Taylor
I wake up to find that Abel's not laying on the couch like how I left him last night.
My throat goes dry and I start panicking. "Abel? Abel!" I shout, heart thumping against my chest as I look out the balcony to see if he's there.
He's not.
I go back into the house and grab my phone, punching in his number.
Abel comes staggering out the kitchen a couple of minutes later, grimacing as he holds his stab wound. "Good morning," he says, walking towards me slowly.
I hit his arm. "You scared me!" I snap. "I thought something happened to you! Couldn't you have answered me when I called out for you?"
Abel chuckles and sits down on the couch, looking at me. "You care about me that much, huh?" he asks, arching an eyebrow.
I roll my eyes, not answering him. I sit down beside him. "Since you're feeling better and shit, I think it's time we talk," I mutter.
Abel nods his head slowly. "Okay," he says quietly.
I cross my arms and clench my jaw. "You lied to me," I snarl. "You told me that you paid off Hyghly and Hawk when you didn't. Why?"
Abel shifts around. "You told me you wouldn't let me near our child if I wasn't done with Hyghly and Hawk," he tells me, tracing a pattern along the couch. "So I thought I'd pay them off without you knowing and just to back to how things were between us."
I laugh a little breathlessly and tug at my hair. "Things between us will never go back to how they used to," I start to say. I notice Abel blinking at me, a sad expression on his face. "Because so much has changed," I carry on. "I'm pregnant. We have feelings for each other -"
"No, I love you," Abel interrupts, shifting around in his seat as he leans forward to take my hands in his.
I look up at his hand on top of mine before looking up into his eyes. I bite down at my lip and sigh heavily. "I love you too," I tell him.
Abel stares at me for the longest time, making my insides twist a little in nervousness. He tilts his head, a smile forming on his lips. "You've never said that out loud before," he says, stroking my hand with the back of his thumb.
I just stare at Abel for a long time before pulling my hand away from him. "That's because there's never seemed to be a right time to say it," I say with a sigh, raking my hands through my hair.
Abel grabs my hand again and kisses it. "Please give us a chance, baby," he begs. "Let's just be in a proper relationship."
I shake my head sadly. "I can't," I whisper. "I just can't, Abel. Not right now. You've hurt me. I don't think you really understand how much."
"I do!" Abel exclaims. "I do. Trust me, I do, Tay. And I'm sorry, okay?" He pauses, taking in a deep breath and letting it out. "Look, I know that you don't really trust me after all the lying I've done, but I want to make it up to you. I want you to trust me again."
I sigh heavily and fold my arms across my chest. "I guess you'll have to earn it back then, won't you?" I ask.
Abel blinks at me. "You really mean it?" he asks.
