Page 77 of Vengeful Lies

If he could convince Gabriella to come back to him it wouldn't be to work for him.

It would be as his partner and Essie’s mother.

Recognition flared in their eyes.

“We were told this was connected to you and your family. Can we take it this is a social visit?” one asked.

“Yes. I would have brought my daughter, Gabriella was her nanny, but I didn't want to overwhelm her. Essie picked out the flowers herself.” After they visited the cemetery, they stopped by the florist, then he’d dropped Essie off with his brothers. It wasn't really that he thought Essie would overwhelm Gabriella, in fact, he had no doubt she’d happily see his daughter rather than him. But he wanted to prove to her that he wanted her in his life for him not just for Essie.

“She didn't tell us she was expecting a visitor,” one said as though there was any question he was getting into that room.

“I don’t want to cause trouble, but I'm not leaving without seeing her,” he informed them.

“Orders were not to let anyone in,” the other spoke up.

“Again, I'm not leaving until Gabriella tells me that she doesn’t want to see me,” he said, attempting to keep his voice down but sure he was failing.

“I suppose since you know her it will be okay,” the first finally agreed.

“Thank you.” While he wouldn't have taken no for an answer, he was pleased he didn't have to call Eagle, beg for help, and have his boss reach out to the owner of the firm Gabriella had hired to have him cleared.

Anxiety pulsed through his system as one of the bodyguards used his room key to open the door to Gabriella’s suite. For a second, he was afraid she would have put the chain on to deny them entrance because he had zero doubts she wouldn’t have removed it to speak with him, that fear passed when the door swung open.

Something felt off when he stepped into the suite and closed the door behind him.

The room was too quiet.

Too still.

Maybe Gabriella was taking a nap? Or relaxing in a bubble bath? He knew she loved bubble baths and had spent more hours than he’d care to admit with a hard-on while he knew she was naked and luxuriating in the soapy water.

Now it wasn't pleasure he couldn’t do anything about chasing that crashed through him, it was fear.

His gut said something was wrong.

The suite had a small living area where he stood, and there were no signs that Gabriella had been in it recently. There was a door on the opposite side of the room that he was sure led to the bedroom, and he hesitated barely a moment before heading to it.

“Gabriella?” he called out as he reached it, his hand hovering on the door handle. As much as he wanted to go barging in and bulldoze his way back into her life, he had to be respectful.

He was responsible for the distance between them.

He’d broken her trust.

He’d pushed her away.

It had to be up to her to decide if she could forgive and give him a chance. Not that he was giving up easily, but the least he owed her was respect.

“It’s Cade,” he called out again when there was no answer. “I came to check on you and see if maybe we could talk, and I could explain. I'm sorry, Gabriella. You deserved better than I gave you. I made a mistake and want to try to make it up to you.”

There was no response to his words and his uneasiness grew.

Actually, it was already well past uneasiness and on its way to becoming full-blown terror.

“Gabriella, unless you tell me not to, I’m coming in,” he warned. His gut told him something was wrong, and he wasn't hanging around in the living room if she needed him.

When once again there was no answer, he carefully eased the door open on the slim chance that she was just asleep and hadn't heard him or was in the bathroom.

As soon as he stepped into the bedroom his heart stopped beating.

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