ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO THE BILLIONAIRE SINGLE DAD (Gabrielle and Damon) novel Chapter 56

GABRIELLE’S POV

I stared at him, unable to speak.

His hand was still on my face and his thumb brushed my cheek like he was trying to keep me calm even though he was the one shaking inside.

“What do you mean?” I whispered.

He looked away for a moment, like the floor was easier to face than me. His jaw tightened and his chest lifted in a slow breath before he looked at me again.

“I caused the event that led to it. That is all you need to know right now.”

“That’s not enough,” I said. “You can’t drop something like that and expect me to accept it.”

“It is all I can give you right now, Gabrielle,” he said. “The rest is buried too deep and I don’t want you near any of it.”

My stomach tightened. “So you admit it. You admit you were involved.”

He shook his head. “I admit that I was young and stupid and surrounded by people who wanted to use me. I admit that I made decisions that put my family in danger. And I admit that the weight of that follows me everywhere I go.” His voice lowered. ” Including when I look at you.”

I stared at him, my heart beat returning to normal. “So your grand–aunt was lying.”

“She only knows the surface. She doesn’t know the truth.” His jaw clenched. “She never cared enough to find out.”

I swallowed. “Then tell me.”

“I can’t.”

“You won’t,” I corrected softly.

His eyes lifted to meet mine and the coldness in them wasn’t as sharp anymore. There was something else there.

Something tired.

Something that hurt.

“You want answers,” he murmured. “But if I give them to you, you won’t sleep again. You won’t think of me the same way.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

Silence settled between us.

He didn’t let go of me and I didn’t try to move. Maybe I should have, but I couldn’t force myself to pull away.

“I don’t want you involved in any of that,” he said. “Not even in the memories.”

“But I already am,” I whispered. “You pulledane into it the moment you made me your wife.”

His jaw tightened again. “That was supposed to protect you from your sister”

“And now?”

He didn’t answer.

I lifted my hand and pushed lightly against his chest, wanting space to breathe. He didn’t stop me this time.

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CHAPTER FTV SIX

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His hand fell from the wall and he stepped back a little, but not far enough to break the tension between us.

“Gabrielle,” he said. “I know you want the truth. But I need you to believe that I didn’t pull the trigger and I didn’t put my hands on either of them. I caused the chain and I have lived with it every day. That’s all you’re getting for now.”

I nodded slowly, even though none of it felt settled in my mind. “So what now?” I asked.

“You stay,” he said. “And you stop packing.”

“And if I don’t?”

He exhaled, long and tired. “Then I will follow you wherever you go.”

A beat passed.

“You can’t fix this by trapping me,” I said.

“I’m not trapping you.”

“You pinned me to a wall.”

He looked away for a second. “You were leaving.”

“So you stop me by force?”

“I stopped you because you were hurting,” he said quietly. “And because I couldn’t bear to see you walk out of my life. You mean more than you should to me.”

My chest tightened, a familiar warmth spreading across my body against better judgment.

He took a step back and exhaled. “I’m sorry. Tell me what I can do to make it up to you.”

I blinked. “Anything?”

He nodded. “Anything.”

“Then let me see my sister.”

He hesitated but I gave him a hard look.

“Fine,” he sighed. “I’ll take you to her. Is that all you want?”

My hands had stopped shaking and my breath was back to normal. “You’ll tell me the whole story later, right? When you’re ready?”

He didn’t respond.

He stepped closer and planted a kiss on my temple. “You’ll know everything in time. Good night, Gabrielle.”

“Good night, Damon.”

Without another word, he walked out of my room, shutting the door gently behind him.

I couldn’t sleep all night.

I kept thinking of seeing Emily.

Ever since she was shot we haven’t spoken and before I let go, I needed to be sure there was no coming back for her.

The car was parked in the driveway and Damon opened my door for me. I looked around and realized we were at a mental health facility.

CHAPTER FIFTY SIX

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“I thought she was still in the hospital,” I said, taking his hand as I stepped out of the car.

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