Chapter 4 - Midnight Secrets and Open Locks
The adrenaline lasted until the private elevator doors chimed open on the penthouse floor at two in the morning. As the heavy doors sealed us inside the soundproof sanctuary, the triumphant smirk vanished from my face, replaced by a bone-deep exhaustion. My feet ached, my shoulders were tight from hours of holding my posture like a royal warrior, and the heavy sapphire necklace felt like an iron shackle against my collarbone.
Gabriel leaned his cane against the foyer console and immediately unbuttoned his cuffs, letting out a low breath.
""You were extraordinary,"" he said, turning to look at me. The harsh glare of the public hall had been replaced by the warm, dim ambient lighting of his living room. ""The way you dismantled Isabella’s confidence in front of the press corps was ruthless. I’ve had underbosses wet their pants under less pressure.""
""I was terrified,"" I admitted, reaching behind my neck to struggle with the intricate platinum clasp of the heirloom necklace. ""My hands were shaking the entire time we walked down those stairs.""
""No one saw,"" Gabriel replied, stepping closer. ""May I?""
I paused, then dropped my hands. ""Please.""
He stepped behind me. Even without touching my skin, his sheer proximity sent a strange, electric warmth shivering down my spine. His large, calloused fingers brushed against the sensitive nape of my neck as he gently manipulated the stubborn clasp. For a man who lived by violence and fear, his touch was impossibly tender. He didn't rush. He didn't pull. With a soft click, the heavy gems came free.
He held the necklace in his palm but didn't move away immediately. His reflection in the floor-to-ceiling glass window looked steady, fierce, and entirely focused on me.
""You could have asked for a divorce tonight,"" Gabriel murmured near my ear. ""With the press in attendance, you could have walked away cleanly, and I would have protected your reputation from any fallout.""
I turned around to face him, leaning back against the cool marble console. ""Why do you keep offering to let me go, Gabriel? Are you that desperate to be rid of me?""
His eyes darkened with an unreadable emotion. ""Because every person in your life has taken advantage of you. Your father used your affection to hide his bad debts. Luke used your innocence as camouflage for his treason. I didn't want to be the third monster who kept you prisoner just because a priest said words over our heads.""
The raw honesty in his voice caught me off guard. Luke had spent six months reciting empty poetry and promising me lavish vacations, but he had never looked at me with the fierce, protective reverence Gabriel was displaying right now.
""I gave you the bedroom key yesterday,"" Gabriel said quietly, pointing toward the hallway. ""You locked it last night. I respect that. You can lock it again tonight.""
I reached into the small beaded clutch I had carried to the gala, pulled out the heavy brass key, and tossed it onto the glass coffee table between us. It landed with a sharp clink.
""I won't be needing it,"" I said softly, looking directly into his surprised hazel eyes. ""A cage only works if you're afraid of the keeper. And for some reason, Gabriel Moretti, you're the only man in Chicago who doesn't frighten me at all.""
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He stared at me, his chest rising and falling heavily. For a second, I thought he might reach out and pull me into his arms. The air between us crackled with an unspoken tension, an undeniable pull that went far beyond contracts and revenge.
Instead, Gabriel stepped back, offering me that rare, disarming half-smile that transformed his scarred face into something breathtakingly handsome. ""Get some sleep, Claire. Tomorrow morning, we go to war with the banks.""
