Slow Dancing in the Darkness

35: Not Letting Go

Stepping quietly into his home, Lionel pushed the door closed, his head resting against it for a moment. It had been tense, after they’d gotten back to Elliot’s parents’ home, he’d barely said a word to Gabriela, and he had to admit he felt a little bad. He knew that it wasn’t on her, Elliot had driven the situation and he knew it, but the slightly irrational side of him found himself worried. He didn’t think she would run back to Elliot, if he knew anything about Gabriela, then it was that she disliked Elliot about as much as he did, but after 5 months, he couldn’t help but be a little apprehensive. They hadn’t been together long, even if they were married, and he was still nervous that someone could come along and take away the girl he had fallen for head first.

Pushing his hand back through his hair, he spared a little sigh and padded deeper into his home, quietly making his way towards his bedroom where he knew Gabriela would be. It was late, he’d stayed and confided in Antonella for a while before he returned home, and he knew his wife would be asleep. Gabriela would probably be as emotionally drained as he was. Padding into his bedroom, he shrugged off his coat and set it on the dresser, shuffling out of his jeans in the dark.

“Leo?” Gabriela’s voice was gentle and sleepy as it reached him, causing him to pick his head up from the task of removing the jeans from his legs without falling over. “Amor, I was worried” she added, a gentle yawn falling out of her mouth.

“I was with Antonella and Thiago” he noted gently.

Gabriela sat up a little and switched on the bedside lamp, casting a warm glow over the room. “I was a little worried you weren’t going to come back” she confessed, her hands pulling at invisible threads on the duvet.

Lionel’s stomach flipped a little. It wasn’t even a thought that had penetrated his mind and he hated that it had crossed hers. Upset or not, he was not the type to just walk away, especially from something he felt for like he felt for Gabriela. “Gabby, no” he murmured.

Gabriela shrugged. “You didn’t exactly give me much hope when you walked out of here with no word” she refuted gently “You were quiet all of the way home and then when you left to go and see Thiago, you only spoke to told me that you were going. I get that you’re pissed, but that’s not fair, Leo” she protested. She knew that he was upset, after what he had seen, he had every right to feel hurt or betrayed, but she hated the way he had behaved. She was at fault, she knew it, but she had needed more from him. As far as she knew, when he’d left earlier that day, he’d not intended to come back at that thought stabbed at her.

Lionel sighed gently and sat down on the bed, his back to her. “I know that he started it” he murmured.

“You do?” Gabriela posed.

“I saw pretty much all of it” he continued gently, his dark eyes peeking over his shoulder at her “Noah wanted something to eat and I didn’t like the idea of you and Elliot being in a room alone together so we came back. I saw the whole speech and then I saw him kiss you” he murmured softly.

“Leo, I’m sorry” she murmured “I should have acted faster, moved out of the way” she added.

Lionel shook his head. “It’s not your fault” he muttered “And I know it too. It just…I don’t know what I would do if I lost you” he announced.

Gabriela frowned. “What?” she posed gently.

“I love you” Lionel returned as he carefully turned around, his brown eyes looking over at his wife who stared back at him, her bright blue eyes staring back at him “I really do and I find it weird that I have such a depth of feeling for a woman I met only 5 months ago. I know that we’re married, but this whole thing, it happened really quickly and it scares me” he admitted gently.

Gabriela tilted her head, but didn’t say anything.

“I have grown so used to us” he continued, his eyes still holding her stare “I love having you and Noah around and I guess for a moment, I worried that I could lose you to him again. You two have such a history, a son too, and I worried that you might opt for the safe option over me, the risk you took” he added.

Gabriela swallowed and licked her lips, carefully moving a little closer to him. “I have not once thought about going back to that man since I got with you” she noted gently “Elliot is…he’s the biggest mistake of my life and I have never thought about going back to him since I have had you, Leo. I know that you were hurt earlier, I know it must have stung you, but, amor, I promise you. You’re the only one I want” she insisted gently, her hand placing itself against his cheek tentatively “Leo, I love you” she added.

Lionel smiled a little at thought before he turned his head away, looking down at his feet. “You can go, if you want to” he offered softly.

Gabriela shook her head and carefully ducked her head, pressing a kiss against his lips. Lionel jumped at the feel of it, a small hiss of pain escaping his mouth as her nose gently tapped his. It wasn’t broken, but it still hurt. Elliot had landed quite the hit on it.

Gabriela smiled a little at the sound. “You should have let me take a look at that” she commented as she pulled away from him, her blue eyes noting the blood which was on the front of his shirt. He’d not even changed before he rushed out to see Thiago.

“It’s not broken” he noted “But he did bruise my jaw as well” he added, his hand gesturing to the purplish bruise which had formed on the side of his jaw.

Gabriela shook her head and pressed a kiss to it. “You riled him up” she teased gently.

“He kissed my wife. I think I was entitled to be a little pissed” he muttered.

Gabriela sighed gently and kissed the bruise again. “I’m sorry that this happened, Leo, I really am, but you need to know I have no intention of letting you go. You’re right, things have happened quickly for us, but I don’t think I would have us any other way. You’ve done so much for me in the last 5 months, and I can’t imagine a place I would rather be than here. Leo, I am not letting go of the best thing I have” she insisted, her nose lightly bumping against his jaw.

Lionel’s eyes closed at the contact, his arm wrapping around her waist. “I’m sorry for scaring you” he mumbled.

Gabriela shook her head gently. “Don’t be” she murmured “Just come to bed, Leo” she smiled before she pressed a brief kiss against his lips, moving to climb back underneath the blankets. Lionel watched her and nodded his head, carefully pulling off his shirt before he slipped into bed beside her, wordlessly noting that he wasn’t going to let her go.
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Thanks to FootieJo for the comment :)