The rhythm of this trembling heart

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𝔸ℕℕ𝔸𝔹𝔼𝕃𝕃𝔼 opened the door to the room where Gabriel was being held. She peeked in, seeing him struggle against his restraints. He stopped abruptly when he heard the door open and spoke, "What's happening? Where am I?" He began to struggle again, but Annabelle quickly moved to his side and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Stop. Easy, easy, you're going to hurt yourself," she said gently. She felt his body tense beneath her touch. Gabriel's heart skipped a beat as his mind raced with questions, "Anastasia?" he whispered under his breath.

Annabelle ignored his whisper and asked, "How are you feeling?" She checked his wrists for any wounds. Gabriel, still in a state of urgency, asked, "Who are you?"

Annabelle sighed in relief at the lack of injuries before answering, "I can't tell you that." She removed her hands from his shoulders. Gabriel, feeling a mix of pain and hope, pleaded, "Can you take the blindfold off? It's really tight, and my eyes are starting to get irritated."

Annabelle considered his request for a moment. She pulled her mask up, covering only the bottom part of her face, and gently lifted him up. She started loosening the knot of the blindfold. Gabriel blinked a few times to adjust his eyes and then looked into Annabelle's eyes. His breath caught in his throat as a wave of relief and joy washed over him as he saw her even just her eyes, but he had to make sure.

"Are the cuffs hurting you?" Annabelle asked.

"My arms are sore," Gabriel replied.

Annabelle looked at him for a moment before taking out the keys. "Don't try anything funny. Understand?" she said in a serious tone.

"Wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart," Gabriel responded with a flirtatious smirk.

Annabelle ignored the nickname and uncuffed one of his hands, bringing both his hands to the front before cuffing him again. "Better?" she asked. Gabriel rolled his shoulders and neck, releasing some tension from his sore muscles. "What's going on?" he asked in an innocent tone.

"We're keeping you here until your father gives us some money," Annabelle said, standing before Gabriel.

"Do you know who my father is?" Gabriel asked.

Annabelle shook her head. "No. And we don't want to know, so don't tell me. Are you hungry? I could bring you something to eat."

Though Gabriel didn't show it, he felt a smile forming inside. He looked at Annabelle with an expression like a wounded animal and asked, "Are you gonna hurt me?"

Annabelle looked shocked and quickly sat on the bed facing him. "No. If you behave and do as we say, and if your father gives us the money, you'll be fine. In the meantime, I'm here to keep you safe and comfortable." Gabriel's internal smile grew as he saw her genuine concern. Annabelle continued, "I can even promise you, I won't let anybody hurt you." She lifted her hand, extending her pinkie. "I even pinkie-promise you that I won't let anyone hurt you."

Gabriel chuckled at the small, childish gesture. Despite his situation, he felt a warmth from her sincerity. He wrapped his pinkie around hers, feeling the warmth of her touch, and smiled. However, his smile faded as he looked up at her. "What's your name?" he asked.

Annabelle looked down for a moment, contemplating her response. When she looked back up, she said, "Umm... Oh, you can call me A—Odette. You can call me Odette."

Gabriel gulped, speaking in a breathless tone, "Gabriel. I'm Gabriel."

Annabelle smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you, Gabriel."

Gabriel gently took her hand, bringing it closer to him. "Lovely to meet your acquaintance, Odette," he said, placing a soft kiss on her hand while maintaining eye contact. Annabelle was taken aback by the gesture. Gabriel then placed her hand back down, looking down for a moment before speaking again. "However, I apologize, but my father, well, he thought he wanted a child, but... he just lost interest. You've made a mistake, darling. He doesn't care about me."

Annabelle looked at him, her brows furrowing in concern. "We'll see about that," she said softly. "But for now, let me take care of you. Are you sure you're not hungry?"

Gabriel shook his head slightly. "No, I'm not hungry right now. But thank you, Odette."

Annabelle nodded, standing up. "Alright. I'm gonna leave you alone now. I'll be back soon."  "Really soon, okay?" Gabriel asked as Annabelle stood up. She nodded and replied, "Okay." Before Annabelle reached the door, Gabriel called out, "Odette?"

Annabelle turned around, "Yeah?"

Gabriel hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'm sorry about what's gonna happen. You shouldn't have been here."

Annabelle looked at him, shocked and confused by his words. "I'll come back soon," she said, trying to hide her unease. With that, she left, closing the door behind her.

Gabriel watched her leave, then looked down, a hopeful and happy smile forming on his face as tears welled up in his eyes. He held his ring necklace tightly, but soon, his smile vanished. His expression turned angry as he muttered, "Shit... she shouldn't be here." He held his head in his hands for a moment, then looked up and glared at the door, determination burning in his eyes.

🕯

Annabelle walked back to the lively bar where everyone was still gathered. Sammy and Peter were engaged in a drinking game, with Peter purposely failing so he didn't have to drink. Don was playing pool, and Dean was watching Sammy and Peter, his jealousy barely hidden as he observed them laughing and having fun. Frank was at the bar, drinking.

Annabelle made her way to the bar. "How's the dancer?" Frank asked.

"He's fine," Annabelle replied. "Look, I don't need to know who the guy's father is, but do you know?"

Frank, clearly annoyed, responded, "No. Why?"

Annabelle explained, "He just implied that his father might be a particularly violent man."

Frank took off his glasses and said in a dismissive tone, "Wow. He implied that, did he? Well... of course he fucking implied that. He's scared. He wants to rattle you. Wants you to care."

Annabelle looked down, her mind racing as she tried to shake off the nervous feeling in her stomach. "I don't think so. Again, do you know who his father is?" she asked more sternly. Frank, now with his glasses back on and attempting to crack open a nut, sighed, "Oh, my God, you're gonna be a real pain in my ass, aren't you?"

Annabelle retorted, "Well, get used to it, sweetheart.  All I'm saying is that I don't scare easy, so when I do, I pay attention. Maybe you should too." She placed a fake smile on her face, winked at him, and then walked back to her old spot where she had been reading earlier.

As she settled back into her chair, she opened her book, but her mind was still on Gabriel and his unsettling words. The nervous feeling in her stomach persisted, and she couldn't help but glance towards the direction of his room, her thoughts clouded with worry.

As the door creaked open, Gabriel's heart raced with anticipation, expecting to see Annabelle. However, his hopes were dashed when Frank entered the room, his face twisted in panic and frustration. "Oh, fuck!" Frank swore, immediately turning around to cover his face. "Fuck! Shit. Christ." He used his coat collar to shield his features, his grip tightening around his gun as he locked eyes with Gabriel. "Look away! Don't fucking look at me!" he barked, the tension in the room palpable.

Gabriel quickly averted his gaze, his heart pounding in his chest as Frank approached, still brandishing his weapon. "You see my face? You see my fucking face?" Frank demanded, his voice strained with urgency.

Gabriel shook his head vigorously. "Huh? Are you lying to me?" Frank pressed, suspicion etched in every line of his face.

"No," Gabriel insisted, his own anxiety mounting.

"You fucking lying to me? Don't lie to me," Frank snapped, his tone harsh and unforgiving.

"No! I didn't see your bloody face!" Gabriel retorted, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

"What colour are my eyes? What colour are my eyes?! It's a simple fucking question!" Frank demanded, his grip on reality slipping as desperation took hold.

"I didn't see your face!" Gabriel insisted, his voice tinged with irritation.

"Well... good!" Frank exclaimed, momentarily relenting before pressing his hand forcefully against Gabriel's head. "Who is your father?" he demanded, his voice a dangerous whisper that filled the room with tension.

"Odette said you didn't want to know," Gabriel replied, his voice trembling with apprehension.

"Well, to hell with Odette! I do want to know! Who the hell is your father?" Frank demanded, his eyes burning with intensity as he awaited Gabriel's response. "Okay. My father is... Kristof Lazaar," Gabriel spoke, his voice steady but his words sending shockwaves through the room. Frank's eyes widened in disbelief, his expression a mixture of surprise and growing nervousness.

"The hell did you say?" Frank asked, his voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of fear, his mind racing with the implications of Gabriel's revelation. Without waiting for an answer, he bolted out of the room, leaving Gabriel alone.

Gabriel glared at the closed door, his mind whirring with possibilities. He rubbed the spot on his head where Frank had pressed the gun, a faint smirk playing on his lips. Despite the gravity of the situation, a sense of satisfaction washed over him. It seemed that the tables had turned, and he was now the one holding a crucial piece of information.

"Che i giochi inizino."

Let the games begin.

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By: SilverMist707

Love you all<3