in my hand. Do you understand?"
She nodded and gasped out, "Yes, sir."
He stroked her back a few times, as if she was a kitten. His touch was gentle, but it wasn't enough.
"I-I'm s-s-sorry, Ace."
"Yeah, li'l girl. I know you are. Nothin' for it now, though."
It was dead and she'd killed it. She began crying hard again; it was amazing that she had any tears left.
"Get dressed and head home."
She slid off the ottoman and knelt in front of him. "Home? Don't you... can't you... " She couldn't finish. It was obvious that he wanted nothing more of her. He didn't want to be around her. Didn't want to hold her in his arms. She'd become a disgusting, putrid wretch to him.
"Go on." His voice was soft, his eyes focused on his hands where they were folded in his lap. His knuckles were white where they grasped the belt.
Sniffling and gasping, she dressed and headed for the door. "I'm sorry, Ace. I'm so, so sorry."
"Goodbye, li'l girl."
She closed the door softly as she left, leaving her heart on the threshold.
* * *
Ace watched her go, his stomach tied in a knot. He wanted to rush over to her, to hold her and pet her. He wanted to keep her close to him. But he couldn't tie her to him if she didn't trust him. She had to want what he had to offer: safety, security, discipline and deep affection. He thought he'd shown her those things, and that he was willing to share them with her. But the entire nude modeling debacle drove home the point that it had started out as a kind of romantic whim, never intending to be something more abiding. He had to get back to that. He had to find a way to shelter his heart back up.
It was obvious that they couldn't work things out. She couldn't stand the idea of depending on another person, so much so that she was willing to do pretty much anything. As long as he held her tight, she wouldn't be as self-sufficient as she wanted to be.
That meant never seeing her again.
At least, with their final parting, he'd convinced her to take the money for the aide for her mother. Maybe the reprieve from caring for Anita 24/7 would help Gabby pursue a career that was something she could be proud of, not hide. Maybe he'd made a difference, but that didn't change the fact that they were 1,000 miles apart, and geography was the least of it.
Chapter 7
Gabriella spent time with cucumber slices over her red, swollen eyes after she got home. Although her mother was peeved about it, Gabby wasn't willing to talk to her or explain why she was so upset. Anita had intuited that the problem was with Ace, so she harped on how Gabby didn't need a man in her life. After a few minutes of that, and getting no argument from Gabby, Anita quieted.
The cop sirens and street noise coming through Gabby's windows were soothing. She needed to rest, to recover from a terrible blow. She had broken up with Ace and it was devastating.
She couldn't quite believe she'd been so stupid. Again . Not only had she foolishly tried to sabotage Liv's career the year before, but she'd also pretty much tried to sabotage her own with the nude pictures. Not just nude, but pornographic. She'd barely escaped the worst mistake of her life, and she had Ace to thank for that escape. But she'd never thanked him. Instead, all she done was blubber her apologies and take her punishment. She owed him a debt.
It seemed like she owed everyone some sort of debt. She was crushed and mangled and more exhausted than she'd ever been before. After a few more tears, she fell asleep.
When her cellphone began to ring, Gabby pulled herself out of a deep and—thankfully—dreamless sleep. She felt like she was slogging through chewed gum as she reached for the device.
"Hello?"
"Miss Gabriella Appleby?"
"Yes. Who is this?"
"My name is Cameron Park. I'm Mr. Jonny Chow's assistant."
Gabriella was instantly alert. Jonny Chow was one of the richest men on the east coast. He rivaled Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch. Why in the world would his assistant be calling her
She nodded and gasped out, "Yes, sir."
He stroked her back a few times, as if she was a kitten. His touch was gentle, but it wasn't enough.
"I-I'm s-s-sorry, Ace."
"Yeah, li'l girl. I know you are. Nothin' for it now, though."
It was dead and she'd killed it. She began crying hard again; it was amazing that she had any tears left.
"Get dressed and head home."
She slid off the ottoman and knelt in front of him. "Home? Don't you... can't you... " She couldn't finish. It was obvious that he wanted nothing more of her. He didn't want to be around her. Didn't want to hold her in his arms. She'd become a disgusting, putrid wretch to him.
"Go on." His voice was soft, his eyes focused on his hands where they were folded in his lap. His knuckles were white where they grasped the belt.
Sniffling and gasping, she dressed and headed for the door. "I'm sorry, Ace. I'm so, so sorry."
"Goodbye, li'l girl."
She closed the door softly as she left, leaving her heart on the threshold.
* * *
Ace watched her go, his stomach tied in a knot. He wanted to rush over to her, to hold her and pet her. He wanted to keep her close to him. But he couldn't tie her to him if she didn't trust him. She had to want what he had to offer: safety, security, discipline and deep affection. He thought he'd shown her those things, and that he was willing to share them with her. But the entire nude modeling debacle drove home the point that it had started out as a kind of romantic whim, never intending to be something more abiding. He had to get back to that. He had to find a way to shelter his heart back up.
It was obvious that they couldn't work things out. She couldn't stand the idea of depending on another person, so much so that she was willing to do pretty much anything. As long as he held her tight, she wouldn't be as self-sufficient as she wanted to be.
That meant never seeing her again.
At least, with their final parting, he'd convinced her to take the money for the aide for her mother. Maybe the reprieve from caring for Anita 24/7 would help Gabby pursue a career that was something she could be proud of, not hide. Maybe he'd made a difference, but that didn't change the fact that they were 1,000 miles apart, and geography was the least of it.
Chapter 7
Gabriella spent time with cucumber slices over her red, swollen eyes after she got home. Although her mother was peeved about it, Gabby wasn't willing to talk to her or explain why she was so upset. Anita had intuited that the problem was with Ace, so she harped on how Gabby didn't need a man in her life. After a few minutes of that, and getting no argument from Gabby, Anita quieted.
The cop sirens and street noise coming through Gabby's windows were soothing. She needed to rest, to recover from a terrible blow. She had broken up with Ace and it was devastating.
She couldn't quite believe she'd been so stupid. Again . Not only had she foolishly tried to sabotage Liv's career the year before, but she'd also pretty much tried to sabotage her own with the nude pictures. Not just nude, but pornographic. She'd barely escaped the worst mistake of her life, and she had Ace to thank for that escape. But she'd never thanked him. Instead, all she done was blubber her apologies and take her punishment. She owed him a debt.
It seemed like she owed everyone some sort of debt. She was crushed and mangled and more exhausted than she'd ever been before. After a few more tears, she fell asleep.
When her cellphone began to ring, Gabby pulled herself out of a deep and—thankfully—dreamless sleep. She felt like she was slogging through chewed gum as she reached for the device.
"Hello?"
"Miss Gabriella Appleby?"
"Yes. Who is this?"
"My name is Cameron Park. I'm Mr. Jonny Chow's assistant."
Gabriella was instantly alert. Jonny Chow was one of the richest men on the east coast. He rivaled Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch. Why in the world would his assistant be calling her
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