The wicked and the brave (Book 1- Valhireya Series- Completed)

Chapter 26

Gabriel

"Start talking, Clara." My voice is low and menacing. All my longing for her has vanished the moment I realized the little girl is probably mine.

"How did you find me?" She asks me visibly shaken by my presence.

"I just did. Now start talking!" My voice is still menacing, making her eyes widen with fear.

"Fine... just let me feed my daughter first." She tells me and takes the plate of freshly made pancakes in one hand and a glass of orange juice in the other hand. I follow her to the table and just sit down next to the little girl.

Clara notices my action and gives me a threatening glare.

"Do we have a problem?" I ask her while looking at Aurora.

"No. Let me get you some coffee and a plate." Her tone is filled with anger but she doesn't lose her temper.

She goes to the front door and locks it and then brews some coffee for me. She returns to us with plates and the steaming cups.

"Mommy, why are you angry?"

"Mommy's not angry. I am just surprised to see Gabriel here."

She turns to me with her big blue eyes and looks at me with wonder.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Gabriel. I'm mommy's old friend." I simply answer to her, to make her feel more comfortable. In the meantime, Clara cuts her pancakes in tiny pieces so she can eat them.

She seems pleased with my answer and smiles at me, warming my heart in the process. If she's truly mine, I will spend my entire life making up for the time I spent apart from her.

Clara just looks at her eating and drinks her coffee.

"May I?" I ask her signaling to the pancakes on the plate.

"Help yourself." She tells me while looking away.

I start eating in silence while studying Aurora some more. She is a real miniatural beauty and very well raised. She just eats her food and doesn't play with it or anything else.

After she finishes, she puts down her fork and Clara cleans her hands with a wet towel.

"Go find Granny Mia. OK, baby? Mommy needs to work now." She kisses her cheek and helps her down the chair.

Before leaving, she turns to me and gives me another one of her heart melting smile.

"Goodbye, mister Gabriel. Come back soon."

I smile at her and then look at Clara who looks visibly at the edge of her patience.

"I will." I smile at her and give her a wink. That makes her giggle as she runs up the stairs.

"Why are you here?" Clara wastes no time in giving me a hard time.

"Why did you leave?" I ask her.

"You know why I left." She tells me.

"Then you know why I'm here." I reply.

"Stop with these games!" She raises her voice as her palms hit the table.

"I'm not playing any games, Clara. You left before we could even talk things out. I searched for you for 2 years. I gave up finding you and almost lost my fuckin' mind. So tell me, how am I the one playing games?"

"I hate you!" Her words cut me like a knife and anger me at the same time.

"For fuck's sake, Clara... we were both high as fuck. We didn't even know what we were doing... we were in pain..." I tell her.

"Is this even your real face?" She asks me annoyed.

"Yes, it is. I never liked morphing." I keep my answer short. I don't want her running away again.

"Why did you do it, then?" Her eyes are filled with angry tears as she struggles to remain strong.

"Because you asked me to. You asked me to bring him back. I never could deny you anything." I answer her and move my hand an inch closer to hers.

"Why couldn't you deny me anything?" She finally turns and looks at me. Her cheeks are red and her eyes are fuming with rage.

"You know why." I lower my gaze, ashamed of the fact that I still can't just say the damned words.

"No... I don't. I don't want you here Gabriel. I was happy with my life before you came along."

"And I was fuckin' miserable. I was lost and heartbroken. You took everything from me."

"What did I take, Gabriel? I just left. I couldn't bear with what we've done. We were best friends... you were the brother of the man that I loved and didn't even get to bury!" Tears start running down her face as she finishes the last sentence. Of course, she still loves Luca...

"You took away the opportunity to see my daughter coming into this world, to see her make her first steps, hear her say the first words." I tell her while grabbing her wrist.

She struggles to free herself but I don't budge. She will hear everything I have to say.

"How about that for taking away things from me?" She tries to get up from the chair and free herself but I stand up as well and pulls her close to me, capturing the other wrist as well.

"Let me go, you asshole."

"This asshole is the father of your child! Or are you going to have the nerve to lie to me in my face?" Her face is so close to me. I start losing my focus as I look at her plump lips. Damn you, Clara.

"Let me go!" Is all she says to me and finally I let her go. I need to be strong in front of her and having her body so close to mine doesn't quite help me with that.

"Don't you dare run away again, Clara! I mean it. I will find you even of you run at the end of the world! She is mine as well... don't make me come after you with that!"

I leave these words hanging in the air and walk out the coffee shop. However, a sense of happiness fills my soul.

I have a daughter!