Nobody Like You

Chapter 17 Aiden: Separated

"I'm really sorry about this," Mike said as I handed him my badge. "I tried to speak on your behalf but they weren't trying to hear it."

I nodded in understanding. "I get it, I probably wouldn't be trying to hear it either if I was them. I just hate that they think this was all about sex for me. Gabriella means so much more to me than that."

"You really made a difference in her life. I've never seen her speak up to her parents like that."

"Well I hope she's able to keep it up." As I threw a bag over my shoulder, I paused and looked at Mike. "Watch over her for me. I don't want her to go back to that quiet, pushover that was constantly having panic attacks before I got here."

"You got it. Stay in touch," he held out his hand.

I nodded and shook it before walking towards the door. Before I could walk out, I felt two small arms wrap around my waist. "You're not leaving, are you?"

I looked down to find Alexis looking up at me with hopeful eyes and bent down to her level. "Unfortunately, I am. It sucks, I won't be here to see you choose which sport will get all your attention."

"I think I'm leaning towards tennis, but it won't be as much fun without you here to practice with me," she frowned.

"You'll be amazing either way. I can't wait to see you on my TV one day," I smiled weakly at her.

Without another word, she jumped in my arms as I tried to keep it together. Alexis had become like a little sister to me and it killed me that I wouldn't be around to watch her grow anymore. When she finally let go, I stood up to find Mr. and Mrs. Carter standing there watching us.

"I'm sorry again for everything," I told them, halfway meaning it. While I was sorry about keeping the relationship a secret from them, I wasn't sorry for falling for Gabriella. She was worth every risk we took.

They nodded, refusing to say anything else to me as I walked out of the house. As I loaded the last bag into my truck, I felt eyes on me. I looked up and saw Gabriella watching me from a window inside. I turned away quickly, not being able to take looking at her devastated face anymore. It hurt like hell to let her go earlier and let her run back inside but I had to remind myself this was the price we had to pay for what we did. I finally allowed myself to have what I wanted; I should've known it would blow up in my face. Now they were at risk and there was nothing more that I could do about it.

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As I sat in the living room of my mom's house, it took everything in me not to throw my phone at the wall. It had been three weeks since I was fired. Three weeks since I'd seen or spoken to Gabriella. Three weeks since I'd held her in my arms, never wanting to let her go.

I had been trying to call and text her since I got here but I got nothing back and the calls were going straight to voicemail. Should've known her parents would take her phone away. Anything to keep her from me and it was unbearable.

After my latest attempt to call again and hearing her voicemail, I groaned and threw my phone on the couch next to me. My mom walked in and looked at me. "Throwing it isn't going to make her magically appear."

"Unfortunately but now I have no way of knowing if she's safe. Whoever's threatening the family is still out there and I won't know if she's okay. I knew we should've been more careful. I could've still been there, watching over them, over her." I sighed and looked at my mom. "I'm sorry for this. I know that money was really helping us."

As I leaned my head back against the couch, my mom sat down next to me and put an arm around me. "Aiden Thompson, do you honestly think I care more about that than how you're feeling? We've been doing just fine, you don't have to worry about taking care of things here. Your heart is broken, that's what matters right now."