Heart Ache (Bound by a Touch Novels #1) (12 page)

“
I don’t. See.” Her smile was more grimace than grin.

“
Uh-huh.”

Marie lowered herself until their faces were side by side and wrapped her arms around Gabby’s shoulders in a hug. Worry and pity shone in her eyes. “It’s not too late, Gabs.”

Tears stung her eyes. “I love Jayson.”

Red lips lifted into a smile as Marie tightened her grip. “I know.”

Gabby could tell her friend had more to say, and was sure Nikolai’s name would be somewhere in the speech. But instead, she sighed.

“
I’m going to give you a few minutes to make sure this is what you
really
want. Listen to your heart, Gabby.” Without another word, she turned and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

Gabrielle studied the woman in the mirror. She was a pretty bride, but never in her life had she seen one look so pathetically miserable. Forever was a long time, and living it without Nikolai seemed like a life-sentence of misery.

She smiled at her reflection and said, “I love Jayson.” And she did. “I deserve to be happy and I
will
be happy with—”

Suddenly, her breath caught in her throat, her heart jumped, and her skin began to tingle.

Nikolai.

A smile made its way to her lips, to her very soul. He was here, close. She felt it.

The steady thundering of his heart started the moment Niko stepped inside the building. His entire body tensed, his skin buzzed.

He tried to ignore the disapproval oozing from his brother. The small church was quaint, a tiny square entrance led into the chapel with pews on each side of the aisle, the ends adorned with red roses and white lilies.

“
Mr. Voinea!”

He turned, as did Gustav, and smiled at the olive-skinned woman who’d seemingly appeared out of thin air. “Marie, how are you?”

“
Fine.” She looked over her shoulder, down a narrow hallway. “I’m fine.” Her gaze caught Gustav’s and she smiled. “I don’t believe we’ve met.

Gustav chuckled softly as he ran a hand through the curly locks of his light brown hair. “I am Gustav Voinea.” He clamped a heavy hand on Nikolai’s shoulder, squeezing.

“
It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Voinea.”

His charcoal eyes twinkled as he smiled. “It’s very nice to meet a beautiful friend of Gabrielle’s. She means a great deal to my brother.”

Marie’s brows shot up and her eyes gleamed mischievously, her lips lifted into a smile. “Oh?”

“
Do you think Nikolai could see the bride before the wedding?” Gustav put his hand on Niko’s shoulder blade and pushed.

Marie nearly jumped right out of her shoes as she grabbed a hold of Nikolai’s arm, tugging unsuccessfully in the direction of the small hallway behind them. “Yes, I think she would like that very much.”

Niko wrapped his fingers around the hand still tugging on his forearm and dislodged the vise.

“
I don’t want to bother her,” he said quietly.

“
Haven’t you learned you’re
never
a bother to Gabby? She
lives
to do whatever you ask.” She raised her brows as if trying to convey more than what she’d said.

Gustav chuckled softly and urged him forward with his shoulder. Nikolai turned to glare at his brother then flashed a charming smile at Marie. She smiled in return.

“
I should probably give her a few more minutes … just to make sure she’s decent.”

Marie nodded, and as she turned to walk away she mumbled under her breath, “She’d prefer
in
decent, McHotty.”

“
McHotty?” Gustav laughed.

“
You breathe one word and I will cram one of those flower arrangements down your throat.”

He slumped down on a pew near the back and dropped his head into his hands.

This was such a bad idea
. There was no way he would be able to keep his emotions in check.

Gustav eased down next to him, comfortably leaning toward him. “What in the bloody hell are you doing?”

“
Sitting.”

“
Sulking!” Gustav growled.

Nikolai’s teeth ground together and his hands plowed into his hair, balling into fists around the strands. He tugged as hard as he dared, without leaving bald spots.

“
Niko,” Gustav said quietly.

His only answer was a glare cold enough to freeze fire.

Gustav nodded and put his hands up in surrender. “Fine. Be a dumbass.”

The scent of pine needles wafted in and Niko gripped the bench in preparation. Jayson strode through the arched doorway and made his way up the aisle, wearing a tuxedo and the unmistakable smile of a man ready to marry the most desirable woman in the world. Arrogant eyes met Niko’s. The male winked and flashed a smug grin.

Nikolai’s whole body tightened, every muscle prepared to attack. He closed his eyes. The wood of the bench protested under his hold. He let go, only to have his fingers formed fists. Every molecule urged him to fight for her, to evaporate right into her room and take her somewhere secluded where she would learn to love him over time. Damn! Were these the same thoughts his father had had?

Keep your ass in the chair
, his thoughts chanted.
Keep your ass in the chair. Keep your ass. In. The. Chair!

Air rushed from his lungs as his side absorbed Gustav’s elbow. His eyes flew open to glare at the cheap-shot throwing bastard.

Gustav grabbed hold of his leg, just above his knee and squeezed. He leaned in to hiss. “Get your ass out of that chair.” Another squeeze. “You have five minutes to fix this, five measly minutes to keep her from making the biggest mistake of
your
life.”

“
I can’t—”

“
You
will
. We’re all tired of hearing you whine about her. So, either you get in there or I will.” His eyes narrowed, flashing black. “And if
I
go in there, there will be no secrets left for you to disclose to your beautiful Gabrielle.”

“
You wouldn’t,” Nikolai snarled.

“
Do you really doubt me, brother? After four hundred years, I thought you knew me better than that.”

Nikolai glanced at Vincent, hoping for support. He lifted one shoulder. “We’ll be right here.”

Nikolai stood and nervously smoothed the wrinkles from his slacks. “What if she doesn’t want me?”

“
Stop stalling!” Gustav snorted. “You’ve already wasted more time than you have. Go claim your female!”

No one had to tell him where to find her. He could sense her and it didn’t take long before he stood in front of a closed door. She was on the other side. He stretched his senses, trying to hear something, anything, to offer a hint of what he’d find on the other side. Only silence greeted him. His hand formed a fist and rose to knock. Just before flesh met wood, he heard a soft whimper. A sigh. A sniffle.

Gabby was
crying
.

An intense protective streak surged through him. He nearly ripped the door from its hinges trying to get to his heart.

She was standing in front of a full-length mirror. He couldn’t help but notice the birthmark on her right shoulder blade; a small upside down heart. Seeing it caused a smile to spread to his lips as he imagined the same mark adorning his chest.

Their gazes met in the reflection. The sadness in her expression killed his smile. She turned between one blink and the next. Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. Her eyes were glassy. Her lip quivered. And she was breathtaking.

He’d heard people say every bride was beautiful, but no other female could compare to his Gabrielle. Her cream dress hugged tightly around her breasts, then flared out in a shower of chiffon and lace that settled at her feet. A single tear slid down her cheek and he rubbed at his beating heart.

“
Gabrielle.”

He wanted to rush to her, take her in his arms, kiss her, love her, but his feet seemed to have fastened themselves to the floor. Her eyes met his and his heart broke.

“
Come to me,” he whispered the phrase he’d spoken many times to her, not expecting her to obey him this time either.

He was still musing in his thoughts when she launched herself into his arms and sobbed, “Oh, Nikolai.”

With tender strokes he rubbed her back, her neck, easing her further into his embrace.

“
Shh, love, it’s okay. I’m here.”

He kissed the top of her head, burying his nose in the curls and flowers piled there. He remembered that Flo had said baby’s breath meant innocence, and Gabby had never looked more innocent.

“
What’s wrong, sweet?”

She stepped out of his arms and wiped violently at her damp cheeks and red nose. Her vivid blue eyes reminded him of a tempest ocean. “Wh- what are you doing here?”

“
You invited me. I came.”

“
No Niko, why are you
here
?” She waved her hand around the room. “Why are you standing in here, with me?”

The lump jumped back into his throat. “I, um, I—”

“
Niko.” She stepped toward him and took his hand. The expression on her face was … hopeful? “Why are you here?”

Taking her hand to his lips, he pressed a kiss to the knuckles. “I came to wish you all the happiness in the world.” At least the words were honest enough.

Her eyes once again filled with tears and she jerked her hand out of his as another sob broke free.

“
Oh,
bebelus
—”

She jerked away from him, studying his face. “Why do you call me that?”

“
It is Romanian for baby. You seem so fragile.” He led her to the couch across the room. The steady thump of his heart beat in perfect unison with hers, the only sound for long moments. She watched him closely, as if trying to see right into his soul.

“
Tell me; what’s got you so distraught?”

“
I can’t … I don’t think—” She collapsed onto the couch.

His breath caught in his throat. “What can’t you…?”

She rubbed at her cheeks again with the back of her hand, sniffed, and straightened her spine.

“
My dad,” she said softly and her eyes flashed with an emotion he couldn’t place before she concealed it, “he um, isn’t going to make the ceremony.”

“
Oh?”

“
I have no one to walk me down the aisle.”

“
Oh.”
Oh, Goddess, no.

“
Would you … give me away?” Her eyes bored into his, pleading with him.

His stomach clenched as if he’d just received a sucker punch with a two-by-four. He felt sick. No, worse than sick, devastated. All the hopes he’d cultivated in the last few seconds were dashed just and Nikolai felt …
Oh Goddess!

Vampires didn’t usually throw up, but he debated that as an option to rid himself of the nausea in the pit of his stomach.

He studied her innocent expression carefully.

Her tiny hand squeezed his large one gently. “Nikolai, are you okay?”

He forced himself to keep eye contact. There was a look in her eyes, one he’d never seen before.
A challenge?
Was that it? Or was she simply blind to his efforts? Or worse, did she just not give a damn, and was actually
trying
to break his heart to get her message across?

“
Yes, I’m fine,” he lied.

He scrutinized her expression, looking for some tell as to what she was really asking him. Did she see him as a father figure? Or a potential lover who would keep her from nuptials she didn’t really want?

“
Will you,” she pressed, “walk me down the aisle?” Her eyes shimmered like ocean waves kissed by the sun.

“
If that’s what you want
bebelus
, I could deny you nothing.”

A frustrated breath blew through her teeth. “What if it’s not—”

“
Not what?” He cut her off, eager to finish this conversation and leave the church together. Or better yet, take her up the aisle and marry her himself.

“
What if it’s you…?”

A knock at the door interrupted her words this time. Marie opened the door, and smiled at the couple sitting so intimately close on the couch.

“
Are you ready? It’s ti—” Marie smiled at Niko then backed out of the door.

“
Am I ready to do
this
?” Gabby’s eyes searched Nikolai’s again.

He felt as though she was stripping him bare, one layer at a time. He swallowed hard, trying to put the pieces of his heart back into the empty cavern where it would forever go dormant.

“
Nikolai, please.” There was an edge to her plea, one that insinuated she was asking for more than an escort. He took her hands in his and pressed them to his lips. Her eyes filled with tears. “Nikolai?”