GABRIELLE’S POV
You must really love my brother.”
My breath caught in my throat.
Love?
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Was that the reason behind my actions?
Rhys eyes flicked to mine and he smiled. “Or maybe you don’t love him. I heard my brother has a thing for casual marriages. Six wives in six years. How does that make you feel?”
I felt my face burn as his words stirred emotions in me I wasn’t ready to face yet.
Rhys watched my reaction with open amusement, clearly enjoying the way the words had landed.
“Relax,” he said lightly, lifting his glass in a mock toast. “I’m not judging, he’s one lucky guy. Six marriages and he still managed to keep one that actually walked into my lion’s den for him.”
I crossed my arms. “Our marriage is not casual. At least… not to me.”
“Oh, I can see that,” he replied easily. “You’ve got that look. The I–know–this–is–dangerous–but–I’m–doing–it–anyway look.”
I frowned. “I came to you because I’m worried.”
“And that,” he said, pointing at me like I’d proven his point, “is exactly why I say you’re brave. Careless, definitely but also brave.”
He leaned back against the desk, studying me like I was a puzzle he didn’t mind taking his time with.
Unlike Damon, there was no wall or coldness in his posture, no tension coiled beneath the surface. Everything about Rhys was loose, playful, and almost reckless.
ap
“My brother doesn’t let people worry about him so I know he wouldn’t approve of your being here,” Rhys continued. “He’d keep you close enough to feel the pull, but never close enough to see the real damage.”
“That’s not true,” I said quietly. “I’ve seen him at his worst.”
Rhys chuckled and sarcastically said, “Yeah. That tracks. But what you saw–was that really at his worst?”
I shot him a look. “You think this is funny?”
“No,” he replied, surprisingly serious for half a second. Then the teasing smile slipped back into place. “I think it’s tragic what we had to go through. But I cope with tragedy by being charming while my brother loses his emotions.”
I felt my heart squeeze but Rhys didn’t give me enough time to feel bad for them.
He took another sip of his drink and tilted his head. “So. Which number wife are you again?”
“I’m not a number,” I snapped, my tone harsher than I’d have wanted.
“There she is,” he said with a grin. “That’s the fire. Damon always did have good taste.”
I sighed, ignoring his remark because I knew he was deflecting. “You didn’t answer my question. Why does everyone think you’re dead?”
The humor in his eyes dimmed but it wasn’t completely gone. It was banked, like a flame turned low.
“Because it’s easier that way,” he said lightly, as if he were talking about the weather. “Dead brothers don’t remind you of things you’d rather forget.”
My chest tightened. “What happened between you? What happened to Damon?”
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CHAMER TUS
Rhys watched me for a long moment, then his eyes darkened as a distant look formed in them. “Careful, sorelling. You can here looking for answers, but some of them don’t let you leave the same.”
I took a deep shaky breath. “I’m not afraid of the his past,”
He laughed dryly. “You should be. You might never see him the same way again. You might no longer care about him ”
I shook my head. “That would never happen.”
He smiled slowly at that, setting his glass down. “Are you sure about that? Tell me, sister–in–law, Did my brother warn you about me?”
I hesitated briefly but he caught it.
His smile widened. “Yeah,” he murmured. “I thought so,”
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4/4
When I left the resort, Damon was still sleeping.
I left under the guise of going shopping even though I knew Damon would be pissed if he found out I lied.
I had expected the address to be easy to find but it was on a side of town that none of the drivers were willing to go.
“What do you mean you can’t go there?” I asked the fifth driver, my brow raised. “I’ll pay you twice the price if you do. Please.”
The driver hesitated, glancing at me through the rear–view mirror. “Fine. But I won’t go all the way in. I’ll drop you off at the estate gate and you’ll walk the rest of the way there.”
I nodded in agreement.
I’d been given five chances to change my mind but I didn’t accept any of them. If something went wrong I’d have no one to blame but myself.
My brain was screaming at me to abort the mission but of course, I didn’t listen as usual. After all, who was I without my impulsive decisions?
That was how I got married to a total stranger I’d come to care so deeply for in the first place.
True to his words, the driver stopped me at the estate gate. “The second house on the left is where you’re going. Just pay me the normal price because you’re a nice lady.”
His words warmed my heart.
I got out of the car, pulled out a couple of hundred–euro notes, and dropped them on the front passenger seat through the
window.
His eyes widened in surprise and his mouth parted to speak but I didn’t wait to listen.
The gate was surprisingly unlocked.
I pushed past it and entered the estate. The place was clean and awfully quiet. I was expecting a lot of things but none of them
was this.
I pressed the bell button on the gate of the second house.
A few seconds later, a tall man who had a scar across his lips came out with a cigarette between his teeth and a gun in his hand.
I swallowed, my heart pounding wildly and my sense of danger finally kicking in. “Hi. Good… day.”
He frowned and pulled the cigarette out of his mouth. “You have balls coming here alone, sweet thing. What the fuck do you want?”
Shit, he sounded very aggressive.
I wondered if he’d shoot me from behind if I just turned around and walked away.
He took intimidating steps toward me. “Did you hear me? I asked what the fuck you’re doing here.”
“Rhys…” I squeaked, dread twisting in my stomach.
His frown eased up a bit. “Rhys is dead. He died years ago. Who are you? I won’t ask again.”
I saw his hold tighten around the gun.
“I’m Gabrielle,” I said, fighting the urge to wrap my arms around myself. “His sister–in–law. And I know he’s not dead because
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CHAPTER 02
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I broke his head accidentally last night.”
The man stared at me for a few seconds, his facial expression neutral. I was beginning to panic inside when he burst into a fit of laughter.
I stood there staring at him in confusion.
“When he told us a woman broke his head last night I had expected… more,” he said, still laughing.
Was that an insult?
He turned and walked back into the house. “Come with me, sweet thing.”
I followed him in anyway, relieved that I wasn’t going to end up in a murder case.
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