life.”
“What?” Gabrielle exclaimed, eyes wide, a look of disbelief on her face.
Troy reached out and pulled her into his arms. “I was planning on discussing all these issues with you tonight,” he said comfortingly, and pressed her softly against him. Turning his attention back to Arielle he gave her an encouraging look. “Don’t worry, Arielle, I’m sure Sebastian and I can handle Annabel’s fury,” he said. The two men gave each other a look of solidarity.
“Thank you, Troy,” Arielle said. “It’s just that I’m always worried that she will strike at any turn. She’s a horrid nightmare that never goes away.” She gulped past a rapidly swelling throat. Sebastian noticed, and he pulled her into his warm embrace, pressing his lips on her forehead.
“It’s all right, baby, you have nothing to worry about.”
As he spoke, she saw Gabrielle and Troy exchanging strange glances.
Gabrielle still looked stunned, and Troy looked very nervous.
Arielle took a deep breath and glanced at Sebastian, who gave her a meaningful look. With great effort, she suppressed her uncertainties in order to come to her friend’s obvious need. Arielle had already faced a few of her immortal enemies and she was a little familiar with the unwanted feelings, the fear and the anxiety that came with loving the men they chose to love.
But Gabrielle had no idea that these women were relentless, scary, unbreakable, and truly nightmarish. They were frightening.
She pulled away from Sebastian’s embrace and walked over to her friend’s side. Taking her hands in hers, she smiled reassuringly. “Hey, Gabby, this is just our lives now. We need to trust in Sebastian, and Troy, to never let anything happen to us. You do trust them don’t you?”
Gabby pulled away from Troy’s embrace and hugged her friend appreciatively. “Yes, I do.”
Arielle hugged her, then quickly changed the subject. “Troy, I’m sure you have an estate like this somewhere. It seems to be the thing with you immortals,” she said, chuckling, and both Troy and Sebastian laughed out loud.
“Well, you’re right, I do, but it’s in Italy. That’s where my family came from, and that is where our home and businesses are. I’m in school only because I saw Gabrielle way before we met, and I wanted to be with her. I planned the whole thing and I’m so happy she wants me for who I am, and loves me no matter what I am.” He reached over and pulled Gabrielle into his arms. “Isn’t that right?”
“Isn’t that right?” Gabrielle asked, feigning ignorance.
“That you’ll have me even though you know what I am,” he said, and drew her closer.
“Well, I’m not so sure now,” she muttered, teasingly.
“Whatever do you mean?” Troy said, intrigued.
“I have to hear what you haven’t told me yet, before I make a firm decision,” Gabby said.
“Oh,” Troy’s said, and his eyes widened. Suddenly, the room shrank to hold only Gabrielle and him. “Could you just stop loving me?” he asked, in stunned shock, his voice a bare whisper.
“Oh, my God! Troy,” Gabrielle exclaimed, flustered. “Can you really believe that anything you have to say could make me stop loving you?” She drew in a deep breath and fell into his arms. Troy held her against him as if she were the lifeline that had pulled him out of that horrible gap of time. He really had believed that she might change her mind, and the thought had terrified him. He smiled wide and bending down, he took her mouth in a scorching kiss. Suddenly, he became aware that Sebastian and Arielle were still standing in the middle of the room watching them, amused. Pulling back from the kiss he began to apologize, but Gabrielle pulled him back. “Come back here,” she said, and pulled him closer, hungrily claiming another kiss.
“Stop that, you two! Get a room…” Arielle called out and they all laughed.
“We are in our room,” Gabby snorted.
“Touché,” Arielle replied,