Page 12 of Valentine's Kisses
“Think about it,” she says in a low voice, “I’m sure you’ll make the right choice.”
She’s gone in an instant, but her words remain with me. They remain with me as I numbly make my way back to the table and pretend to be okay. The words are with me all night and stay with me until I’m seated back in Flynn’s class the next day.
Chapter Thirteen
The Destroyer
She’s one addiction I’ll never give up. -Flynn
Flynn
There’s something wrong with Gabrielle. After our time together the other night, I sent her text after text. The first few she replied to, some of them cheekily, but I haven’t heard back from her since yesterday afternoon.
Every time I try to catch her eye during class, she looks away. There’s no sweet blush on her cheeks when she does it either. There is a tortured look on her face that scares me.Is there something wrong with her family? Is something wrong at home?
What makes it worse is that brat Monica’s behavior. Her cocky stare follows me everywhere and she keeps trying to find ways for me to touch her during instruction.Can you show me how to draw this angle, Professor? Do you think the shading on this is correct, Professor Michaels?Her stupid questions are giving me a headache on top of the worry for my love.
I glance down at my watch again.Only a few more minutes to go.
When those minutes finally pass, I clear my throat to dismiss class. I see Gabrielle already packing her things up hurriedly. “Ms. Newsome, please stay behind so I can discuss something with you. Everyone else, you’re dismissed.”
I watch as the rest of the class files out. Some of them give Gabrielle curious looks, especially since I asked her to stay behind before too. Gabrielle merely hangs her head.
Once the last student has left, I stalk over to my girl. I lift her chin gently and see tears in her eyes. “My love, what is going on? What’s wrong? Something with your family?” I ask gently.
She shakes her head vehemently and pulls back from my touch. She swipes at her tears rapidly. “No, nothing like that.”
I reach for her again, but she jerks her head away. “What is it then? Did I do something?” I think back to our conversations, our funny texts, but I can’t think of anything. “Whatever I’ve done, I’m sure I can fix it.”
She takes another swipe at her tears. “No, you can’t fix this.” She lifts her head up to meet my stare straight on. “We’re done, Professor Michaels. What happened before, can’t happen again. Never.” The note of finality in her voice takes me aback. I physically stumble backwards.
“What do you mean, Gabrielle? Did I do something wrong? Have I said something?” I ask hurriedly. “I’ll fix it, I promise.”
She stands and pushes her shoulders back. The look in her green eyes is proud and uncompromising. “You can’t fix what you’ve done in the past, Professor. I looked you up on the internet. You’ve been with lots of women. Actresses, models, all kinds of women really. I know you’re playing with me, and I can’t endure that. I won’t endure that. I can’t be with someone with so much of a past.” She shudders. “The things I read…theymade me realize that you’re a playboy.” She spreads her hands out wide, “And I’m merely some virgin for you to conquer.”
I shake my head roughly. “No, Gabrielle you couldn’t be more wrong. You’re…” I start to say, but she interrupts me by throwing her head back and laughing.
“I’m different, right? I’m supposed to believe that somehow, I’m the one you’ll settle down for. That if we get caught doing this my life won’t be affected? I’ll lose my place here. And all because of a man who will sleep with anyone who will open their legs for him. I won’t do that. I won’t sacrifice everything I’ve worked for so you can say you’ve “conquered me”. I mean, when they called you “The Destroyer” they meant it, didn’t they? Destroyer of hearts, destroyer of lives?”
I reach for her again, but she steps out of reach and hauls her bookbag over her shoulder. “Gabrielle. Please. Yes, I made mistakes in the past, but I really do want you. I really do want to be with you and only you. And not just now. Forever.”
I barely recognize her haughty laugh. “Forever? You barely know me.” When her moss green eyes meet mine, they’re once again swimming in tears. “You don’t know that my sister died because I was an idiot. That I should have been the one to die that night. That my parents wish that I had died that night and sometimes I do too. You don’t get it at all.” She shakes her head and runs from the room while I stare, open-mouthed and unable to respond.
I stumble to sit on one of the stools and hold my head in my hands. Maybe she’s right. I don’t know her. But right now, my heart aches like I do. I’m desperately in love with a woman who thinks I’m merely playing with her. Somehow, I need to prove to her that she’s more important to me than anything. That she’s the one I want, and forever no matter what she says.
Chapter Fourteen
A Call from Mother Dearest
Why wasn’t I ever good enough? Just me? Why did I have to try so hard?
-Gabrielle
Gabrielle
The broken look on Flynn’s face plays on repeat in my mind. I didn’t want to hurt him, but what I did was for the best. For the both of us. He may think he’s head over heels for me, but he knows nothing of my past. He doesn’t know how broken I am inside, and he has no idea of the scars I carry, both inside and out.
The truth is, I am scared that I wouldn’t be enough for the man they once called “The Destroyer”, but I do believe he has real feelings for me. I think he was once a playboy, but his feelings for me are genuine. The pain I saw on his face seemed real enough. But what if all those feelings change one day? What if I become just another woman to him and he throws me away? I can’t take that. Not again. Not after the way I’ve become a leper to my own family.
