Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 451

Chapter 451

Madeline’s POV

“Very funny, Mia,” Marcus started, pushing himself up from the log where he’d been sitting. “I hadn’t even started-”

“AHHHHHHHH!” Another scream from Mia cut him off, even louder than the first.

Marcus didn’t hesitate for a second. He vaulted over the log and took off running toward the sound, disappearing into the dark trees. I stood up quickly, trying to follow despite my pregnancy making sudden movements harder than usual.

“Mia!” Christian shouted too, sprinting after Marcus, with Luke, Olivia, and several other team members right behind him.

The sound of our footsteps echoed through the forest as we chased the screams. Low branches scraped against our coats, and the darkness between the trees made it hard to see where we were stepping. The glow of the bonfire faded fast, and soon we were navigating only by the light of a few flashlights someone had grabbed along the way.

“Over here!” Marcus shouted from somewhere ahead.

When we finally reached the clearing where Marcus had stopped, it took me a few seconds to process what I was seeing. Mia stood there, completely unharmed, arms crossed in a posture I immediately recognized as her highest level of irritation. And in front of her…

In front of her stood a tall, undeniably handsome man, casually leaning against a tree as if the whole situation were perfectly normal. Even in the weak flashlight glow, it was impossible not to notice how attractive he was. Slightly messy dark hair, an easy confidence in his posture, and most of all, those unmistakable eyes I had learned to recognize.

They were Kensington eyes without a doubt.

“Who is that?” I asked, looking from Mia to the stranger.

“My horror story come to life,” Mia replied flatly, never taking her eyes off him.

The stranger laughed, a low, amused sound that echoed through the clearing.

“How cruel, Mia,” he said, his voice laced with deliberate charm. “I prefer to think of myself as a dream come

true.

The casual arrogance in his tone made me roll my eyes internally, though I had to admit there was something undeniably magnetic about his confidence.

Then he turned to Marcus, pushing himself off the tree in one smooth motion.

“Cousin,” he said, extending a hand to Marcus in a relaxed greeting. “There you are. Gwen asked me to deliver this.”

He pulled an envelope from the inside pocket of his coat. It was elegant, sealed with the Kensington crest in red wax. Marcus took it curiously, breaking the seal and unfolding what was clearly a letter.

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I couldn’t resist my curiosity and stepped slightly behind Marcus’s shoulder to read along with him. Gwen’s handwriting was elegant but clearly rushed:

[Marcus,

I find myself in the delicate position of needing to redistribute a certain male specimen who has proven to be excessively… generous with his charms toward the female half of the Asclan continent. For a moment, I considered redirecting him to Nate, but the poor man is already facing the imminent arrival of two small human creatures and one furry quadruped. It would be cruel to add a second dog to the pack, especially one who completely lacks Ginger’s natural charm.”

“Therefore, dear cousin, please make good use of this… donation to the Valentian branch. Consider him a poisoned gift wrapped with a golden bow.

P.S. Returns and exchanges are permanently suspended.

With love (and desperation),

Gwen.]

Marcus let out a genuine laugh when he finished reading, then handed the letter to Christian, who started laughing too as soon as he reached the end.

“So why didn’t you show up earlier if Gwen sent you straight to the retreat?” Marcus asked, folding the letter back up.

The mischievous smile that spread across the stranger’s face told me the answer was going to be entertaining

“Oh, I did arrive,” he replied with that effortless, charming arrogance. “I just made a strategic stop at a cabin where I met a girl from the competition. Interesting situation… rivalry and all that.”

Christian shook his head with an expression somewhere between amused and exasperated, while Zoey burst out laughing.

“Well,” Marcus said pragmatically, “with Zoey injured, we might actually need a substitute.”

“Hey!” Zoey protested immediately. “I’m fine!”

“Tomorrow’s activities are going to be very physical,” Christian said gently, resting a hand on her shoulder.” Better not push it with that foot.”

Zoey huffed in frustration, then turned her attention to the newcomer.

“Where do all these Kensingtons keep coming from that I’ve never seen before?” she asked, clearly exasperated. “Do you multiply when no one’s looking?”

Christian laughed.

“He’s Anthony and Alexandra’s younger brother,” he explained.

Zoey frowned, processing the information with a look that suggested she was mentally reevaluating that entire branch of the family.

“Dante Kensington,” the man introduced himself, extending his hand to Zoey with a smile that could probably

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melt glaciers. “And I can assure you, this apple fell very far from the tree.”

When Zoey went to shake his hand, he gently lifted it and brushed a gallant kiss over the back of her knuckles. “It would be best,” Christian said in a low but unmistakably threatening voice, “if that apple stays very far away from my wife if it wants to remain standing.”

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at Christian’s protective reaction. But then I noticed something else. Throughout the entire interaction, Marcus had subtly kept me one step behind him, in a clearly protective position. His hand had found my waist almost unconsciously, and he was positioning me slightly behind his body.

And I liked it.

There was something deeply, primitively satisfying about the way Marcus was being territorial without even realizing it. Clearly, Dante Kensington had a reputation that preceded him, and Marcus was instinctively shielding me from any indiscriminate charm the newcomer might try to deploy.

I watched Dante interact with the group, noticing how he commanded attention effortlessly, without even trying. It was obvious he was used to being the center of the room, used to people-especially women— responding positively to his presence.

But it was just as obvious that Marcus wasn’t impressed in the slightest by his charming cousin and was quietly taking measures to make sure I stayed well outside Dante’s orbit.

He was jealous.

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