He kissed her hair and then carefully pulled her upright so that he could look into her eyes.“Listen to me, okay? Freshen up in the bathroom here. Take as long as you need. I don’t want anyone to see you this way. It would raise a lot of questions and I don’t want anyone to see you so upset. As soon as you’re ready, I want you to go back to my apartment and stay there until I get home.”Fear and concern flashed in her eyes.“Where will you be?”He put a finger to her lips, indulging in their velvety softness. He traced the bow of her mouth and then followed it with a brief kiss.“I’m going to ensure that Charles Willis never threatens you again.”**********Gabe got out of the car on Lexington Avenue in front of the small office building that housed Charles Willis’s suite of offices, and he strode toward the entrance, his hands coiled into tight fists.He’d bundled Mia into a car and sent her home after she’d ridded herself of all traces of upset, and after he’d asked her to describe
He wasn’t at all certain of what to do for Thanksgiving. A lot would depend on Jace’s reaction to his and Mia’s relationship when they told him everything this week. His parents had invited him to spend the holiday with them, and as glad as he was that they were on the road to working things out, he still felt awkward around them. Plus, he didn’t want to spend the time away from Mia. And he didn’t want to leave her alone if Jace didn’t plan to be in town for the holiday.When they walked out of the restaurant, darkness had settled over the city, and the wet sidewalks glistened in the streetlights and the glow from the traffic lights. Mia turned up her face and laughed in delight as a snowflake swirled down and hit her on the nose.She posed an enchanting figure in her knit cap and long coat. She spun around, hands held out as a few other flakes danced downward in a drunken spiral.He was utterly captivated by her.Before he lost the moment, he picked up his phone and snapped a picture
“How could you do this?” Jace roared. “I knew it! You son of a bitch. I can’t believe you did this to her.”“Jace, for God’s sake,” Gabe bit out. “Let me explain.”“Shut up. Just shut the fuck up! What the fuck is there to explain? Jesus Christ! How could you do this, Gabe? Is this what you want her thinking a relationship works like? Do you want her thinking that all your twisted desires are normal? What about when you get tired of her just like you get tired of every other woman? What then? You want her going to another man and seeking out something like this and have the asshole abuse her?”Guilt swamped Gabe and he couldn’t meet Jace’s gaze. Every word, every accusation was like a well-aimed dart into his very soul. Weariness assailed him because so much of what Jace said was so very true. He had taken advantage of Mia. He’d pushed her. He’d taken over her life and he’d allowed her to endure unimaginable pain and humiliation. Not to mention the emotional stress of keeping somethin
She shook her head. “I want to go home. To my apartment.”Ash and Jace exchanged quick, worried glances.When the elevator opened, Jace stalked out, leaving Ash and Mia to follow at a slower pace. By the time they got to the exit, Jace was already back, and as promised, he and Ash hovered so closely around her that it was hard to see who she was or what she was wearing.They surrounded her as she got into the car and then they quickly climbed in and shut the door behind them.To Mia’s relief, Jace supplied her address for the driver to take them to her apartment.“How long has this been going on?” Jace demanded.“That’s none of your business,” Mia said stonily.Jace’s expression grew stormy. “The hell it isn’t. That son of a bitch abused you and took advantage of you.”“Oh for fuck’s sake. He did not. It was a completely consensual relationship, Jace. Get off your holier-than-thou pulpit for a minute. He didn’t do a damn thing that I didn’t want. He was very clear as to what I was agr
And La Patisserie was temporary this time. She’d made it clear to Louisa and to Greg that she was pursuing other jobs. She’d work at the café while she explored other possibilities and then she’d take that step out, stop hiding and embrace her future. A future without Gabe Hamilton.She shivered in the damp cold. It was a gray, overcast, dreary day perfectly suited to her mood. She hadn’t slept the night before—how could she? Caroline had stayed up with her until she’d started yawning and Mia had shooed her to bed. And then she’d lain in her own bed, staring up at the ceiling, remembering every minute of her relationship with Gabe.Checking her watch, she realized she’d have to get a cab when she’d intended on walking. Jace would be at her apartment soon, and she didn’t want him freaking out on her again.Tugging her coat tighter around her, she waded through the passersby to get to the corner so she could hail a taxi.The biggest thing she struggled with was having to return to a rou
“You didn’t give our friendship a whole hell of a lot of consideration when you jumped into bed with my sister,” Jace said icily. “You knew I’d be pissed. Hell, I warned you off that very first day, Gabe, and you fucking lied to me.”“Mia didn’t want you to know,” Gabe said. “She didn’t want to hurt you, and she didn’t want you to lose your mind. I agreed because I only wanted her, and I didn’t give a shit what I had to do to have her.”“What is she to you, Gabe? Entertainment? A challenge because she’s untouchable? She’s way out of your league and you damn well know it.”Gabe slammed his fist down on the desk, glaring Jace down. “I want to goddamn marry her.”Jace lifted one eyebrow. “You swore you’d never marry again after Lisa.”Gabe pushed off the desk and turned, pacing a tight line in front of Jace’s desk.“I said a lot of things. And no other woman has ever made me second-guess my decisions. But Mia…She’s different. I can’t live without her, Jace. With or without your blessing,
“Why is he sending you flowers, for God’s sake?”Mia rolled onto her back. “Oh that’s only part of it. He was here last night. And then he showed up at La Patisserie today.”“What the hell? Why?”“I have no idea,” Mia said wearily. “To drive me crazy? Who knows? I slammed the door in his face last night. Today I just ignored him.”“Good for you,” Caroline said in a savage tone. “Want me to go kick his ass?”Mia laughed and then leaned up to hug her friend. “I love you, Caro. I’m so glad I have you.”Caroline squeezed Mia back. “That’s what friends are for. And hey, if you decide to kill him, you know I’ll help you hide the body.”Mia burst into laughter again, her heart lighter than just a moment before.“Hey, what do you want to eat tonight? I was thinking about takeout, but if you wanted we could go down the street to the pub and hang out for a while.”Caroline studied Mia intently. “Are you sure? I don’t mind cooking for us if you want to hang here.”Mia shook her head. “No, let’s
Mia spent the weekend with Jace—or rather he spent it with her. Ash was in and out, bringing takeout and generally fussing over her. The two men brought movies, and they crashed on the couch watching TV until Mia would drift off into a fever-induced sleep.By Monday morning she was feeling better, but not well enough to tackle work, so she called in to let Louisa and Greg know she wouldn’t be there.Jace and Ash headed into the office but told her they’d be back, because they had something special planned for the evening.Through it all, she hadn’t heard a single peep from Gabe. No flowers, no gifts. Just silence. It unnerved her and had her questioning every decision she’d made with regard to him.She didn’t have the heart to tell Jace she didn’t feel up to whatever he and Ash had planned. They’d both been so great over the weekend, pampering her endlessly and working so hard to cheer her up.Whatever they had planned, she’d be prepared and she’d take it with a smile. Jace had told h