Gavriel’s POV
I picked up a dart, turning it between my fingers while my public relations officer ranted my ears off. My home had never felt so bleak and empty. Everywhere was quiet. A little too quiet. I was alone with my thoughts, and it sucked.
“...Sir?!”
I sighed, tossing the dart against the board on the wall. “What the hell do you want me to do?”
“Sir, there is a video of James Caldwell’s daughter calling you a murderer in public. The company’s reputation, your reputation is at stake.”
With a groan, I reached for another dart and hurled it at the board. It hit the center, quivering from the force. I had bigger things to worry about. I had Camille to worry about, dammit. I could still recall the anger in her eyes. My kitten was mad at me.
And it wasn’t a pretty feeling.&n
Camille's POVMy shoulders dropped and my head felt faint. I stumbled forward and if I wasn't caught just in time by Uncle Robert, I probably would have fallen face-first to the ground."Are you certain?" The policemen asked the truck driver again.Their voices sounded far away. There was a loud ringing in my ears. People spoke around me but only one voice rang clear and true.The truck driver's."Yes-"He was cut off abruptly. My eyes widened as I saw him shake and tremble in the bed. His eyes rolled, pupils disappearing leaving just the whites behind."He's having a seizure!" Someone yelled. "Call the doctor! Now!""Camille,"My head snapped in the direction of the man I had loved with every single fucking fiber
Gavriel's POVI stared at her glumly.I was screwed. If I said I had tailed and monitored, that would sound even worse. I was already in knee-deep shit with the driver's nonsense. I had never seen him in my life, dammit. And yet I could still see the conviction in his eyes as he pointed at me saying I had told him to kill Caldwell."Why won't you speak?" She yelled, her pretty blue eyes were red-rimmed from crying. "Why aren't you saying anything?""He came to stop us from getting the truth."I closed my eyes, trying to hold back from smashing the crazy policeman in the face. I was so fucking close to doing so. I hadn't told Camille about the whole Alan issue and he'd ruined every single thing.I could see the doubt in her eyes. She believed every outrageous nonsense that the idiot spou
Gavriel's POV"You're certain?" I asked, ignoring the wild thumping in my chest.Damn it. None of this made any sense.Benjamin nodded. "All evidence, circumstantial or not, they do point to you, Boss. It doesn't look good. If another is found, it'll be the last straw.""Noted," I said gruffly, tipping my head at him. I watched him walk out of my car to his vehicle before driving off. What on earth was going on? There was no way that I had killed Caldwell.Unless...No.No, it wasn't possible. I didn't bother driving home. I could not stand the voices in my head, mocking me, taunting me with what I knew very well to be lies.I had to see Camille.I dialed Dane's
Camille's POVI watched him leave.The hulk of a man that I had spent the past months with. He stormed out of my bedroom and I could hear his footsteps, loud and heavy on the stairs until they faded away.My fingers brushed my lips. His kiss had been brief. Yet hot and blistering enough to leave my lips sore and tender.I wanted more. And I could have more- If everything was still the same. I glanced around the room. My room was the last place I had seen my father alive.Alive and furious and yelling at me.Tears rolled, hot and burning, down my cheeks.I had shoved him aside like he was nothing. I had ripped his favorite picture of us. I had scorned my father's love and I would spend every second of my life, regretting that.I tried to go back to packing,
Camille's POV"It's today. I'm taking over Dad's company today."I stared down at the text I had sent to Megan. Double ticks meant it had been delivered, but not read. Like all the others I had dropped.I gripped the phone tighter and then dropped my head on the window with a sigh. From the corner of my eyes, I saw the driver glance up at the rearview mirror before fixing his eyes on the road.I shouldn't be angry.I shouldn't be mad at Megan. Or anyone else. Megan was going through things I wasn't sure I could have survived if I were her.Uncle Robert was supposed to come with me to Dad's company but he got a call last night and had to attend to whatever that was. When he texted last night telling me he would meet me at the company instead, I panicked.I had imagined he wo
Camille's POV"Frankly, we don't have very high hopes, girl." The man said sourly and I watched several heads nod in agreement. "We'll see as it goes."And like that, the meeting was over.They rose and walked out of the room before I could say another word. The last to leave was Gavriel. He remained seated, staring at me until they all left.Harley, who stood behind me the whole time, snickered."I guess they weren't too impressed. And who could blame them?"Who could blame them? To them, I was a spoiled brat who would have remained just that if her father hadn't died.Gav rose from his seat, gave me a nod, and walked out. I wasn't sure if I should be relieved that he didn't walk up to me or angry.I could still remember the last kiss. My toes curled at the me
Camille's POVI wiped my tears quickly and turned around to face her."What exactly is your problem with me?"She arched an already high brow. "Why would I have a problem with you? You're already a bag full of them.""That insult is so third-grade," I sniffed, trying to keep the tears behind my eyes. I would cry later. When the sour witch before me was gone.Harley smirked. "But the ones that'll follow, will not be. You've had a taste of how brutal the stakeholders are. Trust me, they get worse when our stock takes a dip. And with you becoming the CEO, I can see just how low the stocks will drop,"I frowned, shaking my head. "You're an employee in this company, why would you want that to happen? Why are you so excited to see me fail?"She pouted, putting on a fake pity face. "Oh no honey, no. I'm no
Camille's POVI was up before four am.My bedroom had a large window and I'd often drag a chair and sit there by the window sill, staring into nothing.What was there to see in Silicon Valley aside from the ridiculously pretty buildings? Perhaps a lot more but I couldn't care less.I had seen them all. With my father. And staying at the sight made me lonelier by the minute.My phone pinged with a text. It was on the bed and it felt yards away. It was probably just a notification from an app or something. Another ping had me moving with a groan.Who was it? It was barely four in the morning and it better not be Harley grinding on my neck, whining about all the tasks I had ahead of myself. I had spent a week as CEO of Caldwell Industries and frankly, I had my work cut out for me.It
Third POVThe city of New York had never felt such pomp or excitement in a long time. And that was such a profound statement because exciting things happened in New York all the time.However, there was nothing as exciting as seeing America's finest billionaire bachelor getting hitched. Gavriel Donovan had made waves in the fashion industry and even bigger waves in the media. From the scandal involving his ex-wife to his best friend's death, his exposed relationship with said best friend's daughter, and the kidnap incident he suffered some two months ago.For almost two years, the media never seemed to run out of things to discuss about Gavriel Donovan. And on that very day, before God, men and backbiters alike, Gavriel Donovan would be getting married to the love of his life.Camille Caldwell."This is bigger th
Camille's POV"Wake up, sleepy head,"I woke to murmuring in my ear, a lazy smile on my face."Good morning, baby girl," Came the deep guttural voice that teased my eyes. Hot kisses, trailed down my face, to my jaw, and then down my neck.I moaned lightly when he slid down the bed to brush his mouth against my exposed breasts."Good morning, Gavriel,"My eyes opened to see him staring up at me, his eyes bright and mischievous. The past few days had been bliss. Pure bliss."Well, look who is finally awake," He teased, holding my gaze while his tongue gave a slow hot lick over my nipples.I could feel a blush creeping up my cheeks at the double entendre. We had barely gotten any sleep the night before. I didn't shy away from his gaze. Instea
Camille's POVI counted every second until Gavriel walked out of the asylum and slipped into the backseat with me. His eyes were rimmed red and fear gripped me.Had something happened with Nolan?Did he get into a fight and was killed?Crap, all I could think about were gory things. There had been so much death and blood in the past two weeks that I couldn't summon a simple positive thought.At first, I wasn't sure what to ask. And what to NOT ask. What did one say to a man who visited his son in a mental hospital? I wasn't sure. And frankly, I was horrid at this sort of thing.I stuck with calling his name and taking his hand in mine. He gave a wane smile, squeezed my hand, and returned his gaze to the window while Dane pulled out of the driveway.The d
Gavriel's POV"Okay," She whispered. "That's good. You should have seen him. He was very... distraught when he saw you dying."He was?That was relieving.After a hearty lunch with her, Chad and Megan went off to who knows where. Camille climbed into bed with me, her head on my chest, while her hands stroked my chest gently."You're thinking too deeply," I murmured when she sighed. "What is it?"Her blue eyes looked up at me, flickering with concern. "Do I have to go with you to see him?"Nolan. I smiled at her and pressed my lips to her forehead. "It's fine. You don't have to come with me.""Thank you,""Oh come on," I murmured. "I wasn't going to make you come with me either way.""Re
Gavriel's POV"Oof!" I grunted when Camille threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and sobbing into my chest.Her tears made me feel like an asshole. I heard her. All while I was stuck in the damned coma, I heard her talk to me. Her voice was mostly muted and I could barely hear the words properly. But I heard enough snippets that made me ache desperately to see her again."Miss, give us a minute and you can hog him to yourself later," The doctor examining me said with a chuckle, trying to pry Camille off.She refused to let go and I grinned. I feared I would never see her again. That somehow I would lose her. With my free hand, I brushed her hair, murmuring in her ears."I'm sorry darling. I should have woken sooner,""No, no," She sniffed, looking up at me with red-rimm
Camille's POV"Miss Caldwell, what would you say about the current health situation of Mr Donovan?"Oh great, the press was here. I hadn't noticed them gathering in clusters until I was out of the car. I had gone out to get something to eat. It was noon and I hadn't eaten since noon the previous day. I hadn't wanted to leave Gavriel's side. It wasn't until my eyes felt dizzy and I was certain I would pass out that I had tried to find a diner.Two burgers later and a diet coke in the parcel bag clutched tightly between my fingers, I was standing before some twenty reporters waving their microphones and cameras at me.I had almost forgotten they existed. "What are your remarks on the scandal?""Did you know Gavriel Donovan had a twin brother?"My eyes widened on the
Third POVVictoria Harrington was done.Done with holding back. Done with keeping up with the mess in her head. She was a dripping mess. It had taken a few trial and error to escape the policemen. They could be incredibly dumb when it came to handling a woman who wanted to pee.Sure she ended up shooting a policeman in the leg and got slammed against the van that was supposed to transport her, but it was just a mere sacrifice she had to make.Right before her was the bane of her existence. Two of them. Gavriel, her ex-husband, and his young stupid lover. Anger surged through Victoria and she gripped the gun tighter, pointing it right at Camille."Victoria," Gavriel's deep voice filled the quiet wardroom. "Put down the gun,"If Nolan hadn't come to pick her up while she escaped the police van, she probably
Camille's POV"Are you sure you will be fine on your own?"The woman who helped me the night before was Faye. She had heard my screams while she was in her home and had looked out the window to see what was going on. She hadn't wasted time rushing out of the house and driving down the road like she was some passerby.I would always be grateful to her. She didn't just drop me off at the police station and be on her merry way. She dropped a witness statement that I had been kidnapped and a team of police was sent to retrieve Nolan while I gave my report and the recordings of what had happened with Gavriel.We stayed overnight at the station. The team sent after Nolan returned empty-handed stating that the building had been abandoned. Of course, he ran away. Faye had stayed with me today until the evening. She had been a darling. 
Gavriel's POVThe first time I felt hunger in the true sense of it, was when I was sixteen. It had been two days after my birthday and I had escaped one of the foster homes the government had tossed me in. I spent the night in an alley. Found a spot behind a pillar to rest and woke the next morning to some barman chasing me away with a stick.That morning, my stomach felt empty. It growled and grumbled but I couldn't get anything to eat. Not in the trash cans and certainly not from the kindness of strangers. By noon, my mouth was dry, my insides were hot. The next day, my arms and legs were useless, my tongue was stuck to the roof of my tongue. I had a maddening headache and everything started to look tasty.That was hunger. Sixteen-year-old me would not have survived if Old Robert hadn't found me.