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CHAPTER 44
GABRIEL
Leah has been quiet all morning, and I’m at a loss with how to draw her back. Without mother’s party, I would have returned her to the car, driven back to our apartment, and reaffirmed our strong bond. I knew this party was going to be a disaster. Family get-togethers are always intermingled with family drama. At this moment I want to murder my older brother for making her feel this way.
My breath catches, as Leah steps out of the bathroom. Her makeup and hair are perfect, while her royal blue dress gently skims every curve.
“You look beautiful,” I say before I can stop myself.
Leah’s eyes lock with mine, but they are missing their usual sparkle. We made love last night, slowly. She allowed me to worship her body. But this morning, it’s as if a barrier has gone up between us and I don’t know how to break it down.
“Thank you,” she says, moving over to the bed and collecting her clutch bag.
“Leah.”
“No, Gabriel, let’s just get through today. We can talk later,” she says, heading towards the door.
My agitation towards my brother grows by the minute. How dare he do and say what he did to this wonderful woman? Who the hell does he think he is, interfering in my life like I’m some naïve child?
The party is already underway by the time we make it downstairs. Party goers weave their way through the hallway to the back of the house, where the marquee has been erected.
I take Leah’s hand in mine as we reach the bottom step.
Turning her to face me, I cup her cheek, capturing her gaze.
“Ignore my brother. His thoughts are not mine, nor Caleb’s or the rest of my family’s. You are here as a guest of my mother and me. The child growing inside you is mine. You’re not inferior. You are a queen, my queen. Don’t let that arsehole wield any power.”
I exhale slowly when Leah’s eyes soften, and she places her hand over mine, leaning into my palm.
“You’re right. Sticks and stones and all that,” she says. “We made a choice, and it’s our choice. Elijah can have his opinion. That’s his right. He made me feel vulnerable yesterday. I should have trusted in us and our agreement. I’m proud of my past and my family. I know he’s your brother, but I’m not going to let some privileged ass make me feel less. I’m sorry for pulling away. That was unfair.”
Her words are like a blow to my stomach, her trust means more than she can know. My anger towards my brother however has skyrocketed, but now is not the time. I’ll deal with him later.
“Come on,” I say, leading her through the house. “Let’s get this over with.”
Elijah and his wife, Darra, stand on the opposite side of the marquee, holding audience with several old family friends and hangers on. I’ve kept my distance, not wanting to create a scene, but I watch them as they work the room. You’d never know by looking at them. They can scarcely tolerate being in the same county, let alone breathing the same air.
I was only in my early teens when Elijah went to university. Every holiday he’d return with a swathe of university friends. Darra hanging off his arm, staking her claim. In retrospect, she had Elijah in her sights and was determined to keep him. During their final year, she got her way, falling pregnant with Lottie. Elijah put on a brave face as his Olympic dreams went up in smoke as he struggled to create a business to sustain him and his new family. My father telling him, if he was old enough to bring a child into the world, then he needed to man up and provide for his family. In true Elijah form, he showed the rest of us what was possible. Not wanting to follow in our father’s footsteps, Dad bankrolled his startup. Frazer Technologies and Security has become one of the leading Security and Cyber Tech companies in the world. But my brother was no longer the quick-to-laugh, fun-loving man I remember from my youth.
I turn, realising Leah is missing.
“Kat, have you seen Leah?” I ask my sister, who was deep in conversation with her last I saw.
“She went inside to use the bathroom,” Kat replies, patting my arm. “Don’t worry about her. She’s fine.”
I kiss my sister on the cheek and leave the rest of the party behind. It’s only when I go to walk around the corner, I hear a conversation that makes my blood boil.
“Have you heard?” a voice says from the hallway.
“No, what?” another answers.
“Apparently Gabriel has got himself an older woman...works for him. It’s so cliche. Attractive, but clearly beneath him, socially. A gold digger, if ever I saw one.”
There’s a sniff, followed by giggles.
“I’m surprised,” another voice says. “His mother spoke to mine a couple of months ago. She was hoping to set us up on a date, but then the next minute it’s all off.”
“No, his mother spoke to mine.”
