Breaking Hollywood(85)

I stare down at him. Then, I run my fingers through his hair.

His eyes close. Then, he presses his face to my stomach and wraps his arms around me.

I feel his body shudder against mine.

“Gabe…”

“I’m so fucking sorry, Ava. For everything.” His voice is raw, and it breaks my heart.

I lower down to my knees and take his face in my hands. “It’s okay, Gabe.” I soothe him, brushing my thumb over his cheek. “It’s okay. I love you, and everything is going to be okay. We’re together now, and that’s what matters.”

I kiss his cheek. His forehead. His nose. His lips.

“What those bastards, Digby and Sandy, did to you, putting your past out there for everyone to read about…it’s despicable. And I know you’re worrying about what people might be saying…but it doesn’t matter, Gabe. None of it. What matters is you and what an amazing, kind, generous, and beautiful man you are. A man who stepped up for his kid brother when he needed him most and did what he had to do. Not many people would have been able to handle the situation you found yourself in. Most would have stumbled at the first hurdle. But not you, Gabe. You got on with things, and when the chance to escape was offered to you, you grabbed it with both hands and made something of yourself. I admire you so much. I think you’re the bravest and strongest person I’ve ever met, and I count myself lucky to know you.”

He’s staring at me, his eyes glassy with emotion. “You’re wrong,” he says roughly. “I’m not the strongest person you know, babe. You are. You’re fucking incredible, Ava. And I love you so very much.” Then, he seals his mouth over mine and kisses me deeply as he tightly wraps me in his arms.

And I know that, this time, he will never let me go again.





Ava


Gabe and I walk back into his apartment together, my hand in his, Gucci trotting alongside us, and I’m feeling a hell of a lot better than I did the last time I was here.

Charly, Vaughn, and Julian are still here, sitting on the sofa, and there’s some guy I don’t recognize.

When Gucci sees Charly, she goes bounding over to her and jumps into her lap. Charly proceeds to give her the attention she was after.

Charly stops stroking her and looks over at me. Are you okay? she mouths.

I smile and nod in response.

“Gabe, this is Martin. He’s worked security for me in the past. He’s one of the best in the business. I called him to come and sweep the apartment for you.”

“And?” Gabe says.

“I ran a spectrum analyzer over your apartment, and I found a bug in here. It was under the sofa, just tacked to the base. There was one in your office, under the seat of the desk chair. One in the kitchen, in the light fixture. One in the guest bedroom, behind the mirror, and there was one in your bedroom, tacked to the base of a lamp.”

His bedroom.

Oh God. They recorded us having sex.

My eyes fly to Gabe. His jaw is working angrily, his eyes lit with rage.

“Gabe…”

His eyes come to mine, and they soften on me. His hand comes around my cheek. “It’s okay, baby.”

“No, it’s not.” Tears fill my eyes. “They invaded our privacy. Things between us…private things, and they heard it all.”

Gabe pulls me to him and presses his lips to my forehead.

“Is there any way we can trace these bugs back to those bastards?” Gabe’s voice rumbles through his chest.

“It won’t be easy…but leave it to me,” Martin says. “I know a few people who might be able to help. Are there any other places that could be bugged? Do you have any other properties? What about your car?”

“No other properties. And that bitch, Sandy, didn’t have access to my car.”

“You’d be surprised,” Martin says. “I’ll check it out just to be sure.” He gets to his feet.

Gabe lets me go momentarily and gets his car keys from the coffee table. He hands them to Martin. “Could you check Ava’s car as well, just to be sure?”

“Sure thing.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate you coming down and doing this for us,” Gabe says to Martin.

“Anytime,” Martin replies.

Charly gets my car keys from her bag and gives them to Martin.

“I’ll take you down to the garage,” Julian says to Martin.

We watch them leave. I can feel Gabe’s silent rage vibrating through him.

“Fucking Digby,” Vaughn bites out. “I hate that bastard. I can’t believe the lengths he’ll go to for a story.”

“Nothing surprises me anymore,” Charly says. “Ava, you doing okay?” she asks me.