by A. Zavarelli
Gabriel closes his eyes, cursing under his breath. I know he doesn’t like hearing it, but he asked, and I’m afraid he’s opened Pandora’s Box.
“When I woke up,” I continue, “I was in the hospital. And I didn’t even remember anything after falling down. I had a broken arm and a bad concussion. The police tried to charge Eleanore, but since there were no witnesses they dropped the charges again. When my Dad came and found me there, he was a nervous wreck. He couldn’t believe she’d hurt me that bad. And I was so tired of pretending that everything was okay, I finally broke down and told him. All of the torment, the abuse I’d endured over the years. It broke his heart, and he swore he’d never let her hurt me again.”
My throat constricts as I try to explain what happened after that.
“That night, while he stood vigil by my bed… he died from a massive heart attack. The Doctors said it was too much stress. I always thought maybe if I hadn’t told him the truth, things would have been different.”
Gabriel takes me into his arms, soothing me as he rubs my back. “No, Victoria,” he says firmly. “You can’t blame yourself for what happened. If it’s anyone’s fault it’s that evil fucking bitch. You didn’t deserve this, any of this. And I’m sure your father would have wanted to know the truth, no matter how much it hurt.”
I nod slightly, knowing he’s right. My father said as much before he died.
“I’ve tried so hard to forget,” I say regretfully, closing my eyes. “But it haunts me. I’ll be fine, and then something triggers that one memory or emotion. And it just hits me like a freight train.”
Gabriel reaches down and cups my chin, bringing my eyes back to his. “Victoria, you deserve nothing but the best. After everything you’ve been through, to be the kind of woman that you are today, you deserve so much more. And I have every intention of giving you that.”
I smile weakly. “I wish I could agree with you, but you still haven’t heard the worst part.”
“What is it?” he frowns.
“Well, to put it simply, it’s still happening. I can never get away from her. I’ve tried, God, believe me, I have tried. But she’s always one step behind me, waiting for me to screw up somehow.”
I slump my shoulders and rub my exhausted eyes.
“What do you mean?” he asks in disbelief. “She’s still stalking you… that’s who you’ve been running from?”
“Yes,” I reply. “She’ll never stop. I’ve learned that the hard way.”
“The fire?” he asks. “Was that her too?”
“Yes.” I nod. “After my Dad died, she disappeared for a while. I thought foolishly that everything would be okay, somehow. He left all his life insurance and estate to me, so I didn’t have to worry about money. I was still living in my childhood home, and things were sad… but there was finally peace. And then one night, she came back. She was having a complete psychotic break when she confronted me. She blamed me for my father’s death, and for making him hate her. She started pulling her usual shit, calling me names, putting me down, expecting me to cower or run like I always did. But I was just so fucking sick of it. So I stood up for myself.”
I laugh as I recall my foolish bravery. “I don’t know what I was thinking because I didn’t stand a chance against her. I tried to hit her, and she snapped. The next thing I knew she was on top of me, beating me unconscious. I swear the woman is superhuman when she’s having an episode, it’s like nothing can stop her.”
Gabriel grunts from beneath me. “I’m sure a fucking bullet to the head might.”
“Well, when I woke up that night, I smelled gasoline. And it took me a minute to realize it was all over me. The house was on fire. I don’t know how I made it out of there, but I did. I spent the next couple days in the hospital, and Eleanore had already skipped town, so they didn’t catch her. But the day I got out, she called me. She told me it wasn’t over, and I knew she meant it. She was never going to stop.”
“One of my Dad’s friends, Officer Wright, came to visit me in the hospital after the investigation. He was the one who broke the news to me that she’d got away. And then he gave me some advice. He told me to leave town, and he said he would help me. He told me how to stay under the radar, paying cash for everything and never using my real name, ever. He said hopefully, after a few years, Eleanore might forget all about me. But I think we both knew it wasn’t true.”
Gabriel interrupts me with a stone-faced expression. “What about your other relatives? Surely they would have taken you in?”
“I had some Aunts and Uncles, but I never really knew them. They didn’t live in the same state, and they never reached out to me, even after Dad’s funeral. My paternal grandparents were both dead, and my mother’s parents were in Italy somewhere. I’ve never even met them.”
He nods in understanding, allowing me to continue.
“So Officer Wright helped me get out of town. He drove me four hours to a bus station and tried to prepare me mentally for what I needed to do. But it was a lot harder than I thought, and I had to toughen up, real quick.”
“So that morning you crashed into me, in front of Maddox Corp…”
“I thought I saw her,” I say quietly.
“Seriously?” he groans. “And I was such an asshole to you.”
“It’s okay,” I tell him. “I’m glad I ran into you.”
“I am too,” he states firmly. “And I’m not going to let you keep living this way, Victoria. I can protect you.”
“No.” I shake my head, my voice cracking. “You can’t. I won’t let you get involved in this. That’s what everyone always used to tell me and my Dad. They always thought there was a simple solution, but there isn’t. Eleanore is dangerous. She will hurt anyone to get to me, including you. And I could never live with myself if that happened. This is the only way, Gabriel. I will have to leave New York soon, and I will have to say goodbye to you.”
“We’ll see,” he challenges.
To be continued…
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The saga continues in Falling into Surrender
***
I do as I’m told, sinking to the floor below, my hands resting nervously on my thighs.
I keep my head down, watching as his feet circle around and stop behind me. “I think you forget who’s in control here, Victoria,” he says coolly. “Perhaps it’s time I reacquaint you.”
I nod in response, unable to find my voice. I’m not scared because I trust him implicitly. This is what I need from him. The part of him that can take me to the darkest places, but always bring me back. The part of him that makes it okay to like these things.
Gabriel’s breath is harsh as he fists his hand in my hair and gives me a brutal but all too brief kiss. When he pulls away, I’m left gasping for breath, and before I can even catch it, I feel the smack across my back. It burns into my skin, searing me with a mixture of pain followed by pleasure. The soft leather strands trail along my skin, pulling away before he swats me again.
“Shall I keep going?” he asks huskily. “Or will you remember why you’re being punished.”
I think for a moment and then realize my mistake. But I’m not ready to atone yet, and after all the emotional overload of the last week, I need to feel this. I hold back the words he’s waiting for me to say, and nod in silence.
Another smack against my skin. I moan and gasp for air as the smacks grow quicker and harder. I remain still as I take the blows, thriving on the nerves awakenin
g in my body. I close my eyes, soaking up everything he has to give me until he stops and speaks again.
“Had enough yet?” he asks in a strained voice.
“I’m sorry, Gabriel,” I whisper. I could keep going, but I know this is difficult for him. I don’t want him to feel like he’s hurting me.
“Very good,” he praises me.
He kneels down behind me, pulling my arms behind my back and securing them with strong leather cuffs. He repeats the process with my ankles before binding them all together with chains. When he stands, he has a long silver chain dangling from his palm. He reaches down, clasping it to the loop on my collar.
Moisture pools between my legs as he walks backward, extending the chain in his hand as far as it will go. The metal is pulled taut against my collar, making me feel every bit the depraved animal I am for wanting this scenario. Gabriel’s completely naked, his cock swollen and hard as his eyes burn into my flesh. The perfect male specimen. Rough, controlling, possessive. I revel in it, my eyes raking his body without any fear of retribution.
He lets the chain slacken for a moment, and then with a hard jerk pulls it backwards, effectively bringing me with it. I try to keep my balance with my hands fastened behind my back, crawling awkwardly on my knees to where he stands. He gathers the chain in his palm, effectively bringing my face up to meet his hard cock. I open my mouth greedily and take in the swollen head, tasting him on my tongue.
Gabriel makes a strangled noise in his throat and I groan with pleasure. I can’t use my hands for support so I bob forward with my mouth in an effort to take him in. He pulls the chain tighter, wrapping his large hand around the back of my head, forcing me to take him deeper.
“Is this rough enough for your liking, Victoria?” he grunts. I nod in agreement, his brutal thickness lodged deep in my mouth.
His hips thrust towards me until he’s completely engulfed by my lips. He holds me there for several moments, and I try to contain my urge to gag. Gabriel strokes my hair while he stares down at me affectionately, his cock throbbing inside of my mouth. I can tell he’s enjoying this just as much as I am.
“From the moment I met you, I knew I wanted to fuck that mouth,” he says roughly, sliding his shaft deep into my throat. I gasp for air, taking in a half a breath before he’s submerged completely. He pumps in and out of me, losing himself in the rhythm as he holds my head firmly in place.
I let him use me as he pleases, soaking up the sounds of pleasure that rip from his chest. Nothing has ever sounded sexier than Gabriel in the throes of ecstasy and knowing that I was the one to bring him there.
***
Works by A. Zavarelli
Falling into Temptation
Falling into Exposure
Falling into Surrender
Falling Series Boxed Set
Echo: A Dark Billionaire Romance (Vol 1)
Stutter: A Dark Billionaire Romance (Vol 2)
An Escort for Christmas
One Last Gift
Coming Soon:
CROW: A Mafia Romance
