Breaking Down(The Garage Series Book 2)(26)

My footsteps echoed against the hardwood floor as I stepped inside. The  house had definitely been updated, and it looked like it was ready for  someone to move in. The walls were a generic shade of tan and the  furniture matched it in its perfectly tame style. There was no  personality anywhere. No color. No pictures on the wall. It looked  lonely. Hollow.

Gabe moved through the room and looked around like he was trying to  figure out his next step. I could tell this was hard for him. I knew he  was hurting, but I was hurting too. He was killing me.

"Have a seat." Gabe pointed to one of the lifeless couches.

I walked further into the room and sat down at the very edge of the  couch. I'm sure it was a comfortable couch, but I wasn't comfortable. I  was coming out of my skin.

"Where are we, Gabe?"

He sat down on an armchair that sat directly across from me and took a deep breath.

"This was my grandparents' home."

I was a little shocked by his words because he never talked about his  family. As much as he kept his past hidden, I was surprised that he had  brought me here.

"This is where I came when I left months ago. Hell, this is where I always run too."

I didn't respond for fear that he would quit talking.

"My sister and I used to come here for a few weeks every summer growing  up, and it was our favorite days out of the entire year." He looked  around the room, and I could practically see the memories flowing  through his mind. "It was the only time that we weren't worried about  what would be waiting on us when we got home. Our grandparents' were  amazing. They took advantage of the time we spent with them, and they  filled our days with trips to the zoo or the park. We would go to the  movies or the fair if it was in town. We were truly happy when we were  here, and I run here because I feel safe here." His eyes finally met  mine. "This was the only place where me and Kara felt safe. My  grandparents' wanted to protect us, but they were too old to take care  of two kids full time. I don't blame them for what happened."

He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands down his face and over his beard.

"I spent my childhood trying to take care of her. I promise, Erica. I  tried my hardest to protect her." The pain in his voice physically hurt  my chest.

"I couldn't fucking do it. I tried. God, I tried, but it wasn't enough. I  couldn't protect her." His voice cracked along with the shell of anger I  was trying so hard to cling on to.

I quickly stood from my perch and knelt down in front of him. Tears were  pooling in my eyes from seeing him in pain. He took a shaky breath and  his own tears fell over the rim of his eyes and disappeared into his  thick beard.

"My parents' are scum. They are the worst people I have ever met in my  life, and I hate them. I hate that they weren't good parents to us, I  hate that we ever had to suffer the way we did, but mostly I hate what  they did to her. She was so damn innocent. So sweet. She had a heart of  gold. They cared more about chasing their next high than taking care of  us. She died at the hands of their drug dealer. She died because I  wasn't strong enough to protect her and because they didn't care about  us enough to even try. I watched that bastard repeatedly hit my baby  sister, and all I did was sit there tied to a chair. I tried to get  loose. I fought against my restraints, but it wasn't enough. I watched  the life leave my sister's eyes, and what's worse, was Blake did too.  Blake got pulled into my shit and had to witness the worst day of my  life."                       
       
           



       

By this point Gabe's chest was heaving and tears were pouring down his  face. I wrapped my arms around his center and buried my face in his  chest.

"I'm so sorry, Gabe." My voice was barely a whisper.

"I don't want you to be sorry for me. Your pity will kill me. All I  wanted was for you to know why I am the way I am. Why I freaked out when  I thought you were pregnant. I won't make a good father, Erica. I'm not  cut out for it."

"Gabe."

"No. I would disappoint you and our child. I'm not strong enough."

"Stop." This time my voice was full of power and held no trace of  hesitation. "What happened to your sister was tragic. It was horrible,  but it was not your fault. You were a kid, Gabe."

Gabe shook his head, but I continued.

"You should have never been put in the position that you were  responsible for your sister. That was your parents job. You're only job  was to be a child."

My hand ran through his beard before I titled his chin up so he was looking at me.

"What happened to Kara was not your fault. You will make a great father  someday." He attempted to look away from me, but I held firm.

"It doesn't have to be with me. I love you, Gabe. I fucking love you  with everything I have, but if I'm not who you love then I will accept  that. I just want you to be happy. You are going to make an amazing  husband and father one day. Just look at how you are with me. You  protect me from everything. You make me happy. You make me laugh. It's  not your responsibility to protect everyone, Gabe. Your only  responsibility is to be happy. To fall in love and love hard."

Gabe leaned in and kissed my lips softly. "I've already fallen in love."

I gasped and he took the opportunity to control the kiss. He slipped his  tongue in my mouth and caressed mine. The kiss was rushed and  desperate. It was perfect.

Gabe picked me up, and I straddled his lap. He pulled away from me  momentarily and searched my face before looking me in the eye.

"I won't be perfect. I'm going to fuck up. Probably a lot, but I love you."

I leaned in to kiss him again, but he stopped me.

"I'm sorry for the way I reacted about the pregnancy test. It scared the hell out of me, and I ran."

"You can't run here every time something gets scary."

"I know. That's why I've been fixing up the house. I'm going to sell it.  This place has been one of the only places that holds happy memories  for me, but I'm ready to start over. I don't need a house to have happy  memories. All I need is you."

My sob echoed through the room, and Gabe pulled me tight against his body and tucked my head into his neck.

"I'll try my hardest to be what you need." His promise vibrated through my body, and I felt it all the way down to my toes.

"You already are." I pressed a kiss onto his neck. "You're everything I need."

Gabe pulled my face out of his neck and took my mouth again. Our hands  were pulling each other closer even though no space remained between us.  Our teeth clanked in a desperate attempt to not lose connection with  each other. My hips ground down against him, and my moan was almost  nonexistent as it was devoured by his mouth.

My body was on fire, but I felt fragile. Gabe was the only thing that  made me feel truly alive, but I also knew he had the power to destroy  me. It was such a scary feeling to put my trust in the fact that he  wouldn't.

Gabe's hands pushed my sweatshirt up my stomach, and I pulled away from  him long enough for him to rip it and my t-shirt over my head. His eyes  roamed over my body, and I felt bare before I realized that whatever had  been there between us before was gone now. We were both completely bare  and open for the other one to devour. There was nothing holding us  back.

Gabe's hands were running down my back, and he pushed my chest up  against his mouth. He pushed the cup of my bra down and my breast popped  out of the top. His warm mouth latched onto my nipple, and my back  arched further into him. He took his time ravaging my breast before  moving to the other one. His tongue spun a circle around the tight bud  before his teeth grazed across the sensitive skin. He looked up at me,  and my pussy clenched. His eyes were on mine, and his tongue was snaked  out against my skin.

His erection was pressed against my center, and I sunk myself lower  against him to get the friction my body craved. He lifted his hips and  pressed further into me, and I cried out.

Gabe's hands crawled up my back and touched my bra before it fell down  my arms. Goosebumps broke out across my skin when his rough pulls of  breath floated across my skin. I reached for the hem of Gabe's shirt as  he started tugging on my yoga pants. He let me lift his shirt over his  head then I stood up and pulled my pants and panties down my legs. Gabe  watched my every movement and managed to get his pants pulled down his  thighs before pulling a condom out of his back pocket and slipping it  on.                       
       
           



       

I took my spot back on his lap, and he pulled me into a deep kiss as his  cock settled against my slick center. I rocked against him and mewled  as he slid against my aching clit. Not being able to wait another second  longer, I lifted onto my knees and then sunk down onto him.