Gabriel's Promise (Gabriel's Inferno #4)(54)

He placed his glasses and cell phone on the nightstand, as was his habit, and pulled back the blankets. Seeing she was awake, he stopped.

A few seconds later, he slipped between the sheets and rolled onto his back, closing his eyes. The distance between them seemed insurmountable.

She adjusted her injured ankle atop the cushion it was resting on and closed her eyes. She was reminded of that night so long ago when she’d sneaked into Gabriel’s room after she’d been attacked by him. Gabriel had been kind to her then. He’d been understanding.

A strong arm lifted and pulled her toward a warm, naked chest.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she whispered.

“We’re even, Julianne. I should have told you about the strange car that was watching our house.”

“I don’t think it was Simon. He isn’t going to waste his time hanging around Selinsgrove on Thanksgiving. And he’s very vain about his car. There’s no way he’d drive a Nissan.”

“Your uncle Jack is looking into it. I threw a rock and broke the rear window of the car. That should make it easier to find.”

Julia lifted her head from the pillow. “You broke the window?”

“Yes.” Gabriel sounded a little too pleased with himself. “I played baseball in high school. Did you know that?”

“No.”

“Julianne, you can’t hide health problems from me, especially now. We have Clare to consider.” Gabriel’s voice was quiet and eerily calm.

“I was hoping it would go away.”

“You let it go almost three months without telling anyone,” he chided her. “Never do that to me again.”

“I won’t.”

Gabriel touched her hair. “We need you. I need you.”

A tear welled in her eye and fell to her cheek. “I need you, too. No more running out into the woods by yourself.”

“I can concede that. But I want you to tell me, in detail, about any and all health-related issues you have at present or have had recently.”

Julia half smiled at his professorial tone. “Yes, Dr. Emerson.”

He growled.

“I mean, Professor Emerson.”

“Go on.”

“I’m in good health with the exception of the numbness in my leg and now this sprained ankle. Which hurts like a mother.”

“I’ll get you something for the pain.” He threw back the bedclothes.

“It’s right here.” She pointed at the nightstand.

Gabriel walked around the bed and retrieved a couple of pills from the bottle, handing them to her. Then he gave her a glass of water.

She swallowed the pills with the water.

“Anything else health-related?” he prompted, getting back into bed. He pulled her slowly so as not to disturb her ankle and helped her rest against his chest.

“I have fibroids, but Dr. Rubio said they shrank while I was pregnant. I had been taking an iron supplement but I don’t think I need it anymore. I’m supposed to go back for a checkup next September. Dr. Rubio will probably order an ultrasound.”

“Anything else?”

“No. You?”

“I’m in recovery for chemical dependency. I have anger management issues, concerns about the safety of my family, and one Italian endowed chair at Harvard whom I’d like to confront. There’s a driver of a black Nissan I’d like to punch.”

Julia winced. “Anything else?”

“I’ll sleep better when I know who has been stalking us.”

Julia buried her face against his shoulder. “Part of me doesn’t want to know about stuff like that. But it’s important you share this information so I don’t do something that would put us in jeopardy. I took Clare out in the stroller without you a few times. What if the car had followed us?”

“You’re right. It isn’t fair for me to be cross with you for keeping secrets when I’ve been doing the same thing.” He kissed her hair.

“So you aren’t cross with me?”

“I’m furious. It scared the hell out of me when the nurse told me you were seeing a neurologist. All kinds of scenarios went through my head—cancer, stroke, multiple sclerosis.” Gabriel cursed. “We are a family, you and I. Family is everything.”

“Okay.” Julia didn’t sound okay. “I want to say something. I know you don’t want to hear this, but I am hopeful that once Cecilia gets over her jealousy, she’ll sign off on me spending the fall semester in Edinburgh.”

“That’s a risky decision. I’d rather we confront her immediately.”

“Maybe when she’s around Graham Todd at the workshop in Oxford, she’ll change her mind.”

“That’s months away!” Gabriel sputtered. “If she doesn’t relent by then, it will be too late.”

“I want to try. I want you to let me try.”

“Fine.” Gabriel sounded exasperated. “If Cecilia refuses to help, I’m getting involved.”

“Gabriel, you know—”

“I’m giving your method a chance, but I want the option of using my method.”

“Your method is to intimidate her.”

“Nonsense.”

“You promise?”