I never want it to go out.
I lean forward and capture Gabriel’s mouth in a dominating kiss. Not to be outdone, he tangles his fingers in my hair and holds me there as he pistons up into me, and all I can do is moan against his lips. His grunts are music to my ears. I push back against him, our bodies slapping together, and the first tingles of my orgasm bundle together deep in my belly.
Gabriel kisses me harder, as though he can sense my oncoming climax. I cling to him and we writhe against each other, each in desperate search of release. My scalp tingles. Every muscle in my body seems to tighten, as though pulled inward by an invisible string.
And then, like a champagne cork popping, I come undone and cry out from the blinding pleasure. Gabriel thrusts twice more, then groans, fingers clawing into my hips as he comes hard inside of me. I fall limp against his chest. Tremors of light and heat still skitter across my skin as I catch my breath.
After a couple of minutes, I manage to rasp, “I think I’m ready to go to sleep now.”
Gabriel laughs.
17
Alexis
I sit cross-legged on the bed, eyes narrowed at the screen of my laptop. I’ve been following up with a couple of contacts but haven’t received any major information that I didn’t know before. There have been tense meetings on the docks, and drug dealers are finding their supplies of opiates other than purple heroin dwindling.
I need more. This isn’t enough to write an article with.
I think back to the night before, when I made the daring move of searching Gabriel’s bedroom while he was still working only a couple doors down the hall. I remember the first time I ever went in Gabriel’s bedroom I was surprised by how plain his furnishings were, and they haven’t changed since then. No wall hangings, sterile white sheets, and only the most necessary furniture. You would never guess that the man driven around in the flashy Mercedes would have such utilitarian tastes for his private sphere. But that’s Gabriel Belluci all over.
Because there is so little in his room, it was easy enough to search through and I quickly determined there was nothing suspicious there.
There are very few leads left in the house. In fact, the one place I haven’t looked yet is the storage shed outside, and I’m still brainstorming ways to get in there without being seen.
A dull knock on my door tears me from my thoughts and I hastily slam the laptop closed. “Come in.”
But nobody enters. I hear another set of uneven thumps against the door and hoist myself from the bed, trudging across the room. I already know it won’t be Gabriel—his knocks come as precise raps.
I open the door and immediately laugh. To my surprise, it is Gabriel, but he’s not alone. He is holding Harry up to shoulder height, and Harry is wearing one massive boxing glove that reaches all the way to his elbow. He giggles and waves it around.
“Mama, look.” Harry makes what I think is a punching motion. “I box!”
I look to Gabriel, who is smiling from ear to ear, showcasing the adorable dimple I almost never get to see. His eyes shine with laughter. He looks so handsome that it almost takes my breath away. It is a welcome change from his generally cold attitude over the past couple of days. Sure, he’s imparted a kiss here, a kind word there, but overall he has been distant.
“You’re a regular Mike Tyson,” I say, turning my attention back to Harry.
“He fell in love with it,” Gabriel explains, chuckling. “He refuses to take it off.”
Before I have a chance to respond, Gabriel’s demeanor shifts, as though he is suddenly self-conscious. He clears his throat, stands a little straighter, and the joy withers from his features.
“We’re going to lunch,” Gabriel says suddenly, handing Harry to me. “Get dressed and meet me in the foyer in fifteen minutes.”
He marches off, and even Harry notices the sudden chill in the air.
“Dada,” he calls after him, and it breaks my heart.
“Dada’s just going to wait downstairs,” I explain, closing the door and popping Harry down on the carpet to play with his boxing glove while I pick out an outfit. It doesn’t seem wise to keep him waiting.
Gabriel didn’t say where we were going to lunch, so I have no idea what kind of dress code to expect. I opt for a