“Um, I just did?”
He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. “We’ll talk about this later then.” He kisses me chastely on the lips before sending me out the door.
I can’t help feeling a little wounded myself at the manner in which I’m being dismissed. I know he offered for me to stay, and then offered me food, but then he just switched off like he didn’t mean any of it. Mere formalities. I hate that he’s so hot and cold all the time. And he didn’t even tell me when we’d see each other again. I shiver as I step out into the cool evening air of New York City, knowing I’ve really stepped in it this time.
Chapter Eleven
Victoria
I arrive back at my apartment, courtesy of a taxi. Paul was waiting downstairs at Gabriel’s apartment by the time I got to the bottom which only added to my annoyance. The thought of him being on standby for me, waiting to leave, was more than a little strange. I told him I would get my own way home, and he looked none too happy about it. Presumably due to the prospect of facing Gabriel’s irritation.
I have some serious thinking to do about this whole situation. I feel deflated as I climb the steps to my door, hoping Alanna can help make some sense of all of this. She always knows just what to do in these types of situations, and that’s one of the reasons why I love her so much. But as I suspect after walking into an empty apartment, I find a note stating she’s on another date. I don’t bother making anything to eat and opt for a hot shower and bed instead.
The next day I sleep in late and don’t bother checking with the courier company for work. As I pad down the hallway, I find Alanna hunkered down on the couch watching tv. She smiles when I walk in and then frowns when she reads the expression on my face.
“What happened, babe? You were asleep so early last night. Did everything go alright?”
I pour myself some coffee and make my way to the couch, kicking my fuzzy slippers onto the rickety coffee table. “Well, it didn’t exactly go to plan, I’ll put it that way. And I definitely need your advice on this one. But first I want to order some food, I’m starving.”
“Okay doll, anything you want, I’m yours for the day.” She walks to the fridge and grabs some takeout menus. “What do you feel like? Indian, Chinese, Pizza?”
Nothing really sounds that appetizing, even though I’m starving. “I don’t know, surprise me.”
Alanna sets out to find her cell phone and order the food. She comes back ten minutes later to find me sprawled out on the couch, staring up at the ceiling blankly.
“Okay, food’s on its way. Now tell me what the hell happened because I can’t take the suspense of knowing why you look…” She motions at my lifeless body with her hand. “Like that. It isn’t like you, and I’m worried.”
I pull myself together and sit up. “Well, you don’t need to be worried, I’m fine I swear. I’m just confused and probably being dramatic. God, I don’t even know where to begin, Alanna. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.”
She furrows her eyebrows with concern and takes a seat beside me. “What happened? Did he hurt you?”
I smile at her protective instincts and shake my head. “No, it was nothing like that.”
I purposely leave out the little detail of him spanking me, because even though it did hurt a little, I enjoyed it, and it would just be embarrassing if I told her about it.
“Oh, well then color me confused. What happened then?”
I can’t look her in the eye. We talk about sex all the time, but it’s mainly Alanna’s sex life since I don’t have one. But this is different, and it feels more than a little awkward. “I uh… I don’t know exactly how to say this.”
“Oh c’mon!” she urges. “Don’t be embarrassed around me. You can tell me anything. We have no secrets, remember?”
I sigh, knowing that she’s right. She’s the one person I trust with my life. And given our background, there’s good reason for that.
When I met Alanna, it was during my first year of being on the run. I was crashing in a homeless shelter in Texas when she came in bloodied and bruised. She had been beaten to a pulp by her husband, who just so happened to be a cop. She was scared and had nowhere to go and was afraid she would have to return to her husband or die trying to get away.