Claire POV “So? What do you think?” Don watched with boyish anticipation as I lifted a forkful of gnocchi to my mouth.I pretended to mull it over before I proclaimed, “Best I’ve ever had.” His grin made the butterflies in my stomach reel.“Told you,” he said, oozing playful self-satisfaction.We were eating dinner at a tiny French restaurant tucked in the heart of Columbia Heights. Instead of individual tables, one rustic wooden table stretched down the middle, just large enough to seat a dozen people. A candlelit chandelier bathed the room in a flickering glow, and a display of copper pots and pans hung on the exposed brick wall.It felt like we were eating in someone’s home, especially since there were few people in the restaurant. “Don’t be too smug.” I pointed my fork at him. “The date is only half done. I’ve yet to grade you on your hand-holding, cuddling, and sweet little skills.” “Of course. Apologies,” he drawled. “Didn’t mean to jump the gun.” “Apology accepted.” I tuc
Claire POV"You must be joking." Elyse snapped at me with a huge frown on her face. "I'm 100% serious baby. We're leaving for our honeymoon by next week. We've even booked our flights and-""Shut up!" She screamed angrily. I looked at her in surprise, "Why? Why do you say so?"She eyed me suspiciously, "So you don't know why?"I shook my head and said, "Really not.""Then, if you go with your jolly husband to Paris to spend your honeymoon for days, who do you intend to leave me here for?" Elyse asked pouting."It's a month." I corrected, ignoring her outburst."A month?" Elyse shrieked, her eyes wide."Yes, a month." I shot back. "Elyse but you know we need to spend some time together. We've been in a lot of trouble already and it's time for us to unwind." I explained. "Then I'm going with you guys. Let me start packing up too." Elyse said as she made to go to her room. "Elyse please don't!" I blocked her at the door stopping her. "Honeymoons are meant for couples and not friend
Claire’s POVTime flew fast and next week was already here. It was a cool Tuesday evening, the day Don and I were supposed to leave for Paris for our honeymoon. Aside from the fact that Don kept me awake for most of the night last night because he obviously couldn’t keep his hands to himself, after our session, I had stayed awake thinking of what our honeymoon was going to be like. I had a lot of places to visit in Paris, a lot of things to see. Matter of fact, I had made a list two days ago and I hoped to tick every friggin’ thing on the list. Don sure wasn’t going to say no to my requests. He loved me too much to turn me down. Besides, if he also had any fun thing in mind to do, I was also ready. “A penny for your thoughts?” Don’s timber voice broke into my reverie. I whipped my head to the door. He closed it quietly behind him as he ambled toward my form. I briefly checked him out. I was indeed lucky to have this fine specimen of a man as my own. “What’s on your mind, Tesoro?”
Don's Pov"Fuck!" A groaning pain escaped my lips the moment the bullet brushed my arm. I couldn't hold on to Claire any longer as I fell to my side immediately. "Don!" Claire's trembling voice squealed as tried to rush over to me, her face filled with terror."Stay down, Claire!" I warned her, wasting no time in grabbing an empty gun from the back pocket of a dead bodyguard beside me. I shot two times at the attackers who in turn doubled the shots. Clutching my bleeding hand, I struggled to get up using my bodyguards as shields."Don, leave. We would handle this!" One of my guards looked back and said, but fell flat to the ground when the attackers unexpectedly shot at him. I returned the headshot to the assailants, firing one of their men too. Bullets flew in the air and one almost hit Claire. "Stay the fucking down, Claire!" Rage rushed through my veins as I pulled her head down."I'm sorry…I'm scared" Her jittering teeth were enough evidence. "No. I'm sorry, this is what you ge
Claire's povMy eyes opened and the first person my gaze met was Romano, with his usual stoic face. I raised my head from the bed I was lying on, looking around to see, I was in the hospital. My mind recollected the last incident in a flash and I looked at my thighs. It was clean and free from blood and neither were there any bruises. I turned to see that it was just me and Romano in the room. "Where is Don?" I asked, my voice very faint."He is doing okay" Romano responded. "How are you too? Do you feel any pain?" He asked."No, I feel good. I need to see Don" I hurriedly left the bed, but he held me back. "The doctor asked you to take a good rest. Don is treating his bullet wound. He would be here soon" he insisted."But he…" I remembered how Damien shot the attacker and how he carried me even with his injured arm. "I need to see my husband, are you sure he is okay?""Claire.." Don's voice pared into the room. I saw his hand wrapped with a bandage, but he walked in like nothing h
Don’s POV The last two days had been nothing confectionary to deal with. I was happy about the news of my wife being pregnant, but I hated that there were pressing matters that needed to be attended to and would not allow the expression of joy in the house.At the hospital yesterday, Romano had given me some terrible news which had been on my nerves. I had initially thought of planning a pregnancy reveal party for Claire after we left the hospital, but Romano's revelation put that thought to death.Now we were home, the tension raised even more than usual.I drummed my fingers on the table as I waited impatiently for everyone in the house to gather in the living room. There was a serious issue I had to address and although Claire and I had just returned from the hospital yesterday and needed enough rest, the issue at hand just couldn't wait. I had to iron it out ASAP. My remaining bodyguards, now a few men compared to the ones I had before but were now dead and gone, courtesy of Sa
Claire's POV It all began as soft taps on the door but now the knocking was persistent. I knew who it was but I didn’t want to see him or talk to him. Don had been knocking on the door of my room for two days now since we moved to the safe house but since he had made me annoyed, my pettiness got the better of me. A part of me wanted to see him, wanted to sniff him, wanted to touch him but the greater part of me chose to stay angry at him. He had to learn a lesson, I guess. “C’mon Claire, open up. It’s been two days since you locked me out, two days and you’ve not picked up any of my calls, two days and you’ve not returned any of my texts. What else would you have me do?” “Get on your knees and grovel till they bleed water and blood. Beg me until I say stop” I muttered under my breath, chuckling. I’m sure he didn’t hear that. Would he have done so if he did? Well, I didn’t know. “Open up already, Claire. Please” I heard him plead from the other side but I still wasn’t moved. It wa
Claire's Pov________We walked into the living room, a hint of excitement in our steps. The family was stunned to see Don and I hold hands. Everyone has been on their separate lanes since Don aggressively spoke about the mole.In short, our movement into the safe house had been nothing but a quiet and angry house. Madam Desideria was the first to notice us, before Elyse. "Oh, my. I always want to see you both like this" she gasped, covering her mouth with her palm.Elyse's smile widened as she clung to Madam Desideria's arm. "I told you they wouldn't stay that long without talking to each other."I liked that the mole case had not broken our trust in each other. Even while we looked out for one another, we still trusted that nobody could rat out our safety to criminals. It could be a mistake - we had all said. We loved each other too much to betray one another."Did Claire save us from your wrath?" Elyse asked Don who scoffed."Settle down, everyone," he said, facing Romano who was