12 Days of Gabriel–A series of vignettes told from Gabriel’s POV:

Mad for You #10

I’d lost her. Everything I had done to be someone new, someone different had all turned into dust. She’d never believe anything I had to say. I did everything I could to suppress the tears trying to spring forth. I hadn’t cried in years.

Now seemed like it was going to end up being the time to change that.

“Emma!” I growled her name, hoping she’d hear the agony of my breaking heart. I wanted her to come back to me, to try and believe me over Embry.

To take a chance I was more than she thought I was.

“Guess this proves her point, huh? I can’t be like Embry after all.”

Past the bravado, I saw it. Emma’s pain was as great as mine. Before I knew it, I took a step towards her.

“I’m so sorry for what I’m about to do.”

Her whisper wasn’t for me, but for the mute waiter. Then Emma grabbed the food cart and slammed it over. Food and glass exploded, sending shards everywhere. My brilliant Emma ran out the door, leaving the carnage in her wake.

I yelled her name, uncaring how manic I must’ve seemed to the two people still in the room with me. What did I care of their opinion when the only person who ever mattered to me, bloodties notwithstanding, had just left me as easily as she left me before?

I had the very inappropriate urge to flip over every table and chair, to make the dining room a physical representation of my massacred emotions. Once I would’ve done it.

Now was different…

Barely hanging on by a string, I smoothed my hair back and commanded the unfortunate waiter to “Bill my account for everything.”

He nodded, mumbling something about getting a broom and for us to “Please take care to not come too close.”

Wise words indeed.

“She has quite the temper, doesn’t she?”

I whirled away from Embry. If her sake, she’d better take the warning seriously. “It’s none of your business.”

“Gabriel, I still love you. Please forget about Emma. You did it once before, you can did it again…”

I felt her hand on my arm. Revulsion crawled down my back. I yanked away from Embry and stared her down. I centered all of my rage and disgust on her and felt a raw urge of satisfaction once I saw Embry wilt from it.

“You’ve won nothing here, understand? And before I leave, let me make this clear—Emma didn’t come between us. She was here first.” I laid my fist over my heart. “If anything, you’re the interloper, Embry. Not her.”

I didn’t wait to hear her reply. I rushed out, needing to find Emma before it was too late.