Gabriel’s POVI sat across from the bed, watching as Clairessa stirred from sleep. She stretched beneath the sheets, letting out a soft yawn as her eyes shot open. Damn, she looked stunning in the morning. Her curls were scattered, spread across the pillow. Her eyes, still heavy with sleep, blinked lazily as she rubbed them. The movement was innocent yet deeply seductive. The early sunlight slipping through the curtains made her skin glow. Her gaze finally found me, and when she realized I’d been watching her, she smiled shyly and covered her face before peeking at me through her fingers. “How long have you been watching?” Her voice was soft and drowsy. “Long enough.” I stood and walked over to the bed, sitting beside her. Gently, I pried her fingers away from her face, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead. “Good morning, my sweet.” “Good morning,” she whispered back. I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. Her warm, bare skin pressed against mine
Clairessa’s POV Back home, I struggled to concentrate on the work in front of me on my laptop screen as Jess’s nagging voice from behind kept breaking my focus. I clenched my jaw, fingers tightening around my pen as I stared at the screen, refusing to pay her any attention. "Claire, you know I’m not going to let you work in peace until you spill… You didn’t come home last night. That only means one thing." I looked back, giving her my best mock-angry glare. "I already told you. I went out." My voice was steadier than I expected, but Jess wasn’t buying it. She hopped onto my desk, using her hip to shove my files aside as she made herself comfortable. Arms crossed, lips curling in disbelief. "Oh, please. We’ve been friends for a decade, and you’ve never kept a secret from me." Rubbing my temples, I leaned back. "There is no secret to tell." Jess huffed dramatically. "Liar." "Fine," I exhaled. "I went over to Gabriel’s apartment. He invited me to a dinner celebration for the d
Clairessa’s POV My fingers began typing before I could stop myself. Me: Hello, Gabriel. I apologize for disturbing your meeting, but it seems like there’s an Aston Martin delivery from you. I only wanted my car back, not a new one. His response came almost immediately, as if he’d been waiting. Gabriel: Hey, sweet. Your tone… you sound upset. I just thought your old car was overdue for a change. That thing was a safety hazard on wheels. But if you don’t like this one and have something else in mind, we can swap it. My brows furrowed. Of course, he’d insult my car, just like Jess had. But it wasn’t about the car. It was about what it meant. Me: It’s not about liking it or not. I just think a car is too expensive a gift. A pause. Then another message. Gabriel: You don’t think you’re worth expensive gifts? I froze, my fingers hovering over the keypad. Why did he always do this? Always make me question my own words, as if I was somehow undervaluing myself? Me: It’s not
Clairessa’s POVMy pulse pounded as Gabriel's hard body pressed against my softness, the heat radiating off him like a drug I couldn’t resist. His familiar dark, woodsy scent wrapped around me, intoxicating, making it impossible to think. “So, you don’t like my surprises?” he murmured, his lips brushing against my ear. I swallowed, trying to steady my restless nerves. “Well… I never said that,” I breathed, my body betraying me as it melted into him despite my weak attempt to resist. “Then what is it?” His other hand came up, tilting my chin so I had no choice but to look into his stormy gaze. “Gabriel, you bought the car without asking me first.” His lips curled, amusement and arrogance blending in that infuriatingly sexy way. “That’s typically how surprises work, Clairessa.” His fingers trailed lower, brushing away a stray drop of water gliding down my neck. His touch was so light, yet it sent shivers through me, making it impossible to resist him any longer. I sucked i
Clairessa’s POVMy back pressed against the cool wall, my legs still locked around Gabriel’s waist.His strong hands held me effortlessly, keeping me pinned as if I weighed nothing. His eyes burned into me—dark, smoldering. “Let me see you,” he coaxed. “I want to look at you.” My breath came in short pants as I loosened my grip, releasing the towel and letting it fall to the floor. His gaze roamed over me, pupils dilating, hunger flashing across his face. “Damn…” His voice was husky, almost guttural. “My sweet… you’re beautiful,” he murmured, his lips trailing over my shoulder, up the curve of my neck. “Every inch of you.” His nose nuzzled against my skin as he inhaled deeply. “And you smell like vanilla,” he groaned, his mouth finding the spot just beneath my ear. “Sweet. Warm. Tempting.” His fingers slid into my damp hair, massaging my scalp. “Did you wash your hair?” I nodded breathlessly. “Good,” he whispered against my throat. “Because I want to bury my face in it
Clairessa’s POV My phone vibrated on my desk. Daniel. A wave of guilt washed over me. I had meant to call him back, to check in, but with everything that had happened with Gabriel, I never got around to it. And now, here he was, reaching out. Again. I contemplated before answering. Avoiding him would only make me feel worse. With a deep breath, I picked up the call. "Daniel, hey..." "Clairessa." His voice was warm, but there was a subtle note of disappointment. "I was starting to think you'd forgotten me." I closed my eyes, exhaling. "I’m sorry. Things have been… hectic." A pause. "I get it," he finally said. "But we should meet up. Talk." He wasn’t wrong. I had been putting this off. "You’re right. We should. When?" "I’m in the city, actually, not far from your office." His tone lifted slightly, hope slipping through. "How about lunch today?" "Today?" I glanced at my watch. It was almost my break. Better to meet him now and get it over with. I owed him that much.
Clairessa’s POVAfter having lunch with Daniel, I was back at Storm Innovations, standing in front of the elevator, impatiently gripping my phone. Gabriel had called multiple times, and I had ignored every single one. His messages sat unread, and guilt ate at me. I needed to get back to my office, bury myself in work, and use it as an excuse for not checking my phone.Maybe then, I could figure out what to say to him. The elevator finally chimed, the doors sliding open. But just as I stepped forward, someone walked out—straight into my path. Adrian. I froze. He stepped out, his gaze locking onto mine, stopping me in my tracks. "Clairessa," he greeted smoothly, his voice carrying a familiarity that grated on my nerves. I swallowed hard, gripping my phone even tighter. I hadn’t expected to see him here. Then again, why was I even surprised? This was his father’s company. He had every right to be here whenever he wanted. But this time, unlike before, the rage I used to
Clairessa’s POV The SUV pulled into the private entrance of Gabriel’s Miami penthouse, my heart beating a little too fast as I stared up at the towering building. Was he home? Would I be walking into a confrontation? I turned to Dario, hoping for some sort of warning. He was already stepping out to open my door. "Is he home?" Dario gave a curt nod. "Mr. Storm is waiting inside." Then, without another word, he opened the door for me. I sucked in a deep breath before making my way toward the private elevator. When the doors slid open, the penthouse greeted me with its usual quiet and dark ambiance. I hesitated before stepping forward, glancing around. I half expected Gabriel to be waiting in the living room, arms crossed, ready to interrogate me. But he wasn’t there. Then, I heard it—his voice, deep and smooth, drifting from down the hall.Following the sound, I moved past the plush seating area, through the wide marble hallway, until I reached his office. The do
Clairessa POVThe day had finally gone by faster than I expected. Adrian had settled into his downstairs room—claiming it was more convenient, already filled with his things—while I was placed upstairs. It felt like life was playing another sick, twisted game on me, because he’d placed me in the room closest to Gabriel’s. He even joked about it—said maybe his dad would finally warm up to me, get to know me… even like me. What he didn’t know was that I already knew Gabriel. Intimately. He was my secret. My mistake. My obsession. The man I had once given everything to—and the one I still wasn’t over. And I knew this house—every hallway, every door, every room. So when I left my room and wandered to Gabriel’s door, I told myself it was just to say thank you—for letting me stay until I figured things out, for not turning me away.But a voice in my head warned me to go back. That nothing good would come from this. Still, I didn’t stop. His door was ajar. I didn’t knock—
Gabriel’s POVI looked at Adrian—and for the first time, I saw something different. Adrian wasn’t fighting.He wasn’t bluffing.He was broken.Humbled.He wanted to make things right.And in that moment, I knew—if I said no, I might lose him for good.This wasn’t just about Clairessa anymore. It was about righting something that clearly mattered to him. And he needed me—not as a boss, but as a father—to back him up.Fuck.“Fine,” I bit out. “She can stay. But not more than a month.”Relief washed over his face, lighting him up like the boy I hadn’t seen in years.“Thanks, Dad,” he breathed, pulling me into a quick, tight hug.I stood stiff for a moment, then patted his back, still not used to these moments.As he pulled away and walked out, I turned back toward the window.At least I had one consolation: Adrian’s vulnerability had given me leverage.Now he’d listen.Now he’d obey.This was my chance to mold him—straighten him out, finally turn him into the man I knew he could become.
Gabriel’s POV I paced the room, anger and heartbreak twisting so violently inside me I thought they’d tear me in two. My fists clenched and unclenched at my sides as I stared out the window into the night sky—the only thing that made any sense in this goddamn chaos. Then I heard the door push open behind me. Adrian stepped in, shutting it with a firm click. “Dad,” he said, frustration clear in his voice, “why did you react that way? You just walked out of dinner because I asked you to let Clairessa stay? I don’t get it. What’s so hard about that?” “Adrian, not now,” I muttered, my voice low. “We’ll talk later.” But he didn’t back off. “Why not now?” he pressed, stepping closer. “Why can’t we talk about it now? What is it? What do you have against Clairessa? It feels like you don’t like her—you’ve never liked her, not from the first time you saw her. What is it? Is there something you know that I don’t?” I didn’t want to do this. Not now. Not while my mind was still spinning… n
Gabriel’s POVI sat at the dining table, seething, the rage in me growing hotter every goddamn second.Across the table, Adrian and Clairessa sat so close their arms brushed. He leaned in, whispering something in her ear. She smiled—smiled like she loved whatever nonsense he was feeding her.My blood burned.Her eyes met mine once. Just once.Then she looked away like I didn’t exist. Like I hadn’t given her twenty-four hours to tell him the truth.And judging by the way he looked at her—like she was some innocent angel who saved his life—she hadn’t said a word.It was more than obvious she hadn’t told him a damn thing.She was still pretending. Same as always.But she had no idea what hell I’d unleash if she kept this up.God… I was going to—I couldn’t even say it.Couldn’t bring myself to hate her, no matter how much I wanted to.Especially not when she was sitting beside my son, touching him, smiling for him—and jealousy slammed into me like a punch to the ribs.Shit. How could I s
Clairessa’s POVAdrian turned his head to look at me, eyes narrowing slightly. “What do you mean?”“I was angry that you cheated on me,” I whispered. “So I decided to get even… and I started seeing someone.”Adrian’s expression darkened; hurt flashed through his eyes before he quickly masked it. “Okay. So you were with someone while we were apart. If I’m being honest, I kinda suspected it… based on how quickly you seemed ready to move on from us.”He gave a short, shaky breath. “If that’s what this big talk is about, then… Clairessa, that’s not a crime. We weren’t together. You don’t have to beat yourself up over that. We can move on from it.”“Not when you find out who it was…”Adrian shifted and reached for my hands. “Claire, listen. I don’t need to know who the guy is. It doesn’t matter.”I stared at him, my throat tightening. “You don’t understand—”“Shhh…” Adrian hushed me gently, pressing two fingers to my lips. “I understand what you’re going through. I’ve carried my own guilt
Clairessa’s POV Gabriel didn’t look at me at first. His eyes stayed fixed on Gretchen, his tone calm but laced with a quiet threat. "Leave us," he said. Gretchen froze for a breath, clearly uneasy. "Of course, Mr. Storm." She slipped out without another word. And then it was just us—Gabriel and me. I barely had time to register the storm in his eyes before he crossed the room in three long strides and seized my elbow—not painfully, but firmly enough to jolt my heart. "Don’t get too comfortable in my house," he hissed. "You won’t be here much longer." I stared at him, stunned. Just yesterday, he’d been at my side, placing cold towels on my forehead, watching over me like I still meant something to him. He’d cared for me, staying by my side through the night. And for a moment, I let myself believe—maybe something in him had softened. Maybe there was still hope for us. But I was wrong. The anger was back—hotter, more intense. And I was foolish to think forgiveness would co
Clairessa’s POVAfter sleeping for what felt like forever, I finally dragged myself out of bed. My body still ached faintly, but compared to earlier, I felt stronger. No fever. No chills. Just a craving for fresh air and something cold to drink.I’d been holed up in that room all day, not just because I needed rest, but because it was easier.Easier to hide. Easier than running into Adrian and his mission to get me back… or worse, Gabriel and the drama that would unfold when he told the truth.The idea of running into either of them made my stomach twist, so I figured if I moved quietly enough, I could sneak down to the kitchen, grab a glass of juice, and return before anyone noticed.My throat was dry, parched even. I glanced at the empty glass on the nightstand and sighed. There was no escaping it—I needed juice.Slipping quietly out of bed, I padded across the room, easing the door open like it might squeak loud enough to call them both over.The hallway was empty. Good. I tiptoed
Clairessa’s POVMy body trembled, a deep shiver running through me like heat and cold were warring inside my veins.Through the fog, Gabriel’s voice cut in—urgent, panicked.“Clairessa... hey, are you okay? Look at me... please.”Then I felt his hands—lifting me, holding me close, peeling away layers of clothing…The dream came in flashes. The soft splash of water. His arms supported me as he bathed me—like I was breakable, like I still meant something to him.He dressed me gently, laid me in bed, tucked the duvet around me, then pressed a kiss to my forehead.When he turned to go, I reached for him, my fingers curling around his. I remember whispering it… three small words.“I love you.”A voice, distant and persistent, tugged me out of the warmth.“Claire… Claire…”My eyes flew open, blinking against the light. Adrian’s face swam into focus.“Thank God,” he breathed. “You’re awake.”I stared at him for a moment, disoriented, my heart still wrapped in the remnants of the dream. I gla
Gabriel’s POV “Dad?” I didn’t bother looking up as I stirred the pot, letting the aroma rise and fill the kitchen. “I’m here,” I called out. I heard Adrian’s footsteps draw closer. He stopped at the kitchen threshold, and the silence that followed stretched just long enough to make me smirk without turning around. “Wait—are you cooking?” he asked, disbelief lacing his voice. “Dad, I’m shocked. You haven’t cooked in… what, years?” I finally turned to face him, wiping my hand on the kitchen towel slung over my shoulder. “Gretchen told me earlier she had a personal errand to run and would be back by noon.” I offered a casual shrug, reaching for the ladle and giving the pot another stir. “I was hungry and couldn’t wait that long.” I could feel the lie burning on the tip of my tongue. Truth was, I wasn’t hungry. Eating was the last thing on my mind. The food I was cooking—it was for Clairessa. I wanted her to have something warm when she woke up, something to ease the aftermath of