Diavolo Ch. 11

"So Gabe hasn't made a move on you?" he chuckled, voice deep, seductive. "That's fucking hard to believe. You're a knock out, babe. There's no way, if you were my girl, you'd get away without me fucking you," he whispered in her ear.

Abigail gasped and tried to turn away from him.

Someone gripped her arm hard and she was pushed into a very hard male body. Big bulky arms wrapped around her, and it sounded as if all hell broke loose in the shop.

Yelling and screaming ensued. Racks were knocked over and she could hear what sounded like a fist fight behind her.

"Shit, Gabe. No, man. Stop," Michael yelled above the din, right in her ear. He was the one holding her. "Aw, damn."

Michael released her and bent.

Abigail realized Gabriel was groaning on the floor.

"Oh-no! what happened?" she exclaimed reaching for Gabriel.

"Come-on. Let's get the hell out of here," Michael was saying as he helped Gabriel up.

"Where is the mother-fucker?" Gabe panted, furious.

"Yeah, go on. Get that sorry piece of shit out of here," the red-haired man was saying. "You better hope I don't press assault charges on your ass, you sorry piece of shit. Hey, Abigail, forget that asshole. I can show you a good time, baby."

Gabriel snarled and struggled against Michael's hold. Even though Abigail didn't have her glasses on, she saw when Ariel emerged from within the crowd. The tall bass player from Diavolo pulled his fist back and nailed the red-haired man in the face, sending him into a bloody heap on the floor.

"Take that, jackass," Angelo cackled shoving his way forward to high-five Ariel. "Nobody disrespects our Abby."

With that Ariel and Angelo looped an arm around her and escorted her out of the shop.

"Wait for me," Pia shouted. "I've got her glasses."

Abigail shoved her glasses up her nose just as Angelo shoved her into a black Mercedes, Gabriel's black Mercedes.

She slid into the back seat as Mike shoved Gabe in through the other side. His face was ashen beneath his golden skin and he gripped his middle.

"Gabriel, what's the matter? What happened?"

"Craven punched him in the ribs." Michael answered climbing into the driver's seat.

The car lurched forward as Abigail stroked Gabriel's face.

"Oh-my-god. Why'd he do that?" she asked unsure what to do to relieve Gabriel's apparent agony. His poor broken ribs were still healing.

"Maybe because Gabriel wanted to kill him," Michael chuckled from the front seat. "By the way, who are you?"

"I'm Pia," came her friends awed response. "Nice to meet you."

Abigail looked toward the front to see Michael looking at her friend appreciatively...a bit too appreciatively.

Gabriel slowly straightened in his seat, eyes closed.

"Gabriel?"

He breathed trough his parted lips a few seconds before opening his eyes and looking at her.

His eyes lowered, taking in her attire, her hair, her face. Abigail felt herself flush.

"Help me understand what the hell just happened back there," was all he said to her, face devoid of emotion.

This wasn't exactly the reaction she thought she'd get from him with her new look. He seemed distant, maybe even cold.

She moved away from him, disappointment and rejection making her heart squeeze painfully in her chest.

"Bonnie told me to leave." She turned her face away from him, unable to bear his penetrating stare.

A moment of silence. "She fired you?"

Abigail shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I don't think I'll be able to go back anyway." Not with the circus of fans that seemed to be dogging Gabriel's every step.

He was quiet after that. Someone's phone began to ring. Gabriel yanked the phone from his pocket and answered tersely.

After a moment he answered, "Be right there," and hung up.

"Diamond's having a cow because we're late."

Michael frowned at him in the rear view mirror. "The recording session isn't until noon."

"Apparently she moved up the time. Let's drop Abigail and her friend at the apartment and get moving."

Abigail looked at Michael, unable to look at Gabriel's stony expression. Sadness and anxiety felt like a leaden weight in her belly.

"Nah, let's take them along," Michael suggested with a grin. He kept looking at Pia, a twinkle in his golden eyes.

Abigail, despite her heart feeling like it was tearing in two frowned at Michael, but he didn't notice, having eyes only for Pia.

Next to her, Gabriel shook his head with a sigh and mumbled, "bad idea, bro, but whatever."

They drove for about twenty minutes until they arrived at a large complex of warehouses. The entire band headed into one of the warehouses through a doorway between buildings. The inside had a large lobby that sectioned off into various corridors. They went into one of the doorways in one of the corridors to the left of the entrance. Abigail almost rocked back on her high-heeled boots at the sound of loud rock music blasting out of the speakers. From the outside, you couldn't hear a thing until you opened the door.

Gabriel put his hand against the small of her back and led her farther in.

Diamond looked up from the mixing board, her laughter dying on her pink-glossed lips as her eyes went round at the sight of Abigail.

Gabriel drew Abigail over to the mixing board and introduced her to the sound techs.

"Give me a sec, will you," he said to them as he maneuvered Abigail to another door to their right.

Passed that door was a small lounge with a glass partition that looked out into the recording booths and mastering room. Gabriel drew a black curtain over the glass, giving them privacy before grabbing Abigail into his arms and kissing her until her knees gave out beneath her.

When she was thoroughly breathless and quivering like a fool, he leaned back just enough to look into her eyes.

"I wanted to kill that bastard, Abby.' Gabriel snarled. "He had his fucking hands all over you."

Abigail clutched at his shoulders. "I was trying to get away, Gabe. I swear."

His gaze softened as he eyes roved her face. "You look so different, baby."

She felt her eyes well and turned away from him. "I'll wash it all off when we get home. I promise," she whispered.

"No, baby." His tone gentled even more. His fingers tipped her chin so that she had no choice but to look into his eyes. "You look beautiful. I love you no matter what. It's still the same sweet girl underneath all the glamour. That's what's important." His eyes roved her face again. "Jesus, Abby. You're so fucking hot right now."

His hand tangled in her hair as he yanked her up to press his mouth to hers again, tongue licking every corner within, claiming, owning, possessing. He growled deep in his throat making her heart flip at the savage sound. Already she could feel herself grow damp with want for him.

"You realize you told the entire world we're engaged," he muttered between biting kisses.

She stiffened, her eyes flying open to look at him in surprise.

"Baby, we were surrounded by paps snapping away pictures that at this moment are probably going viral."

The flashing lights! Oh, how stupid could she be? And she'd flashed her ring around like a stupid air-headed diva.

Gabriel chuckled against her lips. "Welcome to my world."

A brief knock on the door and Angelo poked his blond head in. "Sorry to interrupt you two love birds, but this place costs seven stacks an hour. Time to make music, kiddies. By the way, Abigail, you are fucking smoking hot."

"Get out of here before I smash your face in," Gabriel snapped.

"Gabe, please," Abigail grinned holding onto his black t-shirt before her caveman made good on his threat.

The musical track had been laid down and they were working on the vocalization. Michael, Gabriel and Angelo were inside separate booths doing the vocals.

Gabriel commanded her attention the most. He stood in the center booth, lights turned down low and headset covering his ears. At times his voice came out clean, deep and bone-chillingly haunting. Other times, he'd grip his headset and roughen up his tone to a deep dark scary grit that had her heart beating hard enough to sway her. At one point, he threw his head back with a savage, high-pitched, gritty yell, veins in his neck standing out as that dark voice echoed around them, making the fine hairs on Abigail's body stand on end.

"Abby, please forgive me," Pia whispered next to her.

"What? Why?" Abigail asked unable to tear her gaze away from her mesmerizing future husband.

"Your man just gave me an eargasm. God," Pia sighed.