AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What?” Grabbing my napkin, I dabbed at the side of my mouth. Was I wearing pizza sauce?
She shook her head and cast her eyes downward to her untouched slice of pizza. She’d barely spoken since the episode at the play park and hadn’t had a thing to eat or drink. I didn’t like seeing her like this.
Looking over at Austin I saw he was busy with his pizza and juice. He wasn’t paying us any mind so I switched seats so I was closer to Robyn. Capturing her chin in my hand, I forced her to look up at me and there were tears in her eyes.
I didn’t need to ask her what was wrong. She was at the end of her rope and perhaps her sanity when it came to this situation. She needed release from Gabriel. Until this was settled she’d see him in the shadows. Even after I finished him off I wouldn’t be surprised if she continued to look over her shoulder and see him in the shadows at every turn.
“I took care of his minion. I’ll be taking care of him tomorrow. This is almost over.”
She sniffed. “What if it’s not? I’m not sure I can protect him. Maybe I should have worked with the feds,” she said in a whisper so Austin couldn’t hear.
Ensuring my voice was as low as hers, I responded, “There are no what ifs, Robyn. You’re doing the right thing. I told you I’d take care of this and once I’m done you’ll be free.”
“And then what?” Her eyes searched mine and I knew that the topic had shifted slightly and she was now referring to her and me. What would become of us once it was all said and done?
I gave her a sympathetic smile as I grabbed a napkin and wiped her nose. Between the rides, the near breakdown and now this she was beginning to look like a hot mess. But she was still beautiful to me. She’d always be beautiful to me.
“How about once we get Austin to bed we have a long serious talk about that?”
She nodded, taking the napkin and blowing her nose. She sounded like a foghorn and it made me laugh. Her frown changed to a grin. Good, I never wanted to see her frown again for any reason.
~*~TT~*~
Robyn
I was feeling as if there were dozens of butterflies fluttering in my stomach as I waited outside by the pool for Constantine to return from putting Austin to bed. This whole situation was so odd, it felt good and right, but it was happening so quickly. I hadn’t even gotten my divorce and I was in love with someone else – though in all fairness the divorce should have happened a long, long time ago, well before I finally managed the courage to leave. And as I sat and contemplated things, I didn’t think I had ever really stopped loving Constantine.
But what about Austin? I’d made the mistake of allowing him to consider Gabriel his father and now I was paying the price. What if I allowed Constantine into his life and I found I’d made another huge mistake? What did I really know about this new Constantine anyhow?
“Penny for your thoughts?”
I yelped at the sound of Constantine’s voice. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts I hadn’t heard him enter the pool area. The man was incredibly light on his feet for a man his size. A blush warmed my cheeks as I looked over my shoulder to see him walk across the patio to me. Reaching my side, he leaned down and gave me a tender kiss on the lips.
“Fancy a dip in the pool, babe?”
I’d been eyeing the pool. It had been a while since I’d been swimming even though Gabriel had a huge indoor pool at his place. “I don’t have a suit right now. It’s packed with my stuff.”
He pulled his shirt off and tossed it onto the lounge chair next to me. My eyes slowly drank in the sight of him bare-chested in the moonlight. “Why would you need a suit?”
I looked around. His property was completely cut off from any of the neighboring residences aside from the opposite end facing the lake and Austin’s room was on the other side of the house so he wouldn’t be able to see anything.
I was tempted, very tempted, but there was a lot that needed to be discussed. If we went down the road he wanted, then I seriously doubted much talk would get accomplished tonight. “I thought we were going to discuss a few things.”
He sighed. The sexy, flirty smile of his that I loved faded and he sat next to me on the lounge chair. I pulled my legs up, wrapping my arms around them and propping my chin on my knees, giving him space. “I know it’s only been a few days, but I feel like there are some very important issues that need to be discussed.”
“I know. I told you earlier we’d discuss it so, let’s talk.” He placed a hand on my knee next to my face and gave it a gentle squeeze.
I didn’t know where to start. On the way back home from Six Flags I’d mulled over everything that needed to be said and all the issues that needed to be addressed, but I was coming up blank at the moment on where to begin.
He stared at me; it was apparent he wanted me to start. Just add to the pressure, Constantine.
“What do you really do for a living, Constantine? Why did Gabriel hire you?”
He chuckled, but it wasn’t out of happiness, it was a nervous chuckle. It may have been years, but I could still differentiate between his laughs. “I’m usually hired to get rid of problems.”
“Problems?” It was starting to become clear and it’s not like it surprised me, but I needed to hear him say it. Was I jumping from the frying pan and into the fire? Maybe this whole thing was some sick game and I was just a pawn in the game.
“I think you know, honey. I wasn’t hired to go and try to convince you to go back to Gabriel. You’re not a stupid woman, I know deep down that you know that too.”
