Light flickered against her eyelids and Gabe's heart thudded loudly beneath her ear. Abby smiled and tightened the arm she had around him, snuggling closer to his comforting heat. His fingers flexed, squeezing her left butt cheek possessively as a lazy sigh made his broad chest rise and fall with its expulsion. She felt wonderfully sore, testimony to her husband's prowess. How many times had he taken her? And the sun still hadn't risen.
She shifted the thigh she had draped across his groin and bumped into his erection. Would it ever go down? It seemed he was constantly erect. Thankfully, he'd taken pity on her the last couple of hours and allowed her to sleep.
She felt him turn his head and blinked her eyes open when he stiffened and uttered a curse.
Gabriel was out of the bed before she could blink a second time, yanking the drapes on the floor to ceiling French windows closed.
Abby just sat up in the bed, the vision of her bridal gown hanging from a tree limb, burning, still etched on her retinas.
Gabriel had the phone in his hand, whisper-yelling as he tried to pull his pants on one-handed.
Abby pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts, still in shock, fear crawling up her spine when she saw her new husband pull out a gun and stalk to the bathroom stealthily to inspect it. He came back out to her, scooped her off the bed, and sat her on the floor next to it, away from the windows.
"Shhh," he hushed, kissing her lips. "Don't make a sound and stay here. I'm going outside to check around outside."
When he tried to rise again, she clutched his arms. "Don't you dare," she hissed holding onto him, eyes wide, desperate.
He frowned, but she didn't let him go. "I need to keep you safe," he insisted, eyes darting over the edge of the bed before settling on her face again.
Thoughts of him going out there in the dark to face whoever had set her gown aflame had her panicking. What kind of sick twisted mind would do such a thing?
"You can't do that if you're—" She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. "Just call nine-one-one and stay right here." Her eyes darted to the gun. "You brought a gun on our honeymoon?"
His eyes darted to the door uneasily, and then back to her. "Looks like it came in handy, don't you think?"
It made her uncomfortable, but she was glad they could protect themselves. A shiver of pure fear ran through her as she remembered the dress outside burning. That dress had been mere feet away from the bed they'd been sleeping on. Someone had come into their room as they slept and took it.
Gabriel pulled her into his embrace there on the floor next to the canopy bed. "It'll be okay. Over my dead body will someone hurt you."
"Oh, God. Don't say that," she whispered, hugging him tight.
The sound of cars approaching had him easing away from her.
"Put something on, quick," he said scrambling away.
Abby darted to the armoire and grabbed a robe. She grimaced when she felt something warm sliding down the inside of her thighs.
She looked down, seeing the blood and Gabriel's semen smearing the inside of her thighs. Before she could blink, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the bathroom.
He kissed her tenderly, hands sinking into her hair, before pulling away an inch to look into her eyes. "I had imagined us waking to a different scenario." His fingers rubbed softly against her scalp. "I'm sorry. I thought we'd be safe here. Wash up, baby. I'll get this taken care of."
Abby slid her hands up his chest and neck, sinking into the silky dark hair tumbling around his shoulders. "It's not your fault, Gabe. This is insane. Who would do such a thing? And why?"
His green eyes darkened and his jaw popped as he clenched his teeth. He didn't say a thing, just caressed her cheek, green eyes blazing. He looked fierce, determined.
Gabriel finally turned away, stalking back out and closing the bathroom door behind him.
Abby turned on the shower over the claw-footed tub and washed briskly. She was very swollen between her legs, the area feeling hot and tender. She was a full-fledged woman now, not a maiden. She bit her lip, trying not to grin so broadly. Especially knowing someone had broken into their little love nest and could've harmed either of them as they slept. The thought wiped the silly grin off her face and had her eyes tearing up. If anything happened to Gabriel...she didn't know what she would do. It would be devastating.
She shook her head, dispelling the awful thoughts and finished her shower.
With a frown, she gripped the old-fashioned knobs to turn the water off.
The shower curtain suddenly being viscously ripped open had Abby turning with a scream lodged in her throat. Her feet slid from beneath her, her arms flailing as she went down. Diamond's cold face was the last thing she saw before her head hit the edge of the tub with a painful crack.
***
Gabriel heard Abby's scream as he watched some of the inn's employees douse the remains of the wedding dress. Heart lodged in his throat in terror, he turned and sprinted back inside, Michael right there beside him. Angelo and Rafael were already at the door, banging on it and demanding to know what was going on.
Gabriel wasn't as patient or polite. His shoulder hit the wooden door, splintering the frame it hung on. The door banged against the wall behind it as he rushed in.
Diamond stood by the tub, towel in hand and eyes wide in shock. He shoved her away to see Abigail lying within, unconscious.
"Shit," he hissed reaching in to pick her up. "What the fuck, Diamond. What happened?"
"She slipped," Diamond answered innocently.
Gabriel gathered Abby's wet body against his chest as he lifted her from the tub. He froze when he saw the blood. Heart thudding painfully in his chest, he sat with her on the lid of the toilet seat. He looked up and glared at the boys from the band.
Michael nodded and ushered everyone away from the door before closing it.
"Abby," he said patting her cheek. Her neck felt sticky and when he checked he saw the trickle of blood flowing from her scalp. Accepting the towel Diamond held out to him, he pressed it to Abigail's head. "Call an ambulance."
Diamond nodded and pulled her phone out, before opening the door again to step out.
"Abby," Gabriel said again, his tone soft as he took in her pale features.
She stirred in his arms, making him tremble with relief.
"Baby, open your eyes," he coaxed.
Sleepy, baby-blue eyes blinked open, a little frown line marring the smooth skin between her brows. She stared at him a few seconds before saying in a very soft slurred tone, "who are you and why am I naked?"
