Chapter 108
Nala brings our drinks, and I hold my glass up. The kids smile as they raise theirs to me mine the Big Apple.”
Mark throws the Uno card down onto the table. We’re playing with the kids again Way contes Mark into a long–suffering Uno champ too.
I glance over to my beautiful Vee sitting alone on the other side of the plane, she’s looking on the window with her book in her hand and then I notice something. She’s wearing her diamond tennis bracelet I bought her all those years ago.
She put it back on.
Vee glances up and catches me staring at her. I wink and she smiles softly.
I feel it all the way to my bones.
I need her, I need us to be officially together, and while we haven’t had sex, she’s going to hoi me at
arm’s length…she already is.
Tonight, I fix it. Tonight…she’s mine.
Violet
The sun is just beginning to set as the car pulls into the underground parking lot, and the kids stare out the window in awe. Gabriel chats away, happily explaining everything to them, all the while I feel myself spiraling.
The last two times I was in New York were so traumatic for me that somehow it’s triggered a milion emotions. I feel unexpectedly angry with him, I feel scared for me, but more than anything, I feel terrified for my children.
What have I done?
If we don’t work out… We’re here already.
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The thought of going home with the two children alone is more than I can bear.
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Courted by a Billionaire After Divorce
Chapter 108
Gabriel’s warm hand squeezes mine and I glance up. “Are you okay?
You’re very quiet.”
I force a smile. “Just tired.”
He pulls me close and kisses my temple and I ease out of his grip. “Stop,” I whisper.
We’re not telling the children we are together yet…remember?
Ugh, this is so like him to assume control.
He gives me the side eye and I turn to stare out the window. I don’t know what the fuck is going on with me right now, but I need to snap out of it.
And quick.
It was me who said we could try again. I can’t say that I forgive him and then drag things up and throw them in his face forever. The relationship will be doomed before it even begins.
New York is just a place, it’s not a behavior, I remind myself.
I know what I’ve got to do…but realistically, how do you pretend that you aren’t so terrified of being hurt again that you can hardly breathe?
The car pulls to a stop, and as they all climb out, I know I have to make a decision right here and
now.
Forget the past and live in the present or end this relationship before it turns toxic.
It’s either or; it can’t be both.
Gabriel leans into the car to help me out. “Let’s go, babe,” he says softly.
My eyes search his, and this is it, the moment I know I have to decide.
Past or present…
He kisses my fingertips and smiles in at me and I melt into his gaze. I have to try… Present.
and the kids grab both my hands. “Are we actually underground now?”
Chapter 108
Dominic whispers.
“Uh–huh.” I look around nervously. I feel like a little kid again too, everything in New York is in IMAX, even the underground parking lots.
“The elevator is this way,” Gabriel tells us as he walks ahead and pushes the button.
The kids‘ eyes widen, and they balk at the door. “What’s this?” Lucia whispers.
abriel frowns. “You’ve never been in an elevator before?”
They both shake their heads and I smile at their innocence. Maybe I should be horrified.
“Hop in.” Gabriel smiles. “This will take us up to our house.” “There’s a house here?” Dominic
whispers.
“Yes.”
“On top of the parking lot?” Lucia scrunches up her face in question.
“That’s weird.”
Good grief, these children are country bumpkins.
“Isn’t this fun.” I pull them by the hands into the elevator, and Lucia cowers behind me.
Gabriel bends and picks her up. “It’s okay.” He smiles and pushes the button and the doors close. “It’s like a rocket ship.”
As we ride up, Dom squeezes my hand so tight that he nearly cuts off the circulation.
The numbers over the door rise, and with every floor we go up, I feel a little more of my excitement
return.
We’re actually doing this.
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1 bu a Billionaire After Divorce
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Chapter 100
