was heavy and

te shaft. The wind roared in her ears. The memory of the str

to crush her chest, a warm

incredibly gentle. It sounded like i

as late," the m

her skin. It was filled w

r freezing fingers. The heat from his palm seeped into

breaking slightly under the weight of a profound, unsp

e a sedative. The falling sen

ied tears from her cheeks. The touch w

hispered, right next to her ear. "I am

side the hospital bed. He held Gabrielle's limp hand in b

n were the confession he ha

. He knew she could not hea

d into the room. She saw the billionaire holding the unconscious woman's hand

ty vanished from his face in a fraction of

d back on the mattress. He stood

d. His tone left no room for negotiation. "You will tell her

but she nodded quickly.

time. He needed to leave before she opened he

room, the door clic

n sliced through the blinds

aned softly as a dull ache throbbed behi

ite. The faint smell of a

was wearing a soft cotton hospital

. She remembered the stre

and the sharp jawline. She remembered the

s just a hallucination. Her br

. Nurse Chloe walked

wake," Chloe said. "

f up against the pillow

ere?" Gabri

checking the monitor. "The doctor said it was extreme exh

owed hard. Her

me here?" Gab