Chapter 24

"Paige, turn around and face me, we need to talk."

"No, I'm asleep."

He had to laugh at this.

"If you're asleep how can you tell me that you are?"

He could hear her sniffling. He placed his hand on her shoulder and rolled her over onto her back. Her eyes were red and swollen.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." he pushed her hair from her face. "It bothers me to see you so sad."

"I won't have our children growing up without Christmas."

"It does look nice, the tree and the decorations. If it means that much to you then we'll leave it up. I can't promise anything but I will try and accept the holidays." He was so glad to see a smile appear on her face.

"Do you mean it?"

"Yes."

Pushing him down she got on top of him.

"Once you experience what a real Christmas is like you'll love it. We can have that lovely couple we had lunch with, Luigi and Victoria over for dinner since their kids aren't going to be home for Christmas and maybe Mitch could come too"

"Wait a minute, it sounds like a party."

"Well yeah, it'll be fun having people over to share Christmas with. Please Gabriel, can we?"

Putting his arms around her he knew he would do anything for her.

"OK, let's do it. Now, get beneath me where you belong," he said, rolling her over onto her back.

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The next few days she had the rest of the mansion decorated, lights on the outside. She made sure not to overdo it though. With the weather getting colder the fireplace was kept lit. At night they laid together on the sofa watching the lights on the trees blinking.

"Ouch," she said, moving her hand over her belly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking at her with concern.

"The baby is moving," she said and taking his hand placed it on her stomach. "Can you feel that?"

Feeling a slight movement he sat up, his hand still on her stomach. It was the most amazing thing, to feel his baby growing and moving inside her and he got choked up.

"I made this, we made this tiny little being." He kissed her stomach, his love for her grew stronger. He felt love for the baby too, and to think he had wanted her to abort it when he found out. Thank God she had refused and he felt he had to do the right thing and marry her.

"You are going to be a good father," she said, running her fingers through his hair.

"I hope so, but I am afraid of turning into my father. I didn't have a good role model growing up and I only know his way."

Lifting his head she tenderly caresses his face.

"As you are nothing like Sergio I know you will love and protect your child. You will not harm it in any way, I believe in you."

He laid his head on her lap, he didn't want her to see the tears that filled his eyes. She was too good for him, so gentle, so kind. But he wondered if she would still feel the same way about him if she knew everything, what he had done in his past.

"You should not believe in me or love me."

"It's too late, I already do," she said, continuing to run her fingers through his hair.

At that moment, with his head in her lap, he seemed like a sad, lost little boy. Not the strong, handsome, devilish man she fell in love with. Something deep inside him was wanting to come out, something that was haunting him. If only he would trust her enough to tell her.

"I think I should get you to bed, it's late," he said, picking her up in his arms carried her up the stairs and to their bedroom.

He liked carrying her, she felt so light and small in his arms, making him feel strong.

He waited in bed while she changed, he liked how she always wore something soft and sexy to bed. He never understood why women wore flannel pajamas to bed, to him it was a turnoff and hid the beauty of a female's body.

"I think it's time we order some baby things, crib and whatever else he'll need," he said, pulling her close to him.

"We will, but not tonight, I'm too tired to go through the books we were given," she said as she fell asleep all snuggled up in his arms.

He was waiting for her to join him for breakfast the next morning in the dining room.

"Morning, did you sleep well?"

Her face lit up when she saw him dressed so casual in his jeans and t-shirt. Going over she sat on his lap, giving him a kiss.

"I always do when you're next to me. I'm starving, what's for breakfast?" she asked.

Getting off him she sat in her seat.

"I had the cook prepare your favorite, banana pancakes with fruit, bacon on the side. You look really nice today, are you going somewhere?"

"Have you forgotten I have my lesson with the tutor today?"

He looked at his watch, frowning. "I'm afraid I have. I was going to work out for a bit and I have a meeting with the designers for the hotel."

"That's OK, I know how busy you are, Mitch can take me," she said, digging into her food when it was placed before her.

"How do you like your new tutor?"

"Mrs. Romano is very strict, she's not much fun and when I do something wrong I swear I see another grey hair on her head popping up," she giggled.

Gabriel smiled.

"Yes, she is a bit of a snob but one of the best. I only wished I could have talked her into coming here. But she insists it would be too much of a distraction."

Wiping his mouth he stood, going over gave her a loving kiss. "I will go work out now, make sure to wear your coat as it is very cold out."

"I will. I love you, Gabriel," she said, kissing him back. She dreaded going to see Mrs. Romano who was so cold and had no patience, and she taught her lessons strictly by the book.

Unlike Antonio who made them fun. It was too bad he made a play for her, equally glad that Gabriel didn't do something in retaliation. Nibbling on the fruit before her she thought back to the second lesson she had with the witch.

She was five minutes late and was made to sit on the bench for fifteen minutes. But she had to admit the woman was good and already learned to form some sentences together.

Going to the library she picked out a book to read since she had two hours to kill before she had to see her tutor.

"Mrs. Maestri, are you ready to leave for your appointment?" Mitch said, startling her.

She dropped the book when she heard him.

"Oh Mitch, I'm sorry, I lost track of time," she said and getting up went to the door where the butler was holding her coat.

"We wouldn't want to keep the Ice Queen waiting," Mitch said with a chuckle, earning a smile from Paige.

He felt cold whenever he was near her, the woman never smiled and she wore the most God-awful black dress. He was never allowed inside the room but was made to sit on the hard bench outside the room where she taught.

He opens the back door to the car and waited for her to be seated.

"You do have your phone with you, right? Your husband told me to make sure."

"Yes, right in here," she said, holding up her purse for him to see.

Looking in the rearview mirror he smiled. "That's good, your husband doesn't like to be disobeyed."

"I can handle Gabriel," she said, looking in the mirror smiled back at Mitch.

Mitch slowed down when he saw a car up ahead, with its hood popped open.

"Is something wrong?" Paige asked.

Moving forward she saw the car, a woman with dark hair was standing by the hood, flagging them down.

"I'll just drive around them," Mitch said out loud.

"But we can't leave her stranded. It looks like she's having engine trouble. You could go take a look, it might be something simple. If not we'll give her a ride into town."

"I don't think Mr. Maestri would approve."

"Please Mitch, it's the decent thing to do. We can't leave a single woman alone out here.

Blowing out a puff of air from his lungs he pulled up behind the woman's vehicle. "Stay in the car Miss," he said and got out, going over the woman.

Paige rolled down her window so that she could hear them talking.

"Having car trouble Miss?"

"Yes, thank you for stopping," she said, smiling sweetly at him. "I don't know what happened, it just stopped running. Could you have a peek under the hood."

"OK," he answered.

Walking around to the front looked down at the engine. A sharp pain hit when he was struck over the head with a blunt instrument. He fell to the ground and darkness took him away.

Paige couldn't hear any more talking once he went to the front of the car but she did hear a noise, what sounded like a groan.

Cranking her head forward, trying to see Mitch when her door was yanked open and there was a man pointing a gun at her. She let out a strangled scream when she saw who it was. It was Gabriel's ex-bodyguard, the one he let go, the one whose name she never knew.

"You," she managed to croak out.

"Yeah, it's me, bitch. Now get out," he yelled, grabbing her arm pulled her from the back of the car.

"Mitch," she screamed as she tried to struggle free.

"He can't hear you," the man, whose name was Elliot hissed at her. He opened the door to a different vehicle and shoved her inside.

"If you want to live you'll keep quiet and don't move." He slammed her door shut and went over to the woman and two other men who had joined them.

Paige strained her ears, trying to hear what they were saying. She couldn't see the woman's face but heard her voice.

"OK, I did what you asked, but I didn't know you were going to kill a man," she yelled at Elliot who grabbed her by the throat.

"You keep your mouth shut if you know whats good for you."

Reaching into his pocket he shoved an envelope into her hand and released her throat.

"Take this and get lost." He then slammed the hood down and told her to leave.

He and the other two men came back over to where she was and got in. Elliot sat beside her, the others up front.

"Where is Mitch? what did you do to him?" she asked, trying to wiggle further away from him. Being this close to the man made her skin crawl.

"Shut up," he barked at her.

"Why are you doing this? where are you taking me? Gabriel will kill you when he finds out what you are doing."

Elliot turned to look at her, placing his hand on her knee.

"He'll not be able to touch me." He licked his lips, pointing the gun at her belly as he moved his hand up her leg.

"I remember that day I patted you down, your skin so soft between your legs."

She squeezed her legs tightly together and shifted them over, away from him. "Don't touch me you pig."

All three men laughed.

"Oh doll, we'll be doing more than that to you," Elliot said, removing his hand from her.

Hugging herself she was wondering where they were taking her and if they had killed Mitch. She couldn't even try to call Gabriel as her purse and phone were in the other car.

With these three big men, she knew there was no way to escape. But she knew she had to stay calm if she wanted to stay alive and keep her baby safe.

"You know I'm pregnant right?"

"What's it to me?" Elliot asked.

"Surely you wouldn't hurt a baby."

"If you don't keep your mouth shut I will gag you. Now sit back and shut the fuck up."

Turning her head she looked out the side window, having no idea where they were headed and a tear fell down her face.

Would she ever see Gabriel again?

One thing she knew for sure that once he found out she was gone he would stop at nothing to find her. That thought gave her hope.