Chapter 4 - A Dangerous Alliance Behind Closed Doors
By Wednesday afternoon,
the atmosphere inside the estate was strung as tight as a piano wire.
Carmine had spent the entire morning strutting around the grounds like he already owned the place,
giving orders to the guards and complaining loudly about the security protocols.
He believed Gabriel was heavily sedated,
confined to his bed,
and crumbling under the weight of physical failure.
He had no idea that behind the heavy mahogany doors of the master bedroom,
Gabriel was completing two hours of grueling,
unassisted physical therapy.
I stood near the edge of the padded therapy mat,
holding a clipboard while Gabriel pushed himself up onto his arms,
his face drenched in sweat,
his teeth grit in absolute determination.
"Again,"
he rasped,
his chest heaving as he lifted his torso off the mat,
forcing his back muscles to stabilize his weight.
"You've been at this for two hours,"
I said gently,
setting the clipboard down on a side table.
"Your spinal cords need rest,
Gabriel."
"Overworking the muscles now will cause inflammation."
"I don't have time for rest,"
he snarled,
though there was no true malice in his voice.
"Thursday is tomorrow."
"If I show up to that council meeting looking weak,"
"the other family bosses will side with Carmine."
"The syndicate doesn't respect tragedy,
Maya."
"It respects power."
He tried to shift his lower legs forward,
desperately trying to engage the damaged nerve pathways near his lower back.
A sharp spike of pain shot through his frame,
and his balance gave out.
Before he could hit the hard floor,
I rushed forward,
dropping to my knees and catching him under his arms.
His heavy chest slammed against mine,
and we both tumbled onto the plush exercise mat in a tangle of limbs.
For a moment,
neither of us moved.
Gabriel was panting heavily,
his face inches from mine,
his dark hair damp with sweat and curling slightly around his forehead.
His massive hands rested on my waist,
holding me against him,
just like he had during the shooting.
"You really need to stop falling on me,"
he whispered,
his dark eyes locking onto my lips before darting back up to meet my gaze.
"It's becoming a habit."
"You were falling,"
I corrected,
my heart hammering against my ribs so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
"I caught you."
"There's a difference."
"Is there?"
he murmured,
his thumb gently tracing a slow,
warm line along the edge of my hip bone through my scrub pants.
The touch sent a jolt of pure electricity through my entire nervous system.
"Every time I think I'm about to hit the ground,"
"you're standing right there,"
"holding me up."
"That's my job,"
I whispered,
my voice suddenly breathy and unsteady.
"I'm your nurse."
"No,"
Gabriel said,
his grip on my waist tightening,
pulling me an inch closer until there was no space left between us at all.
"You haven't been just a nurse since the moment you threw paper napkins at my chest."
"You're the only person in this damned house who doesn't look at me like I'm a target or a ghost."
My breathing hitched.
The dangerous,
thrilling tension between us was suffocating,
thick with unspoken promises and hidden desires.
Before either of us could say another word,
a soft knock rattled the bedroom door.
Vincent walked in,
holding a black leather briefcase.
He took one look at the two of us sprawled out on the exercise mat,
cleared his throat loudly,
and looked up at the ceiling tiles.
"Boss,"
Vincent said dryly.
"The council members have confirmed their arrival for tomorrow at six PM."
"Carmine has hired four extra guards from the Brooklyn crew."
"They're heavily armed."
Gabriel slowly shifted his weight,
allowing me to help him push back up into a sitting position against the wall.
The intense,
vulnerable moment vanished,
replaced instantly by the cold,
calculating crime boss who ruled New York.
"Let him bring as many men as he wants,"
Gabriel ordered,
wiping the sweat from his forehead with a dark towel.
"The more witnesses there are,"
"the harder his fall will be."
"Maya,"
he added,
turning to look at me with an expression that made my pulse jump.
"Get your best outfit ready."
May you like
"Tomorrow night,"
"you're serving drinks to the most dangerous men in the city."
