Chapter 115

GABRIEL'S POV

Out of all the things I could have done, out of every possible complex situation I could have found myself in,I just had to go ahead and fall in love. Had it not been for that love then I would never have even dreamed of trying to talk to Sonia and Ezra. If it weren't for the feelings I had for Layla I would have already kicked that couple out and let them fend for themselves. 

But I was a prisoner of my own emotions and there was nothing I could do to change that. She held the reigns to my heart and my first priority was to ensure that she was always happy. That she was satisfied. Even if it meant doing something I didn't want to do. I still don't know where I had found the calmness and reason to tackle things like I had the previous night. I'm certain that even the dynamic duo had been shocked. But it was all for Layla. 

I had kept my word and had maintained my cool. I engaged in a rather calm conversation with the couple and we had both come to a mutual agreement that they would stay the night,and maybe the next day if they had to. But then after that they would have to find another place to go. I had a nice villa in LA which I had been kind enough to offer to them. And if they didn't want to move there then I had offered to cater for their finances for wherever they did choose to go. They weren't the type of people to feel embarrassed over someone freely donating his money to them. And I had let out a sigh of relief when they had agreed that LA wasn't a bad choice. And I had texted my assistant the details and asked him to take care of everything. There were no other words exchanged. 

In my Layla's innocent mind, we were probably going to talk about the past and resolve our issues. Maybe even think of how we would move on last all that and start forming a new and special bond. But that wasn't how we functioned. If there was one thing I had learnt from that couple, it was how to be uncaring and blind when it came to the concerns of those who didn't matter. 

And they most certainly didn't matter. 

One fact that would never change was that they weren't my parents. I wasn't incapable of uttering the truth. And the truth in this case was that I didn't love them, maybe at some point in my childhood I had looked up to them, when I had wanted them to pay some attention to me, but all that had faded and vanished. I had eventually stopped caring. I was helping them out because my heart had chosen to tangle itself with that of a sweet and lovely girl who still didn't know that much about the ways of the world. 

My favourite part of that night had been when I had showered and got into bed next to Layla. She had been dead asleep by then, hadn't even moved since I stepped foot into the room. And I was being careful because I didn't want to wake up. But some minutes after I had settled well into the warmth of the bed and started to let my thoughts wander around, she had shifted and snuggled closer to me. Her head on my chest, her hand on my abdomen. 

" Did you fight?" She asked in a very sleepy voice. Her eyes still closed because she has still more than half asleep. 

" Surprisingly not, " I replied. My tone calm and even. Then I kissed the top of her head and rubbed my hand up and down her back. 

" That's nice, " she added in the same lazy tone. And afterwards I felt her as she drifted off to sleep once more. Like she had forced herself to remain partly conscious just to ensure that everything would end up well between that couple and me. 

But then after trying to force myself to sleep I gave in and glanced at the darkness around me. Holding onto that girl because she was the source of my sanity. 

And I finally asked myself what exactly I was doing. 

What was going on with me? What plan did I have? 

I was only thinking that way because the last thing I wanted was to end up like Sonia and Ezra, I didn't want to be the type of person that was so self absorbed that I wouldn't even dream of thinking about another person or trying to consider their feelings. And when I said another person I mainly meant Layla.. But not even those thoughts helped me to figure out what to do next and how to do it. 

What was I going to do with that love? 

I wanted Layla next to me for eternity, I didn't want to be blind and deaf to her wants and wishes. That wouldn't be fair of me, but how was I supposed to get over my huge fear of perfection? I just couldn't help but believe that no matter what, something would eventually go wrong. 

I eventually slept, that question half resolved in my head. I knew of the one thing I could gift her that would make everything alright, but I would need some time before I was comfortable enough to offer it to her. I took comfort in the fact that she wasn't going anywhere. 

The next day she had woken up almost half an hour before her alarm, then she had women me up. She didn't tap me or try to call out my name until I woke, but she rather straddled me and started kissing her way down my body until I became aware of the fact that I wasn't dreaming and woke up. 

I would have normally teased her about the situation, but I didn't have the strength to. All I wanted was to have her. To join myself to her in more ways than just the emotional, I wanted to feel myself move within her and to get high on the reminder that I had been the first one to possess her, that I would forever be the only one that would get her. 

She didn't have to talk, I knew exactly what she wanted and how to give it to her. And she received every last drop of whatever I gave with the desperation of a starved individual that had finally been offered a meal. Despite me claiming her almost every single night, it still felt like I was taking her for the first time. 

Afterwards, she had held onto me again and worked on maintaining her breathing. Her alarm had gone off and he's had furiously shut it off. Choosing to reward herself with a few spare minutes of sleep. 

I didn't like seeing her tire herself over work like that. But I knew she took pride in it. I'd just let her keep working while hoping that she would one day not feel uncomfortable about asking me for things. I wanted to be there when she opened her own restaurant, and I wanted to have played a role in making her dreams come true. 

She eventually won her fight against sleep and woke up, Stretching before she leaned against the headboard and worked on waking up all her senses. 

We had already established a routine while on the island and we still used it. I knew her little morning habits and she knew mine. Inorder to "save time" ,we showered together then I helped her to get dressed in the outfit I had picked out for her after my conversation with Sonia and Ezra. 

That name was pretty normal. At lunch I had driven by Dahlia's and requested that she and I have a meal together. I didn't think there was anything wrong with that since she had to ear anyways. I loved how her face lit up whenever she saw me, how she tried to calm herself down so that it wouldn't be too obvious. 

" You made this, didn't you?" I asked in reference to the food we were eating. I had let her choose what we would have and I liked her selection. 

" What makes you think that? I'm not the only chef here Gabriel. "

" I know, but you made this. I'm quite sure of that. "

The shy smile she wore afterwards convinced me that I was right. I had eaten her food for long enough to master its uniqueness. It was impossible for me to mistake her cooking with any other. 

I was still trying to think about what I would do concerning New York. I had to leave soon, the timing couldn't have been any worse. She clearly loved working at Dahlia's, I doubted she'd just easily accept my offer,but I was sure I would find a way with my words and make her see things clearly. 

She never brought up Sonia and Ezra and I was grateful. It meant she understood my feelings towards that subject and she was respecting my wishes. I had meant what I said about them only ever using me. In their eyes I was some item that enabled them to prove how stable they were to their friends and families. I'd play the piano for the visitors they had and they'd get to show off and talk about how talented I was and how I had learnt from the very best. But whenever they didn't need to use me, they forgot about my existence. And even after so many years, I had been the first one they had thought of when they needed to use someone to help get them out of a complicated situation. 

" I want to try out a new recipe I have in mind when we get back home, will you judge it for me?" Layla asked. The question brought me back to the present. I thought of the question and nodded. 

" Prepare for some very honest judgement, " I informed her, then I realized that she had eaten almost everything in her plate, but she still seemed a bit hungry. She hadn't eaten last night and that morning either. Picking up my plate, I divided half of my own food onto hers. I honestly hadn't been that hungry, and after that meeting I had fifty free minutes which I was planning on using in the gym. So I didn't want to eat that much. 

" Will I have to pay you for the food ?" She joked and I gave her a subtle smile as I reached over and ran the back of my hand across her cheek. Lately I had the strangest little urge to just casually touch her, feel the strands of her hair through my fingers or brush my hand gently over her skin. 

" Just be happy, " I seriously said. My tone both formal and caring at the same time, she looked into my eyes, and she must have seen the sincerity there because she nodded and continued with her meal. Her happiness, as I had said before, was my main concern. 

After she was done, she told me she had to get back to work. And I had kissed her without caring about where we were, or about all the people who were there. When the kiss broke, it was to find her observing me with that adoration I sometimes doubted I deserved. 

I was afraid that she thought too highly of me, that she believed I was a better person than who I actually was. 

" Take care," she told me. 

Care...the word I had so many times before used in place of another. I nodded and asked her to take care as well because she was smart. She would know what I meant. And If her sweet smile was any indication, she did. I trailed after her until she disappeared around the corner and was out of sight. Just those few seconds with her had  managed to make me feel a lot better. I could finally go on with my day peacefully because I had gotten to talk to her, to see her and to feel her. To convince myself that I loved a person who truly existed and who loved me as well. It wasn't just in my head. 

According to what Layla had told me, Dahlia was rarely around the restaurant. I had hoped she'd be there so that I could say hi. I had been in conflict about whether or not I would attend her wedding but I had decided that I'd do so. Not only because of my friendship to Miguel, but also because Layla seemed excited about the event. She had mentioned it several times, especially during our trip. I think the idea of watching two people tie the knot fulfilled her somehow. 

I left the restaurant and drove straight to my firm. I had never liked using the gym with other people, so I had one build in the firm for my personal use. And the best part was that I wouldn't waste time driving from knew place to another. And I did have extra sets of clothing I could change into afterwards. 

I normally exercised with Arden. Speaking of which, he was supposed to return the following day. He hadn't called or texted me lately and I wondered whether everything was okay. I hadn't even told him about Sonia and Ezra. Arden had met them a number of times, but they had never really exchanged any words. It wasn't like me and his parents. I needed him to get back because he offered me mental support just by being around. Him and Layla topped the list of the people who I currently needed the most. I didn't think there was anyone else. Maybe Arden's parents, everyone else didn't particularly hold any unique significance in my life. 

That day went by well, I successfully closed a business deal, I led two meetings, I went over some documents and I interviewed some people for a position that was available at the firm. I had fired the people Layla had once asked me to apologize to for the tone I had used with them. The employees who I had given a second chance but who had decided to never take their job seriously. I didn't play around when it came to my work. There had been six vacant positions and I wanted to personally fill them before the week ended. Currently, only two remained. 

Layla was supposed to get off at nine that day. So I wasn't in any hurry to leave the firm. I busied myself with signing some documents that were required by my finance team. But then at around seven, my phone started ringing and a glance at the screen revealed that it was Miguel. I picked it up, assuming it was work related because there were some legal issues we had discussed earlier over the phone and he had promised to give me feedback soon. But then he spoke and I immediately stood. 

" You might wanna come over to the restaurant, there are some damn paparazzi trying to get pictures of Layla...a lot of them!"

I was out of that building and in my car in no time!