Chapter 22

Lori followed Gabriel to the nursery, where they would talk.

They ran into Grace on the way.

“You’re back! Early too?!”

She said in a surprised tone and he shrugged.

“I actually needed the rest. Decided to close early.”

Grace nodded, her face beaming. She patted Gabriel on the back.

“That’s great! That’s very good!”

“I’ll get dinner started.”

She said as she walked past them in excitement.

Gabriel made sure he sent Elliot out of the house before they both left though. He specifically told him to go and wait for him in the pool house. Lori didn’t know why he did but she didn’t think Gabriel liked his cousin very much, it was visible in how little they interacted. Especially with the way he treated him, she didn’t know if there was a specific reason he didn’t, but he just seemed not to.

They walked into the nursery, Gabriel had taken Emilia from Elliot before he went up the stairs with Lori. He had kissed her cheek and rubbed her head, he must have missed her and she must have missed him too because she started smiling at him, giving him a huge toothless grin.

“How are you doing?”

He asked as they walked into the nursery and Lori shrugged, she pretty much felt fine, since she had not allowed herself to think about what happened.

“Good. Thank you for everything l..”

“You don’t need to thank me Lori. I only did what was necessary.” Gabriel said with his back turned to her as he patted the baby in his arms.

Lori nodded, standing awkwardly by the door frame and watching Gabriel.

Gabriel turned to the baby and set her in her crib, then slowly, he took off his jacket, dropping them on the rocking chair and rolled the sleeves of his shirt. Then he turned to Lori and glanced at the couch in front of them.

Lori went first, sitting herself at the edge of the couch unconsciously, Gabriel noticed this and sat at the other end.

“About what happened…”

He raised his hands, stopping her.

“I’m not asking for another apology Lori. I am not. I’m just worried about you. That’s all.”

His voice was softer now, much more gentle. He genuinely looked concerned for her, she could see the worry etched in his features.
Lori felt safe with him somehow, in a way she had never felt safe with anybody else. His presence was weirdly comforting.

“I know.”

“Grace and I talked about getting you professional help. Do you think you’d be willing to speak to a therapist?”

He gently asked and Lori shook her head. A therapist?! No no. That was too much, besides she didn’t want to impose.

“I don’t think I need to speak to one. I’m fine.”

“Are you?”

Lori shrugged.

“I’m used to the nightmares. They actually stopped when I came here. And they haven’t been this scary in a while…”

“They came back because of him right? That man we met?”

He asked and she nodded in reply. Lori could see Gabriel’s fists hardening as he looked away.

She wiped her sweaty palms on her shirt, she was nervous, but perhaps it was time, finally time to tell him everything about her. The whole truth.

At least the one he deserved to know.

“I had a difficult life…”

“I was on the run, away from my adopted family and violent brother when I met Asher.”

“He took a liking to me. That’s where it all began…”

Lori raised her head to look at Gabriel, he was staring at her intently, focusing on her every word and her cheeks were getting red from shame. She had never really admitted to being raped to anybody. Not even a medical personnel.

She didn’t even know why she felt like she could tell Gabriel, but she just knew that she wanted to tell him, besides after everything he had done for her and how he had been so caring and supportive to her, he deserved to know.

“He and my brother…”

“Adopted brother.”

She clarified.

“They kidnapped me. I was locked up and under heavy surveillance from Asher’s men for four months.”

“In those four months…”

Her voice started breaking.

“Lori.. you don’t have to give me the details..”

Gabriel started but Lori shook her head.

“I don’t. But I want you to know what that bastard did to me.”


“While I was captive. He would beat me, make me cook and clean for his men and then at night… he would rape me..”

“When I finally escaped I found out I was pregnant, I had no choice but to give the baby away.”

Lori sighed.

“He knew you were pregnant?”

“He did. He saw me once, he had been planning to kidnap me back then, but I guess he got confused when he met me with a bulging belly. My brother however wasn’t so confused.”

“We got into a bad argument. He pushed me down the stairs and I went into premature labor.”

“He is the reason you lost your baby.”

“Lori why didn’t you tell someone?! Why didn’t you report them?”

Lori scoffed.

“Report them?! I was a poor broke waitress working in some dirty diner and they were in a gang! It wouldn’t take much for them to put a bullet through my head!”

“I had nobody! Nobody to trust, nobody to talk to about it so I just forgot about all of it and moved on.”

“It was the best thing to do.”

“Well, it’s not. At least not anymore. The way he talked to you, he seemed to still think that he had a hold on you, we need to deal with that Lori.”

Lori shook her head. Oh no. She didn’t want to involve Gabriel. He had already done a lot for her. A whole lot, she didn’t have to involve him in her own drama.

“No. Please just let it go. I don’t want you involved or dealing with that kind of crowd.” She pleaded.

“Lori..”

“I’m serious Gabriel. I just really want that phase of my life to be over. I don’t even want to think about it. “

Gabriel was still not convinced. He sighed as he rolled his eyes.

“I’ll let it go. For now, but the moment I see him around you I don’t care what you say Lori, I promise you I won’t spare him.”

Gabriel’s voice was deep, husky and a little bit scary. Lori gulped as she nodded.

“Yes.”

She said.

Gabriel stood up and left the nursery quietly, leaving Lori with Emilia.


The night went by in a blue, Lori watched the sun set with Emilia in her arms, Gabriel visited Elliot in his pool house, whatever conversation they had was short and brief because Gabriel came back out barely three minutes later.

Gabriel ate dinner early, then retreated to Gus study for the night while Lori ate dinner with Grace. Shortly after Grace left, leaving only Lori and the servants who had retired for bed. She stayed in the nursery and gave Emilia a bath, then rocked her for a long time before she finally went to bed.

After putting the baby to sleep, she retreated to her own bedroom, the lack of a door slightly bothered her, but Mr Gregory had told her it would be fixed the next day and she could stay in the guest room downstairs until if was fixed but she didn’t like the room downstairs. It looked too dark, too different. She would manage her own bedroom, she told herself, despite the chilling cold that was coming inside her room.

She took a quick night shower and changed into a small tank top and shorts.

She was fluffing her pillows when she heard the sound of a door opened down the hall. She ignored it, it was probably Gabriel going to bed, she thought as she went back to fluffing her own pillows.

Barely a minute later Gabriel appeared in front of her door.

“What are you doing?”

He asked and she turned.

Lori’s jaw dropped.

Her eyes fixated on him. She had never seen Gabriel without a shirt before and now she knew why, he was perfect. He was physically fit, in the attractive kind of way that could make women swoon, but not enough to make him look too muscular. The way he rested on the wall and folded his arms made his muscles even more visible. Lori wished she didn’t gawk and stare at him for so long, but she found it practically impossible to tear her eyes away from him.

She gulped and cleared her throat, he had caught her staring.

“I’m getting ready to go to bed…”

He nodded.

“Okay. But you’re not sleeping here though. Come with me.”

He said and Lori hesitated.

She didn’t want to sleep in his room, but he seemed inclined to monitor her and she really wasn’t complaining. She has s restful night when she slept in the room.

“I don’t want to impose…”

She started as she rushed towards him, getting a good view of his powerful back.

“You’re not. It’s just until your nightmares get better.”

He said as he opened the door of his room, Lori stood in front of him and glanced into the dark room.

Oh the things her mind could imagine happening in this dark room….

“You can say no if you want, I’ll let you sleep in the guest room if you don’t want to sleep here, you’re allowed to choose.”

He said.

His eyes said something different though. They didn’t seem to convey the same words he was saying, there was a different story to them.

Lori shook her head.

“I’ll rather sleep here.”

She said as she walked into the room.