“This isn’t funny, Ellena.”
“Yeah well, it’s either laugh or start crying again, right?”
She started to rush past him but stopped when Gabe reached out, gently wrapping his fingers around her wrist. “Hey.” He waited, but she kept her eyes on the floor in front of her. “Sweetheart, look at me.”
A hesitant, watery gaze met his.
“I’ve failed you twice.” His teeth ground together. “There won’t be a third time.”
“Oh, Gabriel.” Ellena turned to face him fully. Blinking away fresh tears, she rested her free hand against his cheek. “God didn’t give you those big ol’ shoulders just so you could carry the weight of the world on them. You can’t protect everyone all the time.”
His heart kicked against his ribs when her eyes fell to his lips.
“Don’t need to protect everyone, Elle. Just you.” He released her wrist and cupped her cheek. “I’d die before letting anything else happen to you.”
“Today wasn’t your fault.” She swallowed hard. “Neither was three years ago.”
His stomach dropped, and his chest tightened. It was the same, familiar pain he always felt when he thought about that day.
Unable to go there, Gabe let his hand drop and put some distance between them. “We fly out in a few hours.” He cleared his rough throat. “You should get some rest.”
“Right.” A flash of anger flittered behind her eyes. “I almost forgot. We don’t talk about that, do we? Not now. Not back then.”
“Elle.”
“Why is that, Gabriel?” she demanded to know. “There are two of us, yet you’re the one who chooses whether or not we talk about what happened. Of course, you’re also the one who single-handedly decided we shouldn’t be together anymore, so…”
“Damn it, Elle…”
“I needed you, Gabe.” She swiped angrily at a tear that had escaped. “I needed you, and you just walked away like we were nothing. Like Imeantnothing.”
“Nothing?” He growled, closing the distance between them. “You meanteverythingto me.”
“Yet you still left, despite my having begged you to stay.”
“I was trying to protect you!”
“I didn’t need your protection, Gabriel!” Elle’s angry voice bounced off the walls. “I neededyou!”
The two of them stood like that for several seconds, scowling at one another. By the time Gabe opened his mouth to break the silence, he was too late.
“You know what, you’re right.” She walked around him. Choosing the bed closest to the windows, Elle began pulling the comforter and top sheet back. “It’s late, and I’ve had a really shitty day.” She climbed under the covers and turned her back to him. “Wake me when it’s time to leave.”
“Elle—”
“Goodnight, Gabe.”
Shit. Fuck. Shit.
Feeling as though he’d just taken two gigantic steps back with her, Gabe decided it was best to keep his mouth shut, for now. If he said anything more, chances were good he’d just end up digging himself an even deeper hole than he was already in.
You need to talk about it with her.
Ignoring the pain-in-the-ass voice, Gabe went to the door and double-checked the locks before heading to the bathroom for a shower. Standing beneath the water’s hot spray, he wished he could man up and say what he should’ve said three years ago.
I’m sorry, baby. So fucking sorry.
Chapter 9
