MasukClaire's POV "Hey," Jerald yelled behind me, jolting me suddenly. "You startled me." I had a hand against my chest because he almost had my heart out of its ribcage with how he could creep up on me as though he walked on feathers. I could practically say that was it because he seemed to be doing that more often while enjoying it too. "I'm sorry." His hands rested on my waist before he flipped me around. "It wasn't my intention." He apologized sincerely, and I knew he meant it."You're forgiven, so what are you here for?" "Well..." He ran his hands through his hair, something he did when he was uncertain about what to do or say. He was fidgeting, which wasn't something I was used to seeing him doing, so what was going on? "What is it?" I nudged him while waiting for an answer. He seemed so uneasy, as though he feared what I was going to do. "I....I...would you get married to me?" "Of course I will." Was that even a question? Everything was perfect at this moment, and it was wha
Claire's POV I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes, not when crimson rained on me or when the door had been flung open. I knew help had come, that I had gotten the answer I had prayed for, and that it had been here sooner than I had expected."My little princess," a hand ran gently on my hair, and I flickered my eyes, settling them on the man who had come. My knight in dark armor. He was dressed in black with a gun in his hands, with eyes that told me he would kill whoever or whomever it was that stopped him, but they softened for me. When they peered at me, they softened. Crystals snaked down my cheek, each dropping gently. I sniffed in, knowing that if there happened to be anyone who I could feel safe with, it had to be him. His hands yanked the chains off, snapping them like they didn't hurt his hands, as though they didn't have his hands bleeding at this moment. He managed a smile at me, one that softened only for me. When the chain on my feet clanked to the ground, I let hi
Jerald's POV I kept stealing glances at the wristwatch that adorned my wrist because time was moving so fast and I hadn't gotten a text from her. She had promised me brunch, and I had waited patiently for that. Somehow it had trudged along to lunch, and I was okay with that, but while I waited. I couldn't ignore that instinct telling me something was wrong. I could tell from how my guts twisted, and I knew I would be damned before letting myself stay back for one moment without getting anything from her, especially when she wasn't replying to my messages. I wanted to believe that somehow she hadn't left me, that she wouldn't. I was just being tense when I shouldn't even be, so I had made my way into the restaurant, one of which I owned, but it wasn't out yet. I gave a smile to the waiter when I stepped in, searching around for her, when I noticed she was nowhere to be found. My hands clenched by my side. The instinct I had that something bad must have happened worsened. After flic
Claire's POV I had been blown away when I stepped into the penthouse, which was situated at the edge of the city, one that sat high and towered over all the others. I was able to see the endless skyscrapers as it provided an ample view of the city to me. Jerald had made sure it was perfect, just like I would have wanted. The decorations were ones I had chosen before I left, and it even had an infinity pool as well. "You're awake." A hand curled around my waist. I had been too fatigued to glance through last night, but doing so now, I could see that he had left no expanse, as everything was perfect. Like I had imagined. "You have done so well." I couldn't help but compliment. I let his hands settle around my waist before twirling around to take a good look at him. His face held a smile, which tickled my stomach while my hand ran across his hair, pushing it back just enough for me to take a good glance at him. "I had help." He admitted. "From Mother, she told me that you both had
Jerald's POVWell, I should be calm. She wasn't running anywhere, she wasn't leaving me, and that was the truth, but why was it that I was this anxious?I kept thinking about the fact that something must have gone wrong, or probably somehow she had decided not to come back anymore and instead be with Elena. Elena wasn't living in the shared apartment they had before she left Georgetown. I had known about that because I had placed a tail on her to know whenever she traveled out to meet with Claire when she had left, but all she had done was take vacations with her boyfriend and nothing else. She hadn't attempted to meet with Claire even once, which was something I had considered being almost impossible to do, but she had done so. She had done that so I wouldn't get close to her friend. Well, I couldn't help but commend her because the same energy she used in pairing both of us up when we were together was the same one she exacted and used in hating me or the idea of us being togethe
Claire's POV "Well. I think that didn't go well," Jerald couldn't help it as he told me. He had a pout on his face as he gazed at me like a child who had been stroked, and I couldn't help but smile at how cute he looked. "It didn't, but you tried to, and that is all that matters." I let my hands hold his while he drove. He had ditched Max earlier, stating the need for us to have our space, and I couldn't have agreed more. I didn't know why but I didn't think I wanted to be in the same space with Max, at least not yet."Where are you heading to?" I asked because he wasn't driving toward the condo, which I knew he owned. "Our house." He explained. "Our house? Do you mean in Austin or...?"He flipped his head at me. "Are you okay with us moving to Austin? I mean, your work wouldn't demand you stay back for that?""If my work would have, then I wouldn't have come with you." I explained. "So it's simple, I can always work from wherever I am, although I am sourcing for clients right n







