“Yes. That’s what I’m asking.” I lifted my chin and stared at him, still avoiding his direct gaze, though.
“Lena.” He took a step forward. “Why in the hell would I have these pictures taken and sold?”
It was the same question I’d asked over and over in the car on the way here.
I opened my mouth, but no reasoning came. However, just because I couldn’t think of one didn’t mean there wasn’t one.
“Answer the question, Gabriel. Did you have these images taken and sold?”
He cocked his head to the side. “Fuck no. Satisfied?” He ran his free hand through his hair.
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” I demanded.
“Because I have no reason to lie. To you or anyone else.”
I took a step back and stared him up and down. I wanted so badly to believe him, to know that he was telling me the truth, but then memories from my past came rushing back. Betrayal from so-called friends who laughed with me but then would run to reporters and gossip mags about any little thing I opened up to them about.
There were private things that I only told my ex-fiancé but somehow had made it onto the blogs. When I questioned him about it, he told me I was damned crazy. That I must’ve told someone else, and they shared it. He said it so much that it made my head spin. I started to believe him.
By the time I’d left Nate, I had trouble figuring which way was up and which was down.
“Are you sure?” I asked, holding up my hand when Gabe tried to take another step closer.
“There is nothing to be sure about, Cin. It’s a damn fact that I would never betray your trust like that. I know how much you wanted to keep that trip to New York private. And I wouldn’t compromise your safety or trust by doing some bullshit like this.”
He stared at the phone screen again, glaring at the photo. His jaw flexed and tightened.
I recounted all of the ways over the past few months that Gabe had gone out of his way to ensure I had the privacy I wanted. In the beginning, he constantly assured me that the restaurants we went to were secure or would even call ahead to request a private seating area. He made our reservations as discreetly as possible in New York.
He even understood when I opted not to sit in the front row with him at the exhibition fight. I’d watched the fight backstage at the arena in a private room. Gabe had come back to watch it with me about halfway through.
I took a step back and blinked my eyes shut before opening them again. When I did, I saw him watching me.
“Tell me you believe me,” he implored.
“I—" I shook my head.
“Tell me.”
I pushed out a breath. “I believe you.”
He started to say something, but his door abruptly opened.
“I tracked down Eli,” Preston said impatiently. He dropped a pointed gaze toward me as if realizing Gabe wasn’t alone. His dark eyes widened briefly before he scowled.
“Not now,” Gabe snapped.
“You know this can’t wait,” Preston insisted.
“I should go,” I interrupted, glancing between Preston and Gabe. There was obvious tension between the two.
Gabe made another step toward me, but I held up my hand. “It’s fine. I’ll see you later.” I turned, but stopped a few feet from the door, which Preston stood beside. “Nice to meet you, Preston,” I said, though we hadn’t actually met.
He nodded, still scowling. “Same.”
I exited the room, closing the door behind me. I heard Gabe call my name again, but I didn’t turn around. It was best for the both of us to get some space. He had important matters he needed to get back to.
I needed to think.
