Chapter 101

" Gabriel you promised!"

" Yes, I assured you that I wouldn't get angry. Do I seem angry to you?"

I was no longer hungry so I picked up my plate and headed to the kitchen, not long after I heard her footsteps as she followed behind me. Her own dishes in her hands and a seething look on her lovely face. A while longer in that state and she would probably explode. 

" Why are you doing this?"

" Doing what?" I faced her and raised a brow, she closed her eyes for a second and shook her head, looking the most disappointed I'd seen her, then she began walking away and out of instinct, I went after her and turned her around by her upper arm. 

" Let go!"

She pulled her arm away from my hold and started making her way upstairs. I once again followed her.

" Stop!" She did so, then she stood still and waited for me to say or do whatever I wanted to. I went up the stairs until I got to the one above hers, then I stood in her way. 

" You can't keep running off like that, "

I tried to sound calm but deep down I was pissed. Each time she turned her back on me and started to storm off I felt like I was losing it. I hated it immensely and I wished she'd never do it again. If she was mad then fine, we could talk things out. She didn't have to stride away like her legs were on fire. 

" Those paintings,"

" What about them?"

She scoffed and tried to maneuver her way last me, she was unsuccessful in doing so. And the next time she tried it I doubted I was going to be in control. I wasn't sure why but there was nothing I could stand less than that. She couldn't leave...I wouldn't let her! My mind refused to accept it and so did my bloody heart!

" Are they yours?"

" They're in my studio, are they not?" 

She angrily chewed on her inner cheek before looking me in the eye. She was being serious and didn't appreciate me taking things lightly, but I wasn't. If I didn't feel like talking about something then there was no way I was going to take about it. And I most definitely did not want to talk about those paintings.

" What do they mean Gabriel?"

" Who says they mean anything?"

" What do they mean?"

I hang my head, all she needed was to cool the hell off before it turned into another major argument, she was quite fond of those as I'd come to notice. I painted in there whenever I couldn't sleep, or when I hadn't had a particularly good day, or when for some fucking reason I didn't feel like myself. I didn't know why they always ended up like that, or maybe I did, either way, it was nothing for her to worry about. 

It was nothing at all!

When I looked up again it was to find her looking at me, but most of the anger that had been there was no longer present. She tucked those strands behind her ear before she sat down on the steps. Her hands on her laps and her focus straight ahead. After some seconds I joined her.

" You won't tell me, " she was accusing me of the fact. And I could sense by her tone of voice that she was a little upset, but then she sighed and covered her eyes with her hands. We stayed in silence for a while, it was either I lied to her or I kept quiet. And for once I chose to go with silence. 

" Are you okay?" She asked me for the second time that day. I now understood why she had asked me the first time. It was a sincere question, she wasn't just asking. She was honestly concerned. It was a tone I had never heard anyone else use with me. Like they were scared for my sake,as if my well-being was a priority for them and if it turned out that I wasn't okay then they would also not be okay. Not even Arden had ever asked me that so earnesty. I knew he cared but with Layla it was different.

" I'm okay. "

" Are you sure?" She reached out and held my arm, then with eyes hooded with worry she gazed at me until I felt the need to look away. 

" I'm sure, I told you earlier. My response remains the same. "

She swallowed and met go of me, and it was as if she was deep in thought. 

Then she slowly inched closer and laid her head on my lap. I hadn't expected the action so it caught me off guard. I watched as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. 

" You'd tell me if you weren't okay, right?"

That fearful tone again. Layla was worried,the same way I worried about losing her, she worried about losing me. And in the same way I couldn't stand to see her upset, she equally couldn't stand to imagine that I wasn't okay. I removed some strands that attempted to shield her lovely face from view, then I leaned down and kissed her cheek. 

" I'd tell you. "

" You're not just saying that?"

She was finding it hard to trust me but I understood. Most of the times I did do things that made it hard for her to view me as someone who she could trust. And when I looked at her and saw how seriously she was regarding the matter, I realized that I ought to regard it with just as much seriousness. I'd be truthful, not about the paintings though. That wasn't a subject I was going to ever discuss with anyone. I'm afraid not even her. 

" You can't leave me, I'm not ever giving you that option Layla. "

She frowned and glanced at me for a second before looking away and closing her eyes once more. I sensed that she was actually tired, so I combed my hands through her hair as gently as I could. 

" I'm only okay because you're here, if you leave then whatever state I'll be in will be because of you. Your fault completely. "

It sounded a little like mental manipulation but I was past the point of caring. I was willing to do anything to make sure she was always by my side. I had come to a point where I almost didn't know what I lived for. Apart for my wealth of course, I was empty. Always had been,but she had managed to fill that void. Somehow this gentle girl had managed to give me something to live for. If she left then I'd be fine for, where would I start? How would I even live with the knowledge that I no longer had her? 

It was an impossibility I was never going to let happen. 

" Possessive much?" She asked in an imitation of the same thing I had asked earlier, I chuckled, leaning into her neck and breathing her in. That strawberry scent managed to calm me more than anything else could. It made my senses believe that she was there, that I had no reason to worry.

My level of obsession was on a completely new level, and I was even willing to admit it this time.

" I won't leave. I'm not going anywhere, "

" I know that. Like I said, I won't let you. "

She smiled a tired smile, then she shifted such that she was looking up at me, her hand came up to cup my cheek, ant there was that look again. These were the little things about her that made me realize that I needed her, who else ever looked at me like that? I had always secretly wished that I'd get someone who prioritized me,someone who regarded me as important. Someone who loved me for reasons other than my wealth. He'll! Someone who didn't even care about my fucking wealth. To her I was only Gabriel, Layla cared about me simply because she did. 

I continued threading my fingers through her head and she made this sweet sound of approval from the back of her throat. Then she called out my name in that lax and even sweeter tone she had become accustomed to using.

" Tell me, "

" I'm sleepy."

I nodded even though she couldn't see me. I was supposed to take her back to the kitchen and make sure she ate something first but I decided that could wait. 

" Let's get you to bed then, "

She lazily sat up and I kept my hold on her as she stood. 

" Want me to carry you?" I teased and she shook her head. 

" You sure?" 

She nodded, then she reached out for my hand and held it. An innocent action that only she was capable of. I led her to my bedroom, laughing when I really she was walking with her eyes closed. When I asked she said she was keeping the sleep at bay, that she didn't want it to disappear. We got to the bed and she used her hands to feel it out before she got into the covers. I went to my closet and took a shirt because I was certain she wouldn't be comfortable sleeping in jeans. 

I undressed her and got her into that shirt, instructing her when she needed to either raise or lower her arms. And then afterwards, when I had already tucked her in I just sat there and I stared at her. Realizing that I had already arrived at a place where turning back wasn't an option. There was no way to stop what I felt, what we had. 

" Nyt, " she whispered, turning to face the other side and pushing the covers from her upper body because the room was hot. 

" Goodnight, " I went to stand but she reached out and held my hand. 

" Are you coming to bed?"

I smiled, leaning in and giving her a quick kiss on her lips. Resisting the urge to just get into bed and hold her close because that was all I really wanted to do. 

" I just need to make a few phonecalls, rest okay?"

She nodded and I walked away. I had to take care of some business, and there were also some things I had to take care of for my surprise, plus I also wanted to talk to Arden. I needed to make sure he was okay, and that the reason for going home wasn't too serious. 

He didn't pick up though, but I was certain he'd call back once he found my missed call. After I was done I freshened up and went to the one place I actually wanted to be. 

Next to Layla, my favorite part of any day was when I had her close to me. She literally clung to me when I got into bed, holding on tight because deep down we shared the same fears. 

💮🌼💮🌼💮

LAYLA'S POV

I couldn't stop the truth despite how hard I tried. And in this case the truth was that I loved Gabriel in a manner I hadn't thought possible. He somehow completed me, despite how cheesy that sounded. I don't know what yesterday had all been about or how it had ended up how it had but I was glad it happened. I wouldn't force him to tell me anything he didn't want to share, but I'd be there Incase he wanted me to be. And if he ever did choose to tell me anything then I'd listen and if do whatever I could to assure him that he wasn't alone. I discovered a new part of that man with each day that passed. Yesterday had been new as well. For the first time I witnessed him being vulnerable, it was so unlike him but I was at least glad that he was able to be that transparent. 

We were in his car because he wanted us to go have lunch at some fancy restaurant that his assistant had apparently suggested. He was driving while talking on his phone. I figured it was Arden because there was no one else  he'd talk to like that. But this time there were less jokes, he was listening to something Arden was telling him And I watched as he tried to hide his shock. 

" Well that's not good, " he casually stated. He glanced at the rearview mirror and looked away when our eyes met. 

" What does your dad think?" 

I was waiting for him to end the call so that I could ask him what was wrong, probably get ignored and then continue with my life as usual.

" That's about as messed up as I've ever heard...yes...no I don't think that's wise. Listen,go with what your mother says, I think it's best. Okay, I'll talk to you later....she's okay, yes she went back yesterday. Okay, I'll call you then. "

He cut the call, then he drove for a while, I knew he could sense my eyes on him. 

" What?" He finally asked. I always liked how he asked me that, how he pretended that he was bored and rolled his eyes as he awaited to hear whatever I had to say. 

" What's wrong with Arden?"

" Why would anything be wrong with Arden?"

I lived Gabriel but somehow he made me feel like strangling someone. And by someone I definitely meant him. 

" He's okay, it's just some family drama. "

It wasn't a detailed explanation but I realized it really wasn't even in my place to ask. If I was to know then Arden would have told me himself. I just hoped that it was nothing serious and they'd solve it quick because I hated the thought of him being stressed out. 

And it was as I was thinking that exact little thought that I realized Gabriel was driving into some sort or....I glanced at a sign and shifted on my seat to face him. I didn't even know how to phrase the question, how to ask him what exactly he was planning.

" There's no restaurant, is there?" 

He smiled the brightest of all smiles and kept his focus on where he was going. We were in some airstrip. No wonder he had told Dahlia that I had some stupid plans, and later on when I asked he just kept avoiding the subject until I grew tired and decided to let him be. As I had learnt over and over again, with Gabriel one had to always be prepared. You had to expect anything because there was no way to know how his mind worked. 

He parked the flashy car which I'm sure he only bought for the attention he'd get, then he got out, asking me to stay put so that he could open my door for me. If he pulled out a blindfold I'd ran off. My level of faith in him could only stretch so far. He was too unpredictable, I had never been used to unpredictable. I had always liked knowing how things would pan out, having a plan. Gabriel was against the mere idea of planning ahead, he seemed to wake up and do the first thing that came to mind.