Husband With Benefits-Chapter 548: Waking Up

Gabe jolted awake, his body drenched in cold sweat, his mind still haunted in the grip of a familiar nightmare. Just as he was about to let loose a few curses, he stilled. Was that a knock on the door? He listened intently, and there was a small knock on the door again. He glanced at the watch. It was barely morning. Who could it be at this hour?

With a grimace, he grabbed a napkin and dabbed his face as he opened the door and was surprised to see the person standing there. "Autumn."

***

Autumn stood at the door and prayed that it wouldn’t open. She knew that she needed to talk to him but was at a loss. She clutched the napkin in her hand and knocked even more slowly. He would be asleep at this moment and not listen, right? But she would say that she had tried to talk to him...

It was a coward’s way but she really had no courage at the moment. When the door remained closed, she breathed a sigh of relief and was about to escape when she heard the click of the lock opening. Dam* it! Why did he wake up. She needed to escape now. But before she could get her feet to move, it was too late.

He stood there with... his bare chest glistening with sweat and his hair sticking up in all directions. She quickly averted her eyes even as her face flushed. Did this guy hate clothing? The last time also.. in the gym...

Her flushed face probably gave her away and she watched as he looked down at himself in confusion, before his mouth kicked up in a smile," Sorry about that." He moved and quickly grabbed a shirt from the side and slipped it over his head. As he did so, he turned around and she glimpsed a tattoo there, but before she could make out what it was, it had been covered.

Clearing her throat, Autumn forced herself to meet Gabe’s gaze, her hands trembling at her sides. "I... I should go," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "You were sleeping, and I shouldn’t have disturbed you."

Gabe shook his head, as he took a step closer to her. "No, it’s okay. We need to talk, and since you’re here... we might as well do it now."

She nodded her head and tried to gather her courage to speak up," I am sorry about last night. I...uh.."

Before she could continue with her apology, he interrupted her," Autumn, come inside."

HEr eyes widened at that and she shook her head," No. I’m fine here."

"I am not. What we have to discuss is private and we cannot do that if you stand there. So come on inside. I don’t bite."

Autumn’s heart hammered in her chest as she weighed her options. She had never entered a man’s room like this... even Pierce... he’d invited her into his room that horrible afternoon but his dog had been there.. Should she...No. He was her husband now and a man she had asked for help. She would have to trust him..

WIth a shaky breath, she entered the room and took a few steps inside, while trying to ignore the large bed behind him. ’Why did he take this small room and not the large suite room?’ was an errant thought in her mind but that quickly passed when he walked closer to her. He stopped next to her and closed the door firmly. The sound made her wary and she felt as if her resolve would crumble..

"Is there a need to lock..." She tried to speak louder but there was fear in her voice...

She watched as he shot her a look and then moved away from her stopping almost at the other end of the room.

"I am far away from you and there is nothing between you and the door. You can leave at any time, Autumn. Without fear. So take a seat wherever you are comfortable."

With hesitant steps, she moved further into the room, her gaze darting to the couch as she weighed her options. Finally, she settled on perching gingerly on the edge of a nearby chair, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. She knew what he needed. But she hadn;t yet gathered the courage to speak of it again.

The last time she had tried to speak of the matter, she had been ruthlessly silenced. By her mother first and then the others. And no had suffered the consequences but her...

She could feel his gaze over her and that made her even more scared.

***

Gabe watched the girl being as meek as a mouse and grimaced. He wanted to comfort her but knew that would simply scare her off even more. So he settled for being straightforward.

"Autumn. Look at me." He kept his voice low but commanding, making sure that she wouldn’t feel threatened.

She looked up at him and he gazed into her eyes. "Just nod or shake your head, Autumn at what I have surmized."

"Did someone abuse you in the past?"

Her eyes widened. It was an answer and yet he felt even more enraged when she nodded slowly.

"Was that person your step father? The man we saw during dinner?"

Her lips trembled and he watched as tears filled her eyes, while she slowly nodded again. Once. Before looking away, her body trembling from painful memories.

This time, he did not control his impulse to curse and let loose a strong of curse words.

Autumn looked at him as he continued to curse. The words were harsh with anger but as she observed him, she realized... that he was angry on her behalf. He did not look skeptically or try to ask her that she was not mistaken or trying to make her stepfather look bad. He seemed to know that she had suffered.

In a low voice, she asked him," How?"

He stopped and turned to her. The anger on his face scared her but also made her feel... protected so she repeated her question," How did you know what he did?"