ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO THE BILLIONAIRE SINGLE DAD (Gabrielle and Damon) novel Chapter 12

DAMON’S POV

“I know what you did.”

The email was sent to my personal address, not the one listed on my business card that was open to the public.

That alone narrowed things down.

I ignored it and continued with my meeting, keeping my expression neutral, my voice steady as I spoke.

Exactly thirty minutes later, another one came through.

“I am open to an interview if you want.”

Oh, I did want one.

This had Aiden Marlow written all over it, even though the address was a fake, one-time account.

Whether it was careless or deliberate, I couldn’t tell.

Either way, he was testing me.

And I had never been patient with tests.

My second meeting ended, giving me exactly one hour before the next one.

I stepped into my office, already pulling out my phone to call my wife.

Gabrielle picked up on the first ring.

“Hey, handsome,” her voice came through, light and warm. “Did you miss me?”

A small smile pulled at my lips despite everything.

Just hearing her voice was enough to take off the tension heavily sitting in my chest.

“Yes,” I said. “Terribly. I need to see your face.”

There was a brief shuffle on her end, and the next second, she switched the call to video.

Her eyes and forehead filled the screen, slightly off-center. “Your turn.”

I adjusted my phone, bringing my full face into view.

“There you are,” she murmured, her tone softening. “I miss you, baby.”

If it were possible to kiss her through the phone, I would have.

“Don’t say stuff like that around me,” Rhys’s voice cut in from the background. “Disgusting.”

Gabrielle laughed, then turned back to the screen.

I ignored my brother. “How is your day going?”

“The usual,” she answered, pulling the phone even closer. “Just boring work stuff.”

Something in the way she said it sharpened my gaze.

She was never vague.

She was the kind of person to go into details and talk for hours.

I leaned back against the wall, lowering my voice. “Did something happen?”

“No,” she answered quickly.

I could tell she was hiding something. “Take the phone away from your face. Switch it to the back camera.”

She blinked, her eyes widening slightly. “Uh…”

“Switch the camera around, Gabrielle,” I cut in.

Hesitantly, she pulled the phone away from her face and switched the camera.

The place was unfamiliar.

“Where are you?” I asked.

Rhys stepped into view and waved at me. “We came to visit Carter. The man disappeared, so I’m being a good friend.”

I knew Rhys did not care enough about being a good person to suddenly become a good friend.

He was obviously up to no good again, but at least, I was certain Gabrielle would be safe with him.

And the kids would be safe in the house.

Gabrielle switched the view back to her face. “Satisfied?”

I shook my head. “Not nearly. But you can try to satisfy me when I get home.”

Her face flushed immediately. “Damon!”

“I’ll see you later,” I said, already stepping out of my office. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said softly.

The call ended.

The smile on my face faded the second the screen went dark.

I stood there for a moment, staring at my reflection in the black screen, my mind already moving ahead.

I didn’t like being tested, especially by people I was trying so hard not to kill.

My grip tightened around my phone before I slipped it into my pocket.

If Aiden wanted an interview, he was going to get one.

I had my assistant clear my schedule for the rest of the day and stepped out of the building.

❧

The drive there took me almost an hour.

An hour that could have been spent doing something productive.

I took a good look at the building in front of me.

It was an apartment complex on the other side of town, with identical flats stacked side by side.

I stepped into the building without hesitation.

The elevator took me straight to the floor where Aiden’s room was.

A few minutes later, I knocked on his door and placed a finger on the peephole so he couldn’t see my face.

There was no response.

I raised my hand to knock on the door again when it pushed open.

A blonde man stepped out, a frown on his sleepy face. “Yes?”

I dropped my hand. “Aiden Marlow, right?”

His expression fell the moment he saw my face clearly.

The Pit’s Reaper.

I had buried that name for a reason.

It had been so long since I heard that name, and I had always hated it.

I was no reaper.

I was only a scared adolescent thrown into a fighting ring on his birthday, forced to kill or be killed everyday after.

My expression remained flat. “I didn’t do anything. But whatever this... The Pit’s Reaper did, it seems awful and dark.”

He laughed, amused by my denial. “It was.”

“Hmm,” I hummed, looking around the small living room, my tone almost thoughtful. “I hope the guy never finds you.”

The amusement drained off his face quickly.

He instinctively took a step back.

“If you come close, I’ll call the cops,” he said, his chest already heaving.

I gestured at the phone on the table. “Phone’s right there. Call them.”

He didn’t.

“But of course,” I said, shaking my head in disapproval. “You have not paid your phone bill in months, and this place has not been cleaned for even longer.”

“How did you—"

“It doesn’t matter,” I cut in. “You’ll stay away from my family from now on. You’ll direct your attention to another job so you can pay your relative’s medical bills.”

Confusion was etched on his face.

He was dumber than I thought if he didn’t expect me to look into him.

“I like my job just fine,” he said. “Your wife—”

That did it.

Rage surged through me at the mention of my wife from his mouth.

I suddenly remembered how it felt when I thought he took her last night.

I stepped closer and punched him in the nose before I could stop myself, the satisfying crack echoing in the near-empty room.

He fell to the ground from just one hit, clutching his broken nose as he screamed in pain.

All the muscles on him were just for show.

I leaned down in front of him and smiled. “This is your only warning, Aiden Marlow. Stay the fuck away from me.”

He swallowed, his eyes everywhere but mine, fear evident in them.

Pathetic coward.

I had to remind myself that I was not going to kill him. At least, not before I give him the chance to do the right thing.

I stood up and reached for the key in my pocket, then turn toward the door.

“One more thing,” I added without looking back. “If you ever contact my wife again, we will not have a peaceful conversation like this the next time I see you.”

Then I opened the door and stepped out without waiting for a response.

If he had any sense, he would stop.

But even if he didn’t, I’d be waiting for him.