Chapter Thirty-Five

Like an animal without common thought, Gabriel is out of his seat with his lips glued to Athena's in a flash, savouring that same sweet and salty taste of her lips that still lingers on his tongue.

"Say it again," he chokes out through ragged breaths.

Her eyes clouded and her face flustered, she mumbles out, "S-say what again?"

"My name, Athena. Say my name again." He roughly grabs her chin and tilts her eyes up to meet his. She feels like the wind has been sucked out of her when she looks into his eyes, completely glazed over like he is a crazed animal, a look she has never imagined she would see on him. How has he become like this so quickly?

"W-why?" she whispers.

He surprises her again when an actual growl leaves his throat and he slams his lips back on hers again, biting her lip just hard enough to make her squeal.

"Say it again, Athena, or I might do something incredibly stupid."

She bites her lip, realization dawning on her. She has made him come completely undone, just by uttering his name in such a suave tone.

The power of the hold she realizes she has over him, excites her in many ways she has never experienced. A rich, powerful, and renowned man such as Gabriel Monroe, has become a quivering schoolboy in the palm of her hand.

This sudden surge of confidence she gets from that thought makes her want to tease him a little, leaning down into his ear and clutching the collar of his shirt lightly to tug him in closer, she lets out a low and seductive whisper.

"Gabriel."

Athena merely wanted to see the cute and funny reaction she might get. She wasn't expecting him to attack her like a rabid animal, nearly knocking them both of the chair with the force of his hunger driven kiss. He acts as if he is trying to devour her, quickly picking her up from the seat and flipping them around so she is entrapped on his lap, pressed as close as physically possible against him, as if he is afraid, she will run away.

Tangling his fingers in the back of her head, he pushes their lips closer together, to the point where she can clearly feel the desperation in his actions, knowing there is more behind this than just mere contained lust, but the harder he kisses her the more she feels herself getting lost and not caring about anything other than the blissful feeling.

Until she hears idle chatter still coming from the computer, and the key piece of information she has been waiting for.

"Mother, what are we going to do if she finds a way to come and search our house? She has powerful backers; I don't doubt she won't pull some sort of tricks to come here and find the deed for herself."

"Only thing we can do, we have to put it somewhere she could never have the authority to barge into, no matter who or what is backing her up. Quick, help me think of somewhere while I fetch it and secure everything else. We can't let that wretched girl ruin everything I've worked so hard to get, she is no better than that homewrecking mother of hers."

Athena pushes Gabriel away with surprising force to turn a glare at the computer screen, wanting to lash out at stupid mistress of the Rose family. In ancient times, she would be considered nothing more than a concubine, even if Athena's mother were still to have died, she would never replace the position of lady of the house.

Now, she dares to call her mother a homewrecker, when she was the one who uprooted their family and had her mother killed in the first place?

Gabriel can feel the rage building in Athena as the temperature plummets in the room. He heard everything the mother-daughter duo has said and can only imagine how Athena is feeling, unable to even bring himself to be upset that his moment was ruined once again.

As if more forces have decided to push them apart, his phone decides to ring and the main house number of the villa where he has Verona staying flashes across his screen. He knows even if he ignores her call this time, she will only call back again soon after and he will have more of a problem to deal with for not answering the first time.

"It's alright, I should probably get back to watching and listening to this," Athena mutters and quickly scrambles off his lap and takes the seat he was previously sitting in, shuffling it to the side a dew inches and turning her eyes back to the screen.

It is clear with how unfocused her eyes are that she isn't paying any attention to the screen and is simply trying not to look at Gabriel. Her innocent and cute behavior makes him want to tease her again, but the insistent ringing of his phone reminds him as always, he has other matters to tend to.

Picking up his phone and walking away, he keeps in mind to book a day in the near future to dedicate the entire time to spend with Athena, with absolutely no interruptions.

"Hello?" he answers.

"Oh, Gabriel, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything," Verona says in a coquettish voice, which sounds more like sandpaper to his ears. He wants groan in frustration when she reminds him of the scene, she has indeed interrupted, but reassures her instead.

"Not at all, Verona. What can I do for you?"

She lets out a giggle. "Why are you being so formal towards me, Gabriel? We've been friends since we were in diapers practically, there has never been a need for you to be so distant. I know it's been a really long time that we've been apart, and you've been so bust with work these days, I wanted to invite you over to my place this weekend and have the honor of being the first guest hosted in my new home. I can make a homecooked meal for us, and we can look through some of the old photo albums I brought along with me."

Gabriel can see right through her plan to try and reel him in by reminding him of the good days they once had together, planting the old happy memories they once shared with the hope that it will spring new affection within him towards her.

He has witnessed it many times with others to know the scheme from a mile away. He looks back towards the living room where Athena is still sitting in front of the computer screen with the headphones on, hopefully blocking out everything of his conversation.

Regardless, he has already made up his mind about what he wants, and he isn't going to do anything to risk messing it up and losing it. He has waited for the opportunity to get close enough with Athena to get to know the genuine woman behind the media mask she always portrayed. He has been granted that opportunity and despite his limited skills and knowledge on romantic pursuits, he thinks he is doing quite well so far.

"I apologize Verona, I'm quite busy this weekend. I will try and find time to invite you out when I can. Enjoy your evening, I have something to tend to at the moment."

He hangs up before she has the chance to even say good-bye.

Verona grips the phone in her hand, hearing the slight crack from the pressure in the plastic. Yet again, Gabriel has outright refused to come and see her, and it is no doubt due to that seducing homewrecker he keeps locked in his private little house.

"What in the world does he see in that wretched Athena Rose? She is nothing more than a show girl for the public! I am the daughter of a prestigious family and respected mother, there isn't anywhere in this godforsaken country that isn't aware of who my family is. So, why is she worthy over me to gain his favor?" she cries out to the empty house.

He has her living in a barren house without even a single servant to tend to her, while his play toy is set up in a fancy hotel suite, with hotel staff waiting on her hand and foot, probably not paying a dime for anything that she buys or uses there.

I should be the one living like that, not her. Grumbling about it isn't going to change anything and trying to get Gabriel to come to me isn't working. That leaves me no option," she mutters and turns towards the stairs.

Rushing up to her bedroom she throws open her closet doors, pulling out an array of lacy and strappy pieces of clothing.

"I'll just have to go to him."