29

AUDREY
“What are those things?” Gabriel probed. “You see, I can’t understand you if you don’t communicate.”
“I just can’t see myself engaging in any relationship, not with what I’ve experienced in the past. I’m so sorry, Gabriel.”
He raised an eyebrow, confused. “Is a third party involved? Some ex-boyfriend, perhaps?”
I looked away. How could he read through me? But Liam wasn’t an ex, no.
“Is this silence your admission? Who is he?”
“A person that still holds my heart.”
Gabriel’s expression hardened. “You’re still in love with him?”
“No!” I denied. “Not in love, no. I couldn’t say I was in love with him. I barely know him at all, but a memory of him is still holding on.”
“You were not in love with this man, you are saying, but as I can see, you still haven’t moved on. I don’t understand this. Where is he now?”
I brought myself up. I couldn’t tell Gabriel he was already dead because I didn’t want him to see through me. I didn’t want anyone else to know about my past. Liam was the nightmare I couldn’t wake up from, but at the same time, he was the boy that I still admired.
“Nowhere.” I shook my head.
“Okay. Name?”
“I can’t tell you.”
Silence.
“All right.” He blew out an exhale. “I will respect your view on this matter. I have nothing else to say about that. That’s your privacy. But Audrey, that thing won’t stop me.” He let out a faint smile that made me melt. “It’s all in your past. This is your present.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you knew. I’ve hurt people, Gabriel. I’m incapable of engaging in any relationship.”
He caught my wrist. “And with this, you think it can hurt me, too?”
“Yes.”
He held my face and searched for my eyes. “Have I been wrong about you?” he murmured, but I didn’t understand what he meant.
“What?”
“All I can see is a naïve woman troubled by her past…” he continued.
I touched his hand. “Gabriel, what are you saying?”
“Nothing.” He smiled, shaking his head. “But what are you going to do now? I’m a man of perseverance. You can’t escape me now. After listening to you, I can’t wait to make you mine even more.”
He smacked a kiss on my lips, bringing me into a daze, but then he stood up.
“What are you doing?”
“I’ll tell you more about me.” He winked at me, pulled out a cabinet drawer and picked up a folder from it, and he handed it to me.
“What is this?”
“Open.”
I untied the folder knot and then flapped the cover open, and inside was a document. I read the contents intently. I think I saw this before. I continued to scan the text until realization struck me.
“H-how? Gabriel, how did you know about this?”
The content was about my mother’s house. All the details were written, even the price of my debt, including the interest.
He rested his hands on his waist. “I’m giving you your house back.
My hands trembled. I wasn’t sure what it was, but the feeling was frightening. “I believe I asked you, Gabriel. How did you know about my house?”
“Simple. I’m curious about what you’ve been up to in Phoenix.”
“And you looked up behind my back? Gabriel, this is absurd—”
“Audrey, “ he said tightly. “You thought you’ve become a person of your past, and I will tell you that this is who I am. I look closely at things that interest me.”
“And my house interests you?”
“No.” He sat back next to me. “You. Only you interest me.”
“We’re fucked up.”
His eyes squinted. “Do you see it now?”
“But Gabriel, I don’t want you to do this for me. You can’t spend your money like that on me. You didn’t even tell me how you did this.”
“I will tell you, but hear me out first. This is only paper. I didn’t buy the house… yet, but we can talk about it.”
I looked at the papers again. An amount was already written below, and Gabriel had already signed above his name. The only thing left was my signature.
“What do you want?”
“You.”
“Gabriel, I told you before, right? I don’t like you to spend on something like this as if you are buying me!” I raged.
“Audrey, when I said I want you, I told you I want it for free. But this is my proposition. I’ll pay for your debt, and then I’ll give you your house back, but in exchange, you’ll pose for me. That’s it. You don’t have to do anything.”
My mouth parted. “I don’t.”
“But I have a requirement.” He smirked sexily. “Nude. I have a really good position in mind.”
Position? Oh my God.
I trembled. I was suddenly confused again. My cheeks flushed. “You will paint me? I can’t… I don’t know.”
Gabriel laughed softly. “Is that what you are worried about?”
“What? Worried about what?” I shook my head. “I can’t. In front of you, I can’t.”
“I’m not a painter, Audrey. I know a very close friend. A very good artist, and I’ve collected a few paintings from her.”
“Her?”
He nodded. “If you want, I will show you some of her work. It’s at my house.”
Ah, hence the invitation to his house.
“What do you think?”
“I can’t answer for now. But…” I chewed on my lip. “I’d like to see it. Her paintings.”
“No problem, but you don’t mind staying here a bit? I can make lunch.” He grinned.
Finally, the mood had lightened. I grinned back. “Gabriel Stark can cook?”
“I’m not always like this, Audrey. As a child, I had to stand up on my own feet. I started working at age thirteen. Come. Help me in the kitchen.”
I could already imagine ourselves working in the kitchen together, but one thing was imprinted in my mind.
Gabriel had a rough start in life, which was odd. Weren’t the Starks always a wealthy family?