Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 413

Chapter 413

Marcus’ POV

Madeline’s kiss caught me completely off guard, but it felt like a dam breaking inside me. Every ounce of restraint, every effort to keep a respectful distance, every attempt to fight the attraction that had been growing between us since the Maldives vanished in an instant.

I pulled her closer, deepening the kiss with a hunger I hadn’t known was there. Her hands slid up to my neck, fingers tangling in my hair, and a shiver ran through my entire body. It felt like we could finally stop pretending, stop circling around what had been undeniable for a long time.

My hands found her waist, drawing her against me until there was no space left between our bodies. She sighed against my lips, a low, intimate sound that shattered what little self-control I had left. I kissed her neck, feeling her pulse racing beneath my mouth, and she tilted her head back, giving me more access.

“Marcus,” she whispered my name, her hands now exploring my shoulders, sliding down my back over my shirt.

I was completely lost in her. In the way she gave herself over to the moment. In how her lips answered mine with a passion that matched my own. My hands moved up her back, tracing the delicate curve of her spine, and she arched into me.

That was when my phone started buzzinginsistently in my pocket.

I ignored it, far too busy exploring the soft skin of her neck, but Madeline pulled back slightly, just enough to break the contact between our mouths.

“Do you need to check that?” she asked, her voice husky and breathless.

“No,” I answered immediately, pulling her back to me and capturing her lips again with urgency.

Nothing could be more important than this. Than finally having Madeline in my arms. The phone kept buzzing, but I didn’t care.

Then it started ringing, the sharp sound slicing through the Castorian morning air and completely breaking the spell between us.

Madeline stepped back again, placing a hand on my chest to keep some distance.

“You should look,” she said softly, even though I could see in her eyes that she was just as reluctant as I was to interrupt the moment. “It seems important.”

I let out a heavy sigh and pulled my phone from my pocket. The missed calls and messages were all from Christian. My stomach tightened instantly. Christian never bombarded me like that unless something was seriously wrong.

I opened his messages first, and my blood ran cold as soon as I saw what was on the screen. There was creenshot after screenshot of newspaper headlines, gossip blogs, and social media posts. All of them were talking about the same thing, the Kensington name linked to an international kidnapping.

Kensington Accused of International Kidnapping

Wine Dynasty Family Involved in Kidnapping Scandal

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Kensington Stocks Plunge After Criminal Allegations

Marcus Kensington: From Playboy to International Fugitive

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There were dozens of them, each headline more sensational than the last. Some included old photos of me leaving social events. Others showed the main Kensington building in Porto Alegre surrounded by journalists. It was a complete circus.

“Shit,” I muttered, scrolling quickly through the images.

“What is it?” Madeline asked, her voice thick with worry.

Before I could answer, the phone rang again. Christian. I picked up immediately.

“Christian, I saw the-”

“Congratulations,” my cousin’s voice came through the line, and there was an almost amused tone to it that caught me completely off guard. “You are officially an international fugitive.”

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing, despite the seriousness of the situation.

“Well, I had to contribute my share to the family chaos,” I replied, feeling an absurd mix of tension and

amusement.

“The Kensington lawyers are fully on it,” Christian assured me, his voice turning more serious. “We’re contesting everything. Medical negligence, a valid marriage, mitigating circumstances. You’re safe in Valentia, Marcus. Extradition would be a long, complicated process, and we have more than enough resources to make it nearly impossible.”

A wave of relief washed over me. I knew Christian wouldn’t give me false reassurance.

“But,

,” he continued, and I caught the note of caution in his voice, “it’s best if you stay hidden at the Galleo

y for a few more days. We need to monitor Dominic’s next moves, see how he reacts to all this media

11

I asked, even though I already suspected the answer.

secause we don’t know how far his influence reaches, Marcus. If he finds out exactly where Madeline is, if he manages to coordinate something with corrupt Valentian authorities…” Christian paused deliberately. “It’s better not to take any risks while things are this heated.”

“We weren’t planning on leaving anyway,” I said, glancing at Madeline, who was watching my side of the conversation with obvious concern. “And Olivia?”

“There’s no mention of her name anywhere,” Christian said. “But I can’t guarantee whether that’s because she truly isn’t being linked to the case or because the Kensington name is overshadowing everything else in the news. It’s better that she stays hidden too, at least for now.”

I nodded at Madeline, trying to signal that the news about her cousin wasn’t bad.

“So,” I asked, feeling a twinge of guilt over the fallout of my actions, “what are you going to do to save Kensington from this mess?”

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fcus, we’ve survived worse. Kensingtons who were actually tied to crime, including my own father. Scandals that dragged on for months. Stock crashes far worse than this one. In the end, the dust always settles, and we always recover.”

There was an absolute confidence in his voice that reminded me why Christian was so respected in the business world. He had an almost supernatural ability to stay calm and find solutions even in the most chaotic situations.

“The Kensington family has survived scandals far worse than this,” he continued. “A young man in love rescuing his wife from an abusive situation? Please. When the full truth about what Dominic was doing comes out, we’ll be seen as the heroes of this story.”

“In love?” I repeated, my heart picking up speed at the word.

Christian laughed.

“You’re still married, Marcus. Technically and legally. That strengthens our defense significantly.”

I looked at Madeline again, who was watching me with a curious expression. The word in love echoed in my mind in a way that caught me off guard.

“Don’t worry about the company right now,” Christian said finally, “Just enjoy the… honeymoon.’

I smiled before I could stop myself, my eyes locking with Madeline’s.

“I will,” I said. “I definitely will.”

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