Page 59 of Vengeful Lies

Her mouth dropped open, but then understanding flooded her eyes. “Of course. I don’t want Essie to get the wrong idea if she wakes up and comes in here. Which she probably will. We were both sleeping in here while you were gone. We can take things slow, I don’t want to confuse her. Once we get to know each other as a couple, we can let her know we’re dating.”

Damn.

She was making this so hard.

His chest was literally aching, and he realized he was rubbing at it with the hand still holding the washcloth he’d used to clean her up.

“That’s not what I meant,” he told her.

“What did you mean?”

“I think you should go. As in go. Leave the house.”

For a second she just lay there, shocked, as she stared up at him like he’d just spoken to her in another language, and she was having trouble comprehending his words.

“I … I don’t … understand …” she said helplessly.

“You're fired, Gabriella.”

Her sharp gasp of pain would echo in his mind for the rest of eternity, as would the horrified look on her face.

Why did this have to happen?

Why did these people who had messed with his mom’s life and created a ripple effect none of them could have ever predicted have to keep hurting him?

This wasn't what he wanted.

He wanted to be in his bed, his body curled around Gabriella’s, reassured by her warm presence that she hadn't lost her life protecting his child.

“F-fired?”

“I think you need to focus on yourself and your healing,” he told her.

“No! Essie is more important. She needs me.” Angry fire raged to life in her big green eyes as she scrambled up onto her knees.

“You let me worry about my daughter.”

She flinched at his words as though he’d physically struck her. “I love Essie as though she were my own.”

“But she’s not yours. She’s mine.” The words tasted filthy coming out of his mouth, and the way her entire being seemed tocave in on itself made them that much worse. He hadn't known that she couldn’t carry a baby to term, and he hated that for her because she was a natural when it came to kids. Worst of all, he didn't believe what he’d just said. Essie was every bit as much Gabriella’s as she was his even if she wasn't biologically related to the little girl.

“What was this?” she asked, waving her hand at his bedroom and her half naked body.

“It was sex.”

“You didn't just decide to fire me and kick me out when you walked into the bathroom. You knew you were going to do this in the hall, probably knew it all day. Why would you ask me to have sex with you if you were about to throw me out of your life?”

Because he was selfish.

Because he wanted one taste of her before he had to set her free.

The pink of her cheeks turned bright red as rage took over. “Was this thank you sex? Gabriella, you're not good enough for my daughter to stick around and help her heal from her ordeal, but thanks for allowing yourself to be beaten to protect her?”

“No!” He whisper yelled the word only because his daughter was asleep in the next room and he didn't want to wake her. “I wanted you. I have for a long time.”

“I don’t believe you,” she said as she scrambled off the bed and scanned the room, searching for the rest of her clothes.

Fair enough.

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