Chapter 27

Abby

I wrapped a towel around me and stepped out of the shower, drying my hair and my body as quickly as I could.

“Cohen?” I called out, opening the bathroom door and looking around to see that he wasn’t in there. I cursed and quickly threw my clothes on, leaving the room and practically flying down the stairs. The owner was at the front desk and looked at me quizzically when I appeared on the first floor.

“Did you see the man I was with?” I asked her. “Did he leave?”

“Yes, he left. Took off in his car about twenty minutes ago.”

“Fuck,” I whispered to myself, darting outside. I sighed when I saw that his car was gone, turning back to the old woman.

“Do you know where he went?”

“No,” the woman said. “He didn’t say anything. Is there some trouble?”

“No, no trouble,” I said, and hurried back upstairs. I looked around, desperate for some idea as to where he had gone. My eyes landed on his phone on the edge of the desk and I picked it up, unlocking it and checking it frantically. I found the last number he dialed and called it, lifting the phone to my ear.

“Blue Moon Motel,” the man said. I felt my body go cold all over, knowing exactly what had happened.

“Gregory. Is there a man named Gregory Bell staying there?”

“Yes—”

I hung up the phone, not even bothering to ask for the room number. I knew he probably wouldn’t tell me and I didn’t have time to drag it out of him. I called a taxi and hurried outside, tapping my foot as I waited impatiently. The yellow car pulled up a few moments later and then we were on our way to the motel, me fidgeting in the backseat, growing more nervous with every moment. I glimpsed Cohen’s car at the building across the street from the office.

“Stop here,” I said to the man, pushing several bills into his hands as I hurried out of the cab and flew toward his car. It was empty, but I could hear raised voices—Cohen’s voice—coming from a room nearby.

“Shit,” I cursed, going over to the room, pushing the door open gently to see Cohen standing there while Bella and Gregory cowered in the corner, a gun pointed directly at them. There was a look of cool rage on his face, hatred and grief mixed together.

“Cohen,” I said softly. “Cohen, come on.”

“Go away, Abby,” he said firmly. “Get out of here.”

“No, Cohen. This is a bad idea. You can’t do this,” I said to him, going over to him, putting my hand on his shoulder. He was shaking, his whole body trembling as he took the safety off of the gun.

“You killed my uncle,” Cohen snarled. “My father.”

“We didn’t—”

“Admit it,” Cohen said, kicking at Gregory’s leg. I wrapped my arms around him then, turning him around.

“You cannot kill him, Cohen,” I said to him softly, trying to soothe the anger and anguish in his heart. I touched his cheek, pulling him in to press my forehead against his.

“We’ll do this the right way,” I said to him, putting my hand on the gun, taking it gently out of his hands. “You’ll do it the right way. No more of this. Let’s go.”

“Gabriella,” he said, his voice shaking. “Please—”

I shook my head at him, touching his cheek.

“Let’s go,” I said to him, then shot a look at where Bella and Gregory were simpering in the corner.

“You’re not going to get away with what you did to Paul,” I said to them. Bella’s face spread into a grin.

“That’s what you think,” she said. Cohen started toward her, hands balled into fists at his sides, and I stopped him by holding his arm.

“We’ll get them, Cohen. I promise,” I said to him. He nodded after a brief pause, and we left the room to go out to his car. He was shaking, his hands trembling on the wheel as I stuffed the loaded gun under my seat. I looked over at him.

“You’re going to get them the right way, Cohen,” I said to him. “I promise you will. Without landing yourself in jail or worse.”

He didn’t say anything, but started the car, staring intently out the windshield as he drove. We got back to the inn and he went inside without a word, making his way up the stairs. I followed him, shutting the door behind us, leaning against it as he turned around to look at me.

“You’re leaving,” he said.

“As soon as I know you’re not going to do anything stupid. That you’re going to go to the cops,” I said. “Then I’m leaving.”

“I’m not going to go back,” he said after taking a deep breath, thinking about it carefully. “I’m not. But I need you to stay, Abby.”

“Cohen,” I said to him. “You’re an angry man. You have so much to be angry about—I understand, I do. But—”

“Gabriella,” he said, crossing the room to me, taking both of my hands in his. “I know. I know. But it’s—I feel something changing. Because of you. Because I can open up to you.”

I shook my head.

“I’m—”

“Please,” he said. “Just give me a moment to talk.”

“OK,” I said softly. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, threatening to spill over, but I refused to allow them.

“I would have killed those two back at the motel. In a heartbeat,” he said. “I planned to do it the moment they opened the door. But I—I thought of you. And I hesitated. I want to be better than that for you. I want to be the man you deserve.”

“Cohen,” I said, chewing on my lip as I met his eye. “I’m sorry.”

He stared at me for a moment, then nodded, a resigned look on his face.

“Are you going to be OK?” I asked him.

“Yes,” he said. “I’m not going to do anything stupid.”

“Good,” I said. “And you should apologize to Grayson. He can help you.”

“I think I’ll go to the cops,” he said. “Do it right.”

“Good,” I said again. I touched his cheek, kissing him softly. I couldn’t help it. “Let’s go to bed.”

He responded to my kiss once, then again.

“Can I make love to you one last time, Gabriella?” he asked against my lips. “Just one last time before you go?”

I nodded, knowing it was a bad idea, wrapping my arms around his body and letting him take me to bed. He carried me there, laying me down gently, his eyes on mine as he pulled my T-shirt over my head to reveal my bare breasts.

“How are you so perfect?” he asked as he nuzzled my breasts, taking one into his mouth to suck on it until my nipple was hard and my pussy soaking wet. “How am I going to let you go?”

I moaned in response, unable to form words as his hand slipped into my sweats to stroke my pussy with his fingers. He took my other nipple between his lips and gave it the same treatment, sucking on it sweetly, swirling his tongue around the hard bud. I whimpered as he spread my legs apart but didn’t take off my sweats, instead rubbing my sensitive, needy clit with his fingers. I slipped out of my pants then, hungry for him, unable to wait any longer.

“My sweet girl,” he purred. “Always ready and wet for me. So responsive. Do you need my cock again? Is that what you want?”

I blushed but nodded. He clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“Tell me,” he said. I glanced away from him, unable to meet his eye as I said the filthy words.

“I need your cock, Cohen,” I whispered. He turned my face to his, glancing at my lips, taking them in a kiss.

“I’ll give you anything,” he said, slipping out of his clothes. “I will give you everything you want if you let me.”

“I want you,” I breathed, pulling him fully on top of me, taking his cock and guiding it into my pussy, pushing my hips up so that he would fill me completely. He started to grind inside of me, his body slow, hips moving in languid strokes, stretching me out with his cock.

“If this is the last time I get to do this, I’m going to do it all night,” he said gruffly. “Think you can handle that, angel?”

“Yes,” I said to him, because that was all that I wanted. He grinned against my lips, kissing me, rolling us over so that I was on top of him. I didn’t hesitate, but started to ride him, bouncing my hips hungrily against his.

“Slow down,” he said, putting his hands on my ass, holding me back so that I couldn’t speed up the way I wanted to. “We have to make this last, remember?”

“But I want—”

“I’m going to make you come over and over, I promise,” he said. “But I want you desperate first. Keep riding my cock, Gabriella. Slowly. Do you understand?”

“I hate you,” I panted, but slowed down, reluctantly enjoying his instructions. He chuckled, lifted his head to suck on my nipples as he forced my hips to remain slow.

“I love you,” he said, pulling my face down to his. “I am so in love with you, Gabriella.”

“Stop,” I said to him, but he shook his head.

“Look at me. I want you to look at me when you come.”

I met his eye, chewing my lip, and he let go of my hips so that I could move faster, take him harder. He reached down, rubbing my clit with his thumb, and my body shuddered as I came all over his throbbing cock. He flipped me over again and continued to move inside of me, continued for as long as I could take it, long into the night. By the time we were finished, I was exhausted, and we lay side by side, our eyes connected. He brought his hand to my cheek, stroking my skin.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked. The truth was, I wasn’t sure at all. But I thought about his accusations with Paul, that I’d grilled him, that I’d wanted him to die. I thought too of all the times he’d snapped at me, and I knew that there was no way that I could live that way. I nodded at him sadly and he pulled me into his arms, wrapping them around me, stroking my hair until I fell asleep.