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?"
Gabriel just gaped at her. Oh, God. No.
A giggle bubbled from her lips as she blinked her eyes slowly. "Your face. Priceless."
He just frowned down at her until she rolled her eyes and winced from apparent pain.
"I was just kidding. I know you're my husband."
"That wasn't funny," he said fighting the urge to laugh despite the dire situation. She pouted and he just pulled her tight against him with a sigh. "What happened?"
Abigail stiffened in his arms. "Diamond..."
As if on cue, his manager, who'd stepped out of the bathroom to make her phone call, walked back in. Abigail immediately covered her breasts and curled into Gabriel shyly. He wrapped his arms around her, fierce protective instinct riding him hard, and glared at the other woman.
Diamond's eyes were cold, almost angry before she blinked and the expression was gone. "The ambulance is on its way."
"Ambulance?" Abby's eyes lifted to his, filled with apprehension. "Oh, no. I don't want to go to a hospital. I'm fine."
"You're bleeding."
She clenched her thighs and flushed scarlet. Her brows drew together in indignation. "Seriously, Gabriel," she chastised much to his surprise. "I'm sure I'm not the first virgin to bleed on her wedding night."
His lips twitched at her angry and utterly mortified expression. "You're head is bleeding. That's why I had Diamond call emergency."
"Oh," she muttered biting her bottom lip.
Diamond snorted in exasperation and flounced out of the bathroom.
He resisted teasing Abby further, and helped her dry off instead. She was dressed just in time for the ambulance to arrive. Police cars lined the road in front of the cottage. They wanted to interrogate him, but he wasn't leaving Abigail's side. He left Michael and Diamond in charge of everything and hopped into the ambulance with Abby.
Luckily, the media hadn't gotten wind of his and Abby's marriage, nor did they know where he was. It was almost six in the morning and the hospital emergency room was desolate except for the staff. In all the commotion, he'd forgotten to put shoes and a shirt on. The nurses were tripping over themselves in his presence until one of the doctors brought him a pair of Crocks and a t-shirt with the hospital's logo on it from the gift shop.
After performing an MRI on Abby, she was released from the hospital with a bottle of pills for her headache and everyone congratulating them on their nuptials.
Outside, a black Mercedes SUV awaited them. The chauffer hopped out and opened the door as Gabe rolled Abby out in a wheel chair. Behind them, the emergency room staff applauded and whistled when he bent to kiss her before helping her out and into the SUV.
"Stop somewhere before we get to the airport and get me another t-shirt and some flip flops. Preferably black," he told the driver, slipping him a Benjamin.
Inside the SUV, he got on the phone again with Diamond. Their private jet was ready ahead of time for their next trip. Thankfully, he'd spoken with the pilot a week before letting him know their destination. Reluctantly, he told Diamond where to have Abby and his luggage sent. He really hadn't wanted anyone to know where they were headed, but the circumstances had changed.
"And Diamond," he said avoiding Abigail's steady gaze, "next time knock on the fucking door before you walk into the bathroom while Abby's showering."
