Lahat ng Kabanata ng Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire: Kabanata 551 - Kabanata 560

Mia's POV "You have to be out of your mind." I paused, staring at the computer screen where Christian’s face filled the frame, wearing that serious, unreadable expression he always used when he wanted something. "Although, now that I think about it, you’ve never exactly been all there." I was sitting at my desk in my apartment in Florentia, still in my pajamas because it was Sunday morning and I had every intention of spending the entire day doing absolutely nothing productive. Clearly, those plans were going straight down the drain. "Mia, I’m serious," Christian said from the other side of the video call, his voice carrying that controlled tone he used when he was worried but trying not to show it. "I’ve been trying to reach Gwen since last night." "And?" I asked, picking up my cappuccino and taking a sip. "She’s probably busy. You know how she gets when she’s focused on something." "She’s not answering her phone," Christian went on, ignoring my attempt to downplay it. "

Mia's POV "You've got five seconds to wipe that stupid grin off your face before I throw you out the window," I said, folding my arms and glaring at Dante from the passenger seat. Dante, of course, didn't lose the smile. If anything, it widened. That smug, infuriating grin he'd worn since we were kids whenever he knew he was getting under my skin. "Good morning to you too, cousin," he said cheerfully, hands relaxed on the steering wheel of the fully snow-equipped Land Rover Christian had apparently arranged. "Love the suitcase. Did you pack for a whole month just to 'check if Gwen is okay'?" "You gave me fifteen minutes to leave the house," I shot back. "I didn't have time to plan properly." "Fifteen minutes?" Dante scoffed. "It was forty-five. I timed it while you were 'just putting on light makeup.'" "I hate you," I muttered. "No, you don't," Dante said, starting the engine. It purred smoothly, the heater already kicking in. "You love me. Everyone loves me. It's my natu

Gwen's POV He resisted almost the entire night. Every time my hands wandered a little farther. Every time my lips found the exposed skin of his neck. Every time I pressed my body more firmly against his, Nick found a way to pull back. To create distance. To murmur excuses about needing to add more wood to the fire or check if the door was properly closed. But I saw it. I saw it in the way his breathing faltered. In the way his eyes darkened. In the way his hands trembled slightly when he touched me before forcing himself to stop. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him. It had to be past ten in the morning when Nick finally stood and walked to the door. He opened it just a crack, letting in a blast of icy air. Then he shut it quickly and turned back to me. "It's still bad," he said, his voice rough with exhaustion and something else. "We still can't walk out. The snow's still falling. The wind is too strong." He went back to the fireplace, adding more wood, stirring t

Mia's POV Dante took the wheel, of course. Not before having a full two-minute argument with the woman about "responsibility," "experience," and other ridiculous male excuses. She finally gave in with an eye roll so dramatic it was almost impressive, but she made it very clear that she would be giving the directions and he would be following them without question. Which put her in the front passenger seat. And dumped me in the back like a child being driven to school. We'd been on the road for about five minutes, the snow still falling but definitely lighter than it had been earlier, when I decided I needed answers. "Okay, um…" I started, realizing I didn't even know her name. How had I let that happen? "What's your name, anyway?" "Paula," she replied without taking her eyes off the road, pointing for Dante to turn left at an intersection I hadn't even noticed through the snow. "Right. Okay, Paula," I continued, leaning forward between the front seats. "Do you want to t

Gwen's POV "Gwen, please," he said, reaching out, his eyes pleading, desperate. "Calm down. Breathe. This is good, actually. It's better this way. Now I can really help you, without lies between us. I can tell you everything that happened. I can contact your family, your brother Christian, who called looking for you. I can—" "No, no, no," I kept whispering like a mantra, shaking my head violently even though every movement sent fresh waves of pain crashing through my skull. Nothing made sense, and at the same time, everything did. Both realities existed at once, tearing my mind in opposite directions, splitting me straight down the middle. That was when the cabin door flew open with a loud, violent creak, as if someone had shoved it hard. Freezing air rushed into the small, warm space, making the flames in the fireplace leap wildly and sending ash swirling into the air. Nick and I turned at the same time, our bodies reacting on instinct, eyes snapping toward the intrusion.