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17. Gabby
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
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B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 18. Gabby
The next morning, I found myself tiptoeing into my father’s room before anyone in the apartment was awake. I slipped the key to our family safe from the ceramic candy house with the hinged lid on his bureau and kneeled next to his bed. After easing out the small fireproof box he kept under there, I snuck both items out and retreated down the hall to the front room. There, I sat on the couch and perched the mini safe on my lap. After unlocking it, I popped the lid open.There was no money or monetary valuables inside, except some Venezuelan coins Papá had saved as keepsakes and Mama’s wedding ring. Most of the contents were paperwork. I found my and Miguel’s birth certificates, along with our social security cards near the top. After a bit of digging, I found Mama and Papá’s marriage license and Mama’s birth certificate. And then there, Papá’s certificate of naturalization, proving he was an American citizen, lay folded under that. It had his registration number and signature on it and
Last Updated : 2024-10-29B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 19. Hayden
Nerves ate at my intestines as I approached Preston Estates after work.I had worried about Gabriella all day, and it took everything I had not to either call or stop by on my lunch break to check on her.Unfortunately, the Shoes department needed to finish up our portfolio for the presentation on Friday, so I hadn’t been able to leave work. But I’d been so distracted I couldn’t even tell you what kinds of decisions we’d come to. So I was inordinately pleased to see Gabby waiting for me outside at the curb when I arrived, looking completely okay.She sat on the ledge of a concrete wall that housed flowers and plants, swinging her legs with a garment bag draped over one shoulder and her purse at her side as she sucked on a lollipop.I swear, it was the most welcome sight I’d seen all day.And fuck, she looked extra hot when she licked once, then winked at me before popping the sucker back in as she hopped down to the sidewalk and strolled toward my car.Everything inside me surged
Last Updated : 2024-10-29B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 20. Gabby
“Son of a bitch,” Hayden hissed under his breath.Turning away from where I was waving Miguel goodbye as he raced off toward his school, I focused on the driver’s side of the car. My sexy chauffeur for the morning scowled at a message he was reading on his phone.Even as pissed as he seemed to be, he looked damn good in his suit. Today, it was a charcoal gray button-up with a black vest and no jacket. And mmm, how had I not known those suit jackets he wore hid such nice, wide shoulders under them?“What’s wrong?” I asked, wiping my hand across my mouth in case I’d been drooling.With a put-upon sigh, Hayden turned his phone to show me the screen as he pulled into traffic and started me toward Preston Estates. “Lana finally has that new assignment for me to make up for the way I failed to keep Kaitlynn from taking another job elsewhere.”“Ah, hell. What’s she making you do this time?” I lowered my gaze to his screen and read the text.MOTHER SATAN: Get the Purses portfolio for me.
Last Updated : 2024-10-29B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 21. Gabby
I was still grinning when I pulled the front door open and nearly collided with Hayden, who was approaching with what looked like a huge leather file folder under his arm.“Hey,” I greeted enthusiastically. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”Grasping his leash—er, tie—I yanked him in for a quick but hearty kiss. “Mmm.” Pulling away, I licked my lips and grinned. “I believe that makes us even again, three for three.”“Hmm. I suppose,” he murmured, narrowing his eyes suspiciously even as he lifted his thumb to his mouth to touch the place I’d kissed him. “You’re entirely too happy. What kind of mischief have you gotten yourself into this time?”“No mischief,” I answered, lowering my gaze to his chest and the buttons on that black suit vest of his. Damn, he looked fine in a suit vest. “I just adore how she tries so hard to say something to piss me off and yet rarely succeeds.” I ran my fingers along the buttons and winked at him. “Not like you so easily push my buttons, anyway.”One of
Last Updated : 2024-10-29B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 22. Gabby
After dropping Miguel off at school the next morning, Hayden grew pensive and quiet in his driver’s seat. I couldn’t tell you what was going on in his mind, but my own was swirling. I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about him and everything that was blooming between us.It was totally the wrong time to start any kind of relationship with him; he was in the middle of trying to save his family’s company, play secret fairy godmother to his stepsister, prove his mother was involved in illegal activities, and set up a shoe line at a prestigious fashion company. There wasn’t time for me in his life. I was just a means to an end, there to help him seek justice.Except he’d flat-out told me he was going to seduce me. Someday. And last night, after we’d picked up our scones and fetched Miguel from Mabel’s apartment, he’d stuck around, eating supper with us, helping my brother with his homework, and listening to Papá talk about the board operator position he’d applied for at the power plant on
Last Updated : 2024-10-29B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 23. Hayden
“This all you have for me?”I glanced incredulously at the file spread open before me and then up at Detective Gutierrez, who sat on the other side of his desk, looking unimpressed by all the material my private investigator had assembled on Finley.Was he fucking serious? What the hell more did he want? I’d done all the investigative work for him.“It’s proof that he faked his own death!” I answered as if that should be enough. “What else do you need?”Gutierrez shrugged. “Pseudocide isn’t a crime. The guy’s an adult; he can check himself off the grid if he wants to.”I sniffed. “So you don’t think there’s any misconduct afoot here?”“Oh, I’m sure there’s been plenty of misconduct happening all over this, Mr. Carmichael. It’s as suspicious as hell. I figure it was damn near impossible for this guy to do what he did without breaking some law or another. But what laws are we talking about? Do you have any idea?”“Plenty,” I said dryly, unable to stop glaring at him.I couldn’t b
Last Updated : 2024-10-29B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 24. Gabby
Something felt off.It wasn’t the fact that Lana had been particularly disgruntled when she’d come home from work this evening either. That happy little nugget had actually been pretty awesome. It told me Hayden had most likely succeeded in not letting her sabotage Kaitlynn’s and his brother’s portfolio presentation earlier that day.And things didn’t feel off because Papá had messaged me, saying he’d pick up Miguel from school. That was just another awesome detail. I think he was really going to pull himself out of this slump he’d been in since becoming an amputee.I guess I could blame my antsy, restless anxiety on my failure to find any proof to doom Lana. I really wanted to help Hayden with his investigation on his mother. But I hadn’t found anything on any other day I’d worked there, and I hadn’t experienced this lacking something that left me feeling so desolate and unfulfilled now. So that probably wasn’t the source either.I glanced out the window as I put away the last pla
Last Updated : 2024-10-29B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 25. Hayden
Reluctantly tearing my mouth from Gabby’s, I peeled one of her hands from the front of my shirt, where she was holding me tight, and I jerked my gloves off before taking her fingers again to squeeze them warmly.Because seriously, if I let her keep kissing me the way she was, we’d never make it home.“Let’s go back to my place,” I said.Her eyes glittered with awareness, and the color in her cheeks heightened as she nodded eagerly. Jesus, she wanted me. She really wanted me. My body stirred and jeans grew tight.I began to forget about our original mission for the evening and all the evidence we had collected on our phones as I towed her down the hall toward the exit, pausing once at a trash receptacle to dispose of our gloves. Nothing seemed as important as getting inside this woman.Once we reached my car, I stopped completely, turning toward her before I opened her door. After kissing her hair, I pressed my brow to hers and simply breathed her in, enjoying this moment of simply
Last Updated : 2024-10-29
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B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story About the Author
Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.Published since 2010. Went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature. Then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.Now she lives with her hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a cataloging library assistant.Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion, character match Hagrid. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor...or Hulk (can’t
B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story The Hansel and Gretel Story
Hansel and Gretel – B & E EVER AFTEROnce upon a time, there were two children named Hansel [Hayden] and Gretel [Brick].Their stepmother was very cruel.She took them deep into the forest [a foreign country] and left them there.But clever Hansel [Brick] had some breadcrumbs [Skittles] in his pocket [backpack] and had [accidentally] dropped them on the path so they could find their way back home [to their villa].[Twenty Years Later:]Alas! The birds ate all the crumbs and they couldn’t find the path that led back home. Hansel and Gretel [Gabby needed money. So she went to find some at Preston Estates where she] went deeper and deeper into the forest, hoping to find their way [building, searching for help]. They were hungry [She was desperate] and tired.Finally, after walking for a long time, they [she] saw a cottage [door] made of chocolate, candies, and cake [sparkly bling]. Gretel [Gabby] cried out in delight and ate [reached forward to touch] it hungrily [reverently].
B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story Epilogue
I looked down at the ring on my finger and sighed happily.Married. I couldn’t believe I was freaking married. For a full twenty-four hours now. To the man who pissed me off as much as he made my heart pound in double time with love.“Your first book club meeting is today, right?” he asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and kissed the top of my shoulder.“Yep,” I answered, smiling as I leaned back against him to feel more of him against me. “And yes, Kaitlynn will be there. So…” I turned to face him and fluttered my lashes dramatically as I silently asked for permission to—“You want to tell her,” he guessed. “Don’t you?”“I mean, if you want to tell her,” I started on a wince, “that’s fine by me. She’s your stepsister, but…?”I would let him decide, even though I kind of wanted to be the one to spill everything.It had been months since I’d met Hayden in Lana’s apartment on Halloween night. In that time, Camille had started an online group that she was calli
B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 30. Hayden
I felt sick to my stomach.After the big reveal, where I’d gathered my brother, stepsister, Ezra, and a couple lawyers into a room and told them about Lana being a murderer, about how she’d changed the will, and how Kaitlynn actually owned half the company alongside Nash, they had each eventually gone their separate ways to absorb the shock of the news.I hadn’t been able to tell Brick about his true paternity though. That would have to wait for another time. I just didn’t have it in me to report any more shocking news today.It had been a tense enough scene earlier between Ezra’s lawyers and the ones I’d called in to support Kaitlynn. She looked so blindsided and overwhelmed. I had an awful, sinking feeling I’d handled it all wrong.Telling them my suspicions about Lana and the secret investigation I was conducting on her hadn’t seemed necessary at the time. But now that it was all out in the open, I felt like a shithead for not divulging any of it sooner.Sitting on my couch in
B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 29. Gabby
We’d had it. We’d had the proof I’m sure we needed to put Lana away. It was in our very grasp. And we’d lost it.The blow hit Hayden the hardest.He took me directly home after we left Lana’s apartment, and he didn’t say a word the entire way there. When he parked at the curb, he just stared ahead, out the windshield, and methodically tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, his mind a million miles away.“You want to come in?” I asked softly, thinking I sounded like a clingy, insecure girlfriend, but not even caring. I wanted to help him so bad; I just didn’t know how.He glanced at me shortly. “No. Not today.”“Hayden,” I started on a sigh. “Don’t let this get to you. It was just one little setback. We can—”“I know.” He finally sent me the ghost of a smile, as if he was at least grateful for my attempt to cheer him up. “Don’t worry. It’s fine.”But it wasn’t. Not to him. And I didn’t know what to say to make it better.Seeing my concern, he tipped his head towards my b
B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 28. Gabby
“Strange fact,” Hayden panted, slipping his hand over my hair as I began to climb off him, my legs as weak as jelly and heart still racing with a mixture of fear and panic.Because I loved him, I realized. Holy shit, I loved this aggravating pain in the ass. Dazed, I licked my dry lips and mumbled, “What’s that?” hoping he couldn’t tell what I was feeling.“I didn’t much like walking in the door to find my brother in bed with you,” he answered casually, seemingly unaware of the crisis that was happening inside me.But fuck me, I loved a man who drove me crazy, who had insane family issues, who could piss me off like no one else. And, holy hell, I think I liked loving someone who was so messed up.I lifted my face to peer into his eyes. At the moment, he didn’t seem too upset about seeing Brick and me stretched out on the bed together. But he’d also just come so hard he might’ve broken all the blood vessels in his medulla oblongata, preventing him from experiencing anger ever again.
B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 27. Gabby
When I opened my eyes the next morning, I found myself staring at a stranger.As I blinked at him, trying to figure out if he was real or not, he grinned pleasantly. “Well, hello there, gorgeous.”“Oh my God!” I shrieked.He was definitely real.Lurching upright, only for the sheet that had been covering me to slip down, I gasped out another yelp and scrambled to catch it before I showed off all my bits.Who the hell was this guy?Once I had the covers firmly tucked up under my armpits and had shoved dark locks out of my face, I focused on the man who hadn’t moved a muscle, except maybe to widen his devilish, handsome grin as he watched me fumble about.Waving his fingers, he added, “Good morning to you too.”I glanced around the room. Hayden was nowhere to be found, but this guy had no qualms about being in his room apparently.“Who’re you?” I said, coming back around to blink at him.“What a coincidence.” With a delighted chuckle, he plopped onto the bed beside me, still fu
B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 26. Hayden
When we finally made our way to my room, Gabby curled into me on the cool mattress and tucked her face under my chin before she stroked her hand up and down my arm.I banded an arm around her shoulders, holding her close, and kissed her hair.This was nice.I’d never felt this complete and satisfied before, as if I was a piece of a puzzle who’d just found its misplaced half.Gabby gave a contented sigh and glanced up at me, smiling lazily. I knew we should probably finish going through everything we’d found at Lana’s earlier. Or I should decide what to do about the Isaac-Brick situation. But for the life of me, I couldn’t muster a single care about any of that shit. I just wanted to keep lying here, looking at Gabriella.“I missed you today,” she murmured, walking her fingers up my bare chest.My eyebrows lifted. “You missed me?”“Yeah, you know, after work,” she went on. “I know getting picked up by you and driven home two days in a row doesn’t in any way qualify as a routine,
B & E Ever After: A Hansel and Gretel Story 25. Hayden
Reluctantly tearing my mouth from Gabby’s, I peeled one of her hands from the front of my shirt, where she was holding me tight, and I jerked my gloves off before taking her fingers again to squeeze them warmly.Because seriously, if I let her keep kissing me the way she was, we’d never make it home.“Let’s go back to my place,” I said.Her eyes glittered with awareness, and the color in her cheeks heightened as she nodded eagerly. Jesus, she wanted me. She really wanted me. My body stirred and jeans grew tight.I began to forget about our original mission for the evening and all the evidence we had collected on our phones as I towed her down the hall toward the exit, pausing once at a trash receptacle to dispose of our gloves. Nothing seemed as important as getting inside this woman.Once we reached my car, I stopped completely, turning toward her before I opened her door. After kissing her hair, I pressed my brow to hers and simply breathed her in, enjoying this moment of simply
