The Price of Gold | Fortune's Fool #1

35 | two to tango

• [ t w o   t o   t a n g o ] •

♥ louisa ♥

GABRIEL LOOKED MORE stressed than I'd ever seen him before as he ripped off his Venetian mask, his brown waves looking wind swept as he did so. One glance at the desperation lurking between the crevice of his furrowed brows and I'd completely forgotten about my previous attempt to run away from him.

I had been too overwhelmed by how well we were able to hold a conversation. It had flowed way easier than I'd have liked.

"Louisa, thank God you're here," he sighed in relief, passing me my drink from earlier. With his free hand, he took mine and pulled me towards the quieter side of the club. Perplexed, I followed him occasionally glancing at the flashing lights that reflected off his sharp cheekbones.

I'd been on my way to the bathroom to top up my make up when Gabriel had seen me. Before that, Logan had been telling me what he planned to do to Lexi using the information he'd found out about her. I should have noticed it earlier. The frequent trips to the bathroom. The dizziness. It made sense.

"What happened? Wait, where's Talisa? I left her with you."

I was slightly freaked out by how serious Gabriel was acting, a contrast to his usual personality. This definitely had something to do with her and I hoped it wasn't what I thought it would be. "Oh fuck, did you argue?"

Finally, we stopped walking and I took my mask off as he lifted his hands up in defeat. "No. I mean yes. It wasn't really an argument. It was- I don't know." I raised my eyebrows at him as he struggled to string a sentence together.

"What happened?" I asked, leaning against the wall and listening as he filled me in in their conversation after I had left.

"So you led her on?" I asked bluntly, staring at him as he wavered. His full lips opened and closed; speechless. It was almost funny. Of course I knew that wasn't the case considering Talisa often jumped to conclusions yet I was interested in seeing how Gabriel would react.

He knew how to push my buttons and I thought it would only be fair to give him a taste of his own medicine.

What I didn't expect was for his face to drop completely, a strong emotion consuming it. Was it shame? No. More of a mix of disappointment and a tad of self loathing. "M-Maybe unknowingly. I didn't think I did but perhaps. I don't know. I hate this sort of stuff," he said, clearing his throat when he stammered.

I tensed awkwardly before laughing and lightly pushing his shoulder. "I was joking, you psycho. Chill out, Gabriel." Talisa was pretty bold but I didn't think she'd do anything drastic. "She'll be fine, don't worry too much. Talisa would want to be alone right now. Give her some space."

I glanced at him and the smile dropped from my face.

He wasn't listening to me.

Gabriel's grey eyes that usually shone like a soft moon - however much I hated to admit it - had turned distance ever since I said the word psycho. He was fixated to the spot and I knew in that moment, he wasn't in this club. He was miles away in a memory.

I wrapped my dainty hand around his bicep and shook him slightly, a little worried.

"Gabriel. Gabe. Snap out of it."