Lust For My Husband’s Best Friend (Book 3)

Chapter 11

Cecilia

The room had begun to blur an hour after I had arrived to the party. I didn’t even remember who it was for or why we were invited, all I knew was that I needed to drink. I needed to forget the past 48 hours. As soon as Leon had gone to his room I had stormed in there, demanding an explanation for what he and his father talked about.

Leon hated me invading his space, hated me talking back but mostly, he hated me demanding anything from him. He had tried pushing me out of his room but I fought back and yelled in his face.

“I am not having a child with you Leon! NEVER!”

He had grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me so hard my neck hurt. “YOU DON’T HAVE A F***ING CHOICE CECILIA!” Then he had begun to kiss me hard and I pushed him away.

“GET OFF OF ME! GET OFF!” I had yelled. I slapped him across the face and before he could strike me back, a body came between us.

I remembered that Sophie came to my aid. She had somehow managed to get me away from Leon and back to my room. And the next morning Leon’s father kept eyeing me like I was a horse or cattle, he was measuring me and deciding my worth and I hated it. Leon’s mother didn’t say a word to me but I did see her eyes linger on me longer than usual. She probably hated me as much as her son and husband did.

That was why tonight, I wanted to forget everything. I wanted to not care about anyone or anything.

The candle lights began to blur, the dresses, suits and flowers became patches of color and the room began to spin. I was reaching for my 10th flute of champagne when a warm hand grabbed my wrist. Even without turning around I knew exactly who it was. The strong but gentle grip and clean sandalwood smell surrounded me and comforted me in the way it had always done for the past year. When I turned, Gabriel’s chocolate brown eyes were looking at me with confusion and concern.

“Cecilia, what is wrong?” He asked as he took the flute from me and set it down on a nearby table. “What is the meaning of all of this?” He gestured at the three empty flutes next to me, my tired eyes and stumbling movements.

If it had been any other night, any other event or even lifetime, I would have pulled myself together. I would have fixed my hair, my dress and plastered on my perfect, practiced smile- but in that moment I didn’t care. I didn’t care that people were looking at me like I was insane, that I reeked of alcohol and that I wasn’t glued to my husband’s side. I didn’t care, because obviously the world didn’t seem to care about what it was doing to me. So I only looked at Gabriel and shrugged.

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said hiccuping. I tried to walk away from him but I stumbled and he barley caught me on time. His strong arm had wrapped around my waist and was holding me up.

He looked around frantically. “Where’s Leon? You need to get home.”

We both looked off to one end of the grand room and saw Leon drowning himself in alcohol too. He, like me, was looking to drown himself in the drink. He didn’t want to think about the situation his father had put us in, and he most definitely did not want to look at me. Gabriel cursed under his breath and helped me stand. He gripped my arm and began to slowly walk me away from the drinks.

“You need to sit. Come with me.” He said calmly but firmly.

I didn’t have the energy to fight back so I just walked with him. He led me to a tea room at the far end of the house where no one was. He had asked several maids to point him in the direction of a place where he could help me compose myself. If it had been any other man, they would have looked concerned, but Gabriel was a gentleman and they knew that. Once we were in the tea room Gabriel led me to a large green velvet couch where I sat. I didn’t how or when, but he handed me the glass of water that he filled with a pitcher, along with some peach jam biscuits on a plate.

“Drink this. And eat,” he said.

I glared at him. “No. I don’t want to.”

He took a deep breath and spoke again. “You need to eat Cecilia, please.”

We both looked at eachother, waiting to see who would cave first. I had the instinct of not backing down and putting up a fight, but the genuine concern and care on Gabriel’s face swayed me. I sighed and did as I was told. Once I had drank two cups of water and finished the biscuits, Gabriel sat next to me.

“What is happening with you Cecilia? I’ve never seen you act like this before,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes you have.”

“Not in public. Not you or Leon.”

“I guess we just got tired of playing pretend,” I said laughing. “It’s tiring anyways. Might as well let the world know we hate eachother.”

I continued to laughed but Gabriel didn’t. He just sat next to me quietly. Soon my laughter turned into tears and tears into sobs. For days I had been suppressing everything I felt- my anger, confusion, sadness and feeling of hopelessness. I didn’t say anything but Gabriel put his arm around me and sighed me. I buried my face in his chest, feeling protected and warm there. Like nothing could hurt me.

“…Leon’s father is demanding we have a child..” I said.

Gabriel froze.

“Leon is trying to force me into doing it. But I can’t Gabriel… I can’t have a child with a man I hate. I can’t bring a child into such a cold and heartless family.” I sobbed harder. “But I don’t have a choice! They’re going to make me do this!”

Gabriel let out shuddered breaths but he hugged me tighter. “No Cecilia, no one can make you do anything.”

“But…but I have no choice.”

He pulled back and tilted my head up so I was looking at him. His face was serious and eyes determined. “You will always have a choice. And I’ll always be there to make sure you do.”

And I didn’t know if it was the way the moonlight hit his face. Or the way the shadows in the room caused him to look more handsome than before. His chocolate brown eyes the sparkled like wet rocks on a summer day, his pale blonde hair seemed so soft and his full lips so inviting. I couldn’t pinpoint if it was the way he made me feel safe and seen in the moment, or the way his strong arms were holding me up right and comforting me.

But whatever it was, it led me to lean forward, and without thinking, I kissed him.

I kissed Gabriel.

And it was a kiss that changed everything for me.