He pressed his lips to hers reverently. “You’re killing me.”

She tossed her hair back and grinned. “But it will be a sweet, sweet death.”

He laughed and pulled her into a hug. “Let’s continue our tour before my contact decides to evict us for indecency. I’ll have to speak to him about getting the videotapes from the security cameras.”

Videotapes? Security cameras? Scheisse, thought Julianne.

Hmmmmmm. On the other hand…

By the time they reached Gabriel’s apartment, they were laughing and giddy. Their desperation for one another had cooled somewhat, but was still warm and affectionate. Julia was blissfully happy. And they had the whole night together…

Gabriel kissed her in the kitchen, insisting that she allow him to do everything.

“But I want to help.”

“We’ll cook together tomorrow night.”

She thought about this for a moment. “I don’t know how you’d feel about it, but I have Grace’s chicken Kiev recipe. We could make it together.”

She looked up at him uncertainly.

“Scott used to call it squirt chicken.”  He smiled sadly and kissed her again. “I haven’t had it in years. I’d be glad for you to teach me.”

That’s likely the only thing I’ll ever be able to teach you, Gabriel. You are a love god, amongst other things.  She brushed his lips with hers and made herself comfortable on the bar stool.

“Tonight’s dinner is brought to you by Scaramouche. Since Mohammed cannot come to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed.”

“Really?”

“Everything is here, including a very fine Grand Marnier chocolate cake from Patisserie La Cigogne. And I have an extraordinary bottle of wine that I’ve been saving, which I will allow to breathe before we get started.”

He winked at her. “I even have candles for the cake.”

“Thank you for a lovely evening, Gabriel. It was — the nicest birthday I’ve ever had.”

“It’s not over yet,” he rasped slightly, his bright blue eyes sparkling. “I haven’t given you your present.”

Julia blushed deeply and looked down at her hands, wondering if he had meant to sound so sensual. I wonder what “present” he wants to give me. I know what present I would like. It’s official. I am now fantasizing about making love with Gabriel…

Julia’s erotic imaginings were interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. She walked to her purse and checked it reluctantly.

“I don’t recognize the number,” she mused. “But it’s a Philadelphia area code.”

She answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Hello, Jules.”

Julia inhaled slowly, making a strained vacuuming sound with her lungs. All the color disappeared from her cheeks, and immediately, Gabriel walked over to her, knowing that something was very, very wrong.

“How did you get this number?” she managed before her legs grew rubbery. She stumbled to a chair and sank down.

“That’s not a very warm welcome, Julia. You’ll have to do better than that.”

She razored her lower lip with her teeth, not knowing how to respond.

Her caller sighed dramatically. “Your father gave me your number. I always enjoy talking to him. He’s very forthcoming, which is more than I can say for you. You’ve been a spoiled little brat.”

She closed her eyes and began to breathe in and out very fast. Gabriel took her hand to try to lift her to her feet, but she wouldn’t move. “What do you want?”

“I’ll overlook your bitchiness because I haven’t spoken with you in a while. But don’t push your luck.” He lowered his voice to a near whisper.

“I called you because I wanted to see how you were doing in Toronto. Are you still living on Madison Avenue?”

The caller laughed, and Julia placed a hand to her throat.

“Stay away from me. I don’t want to talk to you, and I want you to stop calling my dad.”

“I wouldn’t have to call your dad if you’d responded to my e-mails.

Instead, you deleted your account.”

“What do you want?” she repeated.

Gabriel frowned his concern and gestured for her to give him the phone. She shook her head.

“I had an interesting conversation with Natalie the other day,” the voice said.

“And?”

“She said that you might have a few photographs that belong to me.”

“I don’t have anything of yours. I left everything behind. I think you know that.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. I simply wanted to tell you that it would be very unfortunate if those photos ever ended up in the hands of the press.” The voice paused. “I have a video or two of you I could pass around. I wonder what your dad would think if he saw a tape of you on your knees with my — ”

As his foul description rang in her ears, Julia made a wheezing noise and dropped the phone. It crashed against the hardwood and skidded toward Gabriel’s feet. But by this point, Julia was already running for the guest washroom. The sounds of her dry heaves echoed down the hallway.

Unfortunately for the caller, Gabriel had overhead his final threat.

Gabriel picked up the phone and put it to his ear. “Who is this?”

“This is Simon. Who the fuck is this?”

Gabriel hissed involuntarily, and his eyes narrowed into slits.

“This is Julianne’s boyfriend. What do you want?”

Simon was silent for a moment.

“Jules doesn’t have a boyfriend, asshole. And no one calls her Julianne.

Put her back on the phone!”

Gabriel growled, the sound rumbling from his chest. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll do what she says and leave her alone.”

Simon laughed darkly. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with.

Julia is unstable. She’s a very troubled girl, and she needs professional help.”

“In that case, it’s a good things she’s dating a professional.”

“A professional what? Asshole? Do you even know who you’re talking to? My father is — ”

“Listen, motherfucker, you’re lucky we aren’t in the same room or you’d be spending the evening in surgery trying to have your head reattached to your body. If I find out that you’ve contacted her again, in any way,   I’m going to come after you, and not even your father, whoever he is, will be able to make you sentient again. Do you understand? Never contact her again.” Gabriel snapped the phone shut and hurled it against the wall. The cell phone broke into several pieces that scattered across the floor.

He closed his eyes and counted to fifty before he allowed himself to go to her. He’d never been so angry. Or had such murderous thoughts. It was a good thing Julia needed him. Otherwise, he was pretty sure he would have hunted that boy down and killed him.

Gabriel poured a glass of water and carried it to her. She was seated on the cold, ceramic edge of the bathtub in the guest washroom. Her head was down, and her arms were wrapped across her chest, her poor corsage shaking with the trembling of her hand.

What the fuck did he do to her?

When she reached down to tug the hem of her skirt over her knees, the sight of her instinctive attempt to maintain some semblance of modesty made his heart clench.

“Julia?” He handed her the water.

She sipped it slowly, but didn’t respond.

He joined her on the edge of the tub, pulling her into his side.

“He told you about when I was with him, didn’t he?” Her voice was low, dull.

Gabriel hugged her closer. “He demanded to speak to you, but I told him not to call again.”

She looked up at him as a tear slowly leaked from one eye. “He didn’t — say things about me?”

“He mumbled incoherently until I threatened him.” Gabriel grimaced.

“And I wasn’t kidding.”

“He’s really nasty,” she whispered.

“Let me worry about him. And if that means flying to Philadelphia to speak to him in person, I’ll do it. And he won’t like what happens if I have to make that trip.”

Julia was only half-listening. Simon made her feel used. Filthy. Pathetic.

And she didn’t want Gabriel to look at her like that. She didn’t want him to know what had happened. Ever.

“Sweetheart, what did he want?”

“He thinks I have some pictures of him, and he wants them back.”

“What kind of pictures?”

Julia sniffled. “I don’t know. They must be pretty bad if he’s so worried.”

“Do you have anything like that?”

“No! But he says he has videos of me. Personal videos.” She shuddered.

“I don’t think he does, but what if I’m wrong? What if he fabricates something and sends it to my father? Or posts it online?”

Gabriel swallowed his revulsion as he reached over to wipe her tears away. “He won’t do that, unless he’s stupid. As long as he thinks you have something potentially damaging to him, he won’t act preemptively. I could speak with your father and explain that I heard this miscreant threaten you.

Then no matter what he posts online you’ll be able to say it’s a fabrication created by a stalker.”

Julia looked up at him wildly. “You can’t. My dad is already upset that I’m traveling to Selinsgrove with you. He can’t know we’re together.”

Gabriel ran his fingers through her hair before he quickly wiped away another tear. “You didn’t tell me that. Not that I blame him. But you need to tell him what happened tonight so that he won’t give Simon any more information.”

Julia nodded.

“I can speak to my lawyer tomorrow. You can file a complaint against him, and we can try to get a restraining order. We can also try to figure out if he actually has videos of you or if he’s bluffing.”

“I don’t want to do anything to antagonize him. You don’t understand — he has powerful connections.”

Gabriel pressed his lips together. He wanted to push her to take action, or to take action on her behalf, but it was clear that she was traumatized.

And he didn’t want to add to her distress.

“If he contacts you again, I’ll speak with my lawyer and that boy will be introduced to an entirely new level of discomfort. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to pick out a new cell phone, and we’ll get you a Toronto number. You should tell your father to keep the new number secret.”

He lifted her chin so that she would look into his eyes. “He can’t touch you. I promise.” He smiled widely. “Don’t let the glasses and bow ties fool you. I can take care of myself. And I won’t let anyone hurt you.” He kissed her lips chastely and added a small kiss to her forehead. “When we’re home for Thanksgiving, you’ll be with me when you aren’t with your father. And I’ll always be only a phone call away. All right?”

She murmured just to let him know that she’d heard him.

“Julia?”