The Don Tore Up Our Divorce (Gemma and Cassian) novel Chapter 27

**Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth by Eli Dane Crest**
**Chapter 27**

**Gemma**

I shut my eyes, surrendering to the moment, and let the world around me fade away. I can feel his breath hitch, a slight quiver that sends shivers down my spine.

Kiss me. Love me. The yearning I’ve harbored for him for what feels like an eternity echoes in my mind, an insistent mantra that drives me wild. I ache to grab him by the collar of his shirt, to pull him down to me, to bridge the distance that feels like an insurmountable chasm. It’s a maddening cocktail of agony and ecstasy, this waiting game for him to finally touch me.

And then, just like that, he straightens up. The harsh glare of the ceiling light pierces through my closed eyelids, and he turns his face away from me, muttering something under his breath that I can’t quite catch.

The only word that slices through the haze is “manipulate.”

A surge of frustration bubbles within me, and I push away from him, my heart pounding. “You can get dressed the rest of the way yourself,” I snap, the words escaping my lips like a wounded animal.

I swing the door open and escape into the hallway, my heart racing as I flee the tension that clings to the air.

When I step into my mother’s room, I find her perched on her bed, her expression a mixture of concern and curiosity. I must look a sight, disheveled and flushed, my hair a wild mess from being pressed against the wall moments ago.

The reality of what just transpired feels like a weight in my chest, but I can’t let her see the turmoil within me.

She greets me with a teasing, knowing smile, and it takes every ounce of strength not to choke on my own bitterness. I manage a small, strained smile in return, a fragile mask over the storm brewing inside.

Mom’s gaze shifts, and a moment later, Cassian emerges from the bathroom. He could make even a burlap potato sack look good, so it’s no surprise that, even in his simple attire, he exudes an effortless charm that could rival any model.

“Look at you, handsome!” Mom exclaims, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she claps her hands together, her excitement filling the room. The moment quickly shifts to a reunion between her and Cassian, their laughter and chatter wrapping around me like a suffocating blanket. I stand by the window, my heart aching as I wish I could escape this overwhelming desire that clings to me like a shadow.

I long for the version of Cassian I see today to be the real him, the one who isn’t tangled in the web of our complicated lives.

After what feels like an eternity of forced smiles and polite conversation, I can’t bear it any longer. “Mom, we really need to be somewhere,” I say, my voice strained as I break the spell. Cassian and I slip out of the room, leaving behind the warmth of familiarity.

As we walk through the hospital corridors, he pauses to exchange a few words with some of the doctors. Sacred Hope Hospital feels like a fortress controlled by the Blackwells, a grim reminder of the power they wield.

I can only assume it’s advantageous for a mafia family to have medical professionals and cutting-edge facilities at their disposal. After all, you never know when someone might need urgent care due to a bullet wound, poisoning, or a brutal beating.

Once we step outside into the bright sunshine, I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Cassian walks beside me, but I deliberately take two large steps to the side, creating a chasm between us.

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