SUNBURN | JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

068

As Gabriella left Tannyhill, the weight of her conversation with Ward lingered heavily on her shoulders. The sprawling estate seemed eerily quiet, the night air thick with tension. She kept her pace brisk, her heart racing as she put distance between herself and the house. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, replaying every word, every look Ward had given her. She needed to find John B, to warn him and figure out their next move.

She glanced around, her eyes scanning the shadows, but nothing seemed out of place. Telling herself it was just an animal, she opened the door quietly and slipped inside, locking the doors behind her.

Gabriella took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly as she gripped the steering wheel. She pulled out her phone, her fingers shaking as she dialed John B's number. The phone rang, echoing in the confined space of the Twinkie, but there was no answer. Panic started to creep in, but she pushed it down, knowing she couldn't afford to lose her nerve now.

Determined to find him, she started the engine and pulled out onto the road, her eyes flicking to the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see Ward's figure looming behind her. The drive back to the Cut felt longer than usual, every dark corner and shadowy stretch of road setting her on edge. The night felt more dangerous than it ever had before.

As she neared the Cut, Gabriella finally spotted the familiar figure of John B standing on the side of the road, his form illuminated by the headlights. She pulled over quickly, relief flooding her as she saw him, though she could tell something was off. He looked shaken, more than just the aftermath of their earlier conversation.

John B saw her jumping out of the Twinkie, rushing over to her. "Sunshine," he called out, his voice thick with worry. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Gabriella looked at him, her face pale under the dim lights. He didn't answer right away, just pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her like she might disappear at any moment. "There's something I need to do first," he finally whispered, his voice rough with emotion.

John B took a deep breath, looking down at the small wooden raft he had carefully crafted. It was simple, just a few planks tied together, with a candle flickering in the center and a photo of his father placed gently on top. The picture, worn around the edges, showed Big John smiling, full of life, as if he was right there with them.

As John B walked down to the end of the dock, Gabriella followed closely behind, her fingers intertwined with his. She could feel the weight of his sorrow, each step heavy with unspoken grief. They reached the edge of the dock, the water below them calm yet dark, reflecting the stormy sky above.

John B knelt down, placing the raft on the water. His hands trembled slightly as he lit the candle, the small flame flickering against the rising wind. He held the raft steady for a moment, just staring at the photo, memories flooding back. Gabriella knelt beside him, wrapping her arm around his waist, grounding him in the present.

"I miss you. Goodbye, Dad," John B whispered, his voice barely audible over the rumbling thunder in the distance. With a gentle push, he released the raft, watching as it floated away from the dock, the candlelight growing fainter as it drifted out into the water.

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he didn't try to stop them. Gabriella pulled him close, her arms around him as he let the tears fall. She wiped them away gently, her fingers brushing his cheeks as she whispered comforting words, though they both knew there were no words that could truly ease this pain.

The thunder rumbled louder, a storm approaching, but neither of them moved. They stayed there on the dock, holding each other, watching the raft until the candlelight was swallowed by the darkness. It was a quiet moment, one of deep sorrow but also of release, a way for John B to say the goodbye he never got the chance to say.

Gabriella pressed a soft kiss to his temple, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "He would be so proud of you," she whispered. John B leaned into her, his heart aching, but with her by his side, he knew he wasn't alone in his grief. They sat there in silence, wrapped in each other's arms, as the first drops of rain began to fall.

John B and Gabriella entered the bedroom with a heavy silence, the events of the night weighing on them like a suffocating blanket. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the moon filtering through the thin curtains, casting gentle shadows on the walls. Without speaking, they instinctively moved toward the bed, a refuge from the storm raging both outside and within.

They lay down beside each other, their bodies close, almost touching but not quite. The air was thick with unspoken words, the shared grief and confusion binding them tighter than any embrace. Slowly, as if drawn by an invisible force, Gabriella turned toward John B, her hand trembling slightly as she reached out to him. He met her halfway, his fingers brushing against her cheek, wiping away a tear that had escaped down her face.

John B's own eyes glistened with unshed tears, his thumb tracing gentle circles on her skin, a silent promise of comfort. Gabriella mirrored his actions, her fingers trailing down his face, catching the tears that slipped free. The quiet between them was full, not of tension, but of a deep, mutual understanding—a shared sorrow that needed no words.

They held each other in the dim light, their bodies curling together, finding solace in each other's warmth. Gabriella buried her face in the crook of John B's neck, her breath hot against his skin as she tried to steady herself, to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions. John B pressed his lips against her hair, whispering words of reassurance that neither of them could quite believe but desperately needed to hear.

As they lay there, the world outside seemed to fade away. Their thoughts danced around the same questions—what would they do tomorrow? How would they face the dangers ahead? But for now, in the stillness of the night, all they could do was hold onto each other, their tears mingling, trying to find some measure of peace in the simple act of being together.

But, when Gabriella woke up, John B wasn't there.

"Booker?"