ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO THE BILLIONAIRE SINGLE DAD (Gabrielle and Damon) novel Chapter 136

CHAPTER 136

DAMON’S POV

I woke up with her name on my lips.

I was still on Rhys’s couch when my eyes opened, my body aching with every move I made.

“Look who finally decided to wake up,” I heard her voice. “You look nothing like the drunk who paid a stranger to beat him up.”

Slowly, I turned and my breath hitched.

Was I dreaming about her again?

Or was she actually sitting on the couch across from me?

“Gabrielle…” I called out her name.

Her expression was hard but I could see the relief in her eyes. “Yes? Rhys found you passed out in your car by the estate gate. You want to explain yourself?”

I still couldn’t believe she was sitting in front of me.

“I was waiting for you,” I whispered.

“No, not that,” she said, looking away from me. “The man you paid was found with ten thousand dollars on him.”

Oh, shit.

She was mad.

She turned back to me, her beautiful brown eyes hypnotizing me. “One hit. Two notes. That’s what he said. You had him hit you fifty times. So explain why.”

I dragged a hand down my face, still believing I was dreaming and winced when my knuckles brushed a split on my eyebrow.

“I didn’t count,” I muttered.

Her voice didn’t rise. “That’s not an answer.”

I pushed myself up slowly, every rib protesting. “It was just money.”

“Don’t,” she snapped. “Don’t you dare reduce this to money.”

Silence stretched between us.

She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees. “You stood there and let a stranger beat you nearly unconscious. Why?” Because I needed to feel something and pain was the only thing that worked. Because losing you felt worse than fifty punches.

The words sat heavy in my throat but they didn’t come out.

Instead, I said, “You look even more beautiful than I remembered.”

A moment of silence passed between us.

Gabrielle stood up and muttered as she walked away. “I can’t deal with this.”

The image of her walking away from me three weeks ago still burned fresh in my mind.

I couldn’t let it happen again, even if this was just in my head and not real.

Ignoring the pain, I stood up and walked after her. “Gabrielle, wait.”

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She didn’t.

“Stop running from me,” I said.

Gabrielle turned so fast I nearly collided with her. “I’m not running,” she snapped. “I’m refusing to participate in whatever this

is.”

I exhaled sharply. “I’ve seen you so many times in my dreams that I can’t even tell if this is real.”

She stared at me, then moved to take my hand and cup her cheek with it. “I’m real, Damon. I’m standing right in front of you.”

I pressed my palm against her soft skin.

She was real, and she was safe in front of me.

The tension drained from my body so suddenly my knees almost gave out.

My thumb brushed against her cheekbone like I needed proof again, like she might disappear if I blinked.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

She looked feistier than ever and I fucking loved that.

I wanted to hold her but I wanted her to make me earn it. I wanted her to punish me until she was satisfied.

I deserved that.

I loved that too.

“You’re here,” I whispered.

Her lashes fluttered. “Yes.”

My hand trembled against her face. “I thought I lost you.”

Her jaw tightened slightly. “You did.”

I swallowed. “I didn’t mean to.”

“But you did,” she repeated, her eyes tearing up. “You let me go.”

My hand slid from her cheek to her jaw, hesitant. “I don’t know how to fix this.”

She looked away from me and removed my hand from her face. “Start by explaining yourself, I checked your back while you were still asleep. I saw fresh scars, Damon. Why would you choose that over being happy with me?”

How could I explain it to her?

The truth pressed against my ribs, demanding to be let out.

“I didn’t choose this,” I said. “I swear, I didn’t. I want to be happy, whatever that feels like. I just don’t know how to.”

My gaze dropped to her stomach.

She wasn’t showing yet, but I still wanted to touch her belly and kiss it and tell her that I would burn the world down before I ever let anything happen to either of them.

Her gaze followed mine. “Rhys told me you know about the pregnancy. How did you find out?”

I hesitated. “From Selene.”

She blinked, then laughed bitterly. “Of course you’ve moved on. I’m not surprised in the slightest.”

CHAPTER 136

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“Gabrielle, I didn’t move on,” I said. “It has been hell since you left me.”

She shook her head. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you want this,” she whispered. “Like you want us.”

I stepped closer before I could stop myself. “I do want this.”

She shook her head as if she didn’t believe me. “You’ve made it clear you can’t give yourself to me. You’re only here because of this baby. So don’t bother with your lies.”

I moved to close the space between us but she pulled away. “I’m not lying. No one could ever replace you. Just talk to me, please.”

Gabrielle rolled her eyes at me and turned, walking over to the bar.

My eyes moved lower and I couldn’t help but watch as her hips swayed in her dress with each step she took.

How badly I wanted to wrap my arms around her waist and squeeze her jiggly ass.

Instead, I just stood there watching her.

It felt like years since the last time I saw her and all I wanted to do was pull her into my arms, kiss her and hold her forever.

But I couldn’t.

So I forced my eyes away.

She poured herself a glass of wine, and when she realized she couldn’t drink, she dropped glass on the table with more force

than necessary.

It shattered.

“Fuck,” she cursed.

I was beside her in seconds, wrapping one arm around her lower back and lifting her. “Careful.”

For a moment, she went completely still.

My hand around her back had somehow shifted to her waist, and I was holding her against me so tightly.

Our eyes met and I couldn’t look away.

The air shifted and my breath hitched as her scent filled my lungs. I could feel the warmth of her through the fabric of her dress and it made it hard to think.

“Damon…” she whispered my name.

Christ, she was killing me.

I knew I should have pulled away from her and apologized, but I couldn’t be a gentleman in a situation like that.

My arms around her waist tightened. “I’ve missed you so much, Gabrielle. You have no idea.”

She shook her head. “No. You didn’t.”

“Yes, I did,” I said. “And I still do. Even when you are right here in my arms.”

She looked away. “Let me go.”

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