ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO THE BILLIONAIRE SINGLE DAD (Gabrielle and Damon) novel Chapter 130

DAMON’S POV

Those words she said wouldn’t leave my head.

‘I love you, Damon.”

Gabrielle loved me.

And instead of feeling good about it, I couldn’t help but think she had made the biggest mistake of her life.

How could anyone love me?

The moment she had walked through that door, she unknowingly took whatever was left of my heart with

her.

I tried to feel something, anything but I just couldn’t. I tried to get her face out of my head but it wouldn’t

leave too.

Maybe I made the biggest mistake by letting her go, but it was the best thing for her.

I walked out of her room, unable to stay somewhere her scent was still residing.

I usually felt empty but in that moment, I didn’t even feel like usual myself.

All I could think about was how much I had wanted to pull her close and tell her I’d give up my life for hers without hesitation.

All I could think about was how much I wanted to touch her, to show her that she was everything to me.

But all she wanted was to hear those three words from me, and I had failed.

Fuck.

I’d hurt my wife.

I’d hurt her and I did it in the worst way possible. She had opened up her heart to me and instead of cherishing it, I’d ripped it into pieces and sent her away like some heartless monster.

And that was exactly what I was.

A heartless monster.

I almost laughed at the irony of the situation.

In my bid not to appear weak and put her in a dangerous position, I’d managed to hurt her more than Rocco ever could.

How pathetic I was.

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And still, I couldn’t feet a fucking thing.

I couldn’t feel sadness, or anger, or even the pain of loosing of her. But I could feel an even bigger hole

than usual in my heart

After my meeting with Rocco, I met with some people who shared my interest in leaving his clutches.

Throughout my meeting, all I could think about was coming home to snuggle my wife. To feel her touch and to hear her tell me that everything was going to be okay even though she didn’t understand what was happening.

I had no idea that the actions of the morning would cost me so much by night.

Bringing out my phone, I sent a message to my head of security. I needed him to dispatch his best men to keep their eyes on her.

Rocco was already out to find my brother. I couldn’t let him get his hands on my wife.

I walked to the bar and poured myself a cup of scotch, but all I could think about was how she had stolen a mini bottle from an event I forced her to attend many nights ago.

And how I’d snuck one out when I showed off my fountains to her.

The drink burned as it slid down my throat and I shut my eyes, replaying her smile and voice in my head.

It was peaceful, and it felt like she was still with me until the memory from minutes ago rushed through

me again.

1 love you, Damon.”

Fuck!

I didn’t even have an escape in my head anymore, and I deserved every second of mental torture that !

got.

She was the best woman in the world, and the perfect woman for me. Yet, I had let her go like it wasn’t any skin off my nose.

I took another gulp, then refilled the glass and downed it all in one go.

I couldn’t let her love me because I knew she deserved better. I was fucked up, a killer, and many other horrible things that she didn’t know about.

I didn’t deserve her love, and I knew that.

But she gave it anyway.

She gave it to an unworthy asshole like myself.

My phone rang, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked down at the caller ID to see it was the hospital. They were probably calling to check in on her, but the home nurse would fill them in tomorrow when she

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returned

There was no need for me to tell them Gabrielle was longer with me.

So I declined the call.

My heart had deserted me long ago, unable to handle the things I went through but today, even my brain had turned on me.

I wanted to feel.

I needed her to make me feel.

I set the glass down and ran a hand over my face. I should be focused on the plans, on the meetings, and on keeping Rocco off my brother’s back.

But all I could think about was Gabrielle,

I wanted to go to her. I wanted to pull her into my arms and tell her that none of this mattered, that she didn’t have to leave.

I wanted her to see the truth, to see that I wasn’t heartless. But I knew she would ask me to tell her those three words, and I wouldn’t be able to.

I was powerful and I had the world in my hands for the most part. Yet, there was nothing more scary to me than emotions.

Gabrielle had so much power over me and she had no idea.

I walked to the window and stared out at the city. I could plan the next moves against Rocco, and I would. But I couldn’t plan how to fix what I had done to her heart.

And yet, every part of me kept aching for her.

GABRIELLE’S POV

I thought I had a good hold on my emotions until I entered the cab.

I regretted not taking one of Damon’s cars when I caught the driver glancing at me through the rear–view mirror more times than I could count.

But I forced myself not to care.

The taxi pulled into a familiar building and I could feel my heart leaping to my throat.

I hadn’t been here since my failed wedding

I stepped out of the cab and leaned over the front seat. “Please, hold on. I need to check if anyone’s home before you go.”

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The driver nodded but I could see him fighting the urge to ask me questions. “Okay, ma’am.”

I turned around and faced the building.

My nerves were all over the place and my stomach twisted as I walked to the front porch.

I pressed on the doorbell and waited.

No response.

I was about to press it again when the door opened.

Bree, the housekeeper gasped when she saw me. “Miss Gabby. Is this really you?”

I felt a rush of emotion through my veins.

Bree had practically raised Emily and I.

She was the only mother figure we had growing up and more times that we could count, we had tried to bring her and Father closer.

We always failed and got a good scolding, but it never deterred us until we eventually lost interest.

I wished I could go back to those easier times.

Fresh tears threatened to spill. “It’s me, Bree.”

Her eyes watered and she pulled me into a tight hug. “Oh my goodness. I’m so happy to see you.”

I hugged her back.

She held me tightly, and for the first time in hours, I felt a small flicker of safety.

“You… you left so suddenly,” she murmured, her voice thick with worry. “I tried to talk to your father but he didn’t want to talk about what happened. I didn’t know if I should come looking for you or—”

“I understand, Bree,” I interrupted as someone was waiting for me. “Is Father in?”

She nodded quickly. “Yes. Please, come in.”

I shook my head. “I have a feeling he’s still mad at me. Could you just let him know I’m here and see how he reacts first?”

“Of course,” she said, still holding me. “Just wait here, okay?”

Then she walked into the house, shutting the door behind her softly. I stood there waiting, my body shivering both from cold and anxiety.

My phone rang out, breaking through my thoughts.

It was from the hospital.

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Maybe the nurse had informed them about my departure and they were calling to confirm

I picked up. “Gabrielle Grevari speaking.”

The last name tasted bitter in my mouth but that was the name Susan had given to the hospital

I’d never used Damon’s last name until now.

“Good evening,” the caller said. “This is your doctor speaking. I’m sorry this call is coming late but it is very important.”

My chest tightened. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she said, a nervous edge in her tone. “On the contrary, I have good news. You’re two weeks pregnant, Mrs. Gravari.”

“What?”

“We may have omitted some reports this morning due to some mix–up,” she continued, as if she didn’t just drop a bomb on me. “I sincerely apologize for…”

She was still going on but I was no longer listening.

I froze, my hand gripping the phone so tightly that my knuckles went white.

Pregnant,

The word repeated itself in my head like something I couldn’t escape. My mind tried to process it, but it refused to make sense.

I pressed my free hand against my mouth, stifling a gasp that threatened to escape. My chest felt tight, my stomach twisting in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

“Two… two weeks?” I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible.

“Yes, Mrs. Gravari. The tests are conclusive. Congratulations,” the doctor said, unaware of how my world had just shifted.

The reality of my life hit me all at once.

The heat of our last encounter, the anger, the tears, the way I had walked out of my husband’s life permanently… and now this.

I tried to hide the panic in my voice. “Is my husband aware of this?”

The doctor hesitated. “We tried to reach him first but he declined our call.”

My heart twisted painfully. “Keep it that way. Please.”

Silence.

“We will, ma’am,” she finally responded. “In the meantime, we need you to come in for another-”

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I ended the call immediately.

The weight of it pressed down on me. The fear, the disbelief, the shock–it all crashed into me at once.

I was pregnant with Damon’s baby.

My hands flew to my stomach, almost instinctively, as if I could protect what was growing inside me from the chaos that swirled in my mind.

I turned to the door.

Bree had still not come back and I couldn’t wait any longer.

I half–walked and half–ran back to the taxi, shutting the door behind me loudly. “Drive.”

“Where to, ma’am?”

“Anywhere,” I said, my mind a mess. “Just fucking drive.”

The car started and slowly, we pulled away from the building into the night.

D