"You," I growl, jutting a finger towards him. "You want to know how? You want to know how you ripped me apart, limb from fucking limb?" I forcefully stuff my hand in my coat pocket to fish out my cell phone. Then I throw it at his head, hoping it will somehow clock him in his beautiful face. Of course, he catches it without blinking.
"Check the unknown text message, asshole," I add, taking a step back. I don't need to see it again. There's no way I could survive witnessing his betrayal once more.
Dorian presses a few buttons and looks at the phone with a stern expression. Then he makes a pained groan, causing Niko to instantly ghost to his side to see the cause of his agony. After a few seconds, Dorian's younger brother cringes then shakes his head at him. Then he looks up to me with sympathetic eyes. I almost want to slap the look from his perfect face. I don't need his pity.
After the torturous sounds of passion have ceased, my gaze locks on Dorian's staggered expression. "Little girl … Gabriella … it's not what you think," he stammers, eyes widened in horror.
"Not what I think?" I shout, angry tears stinging my eyes. "Do you think I'm stupid? I can see what the hell is going on with my own damn eyes, Dorian! Don't you dare try to twist this around to make me think otherwise! You are a liar, a cheater, and the scum of the fucking Earth! You are just like your father. No … you're worse. At least he is honest about what he is."
"But that's not-"
"Shut up!" I shriek. Hot, salty tears finally stream down my cheeks with the outburst. "Shut the hell up, Dorian! Everything you say or do is to benefit your fucked up agenda to control me! I don't want to hear it anymore! I don't want you anymore!"
Dorian flashes directly in front of me with no regard for his own safety during my tirade. In the same instant, Niko positions himself at my side. "But it meant nothing!" Dorian shouts. "Listen to me! She means nothing! I love you and only you! Nothing happened!"
The very words cause my ears to burn fiercely. As if my mind and body have somehow become disjointed, my hand is swinging in front of me and connecting with Dorian's cheek with more force than I have ever exuded, causing him to stagger to his side. Unable to detect how and where I conjured that type of strength, I gasp yet maintain my unrelenting anger.
Dorian composes himself instantly though I can see a small trickle of blood in the corner of his mouth. He sucks the inside of his lip, tasting the metallic substance, his nostrils flaring with unshed fury. Both of our chests heave rapidly as we glare daggers at the other with glassy eyes. The humming tension in the room evolves into a rumble, the air around our heated bodies shimmering with an iridescent current.
"Gabriella … " he whispers, his voice cracking with emotion.
I shake my head at the sound of my name on his tongue. It's wrong; it's all wrong now. It's all a lie. I knew that he could never truly care for me. I knew he could never understand the depth of my feelings for him. Even now, accepting his deception as truth, I can't help but love him, though every fucking part of me wants to hate him.
"I hate you," I whisper, hoping to breathe truth into my thoughts by saying them aloud. "I hate you and I never want to see you again. You are dead to me, Dorian."
"But you can't believe this. It's not what-"
"Save it," I say raising a hand in front of my face. I grasp the necklace around my neck and pull, causing the chain to scrape the bare skin of my neck before snapping. I gather the precious diamond pendant in my palm before launching it at his chest. "Get the fuck out. And don't ever come back."
Still clutching the necklace to his chest and looking at me with a myriad of tormented emotion, Dorian lets a lone tear slide down his flushed cheek. The sight causes the crumbled remains of my heart to stir yet it is not enough to break my resolve. It's not enough to put me back together again. We are dead and gone. What Dorian and I had cannot be resuscitated.
He looks to Niko, another tear escaping yet he makes no move to swipe it away. "Stay with her … please," he rasps.
Niko nods then claps a hand on Dorian's shoulder, looking as if he is fighting his own tears at the sight of his brother's pain. Everything inside me is shouting, urging me to go to him and wrap my arms around him. To give him the chance to explain and forgive him. To kiss away his anguished tears and hold him close to me until we both drift off to sleep. But I can't. I can't give him that because I honestly have nothing else to give.
Dorian looks back to me, tears trickling down his face. Seeing him so broken makes the compulsion to comfort him that much stronger but I fight against it, closing my eyes to erase his wounded beauty from my vision.
"I love you, little girl," I hear him whisper with a cracking voice.
I reopen my eyes only to see dissipating clouds of grey before me. He's gone; it's over. And the finality of that thought tears me in two. With a loud, soul-shattering sob, I fall to my knees and grip my chest, my entire frame shaking violently as the giant tears gush from my eyes and drip into my mouth and all over my shirt. I cough and choke, my chest aching with every pained howl. I feel like I'm dying the slowest, cruelest death in history.
Niko drops to his knees, scooping me into his arms. He coos and whispers his sympathies, trying desperately to calm me. "Shhhhh, it's ok, baby girl. It's gonna be alright." He rocks me back in forth in his arms, allowing me to bury my tear-streaked face into his chest.
"I … can't … he … why," I sputter between gut-wrenching sobs.
"I know, I know," he whispers, kissing my hair. "I know it hurts."
After I have regained control of my breathing and can stop shaking enough to stand, Niko leads me to my bed. Gently, he helps me out of my clothing, not even fixing his lips to make a licentious remark. His gaze doesn't even rest on my body in a lustful way. Once I am stripped down to my underwear and bra, he sits me down and goes to rummage through my drawers in search of a t-shirt. He puts it over my head and even eases my arms through as if I am helpless. And in this moment, that is exactly how I feel. Helpless, hopeless, and absolutely lifeless.
Niko eases my head down onto a pillow and my endless stream of tears quickly drenches the pillow case. He scoots my body under the covers and tucks me in gently, pressing his lips chastely on my wet cheek.
"Don't," I croak, sniffling, looking up at him with bloodshot eyes. "Please don't go. Don't leave me. Please."
Niko gazes down at me, his face full of compassion and understanding. He nods then undresses, slipping under the comforter in his t-shirt and boxers. He pulls my body into his and wraps an arm around me, holding me close to his chest. His warmth and comfort squeezes out a fresh wave of tears, yet he doesn't let go or push me away. Niko holds me even tighter, randomly kissing my forehead and hair and murmuring calming words until I have cried every drop of moisture in my body and fall into a wistful slumber.
***
I awake pressed against a warm, hard chest, a thin white t-shirt the only thing deterring skin to skin contact. Strong arms are wrapped tightly around me and my leg is slung over a bare, muscular thigh. I peel my eyes open and the bright sunlight assaults my sore eyes, causing me to groan.
"Are you ok?" a hoarse, yet sexy, voice asks. I prop my body up to peer at Niko. He allows the movement yet doesn't remove his arms from around me. "How do you feel today?" He gives me a hopeful half-smile and runs a hand through my wild hair. He, on the other hand, looks absolutely perfect.
I shrug and lay my head back down on his chest, refusing to look him in the face with a lie. "I'm ok."
"Mmmm," he hums. "Well, I'm here. Whatever you need, I'm here for you."
I nod against him and let my eyes close. "Thank you, Niko. I mean it. Thank you." I inhale the scent of him and let out a small sigh. "Just keep holding me for now. Just don't let go. Because right now, you're the only thing holding me together." Then I drift back to sleep, not ready to face the world just yet.
When I finally wake up for the second time, I can see it is afternoon. I am still against Niko's body, our legs tangled together under the sheets. Though this could be misconstrued as inappropriate, feeling his body next to mine only feels comforting and innocent. Plus he isn't pitching a tent, thank God.
"Hey you, feeling rested?" he murmurs.
Though my body feels stiff and sore and my head is pounding from crying and drinking my weight in Jack Daniels, I sit up and nod. "Yeah. Thanks for everything." I try to muster up at least a small grin, but I just don't have the strength. It still hurts too much to pretend.
Niko cracks a smile and strokes my cheek adoringly. "Good. Are you hungry?"
I shake my head, unable to even stomach the thought of food. "Nah. I'm good. I just want to take a shower and try to figure out what to do next."
"What do you mean?" he asks, pushing himself upright.
"I need to get my stuff outta here and go back home." I look down at my hands and bite my trembling lip, desperately trying to push away the hurt.
"Gabs, you can't do that. It's not safe. You need to stay here until your birthday."
My eyes snap to his. "Why?"
Niko huffs out his resignation. "Because you are too close to your ascension and you could hurt your human parents. Plus, you are easier to detect. You could lead someone right to them. Especially now that you don't want Dor-"