This, she could do. She loved her best friend but being away from Gabriel would be even better. She pressed the button for the elevator, waiting for it to take her somewhere else, anywhere else.
Pulling her backpack on, she held her case, and the doors opened. She tensed up as she caught sight of Gabriel. He looked like he hadn’t slept all night.
“Claire,” he said.
“Gabriel.” She stepped onto the elevator but he made no move to leave.
She waited, hoping for this final part of her leaving all to herself.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
The elevator doors closed. Great, he was going to come with her.
“Claire.”
She turned to look at him. “I don’t have to answer you, Gabriel.”
“You’re packed.”
“I’m not staying at your apartment. This was never part of the plan, anyway. I’ve got some money saved up.”
“What about the place I bought for you?” he asked.
“I didn’t want it then and I don’t want it now.”
“Claire, stop being stubborn.”
She sighed. “I’m not being stubborn. You’re clearly not used to a woman dealing with whatever last night was. This is me dealing and I can handle it. Believe me.” She willed the elevator to take them down.
“You didn’t cause a scene.”
“There was no reason to.” She wanted to burst into tears. Not once during their time together had Gabriel ever made her feel like an easy fuck until last night. After he’d told her it was over, and the way he’d done so, she felt sick to her stomach. He’d been cold. “Did you get a kick out of last night?” she asked. “Did it make you feel all special?”
“Claire?”
“You know what, I don’t want to know. Forget it.” She shook her head. “I thought you had more class than the way you ended things. I guess I was wrong.”
The elevator doors opened up and she stepped out, but he caught her wrist.
“Don’t make a scene, Gabriel. You hate them, remember?”
He gritted his teeth and let her go.
Her heart raced but she stepped out and into freedom. She nodded at the receptionist, knowing this would be the last time she saw this place. There was no way she would ever come back to Rhianna for help. She would always confide in her best friend and that wouldn’t change, but favors were not in the cards.
She found a cab waiting and she gave the driver the address for her new place. After putting her bags in the trunk, she climbed into the back and waited as he pulled into the main traffic.
Leaning her head back, she looked up at the building. Was Rhianna looking at her?
She shook her head. It was stupid and pointless to think of what might have been.
“Are you okay, honey?” the cab driver asked.
She nodded her head but the tears she’d been keeping at by started to spill over. “I’m fine. Honestly, I’m fine. There is nothing to worry about.” She took a deep breath, and a second. In and out, she could do this.
She could handle anything.
Sniffling, she glanced out of the window and rubbed at her chest. The pain wasn’t real. She didn’t love Gabriel.
He was an asshole.
A monster.
A prick.
He’d dumped her after fucking her. He’d used her. There was no way in hell she was going to ever have feelings for such a man. He was a complete and total dickhead.
But he’d been hers. For a few short days, a couple of weeks, he’d been hers. In her mind, she ran through the time in his kitchen, the way he’d trapped her. His hard body keeping her in place. It changed to each time they were together. The feel of his lips, his hands, all of it.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” the cab driver asked again.
“Yeah, just, a bad break up.”
“Someone you loved?”
She shook her head and then nodded. “Yeah, I think so, or it wouldn’t hurt this much, would it?” She sniffled. “It will be fine.” There was nothing that couldn’t be solved with distance, ice cream, and a good old cry. She only hoped getting rid of her feelings would be so simple.Chapter Ten“You are a complete and total fucking asshole,” Rhianna said the moment he entered his apartment.
Gabriel didn’t even try to protect himself as his sister started to attack him. It wasn’t very nice but he took the pain of her fists. He didn’t exactly feel like himself at all. “Back off.”
“No, I won’t back off. You broke things off with her. How could you?”
“She knew the drill.”
“Do you know the drill? Do you know what you’ve done?” she asked.
“I didn’t mean for her to leave but she has. You’re going to have to get over it.”
She growled and stormed away. “You know, for someone so smart, you’re so fucking dumb at times. I mean, seriously, what is your deal? Do I have to spell it out for you?”