Damon comes up behind me, and I gratefully lean against him for support, feeling a little faint. I should have stayed back in the hotel room, it was a stupid idea to leave. The doctors told me to rest, that’s what I should have done.
“Bullshit!” Blake growls, now over his shock, his anger increasing at Emmett’s accusations. “This isn’t about the show. Since Gabby arrived, the show has only grown and gotten bigger and better. Without her, we would still be doing small time shows,” he points out, and Leo and Liam nod in agreement. “This is about our relationship. You’re jealous.”
I’m very aware of the receptionist watching the verbal sparring match with rapt attention, and if we’re not careful, she’s going to call the police. We need to break this up and calm things down. I really don’t have the energy to deal with this kind of bullshit this morning.
“Maybe I’m just fed up with you guys shoving your happiness in my face!” Emmett shouts, and all thoughts of stopping the argument fly from my mind.
How fucking dare he?
“Is that what you think we’re doing?” My tone is deceptively calm as I push away from Damon and slowly step towards Emmett. My hands are shaking, and I’m not sure if that’s from anger or stress. “Shoving it in your face?” His expression falls as he realises he’s crossed a line. All those times we sat together and shared our insecurities. When he told me he was fine with me having a relationship with the guys, was it all a lie? “You were like a brother to me.”
His face twists like he’s in pain. Good. He knows how close I was to my brother and how much it nearly killed me when he died. He understands that I let him get close, that I considered Emmett to be like family to me after I’d already lost one brother, only for him to leave me too.
“Gabby…” He takes a step towards me, but I move back into someone’s arms. I’m not sure whose, in fact, since someone else is sliding their arms over me as well, claiming me. It makes a bold statement, and one by one, they all touch me in some way. Emmett doesn’t bother to finish his sentence, just watches with a stoic expression.
“So that’s it? You’re going?” I eventually ask when the silence has stretched on for several minutes.
“Yes.” He sighs, and I see the pain in his eyes, even though he tries to hide it.
I’m not able to conceal my wince at how quickly his answer comes. He’s obviously been thinking about this for a while, I just wish it hadn’t taken me by surprise.
“You couldn’t have waited? She nearly died last night and could use your support, and this is how you treat her?” Leo snarls, surprising me with his ferocity as he looks Emmett up and down. In fact, they’re all staring at him like they don’t recognise him. Perhaps we didn’t know him as well as we thought we did.
Emmett appears a bit hurt at Leo’s comment, but tries to justify himself. “I know the timing isn’t great, but she’s got you—”
I’ve had enough. I can’t deal with any more today. I just need to go hide in the dark and not see anyone else for another twenty-four hours. Turning in the arms of whoever’s holding me, I bury my face against their chest, breathing in their comforting scent. Kingston. “Can we go back to the room? I need to lie down.” I hate that my voice comes out so weak, but that’s exactly what I feel like right now—weak. Fuck Oliver for doing this to me, to us. And fuck Emmett for bailing on us when we need him the most. That’s not okay.
“Gabby… Is she okay?” Emmett sounds concerned, and I want to laugh, but I just don’t have the strength.
My knees buckle, but Kingston wraps his arms around my body and instantly lifts me, cradling me against his chest. He holds me like I weigh nothing, and to him, I probably do. Turning my head so it’s tucked between his chest and his arm, I savour the darkness. We turn to leave, passing Emmett, but Kingston surprises me by stopping briefly.
“You don’t have the right to ask that anymore.” His voice rumbles through me, and although what he says is true, the statement fractures me a little bit. My tears flow freely, soaking into the fabric of Kingston’s shirt. I lift my head, needing to see his face once more. Emmett is there, right in front of me, and he flinches when he spots my tears. After all, he was usually the one who wiped them away.
“Gabs…I’m sorry,” he whispers, tears filling his eyes, and I know he’s struggling with this as much as we are. “I hope one day you’ll forgive me. You’re still my family and I love you, but you found your future, I need to find mine.”
I don’t have anything to say, so I turn my head away, burying it into Kingston’s shoulder as his hand strokes down my back, and we walk away. The others follow close behind, and I know I shouldn’t care, but I can’t help but feel bad that while I have them to comfort me, Emmett won’t have anyone to comfort him. I took them from him, and he pushed me away until he felt like his only option was to fly solo. Once the dust has settled, I’m sure I’ll wish him only the best, but right now, he’s picked the worst possible time. I need my family around me.
I needed him. But now he’s gone.
He left, just like he promised he would never do.
It’s been a week since Oliver was arrested and officially charged. He’s awaiting his trail, which could take up to a year, but I’m done thinking about him. I’m healing and getting on with my life. I struggle to sleep through the night now, which we figured was because of the dark. Now we always sleep with a light on so I can see who’s there. I still sometimes wake up unable to breathe, as if his hands are on my throat, that laugh echoing in my head, but I’m learning ways to manage those moments. Like not wearing high-necked, clinging tops and my men not being wrapped around me.
It won’t be an overnight process, but I’m alive and that’s what matters. Sucking in a deep breath, I squeeze Leo’s and Damon’s hands. Kingston is sitting in the front. Blake, Kathy, and Liam are in the other car that’s following us.
Today is my first day back at work. The news broke the day after the incident, revealing the stalker and Mark’s death. It’s been picked up online, and even on BBC and Channel Four. I don’t know who told them, probably the board to gain sympathy. Either way, we are a sensation. Everybody is talking about us online and using the hashtag JusticeforGabby.
So when we reach the stadium where our next show is, there are paparazzi everywhere. They’re all shouting and trying to get a shot of us. It seems amongst the stalker news, some figured out why he was doing it—our relationship. Though not confirmed, it has become a point of gossip, especially after Emmett left us so abruptly.
The manager and her five strippers.
The cars take us around back to the bus, and the guys get out first. There are cameras at the gates behind us, but I force a breath and climb out. I keep my back straight and chin raised, refusing to be intimidated or look weak. Even if the bruises around my neck still look brutal. Even if my ribs are wrapped under my silk shirt and dog tooth blazer. Even if my leg is bruised under my matching trousers. I’m Gabby Menro, I don’t fucking hide. I’m a goddamn stalker catcher and tour manager.
I stride towards the back door and let us in, heading to the stage. The guys need to rehearse. They refused to perform while I was on bed rest, and it caused some tension with the board, which is probably why they went to the news—not that they will admit they did. But I want to get back to normal, back to work. I hate wallowing in my bed.