Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 105: Wrestling With My Demons

Gabriel's POV I stepped closer, reaching for Clairessa's hand. She pulled me back for a moment, then slowly let me take it. Her hand felt delicate in mine, like I might break her if I wasn't careful. I looked into her eyes and whispered, "I could never have my fill of you." I confessed, baring my emotions, hoping she could see was being sincere. "You don't know what you do to me... I don't think I could ever get enough of you." She yanked her hand away, her eyes flashing with anger as she turned her back to me. "I'm done with your games, Gabriel," she retorted. "Teasing, taunting... using sex as a weapon to control me, to own me. But you give me nothing in return." Her words hit me hard, sinking deep. I knew she was right-I had almost nothing real to offer her. Yet, I couldn't let her go. My hands gently rested on her shoulders as I turned her to face me. She was trembling, and I could see it wasn't just from anger-it was from hurt, too. "Clairessa, I'm sorry... about that night. It will never happen again. I swear." She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "All these months, you made me feel everything-then left me hanging. So tell me, why should I believe you? Huh?" "Because... I've regretted it since the moment I walked away. Nothing has made sense without you," I admitted. She stared at me, disbelief written across her face. "Then why did you leave, Gabriel? Tell me the truth.” “Because I behaved like a fucking coward," the words spilled out before I could stop them. "I wasn't ready to face you... or what's happening between us." "Why not?" She shook her head, frustration etched into every word. "Why won't you let anyone in? Why do you keep building this wall around your heart?" I opened my mouth to speak, but the words stuck in my throat. "Because..." I swallowed. "Because I didn't want to reawaken old wounds. Things I buried a long time ago. But you... you're making me face it. You're making me go back to a place I swore I'd never return to." "Good," she countered. "Because, Gabriel, you have to deal with the past if you ever want to move forward. Otherwise, it's always going to hang over us." "I know that," I murmured, my throat tightening. "But I promise, I would never let it come between us again." She let out a slow breath, but her eyes held doubt. "You say that now... until something else comes up... and you run again." "I won't," I declared firmly, taking her hand in mine once more. "I'm here because I can't lose you. Because I need you back." She searched my eyes. "If you truly need me back, Gabriel, then tell me everything. The past you keep buried so deep." "Don't ask that of me..." My voice came out hoarse, strained. "Because I don't think I

"So desperate," she whispered. "And yet." She pulled back

this?" "So you want to avoid everything? You don't want to talk about your fight with Daniel? About how you lost control and fought like a freaking teenage boy at your best friend's engagement party?" Clairessa, don't," I warned, my voice darkening "Why not? Isn't it the truth?" She pressed forward, refusing to back down. She didn't understand. She had no idea the pain I had endured. The shame. The guilt. I'd carried for years. "Clairessa..." I exhaled roughly. "You don't understand." "Then make me," she pleaded, stepping closer. "I want to understand. Can't you see that?" She reached for my face, her touch gentle, but I turned away, unable to face her. "I can't stand seeing Daniel near you..." My voice was low, raw. "It's not that simple... Daniel took something from me-something I once thought was mine. And I'll be damned if I let him have you, too." She stiffened. "Daniel doesn't have me, Gabriel. Don't you get that?" She paused, her voice trembling now. "But you do, Gabriel. You've always had me since that night at the club... but you've never let me in. You keep me out, like I'm not worth the risk.” Her voice broke on the last words, and for the first time, I saw it- the raw pain, the deep longing. She needed more from me. She deserved more. I closed my eyes, trying to gather my messed up emotions. "Clairessa... I can't talk about that night. I just-can we not go there? Please?" She pulled away. "We can't move on if you won't face what's

Wrestling