Gabriel's POVI carried Clairessa into the bathroom and gently placed her on the floor. Turning away to give her some privacy, I couldn’t shake the image of how hurt and broken she looked. The bold, confident woman I knew had been replaced by someone fragile, and it tore me apart. This was my fault. Instead of accusing her of having something to do with Marco and acting on my jealousy, I should have been there to protect her. That bastard Marco would pay for what he did.I heard the sound of a zipper struggling, followed by her soft voice calling me. “Mr. Storm, I need help with my zip.”I turned back and moved behind her to pull down the zipper. The dress fell to the floor, leaving her standing in just a lacy black bra and panties. Desire coursed through me as my eyes momentarily fixed on her body. She was a sight to behold.Her body... her curves... her legs... Stop it, Gabriel. She needs comfort, not another pervert. I immediately turned away, trying to focus on anything else. Th
Clairessa’s POVI woke up, my arms instinctively reaching out for Gabriel, but the side of the bed where he slept was empty. A wave of disappointment hit me as I realized he was gone. The memories of last night started flooding back, and I tried to push away the thoughts of that horrible man, Marco. The fear and pain he had inflicted still lingered in my mind.If Gabriel hadn’t arrived in time, who knows what Marco might have done? I shuddered at the thought but quickly pushed it away.It felt like all my hopes were crashing before they even began. I couldn’t help but feel sad, knowing today was the last day of the trip, and we still hadn’t secured an investor. But I didn’t want to dwell on the negatives.I needed to focus on the fact that I was safe. And it was all thanks to Gabriel. He had rescued and defended me in a way no one ever had.There was a tenderness in him I hadn’t seen before. His warmth, his strength—that was what I wanted to remember.With Gabriel’s arms around me, I
Gabriel’s POVThe new week had barely begun, and I was already dealing with the fallout from the weekend. I had just gotten off the phone with my security team, who informed me that Marco had fled the city with his men. They hadn’t recovered any footage from the restroom, confirming my suspicion that Marco had paid off some hotel workers who likely helped him escape and covered his tracks. But that didn’t mean I was out of options when it came to making him pay. If I couldn’t get him through the law, I’d ruin him where it hurt most—his businesses.I had tipped off Marco’s business partners about his shady dealings with their competitors and how he’d been embezzling company funds. It was information I’d been sitting on for a while, unsure if I’d ever need to use it. But now, after what he’d tried to do to Clairessa, I was more than willing to burn everything he’d built to the ground. The taste of revenge was sweet, and I planned to savor every moment of it.Why had I ever considered wo
Clairessa's POVI angrily tossed my box of belongings onto the table, scattering files and other items across the surface. The office was spacious, with a giant window offering a stunning view of the city. It was much more impressive than my former small office—exactly the dream office I had imagined countless times in the past.But as much as I admired the space, I was even more upset with Gabriel's authoritative behavior. The tender man I had seen over the weekend was gone, replaced by the cold, commanding version I knew all too well.He didn’t even bother to ask how I was doing. Instead, he demanded that I relocate to an office on his floor. Maybe I should be excited to be on the CEO’s floor, but I knew it was all about control. Gabriel wanted to prove that he could still order me around as though I was a teenager. I struggled to understand why he was so upset, enough to come looking for me in my office on the second floor—a place I was sure he had never visited before.I reached i
Clairessa’s POVI was deep into my work when a familiar, stern voice pulled me from my thoughts.“What are you still doing here?”I nearly lost my balance in my seat from the shock of seeing him in my office. I never expected him to check in on me—twice in one day. Did that mean he was interested in me? It was unlike the CEO to walk into someone’s office more than once, let alone just to check on them.A soft smile crossed my lips as my eyes shamelessly roamed over his broad, muscular frame. He looked effortlessly handsome in his tailored gray suit pants and crisp white shirt, the top two buttons undone, giving a teasing glimpse of his toned chest. The fabric clung to every inch of his body making it nearly impossible to look away.“Clairessa? Clairessa?”I was so lost staring at him, I hadn’t even noticed he was calling my name. Heat rose to my cheeks as I realized.“Mr. Storm...” I finally managed to stammer, feeling slightly embarrassed that I’d been caught staring.“Clairessa, you
Gabriel's POVI sat in the VIP section of the club, utterly exhausted as I forced myself to settle into the wild atmosphere around me. After the week I’d had, I thought a drink might help clear my head and distract me for the night. That was until I saw her.Clairessa.She was there in the middle of the dance floor, laughing, her body swaying to the music. Our gazes locked, but she acted like she didn’t know me, continuing to flirt and laugh with a man I didn’t recognize. His eyes were fixed on her plunging neckline, drinking in the sight of her. She wore a sky-blue gown that glittered under the club lights, enhancing her caramel skin. The dress clung to her curves, ending just above her thighs, exposing her soft, slender legs.I knew exactly what he was thinking, and there was no way I was letting that happen. Not on my watch.When he leaned in to kiss her, she pulled back slightly, but that was the last straw. My restraint snapped.I strode over, my anger building with every step. I
Gabriel’s POVThe heavy bass of the music thudded through my chest as I stormed over to the bar area. My vision narrowed until the only person I could see was Clairessa in some strange man’s grasp, fueling my anger. I reached them in seconds, shoving the man back with a force that sent him stumbling. “Touch her again, and you’ll regret it,” I threatened in a firm, intimidating tone. Before Clairessa could react, I grabbed her wrist and hoisted her over my shoulder. Her yelps of protest were drowned out by the loud music and the cheering crowd, who seemed to think we were putting on some sort of show. The man she’d been flirting with stepped forward, his stance bold, but a single deadly look from me made him falter. “She’s mine,” I growled, my tone making it clear he didn’t stand a chance.The man raised his hands in surrender, muttering something about not wanting trouble before disappearing into the crowd.As I carried her out of the club, her dress shifted, exposing more skin
Clairessa’s POVI stepped out of the bathroom, my skin still damp from the shower, wrapped in a clean towel. As I walked back into the room, my eyes landed on the bed, where a pair of boxer briefs and a shirt were neatly placed. My heart skipped a beat. Gabriel had been in the room while I was in the shower. Had he watched me? The thought made my cheeks flush, embarrassment mixing with a shiver that shot through me, leaving my skin tingling.I pulled the shirt over my head, and his scent hit me—Gabriel’s scent. It was a masculine mix of freshly cut wood and something darker, intoxicating. The smell wrapped around me, pulling me back to the club: to the moment our eyes locked, to the feel of his hands on my skin. My breath hitched as the memories flooded back, making my skin tingle and my body restless.Sliding under the duvet, I tried to relax, but the scent of him lingered in the fabric, refusing to let me rest. My mind kept replaying the events of the night, refusing to settle. I ha
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
Gabriel’s POV I gently pulled the duvet down and slipped my arms around her, lifting her against me. Her body was burning, her skin clammy, her breath shallow. She didn’t stir—just shivered helplessly in my arms, trapped in some fever dream. “Clairessa.” My voice cracked as I shook her gently, trying to coax her into consciousness. “Hey, open your eyes… please.” No response. “It’s me. Gabriel. I’m here,” I whispered, lifting her slowly into my arms and brushing damp strands of hair from her face. Her eyelids fluttered, and for a moment, they opened. Our eyes met—just briefly. She gave the faintest smile, soft and dazed—then slipped back into the fever, her eyes shutting again. Fuck. I had to do something. I lowered her carefully onto the mattress and rushed to the bathroom, soaking a towel in warm water. I came back and laid it across her forehead, holding it there, hoping to ease the heat. After a minute or two, I replaced it with a fresh one, trying to bring her temperatur
Gabriel’s POV I gripped the steering wheel. “Clairessa—” “You made it clear you’re never going to forgive me,” she said, cutting me off. Her voice trembled. “So it’s better if I go. At least that way, I don’t have to stand next to you, knowing you think the worst of me.” She paused, her eyes glassy. “That look in your eyes… like I’m something filthy. It’s more than I can take. So please… just let me go.” And then she turned and walked away. Just like that. For a moment, I just stared at her, stunned. Her words tried to cut deep into my heart, but I fought it off. How dare she try to make this about my reaction to her betrayal, when she should be grateful—that I was offering her a hand when she deserved far worse for what she’d done? This felt like classic manipulation, just like she’d done before. And I was on the edge of giving in to the voice telling me to turn back... but I couldn’t. Watching her stumble through the storm, drenched and defeated by the rain... It tore some
Gabriel’s POV I stood by the window in my bedroom, staring out at the heavy downpour, hoping the rain could somehow drown out the noise in my head. But it didn’t. The ache in my chest was unbearable. It felt like someone had torn my heart out with their bare hands, and I was still expected to function. To breathe. To move on. Clairessa lied to me. She deceived me. And no matter how many times I tried to reason it out—tried to stitch together a narrative that didn’t hurt as much—I couldn’t move past it. The sickest part? My own son was also in love with her. We both fell for the same woman. But I didn’t just fall. I plummeted. I let my guard down for her. Let her in like she was my second chance at something I didn’t even believe in anymore. Love. I told myself she was different. Safe. Real. Mine. But no. She wasn’t. She was exactly like Angelique. The same games. The same fake innocence. The same damn sweetness masking manipulation. Deception. Lies. And I bough
Clairessa’s POVAs soon as the door slammed shut, it felt like my entire world collapsed.A sharp, jarring pain tore through my chest, and I clutched at my heart instinctively, as if holding it might stop it from breaking apart.My legs buckled beneath me, and I crumpled to the floor, gasping for air as a sob ripped from somewhere deep inside me.I tried to silence it—to swallow the sound—but it was no use. I didn’t just cry. I broke down.Tears streamed down my face, falling freely onto the wooden floor beneath me.Gabriel’s last words echoed in my head again and again, each repetition cutting deeper into my already shattered heart.“We’re done. Nothing is ever going to happen between us again.”But it wasn’t just the words.It was the look in his eyes.A look that will haunt me forever.Disgust. Disdain. Like I was a mistake—a betrayal he regretted ever letting into his life.And what hurt the most wasn’t just losing him… it was knowing that someone who once loved me so deeply
Clairessa’s POVMy voice cut through the room, stopping Gabriel in his tracks.“No… I didn’t,” I choked out, my chest tightening, hands trembling at my sides. “This was a stupid plan. One I never should’ve gone through with—”He turned around slowly to face me—but I kept going.“But don’t stand there acting like you’re innocent. You cheated on me, remember?”His eyes darkened, pain flashing before it drowned in fury.“Don’t you fucking—” He stepped forward, his voice tight with rage.“Liar,” I spat, stepping into the fire between us. “I walked in on you and Nicole. Naked. In your bed. Don’t stand there pretending you ever gave a damn about me… about us.”“I was drunk, Clairessa!” he exploded. “I didn’t even know how I got home! Nicole told me I kept calling your name all night—like a pathetic mess. Over and over again. She didn’t touch me. Nothing happened.”I shook my head, unable to erase the image burned into my memory. “You expect me to believe that? That you just conveniently end
Gabriel’s POV “Which part?” I growled. “Dating my son? Or crawling into my bed, moaning my name like it meant something?” “No one sent me.” “Still lying,” I hissed, gripping her arms—maybe too hard, but I didn’t care. Not now. I needed the truth. I needed it like air. “You don’t just fall into bed with two men from the same bloodline by accident. So who the hell sent you?” She writhed in my hold. “I’m telling the truth! Gabriel, you’re hurting me. Please…” “Not until you tell me the truth,” I bit out. “This is mercy compared to what I’ll do if you keep lying.” My fingers sank deeper into her skin. I shut down whatever was left of my conscience. I was done being reasonable. The truth was coming out—no matter the cost. “I know you planned this,” I growled. “Every move. Every kiss. You made me fall while you played your sick little game. So tell me—who sent you?” “I’m begging you,” she sobbed, struggling against me. “Let me go, and I’ll tell you everything.” I stilled.
Gabriel’s POV I gripped the edge of the desk in my home office, holding it firm like it was the only thing keeping me grounded. I needed to act. Needed answers. The damn truth I grabbed my phone and hit the contact for Clayton—my PI. He picked up on the first ring. “Clayton,” I growled the moment I heard the click. “I was just about to call you,” he replied, voice tight—strained in a way that was unusual. “What did you find?” I demanded, not even bothering with a greeting. There was a pause. “Gabe…” he began, and that hesitation told me everything. Clayton never stalled. Never stumbled. He was a blunt, straight-to-the-point bastard. If his tone had changed, I knew the news was going to rip through me like a blade. “Just tell me,” I snapped. “This finding might shock you. I don’t know how to—” “Bloody hell, speak, Clayton. Now!” I barked. His delay was shredding what little patience I had left. I already knew—I just needed him to confirm it. “It’s... it’s going to hit har
Gabriel’s POV“Adrian… playing savior to a woman while your business circles the drain? That tells me your priorities are completely out of whack. Why bring her here of all places? What happened to your loft?”He shot me a bitter look. “You already know what happened. You refused to help out when the restaurant got scammed. So I had to let go of the loft in order to pay staff. Keep the business alive.”“That’s not my business,” I said flatly. “I gave you a choice: come work at the company or deal with your mess. You chose. Don’t come crying now.”Adrian rubbed the back of his neck and looked down.I continued, “You know how sacred this house is to me. I’ve always had a no-guest policy here. So why the hell bring her here? A hotel, a friend’s place—anywhere but here.”Adrian met my stare. “I’ve been staying here ever since I gave up my loft. Naturally, she’d stay with me. And no, I can’t afford a hotel right now.”“Adrian,” I said, stepping forward, “don’t you get it? I’m trying to set