All to Love You

by Anna Antonia

  The stubborn expression I recognized and sometimes dreaded appeared on his handsome face. “She’ll take them from me.”

  I shrugged. Maybe she would. Gabriel Gordon did have that kind affect on women. However, flowers was not what I particularly wanted to talk about.

  So going back to the conversation at hand, I quietly pointed out, “She kind of looked like me.”

  “I’d say she looked almost exactly like you.”

  My tummy tingled with an unpleasant emotion. “You think she does?”

  “Of course. Smart and beautiful just like you.”

  “Smart. Beautiful.”

  “Undoubtedly.”

  I slipped into silence. Gabriel glanced at me several times, a frown growing with each look. “Wait. What did I miss? And if you say ‘nothing’ I’m pulling over right now, Emma. Spill it.”

  I bit back the forbidden word. I shrugged instead, trying to figure out how to put my feelings into words that didn’t sound accusatory.

  Gabriel, no fool, quickly caught on. “I was talking about your mama. Who were you talking about?”

  “The temp.”

  “Oh.”

  Oh. “I was saying Joyce looked like me.”

  “I know. It was purposeful.” When I raised my brow in question he clarified, “Casual coworkers will probably not even notice a visual difference between the two of you.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “What? It’s for your own benefit, baby. Can’t have people attached to the new girl, can we? I’ve ensured she even dresses like you. She’s a close match in looks, isn’t she?”

  “I wouldn’t say that exactly.”

  “I would. She’s a dead ringer.”

  If Gabriel thought my mother looked smart and beautiful, then he surely thought the temp did too. I really wasn’t liking how that made me felt. Petty was the first word that came to mind.

  “She looks overly serious.”

  “Like looking in a mirror, isn’t it?” Gabriel smirked. “Her frown is almost identical to yours, Emma. It was rather eerie seeing it the first time. I had her do it again just to make sure.”

  Jealousy definitely tinted my worldview green. “The temp reminded you of me so much so that you had her frown for you?”

  “Absolutely. That’s how Joyce got the job.”

  “Nice.” It was rather obvious I didn’t mean that one word at all.

  Gabriel stroked my cheek once. “Now, now, Emma. Is that jealousy I hear?”

  Before I’d turn away and deny it. I was all about honesty, especially now that I heard my lover had found my twin. “Of course, it is.”

  “There’s no reason for you to be jealous, Emma. Really. She just looks like you—she’s not you.”

  Oh, you poor blind man.

  I nodded and donned my widest smile. “Okay. I understand completely. I hope you understand as well when I hire your look-alike to keep the household going when you’re away on one of your many, many business trips. He’ll just look like you, remind me of you, but he won’t be you.”

  Gabriel winced. “You cut me deep, baby. Real deep. But I do see your point. No look-alikes.” He shook his head and added, “I predict the next fifty years with you is never going to be boring.”

  I felt infinitely better after that.

  ***

  Gabriel. Gabriel. I don’t doubt our time will be quite the adventure. If we survive your uncle. And your ex.

  My love fully expected that his uncle was watching him and I agreed with him. Before finding me back in our hometown, he ditched his driver Waylon but left him with an actor who was expected to play the part of a grieving Gabriel Gordon who went into his penthouse and had yet to come out.

  The actor was immediately spirited away in another vehicle after a change of clothes, but as far as the concierge knew, Gabriel was upstairs and not allowing anyone to visit.

  I was a bit skeptical that Lucas would buy that, but then again I wasn’t completely adept with the machinations of the 1%.

  So I did my best to enjoy my little solo vacation since Gabriel was set to join me tomorrow. I’d already spent my first day exploring the area around the hotel. I loved walking the streets and seeing all the charming shops I imagined visiting two years back when I first planned my trip.

  I stayed far from the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Seine, and all the other places I couldn’t wait to see because, per Gabriel’s very specific instructions, I was going to see them first with my beloved.

  “No peeking, Emma! I mean that. I’ll know and I definitely won’t like it.”

  So I stayed close to the hotel, exploring the shops nearby. Dinner was simple, a ham baguette, but the experience wasn’t. I sat at the outdoor table and people watched to my heart’s content. Bedtime was harder since I’d become accustomed to feeling Gabriel’s body curved along my back.

  Despite Gabriel’s distaste for texting, usually preferring me to call him, we texted at least once an hour on the hour except for we went to sleep. I hoped I hadn’t kept him away from his work considering the different in time zones. He probably wouldn’t complain even if I had. The last text I got from him was that he was on his way. I looked at my watch, mentally calculating how much time was left.

  An hour. Maybe less.

  The phone rang, jarring me out of my thoughts. Reaching for it, I answered and then heard, “Mlle Adams, you have a visitor in the lobby.”

  Shooting up, I couldn’t contain my grin. It had to be Gabriel. “Who?”

  “A M. Gordon, Mlle Adams.”

  Excitement burst through me. “I’ll be right down.”

  I hopped off the bed and ran into the bathroom. I quickly smoothed over my hair and clothes. I freshened up, washing my hands, and then gathered my purse.

  My feet felt so light as I floated out the room, down the short hall, and into the elevator. I couldn’t wait until we explored the city together. My lips tingled to touch his. I wondered how long it would be before we made love again. A naughty grin played across my lips. Gabriel loved spanking me stateside. International zones wouldn’t apply to keep him from playing roughly tonight.

  Which he reminded me, just in case I thought otherwise. Gabriel loved to play more than punish, even if they felt like the same things sometimes.

  The elevator opened and I strode happily into the lobby. I saw Gabriel standing with his back to me. I rushed over to him with a wide smile on my face. “You got here so fast, Gabriel…”

  Right when I got within a foot of him I knew I was wrong in assuming anything. I was also wrong in getting jealous over Gabriel seeing the temp as my twin. Looks weren’t enough when it came to love. And a lookalike could never replace the real thing.

  Lucas Gordon turned around, eyes icier than any I’d ever seen before.

  “I should’ve known better than to expect you to keep your word.”

  The loathing and rage in his gaze iced through my veins. I felt like I was outside of my body when I said calmly, “I’m sorry you came all this way, but I’m not going to talk to you, Mr. Gordon.”

  “You absolutely will.”

  “I absolutely will not.” I turned on my heel and marched towards the elevator. Lucas’s clipped stride caught up to me within seconds.

  “Is it true?”

  “Is what true?” His hand closed over my arm gently but firmly as he prevented me from entering the elevator.

  “Don’t play stupid with me,” Lucas hissed. “Are you going to marry him?”

  Gabriel, what have you told him? Don’t tell me you asked for his permission! Judging by how he looks he’ll never give it.

  “He hasn’t asked me,” I stated evenly through slightly trembling lips.

  “He hasn’t?”

  “No.”

  My answer should’ve relaxed him. If anything, Lucas looked even more wound up. “What’s your price?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “What do you want? Everyone has a price, Emma. What’s yours?” Lucas seemed to hav
e interpreted my shocked silence as a negotiation tactic because he ramped up his suggestions.

  “Money? I have enough to give a fortune many times over. A position? I have contacts all around the world. With your intelligence and looks, you can be a senior executive in no time at all. Name whatever you want and it yours.”

  Finally, I found my voice. “I don’t want anything from you, Mr. Gordon. My relationship with Gabriel is our business. Please don’t continue to insult me with this.”

  A sneer twisted his lips. It was so damned hard to keep my poise beneath it. “I don’t want you in my family, Emma. I want you to stay away from Gabriel.”

  “No.”

  Lucas wore the look of incredulous disdain well. “I’m not asking you.”

  My temper frayed and my tone cooled by several degrees. “And I’m not asking for permission.”

  He glanced around him. “We need to talk in private.”

  “What’s wrong with here?” While I didn’t think Gabriel’s uncle would go so far as to put his hands on me, I didn’t want to take the chance. After all, I knew Gabriel would never hurt me. I couldn’t say the same of his uncle, especially as angry as I apparently had made him.

  “Anyone can hear us. Our conversation is better served in private.”

  “I’m not inviting you up to my room.”

  Disdain crawled across his face. “Thank you. I have no interest in going up there with you.”

  “Good.” I tugged my arm back until he let go. They itched with the urge to go across my chest in defense. That would project weakness and discomfort. I wasn’t his prey and I wouldn’t allow him to feel like my predator—despite what I felt on the inside.

  Lucas pointed back where we came from. “There’s a lounge off the front desk. It was empty when I came in. We can talk there.”

  I nodded. “Fine. Lead the way.”

  He shook his head and swept his arm up. “No, Emma. After you.”

  Perhaps it was good manners, but I didn’t like the idea of having a man who hated me as much as Lucas seemed to at my back. Still, arguing about it was a waste of time. The sooner we did this, the sooner he’d leave.

  Does it make me a coward to wish you were here, Gabriel? But I do wish it. I wish you’d show up right now.

  I turned towards the lounge and walked at a steady gait. Without waiting for Lucas to open the glass door, I stepped through and held it open behind me. The small room was still empty and hopefully would remain so for as long as we needed.

  Although I didn’t particularly want to sit down, preferring to stand still as I faced my enemy, I carefully sat down on the wingback chair and waited for Lucas to make himself comfortable on the settee across from me.

  We sat in silence for a heavy, uncomfortable minute while Lucas stared at me. I imagined this was the look he used to get underlings to fall over themselves and confess to any wrongdoings or to scamper away in bidding of their illustrious lord.

  I refused to fall victim to his aristocratic glower but it was difficult and required all my concentration. It was getting easier to overlook Lucas’s uncanny resemblance to Gabriel, but I wasn’t completely there yet.

  Damn, but it’d much easier if he looked like anyone else.

  Considering Lucas’s intelligence, I was pretty confident he was attempting to use his resemblance to my lover against me. Especially considering he knew enough about Gabriel’s sexual dynamics in relation to me. I’d cringe any other time, but what was the point of being embarrassed? Besides, I wasn’t that easily cowed.

  You can stare at me all day, Mr. Gordon. I only submit to Gabriel and that’s by choice. No else gets that from me. You may draw blood but I won’t give you the satisfaction of showing it.

  If Lucas Gordon wanted to stare at me for the time being then I’d return the favor.

  Finally, he smirked. “Still feel like killing me, Emma?”

  “Not at the present moment.”

  My dry answer broke his grin wider. “What inspired the change of heart? Because my nephew chased you all the way home? Emma, you were supposed to be smarter than that. Your mother’s house would be the first place he’d look. That tells me you always wanted to be found.”

  He’s trying to make me feel guilty. Like I did something wrong for not being smarter or above board with him.

  My brilliant Gabriel set that emotion free. I didn’t owe Lucas or anyone else an explanation for what we’d done and why we were back together. The only person who deserved and would get my apology would be Gabriel.

  “You know I never wanted to leave in the first place, Mr. Gordon.”

  “But you did it so easily. Again.”

  That one slipped between my ribs before I knew it. Meeting his gaze straight on, I nodded. “You’re right. I believed I was making the right choice to help Gabriel, but at the end of the day I left him. Again.”

  “How much longer before something else scares you off again, Emma? Will you do it next month? How about when Gabriel can’t drop everything to sit by your side until you feel strong enough to deal with your life together again? What then? Will you abandon my boy again?”

  The most infuriating thing wasn’t necessarily being questioned by Lucas. It was the hard grain of truth embedded in each drawling question. I couldn’t dismiss his barbed words easily.

  “Gabriel loves you, you know,” I started. “He wants to make everything right between us all.”

  “I know he does. Now answer my questions.”

  I didn’t answer them, but I was going to work my way back over. “You don’t want to let that happen. You want the discord between us.”

  Lucas inclined his head once. His gaze had yet to thaw even the slightest.

  “Why exactly? It’s not my background, or at least it’s not solely my background.”

  “Clever girl.”

  I suppressed a shiver. The faint smile coupled along with the near-pleasant tone reminded me too much Gabriel. If only it was my love and not his uncle.

  C’mon, Gabriel. Where are you? I need some help here because I really don’t know what I’m supposed to say or do.

  But Gabriel wasn’t here.

  I had to take care of this myself the best way I knew how. Gabriel wanted to keep the family intact and he wanted me. I had to extend the branch out no matter how much it went against my every instinct to cut out those who would insult and tramp all over me. I loved Gabriel too much to cause further damage to their relationship.

  “So what exactly do you not approve about me?”

  “I’ve already told you, Emma. I don’t trust you. You’ve proven that you do not have what it takes to stay by Gabriel’s side.”

  “And Embry does.”

  “Embry absolutely does. She loves Gabriel fully.”

  “So do I.”

  Lucas made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “Your pride is more important to you. Even now you’d stare me down rather than admit that I make you uncomfortable. If you’d show even a modicum of humility perhaps I wouldn’t detest you so. ”

  “Unlike Embry.”

  “Unlike us both.” Lucas shifted until his elbows were resting on his knees. His hands tented between them. The hardness of his expression melted into something less hateful and more vulnerable. “Emma, I’m asking…no…I’m pleading with you to let Gabriel go.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You won’t.”

  I cleared my throat and nodded. “You’re right. I won’t. I love him too much to ever leave him again.”

  Lucas’s lip curled in what looked like frustration, disgust, and helplessness. “Your love isn’t worth a damn and you parroting it over and over again won’t change a thing.”

  That one stung. Still, I managed to keep my head clear. “You don’t care what I say to you because you don’t believe me.”

  “Now you’re getting it.”

  “You came here in a panic that I would marry Gabriel. He told you our plans.”

  Lucas’s nostrils flared
ever-so-slightly. I’d hit a nerve. “If he marries you, Emma, he’s out of the company. His entire career will be over. Everything he survived will be for nothing. He will lose everything.”

  I sifted through the words, seeing the raw jagged emotions threaded inside. Suddenly, I remembered something Gabriel had said.

  ***

  “Things were shit at the beginning when I took over. We were losing money left and right. Our operating cash was going to carry us for only nine weeks, ten tops. Employees were jumping ship and nobody thought an eighteen-year-old brat was going to turn things around.”

  “But you made it happen.”

  “You were my inspiration.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Every time I thought of throwing my hands up in the air, I’d think of you. ‘How would Emma handle this if she were in my position?’ Your poise became mine when I’d have board members screaming in my face about what kind of an idiot would put a kid in charge. I’d think of you and let the insults roll of my back.”

  ***

  “Who put Gabriel in charge after his father died?”

  “Pardon?”

  I didn’t take my eyes off him. A wall came down over his gaze, the gaze that was so much like my sweet Gabriel. The strands I didn’t allow myself to follow too far out of respect for Marie and Gabriel untangled.

  “Gordon Industries was a privately held company at the time of your brother’s death, wasn’t it?”

  Although he’d yet to move a muscle, Lucas withdrew even further. Wariness pulsed between us.

  “He didn’t leave ownership to you, his brother. He left it to his son.” Not a muscle or a blink to indicate he was still alive. Yet, the word “son” hung heavy in the air as if it were a dirty pronouncement.

  I pushed on, relying on my instincts. “Ryan Gordon left his company to Gabriel, not because he wanted him to have a legacy but because he wanted him to fail.”

  “Gabriel didn’t fail. He succeeded and made Gordon Industries an international success beyond any reasonable expectations.”

  “But Ryan wanted Gordon Industries to fail,” I reiterated softly. “He could’ve left it to you, but he needed it to fail. Marie would be left destitute—”

  “That would not have happened.” Lucas stiffened as if he knew he’d said too much. He sat up straight, looking all the more like an untouchable lord again. His wintry gaze threatened me with silence.