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It shouldn’t surprise me that she’d cut straight to the chase. She was perceptive, and I should have known she’d read the situation correctly. “Caspar was our housekeeper’s son. He used to come around after school every day. And we spent most weekends together. He was my only friend. But Aleksándr banned him from the house and having any contact with me once he turned eighteen. The only feelings he ever had for me were as friends.”
“Have you stayed in touch?”
“No. I haven’t seen or spoken to him in a couple of years.”
I’d always wondered why Caspar never tried seeing me. Meeting him would hopefully give me the answers I longed for.
Freya turned to face me, leaning her hip on the sink. “Do you wish you weren’t married to my brother so you could be with Caspar?”
I shook my head, then met her gaze. I wanted to be sure she recognized the sincerity of my words. “Never. He’s my friend, and I love him. But I’m notinlove with him.”
“Good. Because Gabriel was ready to murder him back there.”
“Your brother has nothing to worry about. I’d never do anything to put a stain on the Olysses name.”
“I doubt he’s worried about his reputation.” She linked her arm with mine again. “Let’s go back outside before they send out a search party.”
Her words rang through my head.What else would he be worried about?
Gabriel kept me close for the rest of the night, not letting me out of touching distance. And he became more and more affectionate the more he drank. I hadn’t attended many events with him, but he’d never had more than one or two drinks.
Tonight, his glass was never empty.
Jude didn’t take his eyes off his brother, the frown line between his brows deepening the longer the night went on.
“My feet are killing me.” Freya grimaced, shifting from foot to foot. We’d been there for hours, doing the rounds and making small talk. “Can we sit down?”
Jude found us a table off to the side, and I was thankful to get off my feet. Gabriel steered us to a chair, then sat down, pulling me into his lap. I gaped at him, but he acted like this was how we always sat.
Freya snickered, and Jude shook his head, a smile playing on his lips.
Gabriel held me to him, resting the side of his face against mine. “You having a good night?”
I nodded, immediately regretting the movement when his stubble scraped against my cheek, sending tingles through my body. I shouldn’t feel anything but annoyance at his behavior tonight. But my body didn’t agree with me, and instead of getting up and sitting in my own chair, I relaxed against him.
I loved seeing a new side of him. Even if he had to consume copious amounts of alcohol to show it to me.
We stayed for another hour, chatting and laughing at Jude’s antics. And once the initial shock at finding myself sitting in Gabriel’s lap had passed, I let myself enjoy the moment, giving in to the illusion that he wasn’t only putting on a show for appearances.
When I yawned for the second time in quick succession, Gabriel stood up, putting me on my feet. “Let’s get you home.”
I stood on wobbly legs, holding on to him. I couldn’t even blame alcohol for my state since I hadn’t had more than a few sips of the champagne Freya had snuck me earlier. But the night had felt like a dream, one I wished was real more than anything.
Because no matter how mad I was at Gabriel for treating me like the dirt under his shoe in the beginning, he’d attempted to make it up to me. And I felt myself softening toward him despite everything in me screaming to not get used to it.
He leaned forward so everyone at the table could hear him. “I’m taking Vanna home. Anyone need a lift?”
Freya shook her head. “Gunner is picking me up soon.”
Since Freya and Gunner were officially living in Ferguson, he was working most of the time when they made the trip to Chicago. And despite Freya’s insistence that she wanted to stay in the small town in Washington, I knew it was only a matter of time before they moved to Chicago.
Especially since her best friend Quinn lived here now as well.
Jude grinned, his attention on Gabriel’s hand that had once again found its way to my back. “I have plans later.”
I waved at them both, receiving wiggling eyebrows from Freya and a wink from Jude in return.
Gabriel helped me into the back of our limousine, and I sank into the seat with a groan. A glance at my phone confirmed it was already past midnight. My display also showed a message from an unsaved number.
