7. Gabriel
Chapter 7
Gabriel
I watch her from a distance, how she moves with more confidence than she did three weeks ago. Wren’s strides are longer and surer, and she no longer needs the sling as we walk through the park, which has become part of our daily routine. The trees burst with autumnal colors, scattering leaves of flaming orange, sunshine yellow, and burnished gold along the paths.
“Look at the ducks,” Wren says, pointing toward the pond where they swim in lazy circles, ripples trailing behind them. She smiles, a soft thing that still doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “They seem so content.”
I nod, but my mind isn’t on the ducks. It’s on her. The woman I’ve waited my whole life for. My little bird .
Keeping my hands off Wren since our moment on the rooftop over a week ago has been hell. When the word Daddy slipped from her lips, it unleashed something inside me—the cravings I’ve kept at bay out of fear of scaring her away. The want, the desire, the need to see her submit, to call me Daddy as she sucks my cock, grows stronger with each passing day.
But it’s not only the physical attraction, although that’s present in abundance. I’m drawn to her goodness that radiates through the hurt, warming me in a way I’ve never experienced. She charms everyone she meets and fits seamlessly into my life. Even her guards and the staff, initially politely dutiful, have grown fond of her, their professional facade giving way to genuine care and concern.
Our conversations have grown more profound. I told her about losing my parents when I was nineteen, about my friendship with Ed, the struggles we faced, and the drive that propelled us out of our circumstances. We’ve talked about our dreams, fears, and the world outside my penthouse. It’s been years since I’ve connected with someone on such a genuine level.
“You’ve changed, Gabe.”
I recall Ed’s words a few nights ago. Wren had gone to bed early, and Ed and I were sitting in the living room, the city spread out beneath us like a glittering tapestry.
“Wren has brought something out in you I haven’t seen in years,” Ed remarked thoughtfully. “It’s easy to get lost in our world of deals and contracts, but you've found something real.”
I nodded, knowing he was right. “She’s given me more than I’ve given her, Ed. I needed this more than I knew.”
“Does she know?”
“Know what?”
“That you’re in love with her?”
I swirled my scotch in my glass. “No.”
Ed leaned back in his chair, studying me with his sharp, discerning gaze. “Why not?”
I sighed, staring into my glass as if the amber liquid could offer some answers. “It’s complicated, Ed. She’s been through a lot, and I want to make sure she’s ready, that this is what she truly wants. But it’s more than that. Wren’s been in survival mode for so long. She’s never known what it’s like to be loved unconditionally. She has abandonment issues, and I want her to trust that I’m not going to disappear on her.”
Ed nodded slowly, the city lights reflecting in his eyes. “I get it. You’re giving her space to come to her own conclusions. But don’t wait too long, Gabe. You’re both on the same page, even if she doesn’t realize it yet.”
I looked up at him, a question in my eyes.
“I’ve seen the way she looks at you when she thinks you’re not paying attention, brother. There’s a lot more going on there than she lets on. She’s scared, sure, but she’s also falling for you. Hard.”
I took a long sip of my scotch, letting his words sink in. Ed wasn’t one for sentimentality, but when he spoke like this, I knew he meant every word.
“I’ll tell her,” I said finally. “When the time is right, I’ll tell her everything.”
Until then, I’ll be her protector, her guardian, her safe haven. I’ll watch over my little bird, keeping her safe from the world outside and from the storm of emotions raging inside me until she’s ready for me to be her Daddy.
“How are you feeling today?” I ask, trying to gauge where her head’s at without pushing too hard.
“Good.” She tucks a strand of silver-blonde hair behind her ear, a nervous habit I’ve come to recognize .
Wren laughs at one of the ducks shaking its tail feathers. I love her laugh. It became my favorite sound the first time I heard it. She deserves happiness and peace after the storm she’s weathered. She’s still a wounded bird with nowhere else to turn. I want to wrap her in my arms and keep her safe from every shadow that haunts her. But I hold back, understanding that this fragile trust between us is something I can’t rush. I’ve been celibate for a long time, and her nearness is driving me crazy, but I won’t rush this, not for the world.
“You’re getting stronger every day,” I comment as we resume our walk, watching her navigate the path with ease.
“Feels like it,” she replies, but a flicker of worry dances across her face. She glances around, checking to see that Luther and Ethan are nearby.
I sense her uncertainty, as if she’s waiting for an attacker to jump out at her at any moment. I’ve learned enough about her past to know her trust doesn’t come easy. Her mom and stepfather have left scars far deeper than those on her skin. And her time on the streets only increased her fears. But she has me now, and there’s no deadline for the demons she battles.
“It’s another cold one today,” I say, glancing at the gray sky, keeping the conversation light .
Wren pulls her coat tighter around her frame. “Good thing we’re prepared.”
She’s gained some much-needed weight since she’s been living with me. Her face is fuller, along with her hips and thighs. I’ve dreamed of burying my face between those thighs, of pleasuring her until she comes on my tongue.
“Always be prepared, that’s my motto.” Prepared for the cold, for trouble, for anything life throws at me. Because that’s what my company does. What I do. Examine every angle, circumvent potential problems, and protect those who need it. And I’ll protect Wren with everything I’ve got.
I watch her with a scrutiny that’s second nature to me, the guardian within never fully at rest. She bends, tracing her fingers along the petals of a rose that’s thrived in the cool onset of autumn. Her touch is gentle, reverent almost, and something fierce ignites in my chest.
“You seem more settled,” I murmur as she straightens.
Her blue eyes are shadowed by the familiar cloud of worry that never quite leaves her as they meet mine. “You made that possible.” The gratitude in her voice mingles with an undercurrent of something deeper, something neither of us is ready to name yet.
I shake my head as we settle on the bench so she can rest for a few minutes. “You’re doing the hard work, Wren.”
She smiles, but again, it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
I know her well enough to see the cogs turning in her mind. “You’ve been quiet the last few days. What’s up?”
A crease forms between her brows. “I want to start my college classes again, but I’m sure they’ve dropped me by now since I’ve missed so much time without calling them. I only have a few months left, and getting my degree is important to me, to my sense of self-worth.”
Her words are a punch to my gut. She needs normalcy, something that anchors her to the world outside these walls. “You’re already worthy, Wren, because you have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. But I get it. You made so many sacrifices to study for your degree, and you deserve to finish what you started. Education is important. It’s the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.”
She frowns. “That sounds like a quote. ”
I give her a sheepish smile. “Oprah Winfrey.”
“Are you seriously quoting Oprah Winfrey right now, Mr. Billionaire CEO?” Wren teases.
“Hey, she’s a wise woman,” I say, grinning as I hold up my hands. “Leave the college to me. I’ll make a phone call, pay the dean a visit if I have to.” A few persuasive words are all it will take. I’m good at that. “But online classes may be safer.” I know I’m being selfish, suggesting that last part, even though it’s the truth, but I need her close to me.
“Really?” Her eyes light up like I’ve handed her the stars. “You’d do that?”
“Of course.” I stand, offering her my hand, which she takes with a grateful squeeze. “Let’s get going. It’s getting chilly, and we can’t have you catching a cold. How about we get a cinnamon bun from our favorite café?”
This time, the smile that lights up her face is blinding, stealing the oxygen from my lungs. God, she’s so fucking beautiful.
As we head to the café, my senses go into overdrive. I’m always on alert, a habit from my military days that I can’t shake. It’s my job to protect her, to ensure no harm comes her way again. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep that promise .
The trees rustle with the crisp breeze as we walk, whispering warnings of colder nights to come, but our warm coats shield us from its bite.
“Did the rest of your clothes arrive?” I ask casually. The credit card bill told tales of her online shopping spree.
Wren’s cheeks color delightfully. “Yes, everything fits perfectly. Thank you, Gabriel. It was more than generous of you.”
I also purchased a few items for her, now nestled safely in my wardrobe. I picture her in each piece I selected, the pale pink and baby blue satin clinging to her skin and complementing her hair and eyes. One day, I’ll see her in them, but damn, patience is a virtue I’m running short on.
“Gabriel?” Her voice pulls me from my dangerous thoughts.
“Sorry, thinking about work.” A lie, but a necessary one. My mind is a whirlpool, and she’s at the center.
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s perfect,” I assure her, and I mean it because she’s here with me.
“This place feels so cozy this time of the year,” Wren observes as we step into the warmth of the cafe, her breath still visible in the crisp air.
“Yep, nothing beats hot coffee on a cold day,” I reply with a nod, scanning the room out of habit. You can take the man out of the military, but you can’t take the military out of the man.
There’s the usual crowd: the barista who knows our order by heart now, the couple engrossed in their laptops, and the retiree with his newspaper that seems permanently affixed to his table. And a new guy, tucked away in a shadowy corner. His eyes dart around, and he emits a jittery energy that raises the hackles on my neck and sets my teeth on edge. Probably nothing, but…
“Let’s get this to go,” I suggest, my gaze not leaving the twitchy guy.
Wren tilts her head, puzzled. “But we always sit?—”
“I forgot I need to make a phone call,” I cut in smoothly, scooping our order from the counter before she can protest further. Fabricating lies isn’t my style, but when it comes to Wren’s safety, all bets are off.
She shrugs. “Okay, if you say so. ”
I steer her toward the door with a protective hand on her back. Outside, the air bites at our cheeks. Yeah, winter is fast approaching. We walk briskly back to the penthouse, my mind working double-time: Need to monitor the man from the cafe and ensure Wren’s college situation is sorted. Oh, and figure out how much longer I can resist her without going completely mad. Just another day in paradise, right?
We take the elevator up to the penthouse, and I shuffle through the door with Wren, balancing the bag with the cinnamon bun snugly tucked inside.
“Let’s eat in the kitchen,” I suggest.
Once we’re seated at the marble island, we split the cinnamon bun between us without ceremony. No plates, no fuss. Just fingers pulling apart the warm, sticky pastry as we sink into a comfortable silence.
Wren devours her cinnamon bun with an innocence that makes my chest tighten. I nearly lose it when she licks icing from her fingers. God, how I want that tongue wrapped around my cock.
“Delicious,” she declares, licking a stray crumb from her lip.
“Always is.” I manage a smile. “I love watching you eat. ”
She blushes. “Having a full stomach is still a novelty.”
“Do you like Italian food?”
“I don’t know. Never tried it. Until I came here, I was more of a dried noodle gal,” she says with a wry smile.
“There’s a place not far from here. La Dolce Tavola. Would you like to go on Saturday night?”
Her eyes widen. “With you?”
I chuckle. “That was the idea.”
“Uh, yeah,” she says like it’s a trick question. “I’ve only ever seen that place on influencer posts. It’s always booked months in advance.”
“Italian is my favorite food. The owner always holds a table for me.”
“Of course he does, Mr. Moneybags,” she teases.
“Money fills your pockets, but it doesn’t fill the loneliness,” I murmur.
Wren’s gaze lifts to mine, and for a moment, it’s as if she sees straight through me. Something passes between us, something heated and powerful.
She clears her throat. “I should, uh, go back to my busy routine of resting and reading and let you get on with your work.”
I watch her retreat to the living room, her phone clutched in her hand.
Alone in the kitchen, I allow myself a moment to breathe, to think, to plan. Classes, safety, a future for Wren, it’s all on me now. And as much as I want to wrap her in my arms, safe from the world, I know I must also let her spread her wings. Balancing protection with freedom won’t be easy, but for Wren, I’d walk on a bed of nails through hellfire.
With the bun reduced to crumbs on the countertop, I leave her engrossed in her reading to attend to some calls that can’t wait.
By the time dinner rolls around, I’m back with her, and she has a pensive look that means trouble on the horizon. I sit across from her at the table, watching her push the food around her plate until it’s a wilted mess.
“Hey,” I say softly, trying to draw her out. “What’s on your mind?”
She looks up, a storm brewing in those sapphire eyes. When she sets down her silverware, I know everything is about to change .
“What happens when I’m fully healed? What happens when you realize I’m not worth the trouble?”
Her question floors me. I reach across the table, grabbing her hand, gripping it a little too tightly. “I told you this once, and I’ll tell you again. You can stay as long as you want. You could never be trouble, Wren, not in a million years.”
She blows out a shaky breath. “But I am because… I haven’t been completely open with you about what happened that night. The night I ran away from home.”
My eyes narrow on her. “Go on.”
She pauses, biting her lip. “Gregory wasn’t alone when I got back from studying at the library. Jerry, his so-called business partner, was at the house.” Her voice hitches before she sucks in a deep breath and continues, her eyes pinning me to my seat with their vulnerability. “Gregory told me it was time for me to repay him for taking on Mom and me. That he and Jerry had a buyer who was prepared to pay a lot of money for me. Jerry said I should be thankful that Gregory didn’t auction me off long before I was legal. They planned to sell me to someone for…” She trails off, the weight of her unspoken words hanging in the air .
Fury burns in my gut as I ask calmly, “Did they touch you? Hurt you?”
Wren wraps her arms around herself as if she can ward off the world’s evil with the gesture. “Jerry hit me, pinned me against the wall, grabbed my throat.” She winces as if remembering the pain and fear.
“Do you know Jerry’s last name?” I ask calmly, fighting the red haze threatening to consume me.
“Prescott.” Her eyes are glossy with tears as she looks at me, the full horror of her past laid bare. “They’re trafficking women,” she whispers, her slender throat bobbing as she swallows. “I was so scared, Gabriel. So scared.”
Fury ignites. The chair clatters to the floor as I surge to my feet and drive my fist into the wall. Wren visibly flinches, and I instantly regret it, but the wrath simmering in my veins won’t be quelled. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let this go, Wren. I won’t give them the opportunity to come near you ever again.”
I swear right then and there that I’ll burn the world down before letting anyone harm a single hair on her head. But, fuck , this goes so much deeper than I imagined. Frustration surges inside me. So far, our search for Gregory Sanchez has come up empty. And now another fucker needs to die along with him.
“Do they have any reason to come after you?”
She shakes her head. “I can’t believe I’d be worth their effort unless”—she shivers—“unless they’re still determined to deliver me to their buyer. But even if they somehow find out where I am, they’d be crazy to come here, especially now I’m under your protection.”
“I’ll find them,” I vow. “They’ll never be able to hurt you again. I promise.”
“What are you going to do?” she asks, her voice trembling.
“Whatever it takes,” I growl more viciously than I intended.
My knuckles throb from the impact with the wall, but the seething anger clawing at my insides drowns out the pain. I pace back and forth, trying to leash the beast raging within me.
“Please be careful. I can’t lose you.”
Careful? I’ll be as careful as a tornado tearing through a trailer park. No man will ever touch her on my watch. That’s a promise carved into my soul. She’s mine, and no way in hell will I allow Gregory or Jerry or any other low life to lay a finger on her.
“Gabriel…” She stands, reaching out a hesitant hand. Her touch is light on my arm, but it grounds me instantly. “You’re scaring me.”
Seeing the concern in her eyes threatens to unravel me, draining some of my anger. “The thought of anyone hurting you…” I shake my head and take a deep breath, trying to rein in my temper. Wren needs my reassurance, needs to know she’s safe. That I’ll never let anything like that happen to her again.
She nods, understanding without needing further explanation. Moving close, she wraps her arms around me, tucking her head beneath my chin. “I’m here with you now, Gabe. I know you’ll keep me safe.”
Gabe. Only my mother called me Gabe, but it feels right on Wren’s lips. Intimate. Having her warm, soft body in my arms dissipates the last of my anger.
Wren pulls back to look at me. She reaches up, cupping my cheek, her blue eyes searching mine. “You’re always looking after others. But you’re important to me, and I need you to promise me you’ll keep yourself safe too. ”
I drop my forehead to hers. I know I’m walking a tightrope. If I fall, I’ll dive headfirst into this amazing woman, whether she’s ready or not.
“Promise me,” she repeats.
I hold her tighter and summon a smile. “Cross my heart.”
She lets out a surprised yelp as I lift her into my arms and carry her to the sofa. I set her down gently and cover her with a blanket.
“Rest. I’ll be back soon.”
“Gabriel?” She snags my hand as I turn away. Her smile lifts in a smile, lighting up the room like sunshine breaking through storm clouds. “Thank you.”
I raise her hand to my mouth, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “I’d tear this city apart brick by brick to keep you safe, keep you smiling like that.”
But as I leave her reading a book on her phone and head to my office to make some calls, a nagging question worms its way into my thoughts: how long can I keep her safe from me?
“Focus, Gabriel,” I chide myself, picking up the phone. Time to break some necks. Figuratively speaking—for now.