“It’s good to see you, Gaia. I was afraid I’d never see you again.”
“Like that would ever happen.” I tried to sound convincing, but my heart hurt. Our father was not coming so I had to do something, anything. I was good at this, getting out of tough situations. ‘You look so good, Gabe. So good it makes me happy.” Tears streamed down my face.
He placed a hand on either side of my face. “He’s not a monster, Gaia, he’s just been exposed to the dark for too long. Much like you and me.”
I thought about his words as Yana led me back to where Arthur sat looking at his phone. When we reached him, he looked up at me and stood, placing his hand on the small of my back as he led me out. The slight contact on my skin was electric, so I stepped forward, breaking our connection. My brother's words lingered in my head As we rode up in the elevator without saying a word to each other.
“I need time,” I told Arthur when we reached the staircase leading up to the bedrooms.
I could not thank Arthur. I needed time to process what he’d done for Gabe.
I could not let myself be grateful to a man who took away my freedom.
Time to think about the fact that I let a man like him touch me, and I wanted him to do it again.
But being with him today made me realize one thing. He wanted me, and if I played my cards right, I could end this man. I had to. Gabe didn’t think he was a monster, but I knew better. But Gabe’s words kept playing on my mind over and over, like a broken record.
