his palms up and down his face and inhaled deeply. He used to have photographs of Eva in his drawer when he believed he still had feelings for her. As soon as his feelings for Gabi had become clear, he’d tossed them out. Surely Gabi wouldn’t hold onto the ring unless there were feelings she was unsure of.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Eva’s voice broke his thoughts. “Fancy a drink?” She stood up and began rummaging behind the bar. “There must be something around here.”
“No, Eva,” he said sternly. “I’m here for one reason only, to get my stuff.” Pushing himself to his feet, he strolled toward his office. When inside, he grabbed a cardboard box from the side and began opening cupboards and drawers and filling it. Then he took the pictures from the walls, smiling fondly at each one he came across.
“Will you visit much when it’s back open?” Eva was leaning against the doorframe, her arms folded across her chest.
“I don’t have any reason to visit.”
When his mobile bleeped, he rummaged through his pocket. He hoped it was Gabi saying goodnight. Panic set in when he glanced at the screen. He went hot and then cold, like he had a fever and instantly needed to sit. Perching on the edge of the desk, he squeezed his lids shut for a second, trying to control the hammering of his heart.
07844***369: You can’t avoid this forever. x
“What’s the matter?” Eva asked.
“Nothing.” He slid the mobile back into his pocket and grabbed hold of the box. He examined the room one final time until he was certain he had everything. Brushing past her, he strode toward the exit. He needed air. His stomach was churning, an acidic taste appearing in his throat. He felt like he would vomit.
“If you ever need to talk to anyone, I’m here, you know.”
He glared over his shoulder. “We both know you’d be the last person I’d come to.”
“Oh, Darion.” She shook her head with a merciless laugh. “You seriously need to get over the past already.”
“Easier said than done,” he mumbled.
As he sprinted to his car, he could hear the sound of Eva’s heels behind him. He clenched his teeth, unable to disguise his rage. Why couldn’t she take the hint and leave him alone? Setting the box in the boot, he walked around the car and unlocked the door.
“You know, one day you might need my help,” she yelled after him.
No one can help me, he thought. No one at all.
Chapter Fifteen
Gabi
Gabi was browsing through endless pictures of luxury spa hotels in London. A weekend of nothing but pure relaxation and pampering was just what she and Darion needed. Excitement built as she clicked on stunning indoor swimming pools, exquisite in-house restaurants, and modern suites.
Retrieving her debit card from her handbag, she tapped in her details. She ticked boxes for the penthouse suite, including breakfast, dinner, and use of the spa facilities. Situated in Mayfair, she decided they could even go sightseeing this time around. She hadn’t splurged on expensive shoes, or treated herself in a while, and so shrugged off the fee, which was a tad pricey.
Grabbing her mobile, she located her parents’ number. She could probably even pay them a visit. After a few rings, she received an answer.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Gabi,” her mom squealed in delight. “How are you?”
“I’m good
. How are you and Dad?”
“We’re fine, honey. We’re going to Italy on Friday.”
“Sounds lovely.” She grinned. “I was going to visit, but we’ll arrange something some other time.”
“That’d be nice.”
“Is Samuel still there?”
“Yes, but not for too long.”
“Okay. Well, tell him I said hello.”
“I will do. How’s Phil these days?”
Gabi chewed the end of her pen. She hadn’t bumped into her boss for a while, now that she thought about it. She never had any reason to venture to the top floor where his office was. “I haven’t seen him a while.”
“Send my love when you do.”
“Sure.”
Mallory entered the room, holding two cups. The coffee aroma filled the air.
“Mom, I better go. Have a lovely time in Italy, and we’ll catch up soon.”
“Bye, darling. Take care.”
Gabi set her mobile on the desk. Kicking her Valentino stilettos off, she tucked her feet up and made herself comfortable.
“Why do you look like the cat that got the cream?” Mallory gave her the cup.
“I’ve just booked a spa getaway for me and Darion.” She beamed before taking a sip of her drink.
Mallory sat down. “When?”
“The weekend.”
“Oooh. Dirty weekend, huh?” Mallory lifted her cup to her lips and blew over the steaming liquid.
“I was thinking more romantic.” She raised a brow. “Although I could add a hint of dirty.”
The girls laughed in unison before taking sips of their drinks.
“When do you go to the Maldives?”
“Two weeks.”
“Have you bought everything you need?”