Page 5 of Inheritance

A sharp knock echoed through the office.

He exhaled harshly, his jaw clenching as his fingers flexed against me. His patience frayed, his grip bruising for a split second before he forced himself to let go. “Of course,” he muttered under his breath, voice razor-edged with restraint.

I climbed out of his lap and he walked to the door. He opened it, revealing a man—clearly one of his house staff. I narrowed my eyes at him.

“What is it?”

The servant swallowed nervously. "The Don calls for Sophia."

My stomach dropped.

"Tell him she’s sleeping."

The servant hesitated, caught between the immediate danger of defying Gabriel and the greater danger in lying to his father, the Don.

“Go.” Gabriel said.

The servant slipped out of the room without another word.

The heat between us had already cooled, the moment slipping away.

I poured myself a drink, the clink of glass on glass loud in the sudden stillness.

"I don’t think it’s a good look for me that you’re trying to protect me from him," I said, keeping my voice even.

"Right now just isn’t the time," he said. "He’s looking for an excuse to attack you. After the conversation I had with him... he’s not thinking clearly."

I turned, holding my glass loosely in my fingers.

"Is that going to change?"

Gabriel’s mouth twisted, something between a grimace and a smile.

"Probably not."

"And you think lying for me buys us time?"

His gaze locked onto mine.

"No. It buys you time."

I sipped from the glass, the burn trailing down my throat sharper than I wanted to admit.

"I don’t want you shielding me from everything."

"I know," he said simply.

He crossed the room, took the drink from my hand, and set it aside.

"Meeting him tonight would be a mistake. His condition gets worse at night. I don’t know why. But by morning he wont even remember that he called for you."

I stepped forward, took his big hand in both of mine.

“Come to bed.” I said softly. I felt his reluctance, and spoke before he could. “You will find her, but not by staying up all night in your office.”

“Your right.” He admitted.

I crawled into the cool sheets. The lights clicked off behind me, leaving only the soft glow of the dying fire to illuminate him as he climbed into bed beside me.