Rush (Breathless #1)(103)

Before, he agreed wholeheartedly with Mia in keeping their relationship from Jace. It only made sense because he’d known that whatever their relationship was, it wouldn’t last very long. If Jace never knew, there would be no awkwardness. No anger. They could go on as before, pretending his time with Mia had never happened.

Only now…

Now, Gabe was reluctant to think of the agreement between him and Mia ending. He wasn’t sure when it had happened that he’d started looking at her in a new light. As someone he had no intention of walking away from. At least not any time soon.

Jace needed to be told and then Gabe and Mia would deal with whatever fallout ensued. It was becoming increasingly more difficult for Gabe to pretend distance at the office. To pretend Mia was just an employee. Or that she was just Jace’s little sister and someone Gabe viewed with affection.

He wasn’t sure how Mia would feel about them going to Jace with the truth—or rather a simpler version of the truth. No one would ever know of their contract. It was a thing that shamed Gabe now, where before he’d lived by it, would never enter a relationship without one. Now? It seemed ridiculous and useless. A product of his overreaction to the past.

More important than any of that right now was ensuring that Mia was reassured, and that he soothed any worry or fear she had with regard to the threats Charles had made.

His hands itched to touch her. He wanted her against him, breathing the same air as he did. He wanted to taste her and to feel her against his skin.

He silently urged his driver to go faster. He’d been away from Mia for too long. She was his addiction, and he was already suffering from withdrawal.

• • •

Mia worried and fretted as she waited for Gabe to get home. She checked the clock countless times, the minutes passing with excruciating slowness.

What had he done? How could he possibly hope to take care of the matter? Had she done the right thing in going to him?

She was weary and her head ached vilely. She’d already raided Gabe’s medicine cabinet for ibuprofen, but nothing seemed to ease the pain at her temples and at the base of her neck.

And then she heard footsteps in the foyer, and she lunged up from the couch and met Gabe as he entered the living room.

She flew into his arms and he gathered her close as she all but crawled up his body. He hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as she clutched tightly at his shoulders.

His hands palmed her ass, holding her up as he stared into her eyes.

“Are you all right?” he asked in a low voice.

She nodded. “I am now that you’re home. I’ve been so worried, Gabe.”

He carried her to the couch and sat down, her still straddling him. He pulled her down into a kiss and then smoothed the hair from her forehead.

“Everything is fine. I want you to trust in that fact. Charles will not ever be a problem for us again. I promise.”

Worry flashed in her eyes and her lips pursed. “What did you do?”

“He and I merely reached an understanding,” Gabe said calmly. “It’s over, Mia. He won’t bother you again.”

It was then that her gaze fell on his hand, at the scrape on his knuckles and the faint smear of redness, almost as if he’d wiped the blood but hadn’t gotten quite all of it.

She glanced back into his eyes, her brows furrowing. “What did you do, Gabe?”

“He put his hands on you,” Gabe said sharply. “That’s twice he’s forced himself on you with the intent of harming you.”

“If he presses charges, you’ll be arrested,” she said unhappily. “Then everything will come out. He’s not worth you going to jail for.”

A low growl echoed from his throat. “You’re worth everything. I’d die for you. I’d sure as hell go to jail to prevent some ass**le from hurting you.”

Shocked to her core by the vehement words, she could only stare at him in utter bemusement. Hope was sharp and overwhelming, fluttering deep in her heart and flooding her veins with soothing warmth. Tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill over onto her cheeks.

She lifted his hand and gently kissed the abrasion.

His gaze softened and he cupped her cheek, rubbing softly over her jaw.

“There’s something else I want to discuss with you, Mia.”

She could sense the difference in his voice. He was a little less certain, and yet his words were firm, full of determination.

“What?”

“I think we should tell Jace about us.”

Her eyes widened in shock.

“He doesn’t need to know exact details. But we run the risk of discovery all the time. I’m tired of pretending you don’t mean a damn thing to me. You live in fear of him discovering us and what it will do to our friendship and your relationship with him. If we remove that fear, then it won’t have any power over us any longer. He may be angry at first, but he’ll get over it.”

Mia blew out an unsteady breath. This was…Well, it was huge. Gabe wanted to go public with their relationship? She dared not hope what that meant. She couldn’t afford to read anything into it, to assume that it was anything more than ending a source of considerable strain as they sought to keep their relationship secret.

“Mia? Do you agree?”

She blinked and refocused her gaze on Gabe. Saw the determination etched on his face. Then slowly, she nodded.