Hell's Smitten (Gordon Ramsay x Reader)

Chapter 129- Into the Fire

Monday, July 22nd, 2013

The silver handle turns all the way to the bottom and clicks. My heart jumps into my throat as I push the door...

The crowd cheers wildly, and confetti falls from the ceiling as a spotlight moves to illuminate the winner.

It isn't me.

Abel looks back. After our playful rivalry, I expect him to look cocky, but he doesn't. Instead, he smiles gently, hesitates, then steps through the door.

Once Abel is out of the room, Gordon comes over and pulls me into a hug. I press my face against his chest, wrap my arms around his torso, and squeeze tight.

"Darling, you did amazingly. Don't ever for a second think you lost. How you've grown over the course of this month would take anyone else years to accomplish."

I knew my door not opening was a possibility, but it still struck me harder than I thought it would. Tears well in my eyes and I breathe in the clean scent of his jacket and try to steady myself, sniffling.

"Thank you, Gordon," I say, forgoing his title purposefully for the first time on mic.

Gordon leans over and kisses my cheeks, my forehead, then my lips. They tingle at the brief contact, and my heart does a flip. The door we stand behind is opaque, but I know silhouettes are still visible and I wonder what we look like to the crowd.

Wait, aren't there cameras in this office? My heart thrums, but it isn't like anyone will come to interrupt the finale at this point. Still, the production crew must be going wild.

When Gordon pulls away, he unlocks my door and opens it, opening an arm for me to step past him. On the other side, Abel is turned, waiting for me with his hand outstretched rather than basking in his adoring crowd.

I step out and take his offered hand. He pulls me beside him and Gordon exits after me, placing his hands on either of our shoulders and standing between us. The crowd continues to cheer and I hear my name being chanted alongside Abel's.

Gordon claps, gathering everyone's attention.

"Abel, you are Hell's Kitchen season eleven's winner! You've earned the position of head chef at my new restaurant, Gordon Ramsay's London Cuisine, along with a salary of a quarter of a million dollars. Congratulations, young man." Gordon looks proudly at Abel, so proudly that I feel slightly jealous.

"Thank you, Chef," Abel says. Silver and blue confetti rests in his perfectly styled hair, and the spotlight on him makes him radiant. I can't help smiling at my gorgeous boyfriend. Even though we were rivals, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather beat me than him. I watch as he turns toward the crowd, who settle down as they see him ready to speak.

"First, I want to say thank you to my team that helped get me through tonight's dinner service." He nods toward the section below the stairs where the chefs of Hell's Kitchen are gathered. They cheer and clap even harder.

"Then, I want to thank my family, who supported my dreams." He waves toward where they are standing in the center of the room.

"But most of all, I want to thank (Y/N)." Abel turns to me, his gold-flecked irises shining.

"Thank you for pushing me harder than anyone else ever has. I never could have reached my full potential without being challenged the way you have. But even though we make the fantastic rivals, we make even better partners."

Abel smiles, then sinks to one knee.

Oh my God. Adrenaline rushing in my ears drowns the sound of the crowd gasping out.