A Mob Boss's Honour

50. Leaders

Christian's eyes were solely focused on Gabriella in that moment. The room had disappeared for Christian. There was only Gabriella for him and nothing else existed in that moment for him.

All these years Christian had loved Gabriella and had hidden his feelings from her. All these years he had dreamt of a day to tell her how he felt and had been anticipating her reaction.

What had happened was unexpected. Christian had expected any reaction from Gabriela but this when it came for confession time. Never in a million years he would have imagined that Gabriella would return his affections.

The most overwhelming and unbelievable was how true her words had sounded. He could feel the truth in her tone with every fibre of his being. He had known Gabriella for years. He knew her well. He had been observing her when she hadn't been paying much attention.

Christian could not bring himself to break the silence between them. He did not want to be the one to speak. He was  just  standing there staring into the most beautiful pair of eyes that had a calming effect on him. Her presence made him breathe easier. He loved life more when she was in his life. She made him feel alive.

Christian found himself finally finding his words as he was looking at her intensely "How could it be? How? Did you just say that?..."

Gabriela breathed and said in hardly a whisper "Yes. I just did..."

The truth in her gorgeous eyes and her words had meant so much to him. His heart was bursting with joy. He closed his eyes and said "I have dreamt of this moment all my life..." He opened his eyes.

Gabriella swallowed hard as she felt his intense stare really penetrating her. She felt her body shake from the mixture of emotions she was experiencing that she was not used to. She looked away and started playing with the button of her coat as she was trying to avoid his eyes. She then kept glancing at him and then looking past him at her brother who was staring at them in silence. This was the most intense experience of her life. An experience that had made her heart race very hard. Her heart was beating very fast and she had no control over it. She was feeling all sorts of emotions. She was glancing at Christian and at her brother. She had to be truthful. She did not want to keep secrets from Christian.

After Gianluca had told Christian that Gabriella loved him, she had suddenly found the courage to confess her feelings too. Her brother had been patient with her and on their way here while driving he had given her knowing looks every time the topic of Christian's relationship with her had come up. She knew that Gianluca had felt it that she loved Christian. When he had shouted it out loud seemed like the moment had come for him to accept it. But had he accepted that Christian loved her? She was not so sure. She was sure Gianluca had come to terms with her loving Christian. But he hadn't yet come to terms with Christian loving her. She didn't know if he could ever be ok with it.

Gabriella was becoming nervous as the silence between them was getting too much... She then saw as he started taking steps towards her with an unreadable expression, his stare was not leaving her making her shake again. She was finding it hard to keep eye contact with him. His stare made her nervous. His full attention was on her and it made her feel emotions. He had the most handsome face. But she could not think straight when he was looking at her that intensely in that moment. As Christian was taking steps in silence towards her, she started retreating. She wasn't sure why. She just did. He kept walking towards her while his stare didn't leave hers as she took step backwards while glancing at him from time to time and looking away.

Gabriella gasped as her back hit the wall. Was she cornered? Damn it. She was. There was no escape. She had to face up to him.

Christian stood in front of her looking at her just staring at her as she was trying to hold his stare but kept glancing around.