What if everything you have ever wanted is something you can never have?
Well, this is exactly the case for Gabriella Rosa Hernandez. She was the daughter of the richest man in the state. But that didn't matter to her. The money never mattered. She...
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I watch as she spaces out her eyes filling with tears that she doesn't allow to fall. Her face hardened going void of any emotion completely. Her clenched fist and glazed-over eyes shock me slightly.
Turbo whines, pressing his body against her legs, but I ignore him, striding over to her and her face is in my hands before I've even realized what I'm doing.
"Hey, Duchess, it's okay. You're safe here," I tell her in a soothing tone, trying to pull her back from the panic attack that's she becoming lost in.
What did I say to set it off?
It was about her cleaning up and going home. Was it sending her home that got her like this? My stomach tightens at the thought that something is happening to her behind those mansion doors. Something that would leave that fearful gleam in her eyes.
"Alex?" she questions softly as she blinks, her voice a cracked rasp that has me wanting to rage at the world. Her body relaxes a little against mine, the shakes just tremble now, and something inside me loosens as well.
"I'm here, baby. Forest and Blaine too," I tell her, aware of Forest at her back, his hand rubbing up and down as Blaine is on her other side. Her eyes close, her face pressing into my palms even as she presses her body into mine.
"I don't want to go back, Alex. Not yet," She confesses in a breath.
"I don't want to wash him off. I need him with me a little longer." She admits even though it seems like it pains her to do so.
Her lids open and I'm struck speechless by the pleading look in her stunning, brown eyes. They're the color of leaves in Autumn. When everything is full of promise and the cold of winter is in front of you, and I lose myself to their promise of something new.
"Okay, Duchess. We can do that," I assure her, her body releasing more of its tension.
"Forest, go run her a bath," I tell him.
He presses a soft kiss to her head, then does as I say, quickly striding towards our tiny bathroom.
"But—" She protests, pulling away from me slightly as panic flashes in her eyes again. I shush her again, my thumbs stroking her cheeks.
"He'll get in with you, baby," I tell her, not even questioning my need to assure her, to make her happy. Her features soften, and she turns her face, pressing a light kiss to my palm that has tingles racing up and down my arm.
"Thank you, Alex," She murmurs, her stare on me, unwavering.
We stay that way for the time it takes to run the bath, Blaine holding her tight as I keep her face in my hands like she's beyond precious.
"It's ready, Alex," Forest says as he pads back into the room, his eyebrows drawn together when he sees Gabriella still clutching me and Blaine.
"Get undressed, you're getting in with her," I order, and one of his brows goes up, but he doesn't argue, just starts to strip, laying his discarded clothes on the couch. He really is fucking stunning, and the little shit knows it, a smirk teasing his lips as I stare at him. Shaking my head, I release my hold on Gabriella's face.
