Healing Gabe (The Last Hangman MC #3)(32)

For f*ck’s sake! I’m turning into a woman like Ant and Aleck. Those two, I chuckle to myself. Ant has always been madly in love with Ayden and he never hid it. She’s his woman and no matter who you are, if you look at her too long, you’re getting your ass kicked. Aleck is another story, he reminds me a lot of me. We both lost our parents and a woman we loved. We’ve both had to take care of a relative at a young age and we both never believed in relationships after everything around us crumbled apart. It’s like he is my younger brother, he’s the one I feel the closest to. I know I can always talk to him or Ant. Well, now that Cameron is in Ant and Ayd’s lives, I don’t like to bother Ant with my problems, I know he’s busy and needs his time with his woman.

I’m happy they are all finding their happiness and keeping it, I never thought people could love each other as much as they do, well, not since my parents. I want this someday for Nicole, to find someone, get married and have kids. She deserves to be happy. I’m just content with everybody around me finding ‘The One’. All I need is Viv to stick around so we can hang out whenever we want to, no commitment, no strings attached, just some casual fun.

I sigh thinking back to what was said this morning as I drive to her place. “How would you feel if roles were reversed? Your twin brother passed away because we were together despite knowing things would be a f*cking mess if anyone found out. Then years later, me and you hook up and I show up in the middle of the night after having a f*cking nightmare about your dead brother and wanting some comfort and sex. Tell me Gabe, how the f*ck would you feel? Because right now, I feel used. You might be all sweet and shit at the moment but the only reason you came over last night is because of that f*cking nightmare about Annie. You talk about needing to feel again, but do you even care about how I feel?”

I hate knowing that she feels used by me, I never wanted to make her feel that way. I thought she was enjoying as much as I did what we had. Women are so f*cking complicated!

I drive past a house and see her truck is parked in front of it. It’s the house Cabe and Josie let me stay in for a couple of months. I park in the street and knock. No answer. I knock again and open the door. I call for her wondering why she’s here, but she doesn’t answer me. I close the door behind me and look around downstairs. Her bag is on the kitchen counter. Did she ask to stay here so I wouldn’t bother her? I can’t see her anywhere downstairs so I head upstairs. My heart starts to pound as terrifying thoughts enter my head, she better be okay. I climb up the stairs faster checking for any sign of life. The only light I can is coming from under the door of a room at the end of the hallway. I open the door slowly. “Viv?”





CHAPTER 13



Viv

I wake up with a start, hearing heavy footsteps come upstairs. I freeze and hold my breath. I set the picture on the comforter and grab my old baseball bat and hide to the side of the door ready to swing at whoever is here.

The door slowly opens and I’m just about to strike when the person talks. “Viv?”

“What the f*ck are you doing here, Gabe?” I say rather loudly, startling him.

“For f*ck’s sake, will you stop trying to give me a f*cking heart attack? What the f*ck are you doing with a baseball bat?” He turns around and glares at me, but it is quickly replaced with compassion. “You’ve been crying.”

“I’m fine,” I say leaning the bat against the wall and walk back to the bed. “What are you doing here?” He joins me on the bed. Not what I was expecting, it seems like our morning fight is long forgotten.

“I was driving to your place, saw your truck parked outside here and wanted to make sure you’re okay. What are you doing here and why have you been crying?” He tries to hold my hand but I pull it away.

“Why were you going to my place?” I scoot further on to the bed as much as I can, not wanting to be too close to him.

“I’ll answer your question when you answer mine.” He scoots to the end of the bed and leans against it, facing me in my childhood bed.

I sigh and look in the direction of the picture that’s lying between us. He picks it up and smiles sadly. “I’m sorry you lost them all.” he says softly.

“Me too.” I quickly wipe my fresh tears.

“I wanted to check on you and make sure you were okay.” He looks up at me with his big hazel eyes.

“Right, considering how this morning turned out, I didn’t expect to see you ever again.” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Don’t move.” He gets up, kisses my forehead and goes back downstairs. Where the f*ck has he gone? I don’t have to wait long because less than 5 minutes later, he’s back with two bags.

“What’s all that?”

“As I was saying, I was going to your place to spend the evening with you and make sure you were okay. I picked up your favorite food, well, I hope they’re still your favorite. I got some drinks and thought we could have a quiet night in at yours. Obviously, the location has changed but whatever, we’ll do it here.” He shrugs and places a dish towel on the bed and putting several containers of mac and cheese with hot dog bits, lasagne, mini rice balls, mini pizzas and tiramisu. He follows these with a six pack of cold beer. He does know me well.

“How in the hell did you remember all this?” I look up at him, confused as we’d had only one dinner years ago for mine and Annie’s birthday.