Chapter Seven

November 3, 1909

One week later, Gabriella found herself standing in the alley behind Verdetti's, her coat wrapped tightly around her, her arms crossed over her chest as she shifted back and forth on her feet trying to keep herself warm against the cold November evening. She looked up the alley for what seemed like the thousandth time that night, knowing that she could only give him a few more minutes before she had to go in.

It had become a ritual for her; meeting Cal before her shift started every night. Really, it was the only time the two had to themselves. Marco still insisted that Tony or Adrian be there after she left every night to walk her home and seeing Cal during the day, in broad daylight, where anyone could see and race to tell her brothers was out of the question.

Instead they had been reduced to the ten or fifteen minutes she could spare before work every evening without it looking too suspicious. Of course, Cal was still a regular inside the club, but now that Gabriella and he had come to a place where both of them were quite comfortable. He kept himself hidden in the shadows and Gabriella knew that no matter where she was or what she was doing, he was keeping an eye on her. Strangely enough, it didn't bother her like she thought it would. If Marco, Tony or Adrian had tried something like that she would have been livid, but with Cal, it was different. She trusted him now, more so than she had ever trusted anyone outside of her family.

Also surprising, was the fact that his wealth, once such a disturbance for her, now seemed small and insignificant. She no longer cared that the clothes he wore cost more than she made in a year, or that hardly paid attention to how he spent his money. She just plain enjoyed being with him, though that ever-present fear that someone in her family or at work would find out was always lurking. She had learned ways to push it aside though, even if it was only for a few moments.

She turned and looked up the alley again, disappointment starting to build up inside of her when suddenly she saw a dark figure in a long coat rushing towards her. Her heart did a little jump as she realized it was him and she eagerly let him come closer to her and embrace her tightly.

"Sorry, I'm late," he said in a rush of breath.

"I was about to give up on you," she answered, reaching around to embrace him as well.

"It was my father. I couldn't get away as quickly as I wanted," he laughed huskily as he pulled her in for a quick but passionate kiss. He reached up to cup her cheek but he pulled back, his brows furrowed in concern. "You're freezing. Look at you, this is ridiculous," he shook his head in frustration. "You, waiting outside in this cold so we can have a few minutes alone."

"I don't mind," she replied and snuggled against him. "I don't feel that cold."

"Well, I do mind," he growled. "I'm not particularly fond of sneaking around like this."

"You know it has to be this way," she told him with a sigh. "If my brothers knew about you-"

"So let them know about me. You're going to have to sooner or later because I'm not going anywhere."

"It's not that easy. They would never understand."

"So you keep telling me."

She pulled away from him, "I wish you would trust me on this. I told you they were protective of me. I've told you that over and over again."

"And haven't I proved to you by now that I have no intention of doing anything that would bring you harm?"

She nodded, "Yes, you have, but-"

"Gaby! They're calling for you," a voice called from inside. Gabriella looked back towards the door, knowing that it was Maggie.

"I have to go," she said turning back to him. He nodded, but Gabriella could see how reluctant he was to let her go. She moved towards him and gave him a quick kiss. "I'll see you in there."

Again, he nodded and Gabriella gave his hand a squeeze before she rushed inside and quickly began to get ready for the long night ahead of her. A few moments later, Cal found himself slipping into his usual table in the back corner of Verdetti's and making himself comfortable in the dark shadows that concealed him. Gabriella had yet to immerge from the back room, but he suspected she would at any moment.

Men were filing in off the streets talking in loud voices and finding their own tables near the stage. The barmaids were starting to come around and take orders, laughing and flirting as they did. Finally, he saw Gabriella wearing that silky black number that he had found quite attractive on her since the first night he was here.

She went behind the bar to get her tray, just like she always did and he watched as she did a quick scan of the club, her eyes finally coming to rest on him. She smiled at him and he gave her a nod back and watched as she slipped the strap around her neck and began to make her rounds through the tables.

She was beautiful and it angered him that he wasn't the only one who saw it. Men pawed at her as if she were some animal, their wedding bands quite visible as they did so, but she brushed them off, much the same way she had with him in the beginning and continued on. He didn't like it, but his hands were tied as much as he hated to admit it. It was all part of her job. If she needed him though, he was there, ready to take them on just like he had done the last time.

He watched as she maneuvered her way through the tables and slowly began to near his own. Her smile brightened the dark corner as she approached,

"Cigarette's?" she asked with a smile that only the two of them would understand.

He nodded and slid his money across the table to her. She plucked the bill off the scratched and worn surface of the table and put it into her bag. She then gave him his change and then set the box of cigarettes down in front of him.

"Will there be anything else?" she asked and he shook his head. She gave him another beautiful smile and was off again to the next table. He breathed in deeply as he watched her walk away, then slowly exhaled trying to calm himself.

How she managed to do that never ceased to amaze him. It drove him mad, but he it was something he enjoyed, even if he was unable to explain to himself or anyone else. He wished he had found the words earlier, though he doubted it would have benefited him much at all. He had a closed-door session with his father that night after dinner and the topic of conversation, much to his irritation, had been Lilah Grayson.

"A fine match." His father had said. "Both handsome and profitable."

Cal had no doubt about that, but the thought of making her his wife made him cringe. She was beautiful enough, smart, elegant, but she wasn't for him, her manner completely repulsed him. He had Gabriella to thank for that one. He had always suspected that Lilah's sweetness was exaggerated, but he had no idea how far gone it was until her encounter with Gabriella the other night. He didn't a need a woman like that; worrying about her ability to communicate with others, her lack of courtesy. He was a Hockley, a member of one of the most prestigious families in Pittsburgh and the last thing he needed was scandal.

Though proud of his name at times, there were also times when he wasn't and one of those times was when he was debating telling Gabriella the truth. For some reason he didn't want her to know his true identity as of yet. When she finally pressed him to tell her, he had given her his middle name of Stanford as his last name. It wasn't necessarily a lie, but it wasn't necessarily the truth, either. He would tell her the truth when the time was right, but for now he was comfortable with her not knowing.

He watched her with ease that came from knowing that, in spite of the men that leered at her, she was his and his alone. Every now and again she would glance over at him and give him a soft smile. His pulse quickened when she did and he had to wonder at his own reaction. When had a woman ever brought such a response from him? None that he could think of. Gabriella was one of a kind that much was for sure.

As the hour passed, he stood from his chair and walked over to the bar to stretch his legs. He pulled out one of the cigarettes he had bought from Gabriella and lit the match to the tip. He looked up and saw Lyle stop in front of him, a stony glare on his beefy face. He blew out the match and released the smoke he had inhaled at the same time. "Is there a problem?" he asked raising his eyebrows.

"How much longer you gonna hang around here?" the man asked gruffly.

"Excuse me?"

The rotund man threw a rag over his shoulder and leaned forward on the bar, narrowing his eyes on Cal. "I don't what your story is, but I care about that little gal over there… so do her brothers. They wouldn't take to kindly to her being hurt or worse. Fact is, neither would I."

Cal lowered his eyes to the glowing tip of the cigarette he held. "Not that it's any of your business, but I'm not planning on hurting her. I care about her, too."

Lyle grunted and shook his head. "You ain't foolin' nobody, mister. I know your type and I've seen it all. You just better mind what I'm sayin' to ya. That little gal gets hurt and you're gonna pay one way or the other."

Cal felt his skin prickle with agitation. He knew the man only meant to protect Gabriella, but he didn't like being threatened. He drew himself up and stared down at him. "I appreciate the warning, but quite frankly, I don't have to answer to you about my intentions where she's concerned. What happens between us is our business, not yours… got it?"

Lyle sneered at what attempted to be a smile. "It ain't me you need to be worried about. Her brothers get a hold of ya and you don't stand a chance in hell… got it?" he pushed back and walked away from him.

Gabriella hurriedly dressed in the back room when her shift ended. She was trying to go as fast as possible to be with Cal before Adrian or Tony came for her. Breathlessly she rushed out into the club searching for him in the smoky darkness. She looked for him in his usual spot but didn't see him.

She moved through the crowd, looking around for him as she did. She finally saw him at the bar and stopped dead in her tracks. He was there alright, but he was not alone. One of the barmaids named Carmen was standing with him with her slinky body rubbing provocatively against him. She watched as she threw her dark head back in husky laughter. Whatever he said to her made her laugh again and she reached up and slid her finger down his face.

Gabriella felt her insides tighten as hot jealousy spread through her. Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat, she gripped her fist not sure what to do about what she was witnessing. Before she could even decide, she saw Cal reach into his pocket and slip her a bill. Carmen took it, leaned slightly forward and slid the money down between her breasts, all the while giving him a lust filled smile.

Gritting her teeth, she let out a growl of frustration and turned on her heel. Angrily, she stormed toward the dressing room deciding to take the back entrance out. What a fool she was! She should have known it was too good to be true. He was no better than any other man that came in there! They were all the same and he was no different!

"Gabriella!" she heard her name and instantly knew that it was him. She didn't even bother to turn back, instead she sped up and ripped through the door, slamming it behind her. She had crossed the room when she heard the door open.

"Gabriella, stop!"

She ignored him and rushed to the back entrance door, slamming through it just as fiercely. She ran out and down the back alley, her long skirts swishing as she moved. She lifted them and sped up.

"Gabriella, stop this instant!" Cal shouted behind her.

She didn't turn back. She didn't want to hear what he had to say. Anger and hurt fueled her forward, but he was just as determined and in a matter of moments he caught up with her. Grabbing her arm, he swung her around to face him.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted at him and jerked her arm back.

"You're completely overreacting," he shook his head in frustration.

"Don't tell me what I am! I know what I saw!"

"It was nothing! She brought me a drink, I gave her a tip, that was it."

"Yes, I saw the tip you gave her," she gritted heavily.

"I did nothing to encourage her, I swear it, Gabriella."

"I know what I saw," she repeated. "I thought I could trust you. I thought you were different."

"You can and I am," he answered tersely. "Do you think it's any different for me? I watch those men staring at you, wanting you, lusting after you as you walk by. I hear the things they say to you and it turns my stomach. Sometimes it's all I can do to sit there and watch it."

Silence hung thick in the air around them. Neither of them could find the words to mend the hurt they were feeling. She lowered her head and closed her eyes, realizing that maybe she had overreacted. She wanted to tell herself it was because she had expected him to hurt her, had been waiting for it to happen, but she knew that was not the truth. Her reaction was more simple in its root, more simple than she could admit.

"I'm sorry," he sighed after a moment. "We only have a short time together, let's not spend it fighting."

Taking a deep breath, Gabriella looked regretfully up at him. "I'm sorry, too. I- I hadn't stop to think of what you must feel when you're in there. I guess I'm used to it. Those men mean nothing to me-"

"-the same way she means nothing to me," he interrupted her. "It's you I want, it's you I want to be with… no one else."

Gabriella managed a small smile. "Are you sure? It's not too late to run while you still can."

Cal answer was to pull her close and capture her mouth in a searing kiss. He held her tightly against him, letting the heat from his body warm her in the cold, night air. She opened herself to his probing lips, loving the feel and taste of him against her tongue. When he finally pulled back, he gently cupped her face and smiled. "Does that answer your question?"

"Yes," she breathed. She went to kiss him again when suddenly an angry voice broke through her foggy brain and shattered the calm around them.

"Get your filthy hands off of my sister!"