Three nights later, I don't know what truly wakes me up – the nightmare or the loud noise coming from the other room.

I sit up on the bed, ignoring the throbbing pain that shoots through my head.

I hear screams. Girl screams, coming from Alexander's room. I listen carefully, my heart starting to beat faster.

The screams come again and I hear a loud bang. I jump up on the bed with my heart in my throat now. I try to remember if I have any object in my room with which I could go in there and smack Alexander if I had to.

"Fuck, baby, just like that!"

I frown at Alexander's voice.

"Yes, Sin! Yes, yes!" the girl's moan follows.

And when it hits me like a brick what's really happening in the other room, I flush from head to toe. They're ... yeah.

I'm embarrassed for some reason. And it feels really, really weird hearing something like that. God forbid imagining it!

I groan and lay back down in the bed, pulling the covers over my head. I don't want to think about what's going over there, even though it's hard not to since their moans are getting louder and louder.

And they just don't seem like they're stopping anytime soon. I lay on my back and stare up at the ceiling, even though I can't see anything in the dark room.

Since that night that Rosalyn and Alfred revealed they're expecting another child, Alexander completely distanced himself from the whole family. He wasn't home much; in fact, I don't even think he was at home at all during the days, but I think he slept at home, although I'm not sure. I didn't ask anyone about it.

I saw that Rosalyn was worried about it. She was down, constantly expecting him to come home at some point. She admitted to me that she hopes she could speak to him.

I even apologised to her because I was sure that I made everything worse when I went out after him. I shouldn't have. I know how he is with me, I know how easily mad I can get him, but that didn't stop me. Because I was only thinking about making things better for Alfred and Rosalyn and didn't think that I might destroy everything.

But Rosalyn only looked at me with a kind smile and put her hand on mine in reassurance. "Gabby, you did more good than bad. Believe me."

Her words confused me since I felt that ever since I came here, Alexander is even a bigger mess than he probably was before. He's constantly angry at me and I even drove him so far that he doesn't show up at home sometimes. So, how is that really a good thing?

When Rosalyn saw how unsure I was about her words, she said, "Gabby, you don't see it, but he's different now. What you're doing is good for him, I promise."

If what I'm doing is good for him, what kind of a monster was he before I met him?

I don't even want to think about that. He's a weird guy, but after all, I love messing with him. And I love making him confused, too, like he's confusing me. What a lovely pair we make.

"Fuck, Sin, you're so good!"

I sigh in the dark. I want to something back, along the lines, "No girl, he's not that good." But she means something entirely else than I do, so why should I bother?

In all truth, it does bother me. For some unknown reason, it bothers me, hearing this.

Who cares, Gabby? He can do whatever he wants. We're not together. We hate each other and he's always been like this.

And he will do whatever he wants. Because he's Alexander Holt and nothing and no one can stand in his way.

•••

The next day is a bit shitty for me since I'm tired because of the lack of sleep. I got used to sleeping better when I came here since the nightmares aren't that frequent anymore, and it's been weeks since I had the last one.

And that thing in Alexander's room that kept me awake ... I shudder.

Thank God I haven't seen him today at all, because I don't think I could look him in the eyes.

My afternoon was a little better, even though I could use a little sleep, but I didn't trust myself to take a nap just in case I wouldn't hear Amelia when she woke up.

I spent that time to clean my room a bit and then talk to Rosanna. She heard about the news and was really happy there will be another member in this family. I was happy, too, even though I'll be long gone when the baby comes.

I had to put Amelia to bed in the evening since Rosalyn and Alfred apparently worked a bit longer today. I read her a fairytale, but she still wanted to talk after it.

"Gabby, will Alex like our sister more than he likes me?"

The question she just asked me makes me so sad for her, I almost cry. I want to beat the hell out of Alexander for hurting his sweet little sister so much and making her think there's something wrong with her and that's why her big brother doesn't like her.

I brush Amelia's hair back from her face. "No, Amelia, he'll equally love you both," I tell her, even though I'm not even sure in my own words.

Amelia thinks about it for a moment. "So, he won't like any of us then?"

Dear God, Alexander, what the hell did you do?!

"Amelia, listen to me. He loves you, he just doesn't show it. He's your brother, of course he loves you." At this point, I don't even know who I'm convincing anymore – Amelia or myself. Because I want so bad for my words to be true, I actually pray that Alexander isn't so cold-hearted that he doesn't love his little sister.

I refuse to believe it.

I press a kiss to Amelia's head and linger then for some moments, trying really hard not to start crying for her. "Go to sleep now, baby girl," I tell her gently, pressing the covers a little higher and closing the book, putting it on the nightstand.

Amelia nods. "Goodnight, Gabby," she says.

"Goodnight, Amelia," I reply back and give her one last sad smile before I go out of her room.

When I step out, I wipe the tear that fell from my eye. I honestly feel so bad for this whole family for some reason, since I have a feeling they're all hiding something big. I don't know how I ended up in this mess. Maybe it was supposed to happen – so I could see that other people have it bad, too.

I head to my room and take a shower. I decide to go to bed a bit earlier today since the lack of sleep is affecting my body already.

I climb into the bed before 9 pm and I fall asleep with heavy thoughts and an even heavier heart.

•••

The buzzing wakes me up. I groan and blink into the darkness, seeing my phone is lighted up. I pick it up, thinking it's my alarm and it's already morning, but when I try to turn it off, the voices come from my phone.

It's then that I stare down at the screen for the first time to see someone's actually calling me. At three in the morning.

"Little one?"

Even in my too-sleepy-to-realise-anything-around-me state, I recognise that rich, manly voice.

"What?" I reply quietly, still not fully awake. What the hell does Alexander want at three in the morning?

"Come pick me up."

I blink. Am I dreaming? I look down at the phone at the number that's displayed on my screen. This must be a dream because Alexander doesn't have my number and even if he had one, he wouldn't call me.

I end the call and turn around in the bed. But the vibrating starts again. I groan. Maybe this is not really a dream, after all. It's a nightmare.

I answer the phone. "What?"

"Come pick me up," he says, same as before. He sounds a bit out of breath and he's speaking quietly. He's somewhere quiet because I don't hear any voices or noises behind anymore.

"Are you serious?" I groan into the phone.

"Yes," he says tightly. "I need you to come and pick me up. Something happened. Drive towards Islington, you'll see me by the road."

"Drive? With what? Your motorcycle?" I'm glad to see the sarcasm didn't leave me in the middle of the night.

"God forbid!" Alexander says. "Take my car. My keys are in my room."

His car? "Your car?" I say the thought out loud. Since when does Alexander have a car? And why have I never seen him driving it before?

"Fuck, Gabrielle, yes. Are you deaf? Why the fuck do you repeat everything I say?" He sounds desperate and in a rush.

I frown. "I'd be a bit careful about how you talk to me. Since you apparently need my help and all that."

I hear him sigh. "Just get your ass out of the bed and come here as fast as you can." And he hangs up.

I stare at the phone, frowning. What an asshole. Why am I even contemplating to go pick him up?

Well, hell.

I drag my ass out of the bed and quickly throw a sweater over my pyjama then head to Alexander's room to search for his keys.

I find them on his nightstand. I snort when I grab them. Who would expect this boy to have a BMW? I certainly didn't. I thought he lived for that motorcycle of his.

I quietly sneak out of the house down into the garage. I honestly don't know why I'm even doing this. Couldn't Alexander call anyone else? Besides, where did he even get my number?

The realisation made me pause. I swear I'm going to kill Sam if she had anything to do with this ...

My eyes widen when I turn the light on in the garage. I've never been in here before. It's a huge, cold place where three total cars, white, grey and black, are parked along with Alexander's motorcycle.

It makes me wonder how Alexander even got to Islington tonight.

I have to unlock the car first to see which one is Alexander's. It's the black one – surprise, surprise.

I sit in this magnificent car, enjoying the smell of leather. I totally hope I don't crash his car since I'm not that experienced driver yet, but on the other hand, it would serve him right. I should hit something on purpose. And driving on the left side, too. If the police stop me, Alexander's dealing with it.

I open the garage door by pressing the key on a small device I find in the car and drive out. Oh, wow. I could persuade Alexander into lending me his car more often, it's heavenly to drive it!

Oh, who am I kidding? Alexander can't be persuaded into anything.

I'm so focused on where I'm driving and hoping I don't get lost somewhere, I almost don't spot someone stepping out from the darkness and into my vision on my right.

I almost don't recognise Alexander since he has a hood pulled over his head, hiding his face.

The car doesn't even come to a full stop when he already sits in the passenger seat.

I turn my head to look at him and when Alexander lifts his head to look at me back, I gasp.

"What are you waiting for? Drive!"

I jump up in my seat at his loud, harsh tone.

I turn the car around and drive in the opposite way. My hands are shaking on the steering wheel. "What happened to you?"

Alexander ignores me, instead crossing his arms on his chest and turning his head to look out of the window.

"What happened to your face?" I repeat louder, hoping he doesn't hear how shaky my voice is getting.

"Do you have to be so fucking noisy all the fucking time?" Alexander snaps in irritation.

His words spark a wave of anger in me. "Well, since you woke me up in the middle of the night, made me get out of my warm bed to get here and pick you up, it would be nice to tell me why the hell your face is bleeding!" My voice turns higher at the end, pointing at how frustrated he's making me.

"I don't have to tell you a damn thing, Little one," he snaps again with a low, vicious tone.

I step on the brakes suddenly. I stare forward when I state calmly. "Get out."

Alexander doesn't respond for a few seconds. I feel him staring at me in disbelief. "What?"

"Get out," I repeat, gritting it through my teeth.

"This is my car if I should remind you," Alexander points out.

I turn to look at him. "And I'm driving it. Get out. I'm not going anywhere with you in the car."

Alexander thrusts his hands in his hair. "Fuck," he swears under his breath. "Are you five?"

I only raise my eyebrows at his rhetorical question.

When he seems to get that I'm completely serious about this, he sighs. "I got into a fight," he says calmly. I notice him clenching his jaw as the mere thought of it makes him mad again.

I nod. "Clearly. With whom?"

"Does it matter?" Alexander asks in irritation. I see he's getting frustrated, too.

I let the silence answer his question.

"Ryder," is his simple answer.

It doesn't really surprise me. Whenever I was in the same place as them together, I always felt so much tension between them. It was only a question when one of them will just snap and do what they both wanted to.

"Why?" I'm nosily curious. I don't know why I love to anger Alexander so much, but there's something in the way he reacts every time that gets me to feel some kind of way – it gives me a rush.

"What the fuck is this? An interview?" Alexander asks rudely.

I make myself comfortable on the seat. I can be here all night if he wants me to be, and I will be. Because I'm stubborn enough to break him.

"Holy fuck, I know I'm not calling you the next time now. The fuck, man," he mutters to himself. I want to laugh at him.

"Yeah, where did you even get my number, by the way?"

Alexander shoots me a look. "If you don't start driving, Little one ..."

My expression turns amused now. Oh, how I'm enjoying this!

"Answer me and then I might." I shrug casually, inspecting my nails as if I have all the time in this world.

I feel how Alexander is literally glaring at me, but I completely ignore his stare.

"He was spilling some bullshit about ... family," Alexander says tightly. "You don't have to know other than that."

"And?" I press.

Alexander looks at me, confused. "And?" he repeats.

"My number – where did you get it?" I want to know.

"Sam gave it to me," he answers casually, like it's no big deal.

Like I thought, I sarcastically think to myself. I nod. "Youcan start planning her funeral."

😁😁.

💖