This is kind of the last chapter…and then I have a one shot to end it :)
Thanks for the comments; I want lots of pleading for the ending!
;)
Chapter 13
"Have you seen her?" Troy begged Taylor behind a tired hand that ran through his short hair, momentarily covering his equally distraught face.
"No, Troy, I didn't even know…" Taylor shook her head, gripping his arms while she looked him in the face. "What happened?"
"They told me to get rid of her, or leave myself," he repeated bitterly of his bosses, knowing Taylor would follow his scant detail.
"Did she over hear?" Taylor wondered.
"No, I told her," he admitted guiltily. "God I'm so stupid!"
"Troy, I've never seen you like this before…" Taylor admitted, seeing his anger and pain.
"We made love, Tay." He bit out on a tight throat. "Last night I threw convention to the wind and showed her how I really felt…I knew I couldn't give her up…I had to prove it to myself…"
"It's okay, no-one will blame you…" Taylor assured.
"But she had to know why," he continued. "I went from saying no, to wanting it all and I told her the truth. That I had to choose…"
"Have you decided?" Taylor asked as she watched him fight himself internally.
"The second I took her into my room I had already made my decision," he countered. "I chose her over them. Over this," he picked up his cross from his neck.
"Did you tell her?" Taylor whispered, seeing is turmoil, trying to get to the bottom of it.
"No," he closed his eyes and took a breath. "I wanted a whole night with her, without it being about that…"
"Oh, Troy." Taylor hugged him. "She'll be back, once she knows. She probably just thought this was the right thing to do, that's all. Maybe she thought she'd make the decision for you."
"I should have told her," he croaked, curling his arms around his friend and laying his cheek against her shoulder for comfort. "Why didn't I just tell her?"
"Because maybe you didn't know, then." Taylor suggested. "Maybe her leaving has made everything clearer."
He latched onto her gaze as he pulled back and he nodded. "You're right."
"You did the right thing by being honest. You couldn't have hidden it." Taylor encouraged.
"But now she's gone…and it's all my fault…" He beseeched.
"None of this was ever your fault," she corrected. "You were forced to do something by an impossible situation."
"That hasn't changed." He shook his head in bewilderment.
"We'll find her, Troy. I promise. We'll find her."
/
"Do you have a sofa I can borrow?" Gabi pressed her lips in at the side and pulled her best puppy-dog look on Kay Leigh, an old, old friend from Nevada who she used to walk with before the lucrative streets of Vegas beckoned her into the city.
"Gabriella?" Kay Leigh threw her arms around the small girl in shocked surprise, pleased to see her face.
"The one and only," Gabi mused.
"Come in, come in," Kay Leigh welcomed her into he small bedsit she owned, gesturing for her to take a seat on the sofa. "Are you okay?"
"I'm ok," Gabi lied with evident sadness dimming her normally bright features. "I just need a place to sleep for a couple of nights."
"Of course. Anytime, you know that," Kay Leigh smiled warmly, touching her thigh. "Are you really okay though?"
Gabi shook her head as the withheld tears threatened and soon they were streaming down her face with accompanying sobs. "I split up with my boyfriend," she wailed, missing out the important details of her departure from Troy's.
"Oh honey," Kay Leigh quickly hugged her and soothed her. "Don't tell me what a rat-bag he was, I already know…"
But he wasn't, Gabi corrected internally. He wasn't a rat bag, he was the most amazing guy on earth. I just had to leave. I couldn't let him choose me over his meaning in life…
"I'm getting the shot-glass," Kay Leigh told her and rose to get her liquor bottle, a rarely enjoyed commodity that was saved only for the most special- or severe occasions like births and deaths and birthdays.
"I'm sorry I'm burdening you," Gabi sniffled as she was handed a shot glass of bourbon, sinking it down.
"Hey, no burden. Hoes over bro's right?" Kay Leigh arched her brow and Gabi nodded.
"Hoes over bros."
/
"And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the Law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest Thou?"
"This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him."
"But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground."
"And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst."
"When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?"
"She said, No man, Lord."
"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." (John 8:2-11"
Troy paused before he spoke again.
"I recently shared my life with the most amazing woman I have ever known and I told you all about my relationship with the hope it would inspire you to keep on searching for that person who completes you." He told them, changing tack.
"With that trust came deceit." He grimaced at the whispers of unease. "My partner was a prostitute," He told them openly, waiting for the gasps and hearing none, knowing this news had travelled fast.
"She had a life she didn't want and she took steps to change that. She made a choice to change. She made that choice so that we could be together. But someone wanted to ruin that," he looked up, accusing every member with his piercing blue eyes. "Someone wanted to cast stones." He paraphrased.
More murmurs built up and he squinted across the room, knowing his unorthodox speech would win him no friends.
"Whoever you are, whatever your reason, tell me- have you never sinned? Jesus does not frown upon sin the way you do. He only asks for repentance. He only asks that you do not do it again.
"'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone'", Troy repeated pointedly, unable to continue due to the block in his throat threatening his angry tears to be released if he spoke.
Instead he closed his bible and left the stage, finding shelter in the wings of the chapel where he took great, gasping breaths of air, ripping out his white collar to help him breathe.
"Is she gone?" Priest Thomas Richmond asked behind him, bringing his level gaze up, caged by dark lashes.
"What do you think?"
Thomas nodded and licked his lips nervously. "It's for the best."
"The best for who, Priest?" Troy spat. "The best for you? The best for the church and your stupid rules and ridiculous demands? How in god's earth is this what's best for me?"
"For man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." Thomas reminded him. "You chose to serve God."
"Maybe I chose wrong," Troy pressed his lips in and frowned at the man.
"You know that's not true. Every vow you made when you came to us was true to you until the day you sinned with the harlot." Thomas preached.
"Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Troy quoted back with a brow arch.
"You made your choice." Thomas said quietly.
"No, you made it for me," Troy expressed. "I never wanted her to leave. I would have chosen her."
"Then you're tending your resignation?" Thomas asked knowingly, his words slicing into Troy's heart and splitting the floodgates open.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Troy repeated the paragraph is his head as he closed his eyes and counted to ten. The Lord is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love.
He brushed by Thomas to head back through the church and toward his quarters, his mind firmly fixed on one thing.
He would not give them the satisfaction of winning. He still had time to make things right. He still had time to find her.
/
"You should so come out with me tonight," Kay Leigh's face lit up at the thought as she painted on her face in front of the tiny mirror her tiny bathroom afforded.
"I can't Kay, he might see me," Gabi sighed.
"So what? Show him what he's missing!" Kay Leigh twinkled, throwing her a pair of black sequined hot pants.
Gabi smiled and tilted her head, momentarily tempted. She missed this, sometimes. She missed the getting ready, the thrill of the chase. She definitely missed Kay Leigh and their friendship.
"I've changed, you know? I don't work anymore." Gabi affirmed.
"So don't work," Kay Leigh shrugged. "Just dress up and come have a giggle."
"Someone will want to hire me," Gabi derided.
"So I'll tell them you're not for hire. I'll tell them you came good," the blonde girl came through and touched her shoulder. "It'll be like the old times."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
"Without the greasy sex," Kay Leigh added.
Gabi looked down on the hot pants and yearned to try them on. "Would they go with red fishnets?"
Kay Leigh grinned and clapped her hands, crawling across her bed to catapult a pair at her. "And your thigh highs." She smiled knowingly.
"No way," Gabi shook her head.
"Why not?"
"I haven't worn them since…" Gabi paused. Since she'd met Troy.
"Then you must. It's the 'life after Brian' dress code," Kay Leigh teased.
"His name was Troy."
"Life after Troy, then. Who cares? He's gone. He's an asshole for ever letting you go and now you can dress how you damn well please…"
"Even if that is like a hooker?" Gabi asked knowingly.
"Exactly!"
/
Kay Leigh had a burlesque black velvet swirled Basque that went amazingly well with Gabi's shorts and boots and she plaited her hair down one side of her body, leaving her fringe bouffed and high.
She rouged her lips, stained her cheeks with blusher and smiled shakily as Kay Leigh dragged her out, a small furry jacket as her cover up.
"I feel like a moron," Gabi pressed her lips in as cars crawled by, eyeing up the small gathering of girls on offer.
"Well, you look hot." Kay Leigh stated.
"When I'm at home, it feels fine to be wearing hot pants. Out here, it just brings all those disgusting memories back…" She frowned.
"Hey, you should go home, if you don't feel right." Kay Leigh touched her arm.
"I just miss him," Gabi sighed, hugging herself. "I miss his arms around me holding me tight…"
"Oh, babe," Kay Leigh hugged her quickly. "We'll talk about a get-back plan tomorrow." She decided.
"A get-back plan?"
"How to get him back. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's seduction…"
Gabi laughed at her friend's joke and then smiled at her hopefully. "You'd really do that?"
"Of course. You should be happy." Kay Leigh assured.
"Thank you." Gabi hugged her again. "I'll see you later."
She walked away with hope beating through her heart and into her veins. What if it was really possible? What if her walking out hadn't ruined everything and there might be a chance yet?
What if Troy still loved her?
/
"That's her." His voice was tight with tears as he watched the small Latino leave the group of prostitutes and venture out alone. She looked amazing in hot pants and thigh-high boots, something he had never seen her wear before but he wished he had, now.
"She's staying with that girl there-" Chad Danforth, PI explained, pointing to the blonde. "A regular down here."
"Has she been down here a lot?"
"Nope, tonight is the first night."
"But she's dressed to kill." He conceded, unhappily. He had missed her with every heartbeat and here she was, looking like nothing had changed.
"She's dressed to work," Chad added, then coughed as his client gave him a stare.
They both watched in the shadows of the street as a red Buick pulled upside the petite woman, causing her to duck and talk through the passenger window. A curb-crawler for sure.
Don't get in. Troy's inner voice begged. Prove me wrong.
He swallowed as the conversation ran on, for seconds that felt like minutes. The passenger door was opened from inside. Gabi glanced up either side of her and stepped down hesitantly, licking her lips.
She's giving directions, the man can't hear… Troy's heart pounded so loudly, he almost cursed himself for the distraction it gave him, he felt like he was having a heart attack at the rate it was beating.
The driver was definitely male, they could see that much and as Gabi ducked into the perfectly-painted vehicle, his heart sank to his feet, the erratic beat exploding in his chest.
"Fuck!" He spat, creasing over in his chair.
"Hey, I thought you guys didn't swear," Chad complained, then licked his lips nervously as Troy's glare sliced through him.
"Drive." He told him.
"Don't you wanna see where they go? He could be a friend or her brother or…"
"Just, drive." Troy repeated, not wanting to know who the man was that owned the Buick. Because if he wasn't her friend or her brother or another 'or' that would explain her getting inside his car, he didn't think he could handle the consequences.
"Alright, dude, you're paying…" Chad sighed as he pulled away and left the dark street empty once more.
/
Troy shook off his jacket and placed his keys on the side with careful precision, a sigh escaping his lips as he sat on the edge of his bed and sank his fingers into his hair.
Of all the things she could do to him, that was surely the worst.
Walking out had hurt; waking after their amazing night together and finding her gone- it was like the bottom of his world had dropped out and he didn't know which way to turn. But he had decided to find her. He'd decided love was worth more to him than anything else.
Only she didn't seem to feel the same. What he had assumed was a genuine relationship, true love through adversity and more; was now crumbling before him like a meaningless mass of sand.
Suddenly he felt very afraid.
He was afraid that what they had shared meant nothing to her and that he had been fooled. He was afraid he had been taken for a ride and that Gabi was the best actress he had ever met. He was afraid that wearing his heart on his sleeve would now cause his downfall but most of all he was afraid that she was really, truly gone.
And he could never have her back.
He could never kiss her skin or touch her curls or hold her body. He could never make her sigh or moan or run his hands over her every tempting curve. He could never throw his vows to the wind and share something special, something carnal and also very loving with the one person he thought was his partner for life.
He could never have her again.
That hurt the most. The fact they had actually been able to show their love, the fact he had experienced that for the very first time, with her, it made his heart ache at the thought of never having that again. He couldn't make love with anyone else now. It was like he and Gabi were entwined, in more ways than one and if he couldn't be with her, he didn't want to be with anybody.
He flopped back on the bed and hardened his heart. She left you, he reminded himself. She left you and she hurt you and she doesn't deserve anything more.
If his suspicions were true- and the man in the Buick was a client- she had forgotten him with a snap of her fingers and moved onto the next nameless, faceless guy with ease that astounded him.
Didn't she care at all? Didn't her words of love mean anything?
The church was his life. It was all he knew, all he felt comfort in as the wash of stinging emotions overwhelmed him. Twelve hours ago he had been ready to leave his life behind to start over with her, take a new adventure and now he was reaffirming his faith.
You're the only one that can help me now, he told his boss. You're the only one who can save me.
/
It was the only way she knew she could get to see him and it had taken courage to come here today, but Gabi sat in on the Sunday sermon and listened to Troy's formulaic speech and knew there was some of the old magic missing.
The 'get-back' plan had been simple. Wear something sexy, be somewhere he couldn't avoid her and apologise for leaving the way she had.
She swallowed against her painful throat as her mind was filled with memories of those tender, loving moments, every inch of her skin branded by him in some way, every hair raising with goose-pimples at the awareness of their union.
Only facing him now was the hardest thing she had ever had to do, because the coward in her had won her over and she had walked away without even the smallest goodbye.
And she knew from his bloodshot eyes and husked voice, just how much she had hurt him.
"Troy." Gabi swallowed, fiddling with her form-fitting v-neck top as she waited behind at the end of his sermon to speak to him, standing from the last pew where she'd been hiding.
He was every bit as handsome as she remembered, apart from his layer of stubble and the tiredness under his eyes that spoke of sleepless nights. He was dressed in his cassock- white collar attached, his eyes boring into hers with silent accusation she hadn't expected.
"What are you doing here, Gabi?" He asked, shocking her.
"I came to see you. I wondered if we could talk…"
"Talk? About what? About how you left? About how you broke my heart and never looked back?"
She frowned at his inaccurate description, seeing how deeply her departure had hurt him.
"No, I have looked back." She argued. "I'm here now."
"You're too late," he told her, swallowing against the emotional husk in his throat, the very sight of her stirring up every emotion he had ever felt for her.
She'd never looked more beautiful, her figure bathed in black, jeans and heels showing off her toned legs.
"I'm sorry," she hitched, tears threatening. "I didn't want to hurt you; I just wanted to take away the problem."
"I chose the church, Gabi. There's no going back."
"You-" She gasped, her heart stopping in her chest as she realised he was telling the truth. He had chosen the church. Hadn't she sat there and listened to every word of his righteous, formal sermon? Couldn't she see the changes in him so obviously before her?
She'd lost him. For good.
"Church is closed." He said, ignoring her tears and dejected pose, his breaths tight and caught in his chest, his eyes eating her up.
She lifted her hurt brown eyes at his final words and nodded, her lips open with her shock and reminding him how good they tasted, how much he had loved kissing her. Only he couldn't think of that now. He couldn't think of that now and survive, so he closed his eyes and sighed, opening them only to find her fleeing.
"Gabi!" He called and she stopped, her body breaking down with sobs as she waited, hoping for words of forgiveness.
But they didn't come. And her world came crashing down.