Chapter 37
Gabriel
It feels like I fell asleep only minutes ago when the most god-awful racket I’ve ever heard awakens me. It sounds like I’m trapped at the fucking zoo. I blink awake trying to figure out what the hell’s going on. I look over at Lexie who’s sound asleep in my arms.
I lift my head in an attempt to make out what’s causing the noises. The first I can tell immediately. It’s that fucking bird, squawking and carrying on. The other noise is a squeaking sound like a hinge that needs oil.
I slide out of bed and make my way out into her tiny living space. Sure enough, that ugly bird is squawking and flapping around its cage. I search her living area for a blanket or cover for the cage so he’ll calm the hell down.
When I find nothing, I turn in the direction of the squeaking. The culprit seems to be the spinning wheels that her giant rats are currently running on––simultaneously. “What the fuck?” How can she sleep with this shit going on all around her?
I move back into the bedroom and see she’s rolled onto her stomach lying across the bed. Her back and the top portion of her ass are exposed. I’d say she looked peaceful if there wasn’t a fucking menagerie of beasts outside her door loud enough to wake the dead.
How in the hell am I supposed to get any sleep with this shit going on? The answer? I can’t. I walk over to my clothing and hurriedly throw on my dress shirt. I search the floor for my boxer briefs. When I find them, I sit on the bed so I can get back into them.
“Gabriel?”
“Shh, go back to sleep. If you can.” Yeah, good luck with that.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yeah. Your absurd animals woke me up. How can you sleep with them making that noise all night long? It’s ridiculous. Why do you have all of them? They don’tdoanything? Jesus, they’re worthless.” I didn’t realize I was that angry about being woken up tonight. I look at the time on my phone and see it’s four thirty in the morning. “Great,” I mutter angrily.
I continue to dress hastily, leaving behind my undershirt and socks. I slide into my overcoat. “I’ll meet you at the restaurant at eight. I’ll have Cammy text you the specifics. That’ll be best anyway.”
She is now leaning up on her elbows, the sheet that was covering her has slipped down to reveal a portion of her left breast. I’d love to pull the sheet down and see more, and I contemplate just that when the god-forsaken bird starts squawking loud. “Jesus. I can’t take this. See you in the morning.”
I turn and stomp out of her room and down the hall toward her door. “Lock the door after me,” I shout. I wait for an affirmative but all I hear is the bird. “Jesus.” I open her door and step out into the hallway and quickly jog down the steps. Pushing open the front door, I stop for a breath and listen to the sweet sounds of the windy city. I’ll take horns honking and cars revving to bird squawks any day.
Searching my pocket for my keys, I hit the fob to unlock my car. No, I didn’t ask Eric to wait with me. He dropped me off at my place, and I jumped in my vehicle stopping off at Giovanni’s since I knew she had to be hungry. I still don’t understand why she didn’t eat. Fuck it. It doesn’t matter.
I took her food because I was attempting to do what Eric suggested; to dote upon and be attentive to Miss Cartwright. I did that. I doted, and I was definitely attentive. I hope she gives me points for that.
