I move automatically and pull the covers with me. She's naked; I’m naked.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What the hell happened?
“Good morning, my love.” Naomi smiles. “Come back. It's early.”
“What the hell am I doing here?” I look around the room. “Where are we?”
“Where you took me after the fight,” she purrs. “You wanted to take care of my wounds, Gabriel. You were sorry she hurt me so badly, and you stayed here with me.”
I look blankly at her, not remembering a thing of what she's saying. I would never have come here; that’s what I know. And surely not be with her. The only problem is that I don’t remember anything after the fight.
“When was that? When did I come here?”
She smiles. “Two days ago, silly. We had such an amazing time. I’m so sore, but I don’t mind you fucking me all day all over again.”
I grind my jaw and shut my eyes, forcing down the fury clawing its way up my throat. She has to be lying. I jump out of bed and search for my clothes until I spot them in the corner, and I get dressed.
“Where are you going?” Naomi's voice hitches. “Come back to bed.”
I turn to her. “No!” My eyes cut into her, my voice low and controlled. “I don’t recall anything you're talking about, and certainly not fucking you. If I were sober, I wouldn’t have touched you with a ten-foot pole.” Her face falls with disappointment. “I will find out what you’ve done to me, and if I were you, I wouldn’t be around when I do.”
I find my phone in my jacket. It’s off. Fuck. I need to get home ASAP. I need to go to Valentina.
I stalk through the hotel lobby without slowing, the front desk clerk’s stare dragging after me like she senses the storm coming off my skin.
I scan the street around me. Everything around me looks unfamiliar. It doesn't matter, because I’m not staying. I stride down the block, flag the first taxi I see, and get the hell out of this place.
“Valentina!” I call as soon as I enter the penthouse, every muscle in my body wired tight. On my way home, I didn’t care about what happened to me; all I could think of was Valentina. I would never go with Naomi; I could never betray the woman I love. I need her in front of me, in my arms.
“Valentina!” I take two stairs at a time, storming into our bedroom. “Valentina!” I search every room, every corner, coming up with nothing but a rising burn in my chest.
Where the hell is she?
I reach for my phone, only to find it dead. “Dammit.” I tear through the drawers in my office before remembering the charger is in the living room. Waiting for my phone to charge to one percent so I can open it feels like a lifetime. The moment the screen lights up, messages flood in: Salvatore, Marco, my mother, Dante, the office… and Valentina.
I ignore every name except hers and open her messages.
I can’t do this with you anymore. I know you love Naomi; you deserve to be with her. You shouldn’t have married me.
Goodbye, Gabriel.
I stare at the message and reread it for the tenth time. What the hell is she talking about? Everything between us was solid. There wasn’t a single crack in our relationship. I told her I loved her, and she said it back. If something had been wrong, she damn well would’ve told me.
I dial her number, and it goes to voicemail. I do it a couple more times before I give up and dial her brother. If she really did leave me, she would go to him.
I swallow the lump in my throat. How the hell am I going to explain this to Nico? This will disrupt our alliance. The phonerings and rings, but there’s no answer. I call again, and this time, it goes to voicemail.
“Dammit. Fuck.” I need to solve this problem, and I can’t do this alone. I need to inform Salvatore, and I need Marco’s help.
I dial Salvatore’s number.
He answers with a bite in his voice. “Where the hell have you been?”
Not wanting to waste time, I cut him off. “I need to talk to you and Marco.”
“We’re at the warehouse.”
“I’ll be there in twenty.”
