Page 167

The words settle between us, heavier than they should be. A warning. My chest tightens, but I nod anyway, forcing myself not to pull back. Not now.

I close my eyes for a second, draw in a steadying breath, then open them again. "Okay."

"You brought up your mother losing her mind," he reminds me, his voice quieter now.

A small, shaky laugh slips out of me, some of the tension breaking.

"Despite everything," I say, shaking my head, "I've always known my mother is certifiably crazy."

"I've hired a therapist. Her name is Esther. She's at the penthouse right now, and your mother thinks she's my aunt." He fills me in.

This time, I can't stop the chuckle. "You know, years ago, a doctor told me all this was in her head, and she needed to see a therapist."

"Let me guess, Stacy didn't like the idea?"

"Not at all," I confirm.

"Yeah, I thought so. That's why Esther is there as my aunt. She's a great therapist; you can look her up. Massimo used her for Amauri after the kid was taken, and she's done wonders." He hands me a card.

Esther Bonnet, Therapist,the card reads. Simple. I make a mental note to check her credentials, but I trust Gabe. Because this right here shows, again, just how different he is from Pete. Pete made decisions for our lives based on what he wanted. Gabe does so based on what's best for us.

"Thank you," I whisper, suppressing the tears gathering in my eyes, because it seems the world just won't stop spinning around me.

A few minutes later, we arrive at the Dominion. It's just as polished and gleaming as it was the last time I was here. People move around us, giving us a wide berth, sensing the predator in Gabe. The elevator doors slide open, and he gestures us in. His hand hovers at my back, not quite touching, but close enough that I feel it anyway.

The ride up is smooth. Too smooth. Too quiet. The city falls away beneath us, lights stretch out endlessly, and my reflection stares back at me from the mirrored walls, out of place, uncertain, completely unprepared. For some God-forsaken reason, a strange sense of belonging creeps in anyway. Unwanted. Unwelcome. Familiar in a way that makes my chest tighten.

The doors to the antechamber open, and warmth spills over my skin. Heat floods my face when I remember the last time I stood here. The memory is vivid and sharp. I keep my head down, trying to be subtle as I scan the guards' faces. None of them look familiar.

Thank God.

Or… a darker thought slips in, cold and unwelcome. Would he have had them killed? My stomach drops. Shit. I haven't even thought about that.

"Come." His voice cuts through the spiral, low and steady, and before I can get stuck in it, he ushers us forward like I never left. Like nothing happened. Like this is just another evening.

We step into the penthouse. It's exactly as I remember. Big. Polished. Him.

My mom and an older woman sit at the massive dining table by the window, the city glowing behind them like a backdrop. Mom rises the moment we enter. "Audra."

I rush over briskly and take her in my arms. "Mom. I missed you."

"Yeah, could've fooled me, leaving me all alone here, for days," she complains.

I smile, because… that's just Mom.

The other woman stands, smoothing her hands over her skirt. Her posture is perfectly calm and composed.

"Audra. " Gabe introduces us smoothly, guiding me forward. "This is my aunt, Esther."

"A pleasure," the woman greets me warmly. "Esther Bonnet."

Her voice is gentle. Grounding. The kind that makes you want to trust her before you even know why. She briefly takes my hand, her touch light but steady. A spicy smell from the table roils my stomach, and I shift uncomfortably.

"Gabe," she gushes, her eyes light up slightly as she glances past him toward the kitchen. "That stove." A small, appreciativesmile curves her lips. "It's exceptional. Truly. The finest range I've seen in a private home."

Gabe's mouth twitches. He glances at me. Winks.

"It's self-extinguishing," he explains casually. "We had a small fire not too long ago."