I write P/T as an abbreviation for pregnancy test in the diary at the side of buy tampons and decide to block it from my mind until I have the test. No use crying over spilt semen.
Chapter 7
Gabe goes off to work happy as can be. I suppose multiple shags does that to a guy. I go out into central London, buy my test and tampons and then find myself wandering around baby stores, picking up little items of clothing. If I am pregnant, there’s no doubt in my mind I will keep it. A chance to start a family of my own.
Later in the apartment I throw the test in its bag on the dining table. I don’t want to do it just yet, because if it’s negative I actually think I might cry. I would never have trapped Gabe into a pregnancy, but the chance that I am fills me with hope and I want to keep that a little longer.
I fill a small weekender bag with some clean clothes and underwear for tomorrow morning. I can’t wait to see the home of Gabe Gregory. I bet it’s full of black leather and a waterbed, like James Bond.
I hear my ‘other’ phone ring and pick it up.
‘Hello.’
‘We did the trap last night, he was extremely interested. We had a job on getting her away from him.’
‘Really?’ My heart beats fast.
‘Yes, wanted to know all about her, especially how old she was. She told him eighteen, and she is actually twenty-one, but she looks no older than fifteen, gets sick of being questioned in the off-licence.’
‘Thank you so much. I can’t tell you how happy that’s made me.’
‘Well, like I said, that’s it for me now.’
‘I do understand. I’d do the same myself if I was in your position. Send me your bill and I’ll get the account settled. I really appreciate all you’ve done.’
Later that afternoon there’s even better news as Henry Jones calls to tell me that Ronnie is being discharged the following afternoon. I arrange to meet him down at the apartment entrance and for him to text me to let me know when they’re setting off. My friend is coming back. I then do something I haven’t done in years. I go into the spare room and put away all the clothes, bags and shoes into the closet. I rediscover the bed underneath, which I strip off and put fresh sheets on. The room looks tidy and fresh and I put a few books and magazines on the bedside table for her.
I watch another couple of videotapes. Again I find nothing and realise I’m probably just watching Arnie’s own personal porn collection, which makes me think ew. Then I think again that the women are probably too old. I have another three tapes to go. I’ll get to them in the morning. Right now, I’m off to Gabe’s.
Gabe lives in a two bedroomed, two storey apartment on Kensington High Street. I’m overawed when I walk in. I thought my apartment was beautiful, but the luxury of this place makes mine look like a garden shed. The hallway has gleaming black marble tiles and the white staircase is encased by a glass wall. A tabby cat comes skidding across to greet me, which makes me laugh.
I tickle what turns out to be Salt under her chin,‘Your poor cats.’
‘Ah, they love it. Hours of fun sliding around the hallway.’
He takes me on a guided tour. The lounge does indeed have black leather couches. I note a few scratches in the leather, which Gabe tells me is the downside of his pets. The downstairs is all blacks, whites and greys, extremely masculine. He has a widescreen television over the fireplace and there are plinths with heavy works of art on them, ‘Cat proof,’ I’m assured. The kitchen has all modern appliances, white cupboards and grey granite work surfaces. The taps gleam, I reckon he has a cleaner.
He then takes me through into a further downstairs room where I decide Gabe Gregory is one spoilt brat. He has a cinema room. A massive projector covers one wall and there are six Lazyboy recliner chairs.
‘Oh my God, your own cinema in your home.’
‘Hey, you basically have your own Department Store in yours so don’t start on me. I love films.’
‘You do realise I never want to leave this house and I haven’t even gone upstairs yet?’
‘Well there you go then,’ he says, ‘Mission accomplished, cos once I have you in that bedroom, you’re not going anywhere.’
One of Gabe’s bedrooms upstairs is equipped with one of those all in one exercise machines. I move into the Master bedroom itself. Black bedroom furniture sits atop a slate grey floor. The bed, though King Size, is extremely plain and furnished in plain white bed linen. There’s no oomph to this room, it’s just functional.
‘Hey, what’s with that face?’
‘Huh, what?’
‘You look, dare I say it, disappointed. What were you expecting?’
‘Well at the very least a waterbed.’
‘You have to remember Miss Mulroney that this is my bedroom, where I sleep. I have not entertained any ladies here before, so it’s not supposed to be attractive to the other sex.’
‘No-one? You’ve not slept with anyone here.’
‘No. I’m a very private person and so it takes a special someone to gain entrance to this room. Anyway, as you will soon see, I’ve made a few adjustments to improve things.’
He picks up a remote and the main lights in the room go down, and mood lighting comes on. The sounds of Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get it On, come huskily through speakers in the ceiling. Gabe pulls me towards him, moving us in time to the music and starts singing in my ear. If it were anyone else I’d have found it naff, but Gabe can sing and his husky voice accompanying Marvin’s, sings straight to my loins.
We dance and smooch all the way through the song and then Gabe flicks the remote onto the next track.
He nibbles my ear, ‘R is for -’
Blondies Rapture explodes from the system. I got into these eighties sounds a couple of years ago and I adore this song. We start off again smooching and then start dancing through the Rap part. If anything this part is even more intimate as we let go of our inhibitions on a more non-sexual level, throwing mad dance moves around.
Then the song switches to ELO’s Sweet Talkin’ Woman and things get intense.
Gabe nibbles my ear and whispers, ‘Stella, this song makes me think of you. We’re hurtling along at one hundred miles an hour and I want to see where this goes, if you do. But we have all the time in the world, so we can have date nights and lots and lots of energetic sex.’
He looks me in the eye with determined steely greys.
‘Stella Mulroney, I’m falling in love with you.’
A tear runs down my face.
‘Oh please don’t cry. I’ve fucked up haven’t I, gone too fast? Forget I said anything. I’ll turn the music off.’
He moves towards the stereo. I stop him with my arm.
Tears now run unbidden down my face and I find it hard to form the words,‘Gabe, no-one’s told me they love me in over eighteen years.’
He folds me into his arms and whispers, ‘Then there’s some stupid bastards around. You deserve so much more.’
I look at this complex man and my head reels as I realise I’m completely lost, I can’t hold myself back any longer, my guard is down and it’s like the chains that bind me have fallen away. He just moves me, I’m lost in him. Nervously I whisper. ‘I l-love you too.’
His hand comes up to stroke my cheek and his face bends to mine, giving me the sweetest but hottest of kisses.
Our lovemaking is indeed rapturous. Gabe peels off my clothes slowly. The music he chooses forms a backdrop against our movements. As he removes each part he kisses, licks and strokes every part of me. I can’t stop myself from touching him, his thighs are rock hard from the exercise he does. It turns me on. His ass clenches as I run my hands down it, Good Lord alive, I hope I never take this ass for granted. He keeps breaking off to kiss me, his tongue forcing it’s way inside my mouth. It’s bliss, I feel I could come from his tongue fucking my mouth alone.
He parts my legs and disappears, teasing me with all the things we’ve done before, the Niffkin’s bridge and laving my clit with his tongue, bu
t it’s as if our admission of love has made him even more confident. As if I’m now his, he eats me up like a five star buffet until the first inklings of my own rapture begin and I explode into his mouth. He moves again, down to my feet and kisses the underneath of them, moving back up slowly, feathering kisses all over my inner thighs, then up onto my stomach, further up taking a nipple into his warm mouth. It’s uncomfortable but I daren’t tell him. I writhe beneath him and reach for him, my hand stroking his own arousal. This distracts him and he lets my breast go and enjoys my ministrations. He reaches for the condom that’s possibly not required. I push the thoughts to the back of my mind; it’s not difficult as right now I’m in heaven. My previous orgasm released all the pent up angst in me and I am so ready to be made love to. Tonight I’m not being fucked, we’re making love.
Gabe slowly enters me and that’s how he continues, slow movements, gentle at first, teasing me by pulling almost all the way out before sliding back in to fill me. It’s the most delicious torment. I grab his backside and try and push him into me, but he’s too strong.
‘What’s the rush?’ he whispers, ‘We’ve got all night.’
I relax and soon my body is ready to release once again. This is how it continues, all night long.
Heaven.
We wake, limbs tangled together.
‘Hey there,’ Gabe says.
‘Hey back at you.’ I reply.
‘So, what are your plans for today?’
‘Ronnie’s coming out. Oh shit I forgot to tell you that yesterday.’
‘Well you had other things to think about,’ he starts stroking me between my legs.
‘Yes well she’s coming out around five, so I need to do some food shopping, get things ready. I’m afraid,’ I look at him and bite my lip, ‘I probably won’t be able to see you for a couple of days, just whilst she settles in.’
‘Well in that case,’ he states. ‘I’m going to call Lorraine and get her to cancel all today’s appointments. I’m spending today helping you shop, very quickly I might add. Imagine you’ve won a trolley dash and think that fast because then I’m going to spend all the rest of the time shagging you and making sure I get the next few days worth in.’
I punch him in the arm.
‘And I’m starting right now.’ He pushes me onto my back and makes love to me again.
We get back to my apartment and he helps me put the shopping away.
‘Hey, fancy a video show?’ I ask, ‘There are just three more left.’
‘Oh, like you even need to ask. A horny Stella, suits me.’ He pulls me by the arm. ‘Do you know, since I found out Sam wasn’t mine, it’s like a huge weight’s been lifted. I’m not tied down and I’m free to romance a hot woman.’
I cast a cautious glance towards the carrier bag on the dining room table.
We sit in front of the video, all thoughts of actually seeing something on it have been overridden by our desire to ride each other, so when a young blonde man appears on screen, I kind of feel a bit sick.
Facing the camera, ready to get his groove on, is none other than a much younger Harry Taylor.
Harry Taylor who has been in the very same rehab facility as my best friend.
Oh my fucking God.
Chapter 8
I turn away, covering my mouth.
‘Gabe. It’s Harry.’
‘It can’t be, surely not. Turn it back on, let me look again.’
I can’t watch, but a second look on Gabe’s part confirms my worst fears.
‘Jesus Christ. He’s on my father’s shit list. How long’s he been doing his dirty work? He only looks about seventeen there.’
‘Turn it off Gabe. I can’t watch anymore.’ I feel a wave of nausea overtake me and run to the bathroom, getting there just in time before I lose my breakfast. Gabe follows me and passes me a cloth to wipe my mouth.
‘You okay?’
‘I think so.’
‘It’s the shock. Go and lie down a while, I need to see what’s on the rest of the tape.’
I lie on top of the bed for a while, curled up with my hand on my stomach. If there’s a baby in there I won’t ever let anything bad happen to them. That man, would be my potential child’s grandfather. The thought makes me feel sick again, I fight to keep down the bile that rises in my throat. Shock or exhaustion overwhelms and I fall asleep.
Gabe comes into the bedroom later. ‘Harry’s “story” on the tape was he gave up his virginity to a more experienced, older woman. I’d bet every one of those tapes is someone my father knows. A box full of ammunition.’
I walk Gabe back through to the lounge.
‘Gabe we need to check the two other tapes.’
The next is Gabe with Issy. Gabe just extracts the tape and puts it in his pocket.
‘I’m not going to watch that. I’m sure it’s not the only copy but it’s the original at least.’
‘Oh Gabe.’
He interrupts,‘Right the last one.
The last video shows a particularly young looking girl and an older gentleman. It’s all about her deflowering and it makes me feel sick. Then Issy comes on scene.
‘Oh my God it’s the video that crucified Issy, she was made to do things with that girl. Apparently the girl killed herself. I’ve got her name somewhere, so I can look into it further.’
Gabe switches it off. ‘I think we’ve seen all we need to see. We’ve got to stop him Stella.’
I go into my purse for the piece of paper.
‘Here it is, Sheree Kewley.’
Gabe’s face blanches.
‘What? What is it Gabe?’
‘You know the Judge’s daughter that Harry supposedly got pregnant? That’s Robyn Kewley, daughter of Judge Kevan Kewley. His eldest daughter died of an overdose a few years ago.
‘I don’t believe this. Oh my God.’
Gabe’s jaw sets, ‘We need to speak to Robyn Kewley. She could be the key to my father’s undoing.’
The intercom buzzes and for a second I think Henry has forgotten to text and Ronnie is here, until the tones of Arnold Gregory come through.
‘Let me up please Stella, I think it’s time the three of us had a little chat.’
Oh fuck.
Arnie stalks in like a predatory panther.
‘Well, I really didn’t want it to come to this, but you two just can’t leave well enough alone, can you? So I’m here in person to tell you to back off.’
‘Not a chance,’ I spit.
‘Feisty little thing aren’t you? I’ll give you that. Take after your father, mind you look what happened to him. Terrible accident that.’
My mind feels like it tips sideways as Arnie’s words sink in. My father’s accident. Not an accident? Why would Arnie hurt my father?
‘What, wh ..’ I can’t finish the sentence, I need to sit down before the floor comes up to meet me.
‘Stella.’ Gabe grabs me by the arms and helps me steady.
‘Is it money you want? I can give you more than you ever dreamt of. You, and this despicable traitor of a son of mine can go off and live happily ever after; though I think the cries of a squawking baby might put him off. Thought you’d dodged a bullet with Samuel, hey son?’
‘What the fuck are you talking about now Father?’
‘Hah, hasn’t she told you? She had quite the little shopping day yesterday, didn’t you Stella? A pregnancy test and then a walk around a few baby stores where she couldn’t resist buying a cute little outfit and a teddy.’
It was true, I hadn’t been able to resist, indulging in my fantasy that this baby might be real.
Gabe looks like he’s been shot, ‘Is this true Stella?’
‘Well, I -,’
He doesn’t let me finish. ‘Fucking hell, you’re pregnant and all through last night and today you could have told me and you haven’t said a word? No more secrets we said. We’re obviously not on the same page.’
‘Gabe, I -’
He holds his hand up to me.
‘Save it.’ He walks to the door, stopping to face his father on the way out. ‘I will wipe that smug grin off your fucking evil face if it’s the last thing I do.’ Then he’s gone.
‘Love you son,’ Arnie yells after him.
My teeth grind together. ‘You think you’re such a player Arnie, but I will destroy you. My stepfather isn’t a good man, but you, you’re a sick psycho. I’ll take great delight in destroying you.’
‘Watch your mouth Stella, it’s going to get you in trouble one of these days. If you carry on I’ll have no choice but to release Gabe’s tape. He’ll be a laughing stock. So will Issy. She has a lovely little set up, it would be awful to destroy it. I’ve never been the slightest bit paternal so I don’t give a shit what happens to any of them.’
‘Maybe it’d have been different if you’d have had little girls?’
He smacks me straight across the mouth, my head vibrates backwards, the pain is intense. My lip splits and I feel a warm trickle down my face, I lick the blood up, tasting the iron. I have to sit on the floor as I feel dizzy.
‘Hit a nerve?’
He walks towards me and leans over grabbing me by the throat,‘I’ll give you one last chance to quieten that mouth of yours you little bitch, otherwise I can see a tragic accident from the top of the stairs in your future.’
I gasp for breath and look up at him, cut and defeated. Whereas I once had nothing to lose, I’m now helpless until I’ve done that test and know for sure. I nod.
‘What was that? I can’t hear you?’
‘I’ll stop.’I croak.
‘Good girl.’
He leaves the apartment. I get up, shaking and rubbing my throat.
The Alphabet Game the Complete Alpha Series a to X, Y, Z Page 20
