Once Upon A Time(75)

I sobbed as Kylie and Quinn put their arms around me and guided me out and into an awaiting cab, Luca not far behind in his car.





I SOBBED THE ENTIRE CAB RIDE back to the apartment. I couldn’t control the dam that had already burst. Kylie and Quinn both comforted me but were clearly confused. They’d tried asking me what happened and what was going on but they couldn’t get any coherent words out of me.

By the time we’d made it back inside the apartment, I was a little less emotional. I just wanted to get out of the ridiculous dress and pack a bag. I didn’t want to be here. I’d put my trust in a man who ultimately broke me.

“Payton, please tell us what happened,” Kylie pleaded, her voice small as I started removing the dress from my body. Modesty? Modesty left the damn building.

“We need to know what happened, honey. We want to know how to help you,” Quinn said, helping me step out of the dress and noticing I wasn’t wearing any shoes. “Where are the Louboutins?”

“Back at Alpha with my fucking heart.” I growled, my anger unintentionally directed at my best friend. “I’m sorry.”

Without warning, Luca walked into the apartment. I wondered how he’d gotten in without any of us letting him in but that thought was quickly stomped over when Luca’s eyes met mine.

“What happened, tiger?” he asked, moving to my side as I stood in a bra and panty set. Thankfully, only seconds later, Quinn fetched me some clothes to put on. My usual sweatpants and fairy tales are for morons hoodie. I laughed uncontrollably at the hoodie before the laughing morphed into violent sobbing.

Kylie stood from the sofa and took me to my bedroom. She closed the door as I crawled into my bed, my head pounding hard as it hit the pillow.

“Sweetie, you need to tell me. Please tell me what happened.”

Closing my eyes for a moment, I thought about what this could potentially do. We all knew Kylie had been seeing Luca in secret. She thought she was James Bond with her secrecy but we all knew, and his getting into the apartment tonight only confirmed it.

Sighing, I decided to tell her something I knew would ultimately crush her.

“I walked in on Gabriel and Kate having a very enlightening conversation,” I admitted.

“Kate? What’s Kate got to do with this?” she asked, confused.

“I have no idea, but what I do know is Gabriel’s married.”

I was hit with a brick wall of silence. Kylie stared off into nothing as the words echoed around the room.

“I also told Kate to stick her job up her ass.”

Shaking her head, I noticed tears in her eyes. I knew this would break her a little; she was the same after Cam and now wasn’t any different. She was hurting for me. We’d always been like sisters, and Gabriel’s actions hurting me also hurt her.

Tears fell down her cheeks as she embraced me and together, we sobbed.

Minutes passed undisturbed, until a commotion at the door had Kylie opening the door to investigate. The moment she realized what was happening, she pulled me from the bed and dragged me into the living room where Quinn was questioning Gabriel in the doorway of the apartment.

“How dare you come here!” Kylie shrieked, pointing her finger in his chest.

I knew from experience not to stop her once she was in attack mode, it was useless. Kylie’s like a pit bull; soft, gentle and loving but the moment you aggravate her, she’d go into attack mode.

“How fucking dare you! She gave you her heart and you stomped all over it!”

Gabriel stayed silent, his gaze burning into mine as Kylie tried to make him understand.

“I was rooting for you, I was on your side. I hoped you’d be the one to sweep her off her feet, to be her Prince Charming. Not tackle her to the ground and actually take her off her feet!” She paused, furiously wiping away her tears. “You don’t deserve her!”

As if the gods didn’t hate me enough, out walked Luca from Kylie’s bedroom.

“Uh, who died?” He chuckled but the laughing soon stopped as he noticed Kylie’s puffy eyes and the finger lodged in Gabriel’s chest.

“What the fuck have you done?” Luca growled at Gabriel.

“You!” Kylie screamed, turning to Luca. “Your brother is married. Married! Why the hell didn’t you tell us?”

Quinn gasped and Kylie shed more tears. Me? I stayed stunned into silence behind everyone.

Luca’s jaw dropped and closed a few times before his gaze turned steely towards his brother. He puffed up his chest, stomping towards Gabriel with so much force I thought his feet would stomp right through my hardwood flooring.

“You didn’t tell her?! What the fuck is wrong with you?”