Diavolo Ch. 14

"Calm down, stupid," Angelo spat. "What if she's...you know?' he made a motion over his belly with his hands and Gabriel paled.

Shit. They hadn't been using anything. He'd actually wanted her to get pregnant even though he'd said in the beginning he wanted some time to have her to himself, the thought of coming home from touring to a wife and baby being too sweet to resist. She'd asked him to let her find another job and he'd flat out refused. Having a baby to tend might make her change her mind about that.

"Shit." Gabriel said feeling all his anger deflate. Maybe that's what she'd wanted to talk to him about before. Maybe she'd told Mikayla and that she-devil had said something horrible to scare her.

"Women get weird when they're pregnant," Angelo was saying. "Hemorrhoidal or some shit like that."

Mike smacked him behind his head. "Hormonal, you idiot."

"What'd I say?" Angelo retorted with a hurt look as he rubbed the back of his head. Next to him Ariel snickered.

Mike ignored the drummer and turned his attention to Gabriel.

"Jesus, you need to control yourself, Gabe."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gabriel frowned.

Mike shook his head. "Your eyes get all crazy when you're pissed, man. A couple of times there I thought you were going to hit her or something."

The thought alone horrified Gabriel. "Fuck you. I'd never lay a hand on her."

"You grabbed her arms hard, man," Mike continued. "I bet if I hadn't said anything you were going to shake her."

Gabriel just glared at him. Yeah. For a moment there he'd actually felt like he'd wanted to, but that was because he thought she was talking to Daniel. Shit.

"Yeah, I thought so," Mike said tersely.

Gabriel turned away, running one hand through his hair. "Okay, so maybe I have a little anger management issue," behind him, someone snorted. He ignored it. "But she's my wife, for fuck's sake. She's mine."

"Whoa, dude," Angelo said wide-eyed. "Possessive much."

Gabriel sneered at him. "Just wait till you fall in love for real, jack-ass. Until then, butt the hell out of my personal problems."

Angelo turned to Ariel. "Promise me you'll punch me in the face if I ever get this stupid in the future."

Ariel nodded. "Deal."

*******

Abby ran up to their room, straight into the bathroom and sat by the enormous tub that dominated one side of the room.

There was a time when she thought such large opulent things were unnecessary, but Gabriel had proved to her how wonderful owning and bathing within a big pool-sized tub could be.

She made herself shut down all memories of shared lovemaking within the tub and forced herself to think about the terrible words Mikayla had uttered.

Pregnant. Gabriel's.

Abby shook her head, closing her eyes tightly. It couldn't be. Fate could not be so cruel.

She scoffed at her own stupidity. Gabriel had been with Mikayla before she even knew of his existence. If anything, she should have stayed far from him, not accepted him as her boyfriend...pretend or not.

How unorthodox their coming together had been. It was all wrong...but...she loved him. Loved him with all her heart and soul.

She closed her eyes and buried her face in her palms with a sigh, feeling her heart clench in pain. Mikayla carried the baby of the man she loved. It was like some tragic opera, tragedy waiting to strike a second time just like Gabriel's father and mother.

"Baby, are you alright?"

The sound of Gabriel's voice startled her. She blinked up at him, taking in the rugged beauty of his face. The thought that he'd been inside Mikayla as intimately as he'd been with her, made her turn away from him. It wasn't his fault. She'd known even as she became more entangled with him until they'd become husband and wife.

She just never thought there would be lingering ties between him and Mikayla. Her sister had taken Daniel from her and would give Abby's husband his very first child too.

"Abby, please," Gabriel said, leaning closer.

She could see him reaching out to her, only to close his fingers into a fist and lean back, putting distance between them again.

She knew she should say something. Pushing back a few stray strands of hair from her face that had come loose from her ponytail, she managed to focus on a spot in the middle of his chest, unable to look him in the face for fear of bursting into tears. "I guess I must have eaten something that didn't agree with me."

"You've been eating alone all these days. That's going to stop."

She had to close her eyes when he finally reached out and caressed her face. Oh, how her heart just clenched within her in pain at his tender touch. Had he ever touched Mikayla so sweetly?

She had to stop tearing herself apart at the prospect of Mikayla being pregnant by Gabriel. That wasn't going to help matters. If Daniel found out...

Poor Daniel.

"From now on, I want you by my side, Abby. I'll talk to Diamond tomorrow—"

"No. I'll just—"

He kissed her suddenly, silencing her for a moment before pulling away just enough to look right into her eyes. "You're my wife. You belong with me where ever I go."

All she could do was stare into those mesmerizing green eyes, fringed with the thickest, blackest lashes.

She could see the questions in his gaze, questions she couldn't answer just yet. She needed to talk to Mikayla and get to the bottom of this. How could Mikayla know for sure it was Gabriel's if she was having affairs with other people?

Gabriel huffed out impatiently. "Baby, are you pregnant? Tell me if you think you are."

Abigail stared at him horrified. "What?"

He frowned further, looking more confused. "Well you fainted and then you said you felt sick and you've been acting moody. I just thought...you know...?"

Abigail felt sick for real this time, and began to shake her head.

He pulled her into his arms. "Baby, you're not sure are you?"

Abby blinked in surprise as he held her close, his hands smoothing up and down her back soothingly.

"It's okay, baby. I'm new to this too. I think first thing we should do is book an appointment with a doctor."

"Gabriel, I..."

She what? What could she say?

"I guess you're right," she finally blurted. "I've never been to a doctor for that."

He stiffened and backed away enough to look into her eyes. "Of course you haven't. You never had to before. I'm the only man you've ever had, but don't worry. I'm going with you. I don't give a shit what Diamond says. One day won't mean anything. I'll have her set something up as soon as possible."

"No," Abigail snapped, hating the fact he always counted on Diamond whenever he needed anything.

"But you need to see a doctor," he insisted.

"I'll talk to my mom about it."

He reared away. "Your mom?" his lip lifted in contempt. "Are we talking about the same woman who says I'm the devil's spawn?"

Abby glared at him. "She's my mother."

He closed his eyes and hung his head. "Okay. I'm sorry I pointed out the fact she thinks I'm Satan's son. It's just..." he stared up at her again, green eyes tormented. "I just don't trust anyone in that household, Abby. I'm sorry."

"Well, she's my mother," Abby replied defensively. "And I'm only going to ask her to refer me to a good doctor."

"But Diamond can get us a good one too."

Abby bit her lips to keep from blurting out she didn't like Diamond. Gabriel continued to look at her as if she weren't making sense.

"Okay-okay," he finally said in defeat as he stood over her once more, "But I'm going with you. Remember that."

Before she could say anything else he strode out of the bathroom leaving her alone.

She curled up into a ball once she heard his footsteps fade and buried her face against her knees. Her eyes burned, but she didn't even dare let herself have a good cry. He'd see her red puffy eyes and wouldn't leave her be until she confessed it all to him.

Eventually, if indeed Mikayla carried his child, he would need to know. But what of Daniel? He was going to be devastated. He was going to find out sooner or later. Mikayla said she was starting to show. Would he hate Gabriel once he found out who the father was? Would he despise Mikayla when he realized he hadn't been her first? For that matter, how did Mikayla get away with not being a virgin on her wedding night? You couldn't fake that.

Memories of the feel of Gabriel's cock breaking through her maidenhood made her cheeks grow hot.

Shaking her head to dispel the tender memories, she recalled how drunk Daniel had been during the reception after his and Mikayla's wedding ceremony. Gabriel and she had stayed a while but Gabriel refused to stay beyond the toast. By then poor Daniel was quite smashed thanks to her sister practically forcing him to drink cup after cup of champagne.

"That's how she did it," Abby whispered to herself.

*******

Gabriel opened the door for Abby and waited until she buckled herself in. leaning over he kissed her. She was still acting strange. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was all since her conversation with her sister the night before. He was beginning to think there was more to this whole thing than Abby thinking she might be pregnant and possibly being scared about it.

He'd caressed her the night before, wanted to ease the weird tension between them by making love to her, but she'd turned over, giving him her back...rejecting him.

It hurt and confused him, but he let her have her space, even though it took him forever to finally fall asleep, worrying.

He hated even more the next morning she'd announced she was going back to the Montenegro estate to visit her family, not because he was afraid she'd run into Daniel. He'd done a little researching the night before and found that Daniel was away on one of his business trips. He just flat out didn't trust his aunt, his mother in law, or Mikayla. If it wasn't because he really needed to go to rehearsal today, he'd go with her just to make sure those woman didn't somehow convince her to leave him.

"Gabriel?"

He blinked down at her. She stared pointed at the hand still holding the door open.

"Sorry," he mumbled realizing he'd been standing there like an idiot lost in thought. "Your phone." It had gotten ruined when it fell into the Jacuzzi. Reaching into his back pocket, he fished out the one he used for personal calls and gave it to her. "I'll have a new one for you tonight. In the meanwhile, use mine. My second number is programmed in the speed dial."

She smirked half-heartedly at him. "You call yourself?"

"No,' he replied solemnly. "I've got it set up so that if you or my grandmother ever need to use that phone you have a way to contact me."

She nodded. "Okay."

Before he closed the door, he kissed her again. "Later. Call me."

She nodded. He finally closed the door and watched her drive away, his heart aching.

He breathed in deeply, letting the air whoosh out of his nose as the Mercedes SUV turned out of the driveway

*******

Abigail arrived to a virtually empty house. Edvard let her in, face stony.

Ignoring the moody chauffer-slash-attemped murderer, she climbed the curving staircase to Mikayla's room. It was completely tidy for a change and smelled almost sterile.

"Did you think I'd still be sleeping there?" came her sister's acidic tone just behind her.

Abby turned with a start, heart galloping. "Y-you scared me," she stuttered, taking note of Mikayla's dark circles and drawn complexion. About to ask where the rest of the household was, her words stuck in her throat as her gaze slid down the rest of her sister's body.

Mikayla wore a filmy nightgown underneath a fuzzy white robe and the bump in the middle of her tummy could not be ignored.

Abby tried not to wince at the stab of pain that lanced her chest.

One corner of Mikayla's lip rose in amusement as she ran her hand over her belly, red head tipping to one side. "I can already feel him kick."

Abby swallowed, and looked back at her sister's face, furiously blinking to keep her stupid tears from spilling out of her eyes. "H-him?" she managed to croak out over the enormous lump in her throat.

Mikayla shrugged. "Mothers'instinct. Aw, don't cry, Abby," she cooed with exaggerated sweetness before her expression became ugly. "You knew he was fucking me way before you seduced him between your legs, you dirty little tramp."

Abigail barely restrained herself from slapping her. "I am not going to let you speak to me that way."

She turned on her heel to walk away, but Mikayla's red-glossed nails sank into her arm, yanking her around to face her again. "You are going to listen to every word I say, slut."

"Or what?" Abby hissed wiping at her tears angrily. "You're going to tell whom?"

Mikayla's mouth worked, but no sound came out. Her eyes were a blaze of hatred, and maybe a dash of insanity. "I'll tell Daniel," she finally blurted almost in a shriek.

Abby winced. Would she?

Mikayla laughed at whatever she saw in Abby's face. "I'll tell him...and Gabriel."

Daniel would be crushed. He'd hate Gabriel.

"What do you want?" Abby finally said.

Mikayla's eyes narrowed, her hands fisted at her sides. "To see you suffer," she spat. "See you suffer like you've made me suffer."

Abby was taken aback. "How have I made you suffer?"

"You stole away the man I loved," Mikayla's face finally crumpled.

Abby stared at her in shock. "But you love Daniel. You took him away from me—"

"Was that what this was?" Mikayla shouted at her, hands wiping at the tears angrily. Her green eyes were so wide the whites were showing as she drew closer to Abby. "Revenge because stupid Daniel preferred me over you?"

Abby shook her head, "No."

"Mother sent you after me to make sure I didn't do anything to ruin my engagement to Daniel. Deny it."

Again, Abby shook her head. "I didn't go after Gabriel—"

"Yes you did. You took one look at him and realized he was more man than Daniel could ever hope to be and you seduced him with your little-miss-goody-two-shoes act. I saw the pictures. You let him fuck you that night."

"I did not," Abigail snapped. "I was pure on my wedding night."

Mikayla threw her head back and laughed, but suddenly clutched her middle with a moan.

Abigail panicked and gripped Mikayla's arms when her sister looked ready to collapse. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Mikayla panted a bit, but then opened her eyes, fixing Abigail with her hateful glare again before shaking her off. "If I lose this baby it's going to be your fault."

Abby stared at her sister horrified.

Mikayla straightened and tossed her hair back, staring down her nose at Abby. "Anyhow, I had Gabriel first and it looks like I'm also giving him his firstborn son." She smirked. "That is if that randy bastard doesn't already have a horde of them with other groupies."

Abigail narrowed her eyes at her sister's smug expression. "How do I know it's Gabriel's?"

Mikayla's eyes widened before she narrowed them in rage. "Fuck you," she spat. "When I was with Gabriel there was no one else in my life."

"Except Daniel that is," Abigail snapped, feeling furious. She'd destroyed her relationship with Daniel. She wasn't going to let her destroy her marriage with Gabriel.

"Daniel never touched me. He was as stupid as you."

"Daniel is a good, respectable man."

Mikayla snorted. "Yeah. That's why I should have let you keep his ass. Gabriel is a horny fucker, perfectly matched for me. He'll get bored with you, Abigail. And when he does, I'll be there waiting."

Abby had heard enough. Turning on her heel, she fled, leaving her sister's maniacal laughter behind.

*******

Abby let herself into the house. Gabriel had left so all was quiet. She rushed blindly to her room and didn't stop until she collapsed on their California king-sized bed.

It was a nightmare. Mikayla was having Gabriel's baby.

"Oh, God," she let out on a sob, but quickly got herself together. Breaking down into a hysterical mess wouldn't do a thing. It was what Mikayla wanted.

Gabriel loved Abigail. Of that she had no doubt. Whatever happened before he'd known her was part of his past. If Mikayla was indeed having his baby, they would deal with it when the time came. The poor child wasn't at fault. It was innocent...an angel.

The feel of a hand at her shoulder had her jumping up with a shriek.

Diamond stood near the bed, her wide blue eyes staring unblinkingly at Abby. "Why are you crying?"

Abby wiped at her face, her mind racing for an excuse. Her purse had fallen over and its contents spilled out over the downy white comforter. Just then the phone began to ring and Abby frowned when she saw the screen said Mikayla.

This was Gabriel's personal phone. Mikayla had this number too? Was she calling him to tell him she was pregnant?

Diamond cocked her head to the side, her brows drawing together. "That's Gabriel's personal line. Why is that little tramp calling him?'

The seething rage in Diamond's tone did not escape Abby.

Her piercing blue eyes snapped back to Abby's face. "Is Gabriel having an affair with that no good tramp again?"

Abby snatched the phone to her chest and scowled at the nosey woman. "No. Of course not. How could you think such a thing?"

Diamond blinked, her face going blank before she smiled. "I'm sorry, Abby. It's just that I feel like Gabe is so much better off with you now."

Abby's brows shot up her forehead.

Diamond must have noticed her perplexity because she giggled and waved her hands dismissively. "I know we started off on the wrong foot, but please believe me when I say that I was looking out for Gabe as if he were..." the woman bit her lip, her blue eyes rolling to the ceiling before blurting out "like my big brother."

Abby barely resisted the urge to curl her lip in disgust as she remembered the woman fondling Gabriel when he was unconscious in the hospital after his accident. If that's the way Diamond treated a big brother, then the woman was sick.

Diamond continued to grin and bat her fake eyelashes at her.

Abby ran an agitated hand through her frazzled hair. "H-how did you get in? The alarm was still activated."

"Oh, I came over just before Gabe left and waited for you."

The hairs at the back of Abby's neck prickled. "Why were you waiting for me?"

Diamond grinned bigger. "Well, during the upcoming tour it'll be his birthday. I thought I'd set up a surprise for him, but wanted you to come along that way I can tell him we both planned it."

Abby blinked in confusion at the woman. "Surprise?"

Diamond nodded. "I'm commissioning a special cake for him and thought maybe you'd like to help pick it out."

Abby cupped her throat and blinked, her gaze straying to the phone again. A message had been left. She burned to know what Mikayla had said.

"Um..." Abby scooped everything back into her Fendi purse. "Sure. Just let me freshen up a bit."

Diamond watched her like a hawk. Trying to act like she didn't care that her sister was calling her husband's personal phone, Abby placed the purse on her dresser as she passed it on the way to the bathroom. Once she'd closed the door to the opulent bath she shared with Gabriel, she walked to the vanity and splashed some water on her face.

Her eyes were wide, and red-rimmed. Her skin had become splotchy and the braid she'd made that morning was coming undone. She looked a mess.

She'd donned a simple button up white blouse and a pair of jeans. Even her sandals were unremarkable. She certainly didn't look like the wife of a rock star.

Shaking her head, she tore off the tie to her braid and brushed out her hair.

Those were silly thoughts. Gabriel loved her for who she was. Nothing else mattered. They would get through this test. She had faith everything would be all right.

Removing her contacts from her irritated eyes, she slipped her old glasses back on, squared her shoulders, and marched back out into her bedroom. Diamond was gone though, and a thorough search of the house and front yard made her realize that the woman had gone off without her.