Chapter Twenty-Six

After gathering as much information on the mysterious Mr. Davis and the documents they plan to forge, her father shuts off his computer and phone, no doubt logging off for the night, they won't be getting anything else for now.

"Do you think he plans to make a court date and try to pass these documents off as real? I don't have any experience when it comes to this particular situation, when it came to inheriting everything from my father, it was thankfully a smooth transaction, but I do have quite a bit of experience when it comes to forged documents," Gabriel says.

Athena can't begin to know where to think, not having experience with this at all. Looking at the forged documents they took from his computer, if she didn't know they were fake she wouldn't even know where to look to tell the difference. In court, she would have believed these documents just like any other average joe.

"We still have Mr. Collins, I don't know how experienced he is in his field since he is my parents lawyer, I just started dealing with him recently and we've only met a few times. I'll print off what we have and transfer the recordings to a USB to take to him this week, hopefully he does have enough experience to know what to do with it, or at the very least give us an idea what we can do."

Gabriel doesn't know why the idea of her meeting with a man alone so frequently bothers him. The man is her family lawyer, and she is stuck in the middle of this devastating split while dealing with the loss of her mother, and the betrayal of her father. Who better to help than the family lawyer?

"Let me know when you decide to go, I'd like to go with you and talk with him myself," he says.

Athena gives him a confused look. "What do you have to speak to him about?" She doesn't want him getting involved anymore than he already has. If Gabriel lets slip in any way that he went and deliberately plotted to plant these devices on her father's computer, he can be liable for that crime no matter what the outcome with her father is, and their evidence could be tossed out the window.

Gabriel can tell what she is worrying over just by the expressions on her face, Athena always having been an open book with people she feels comfortable around. But with Gabriel she hasn't realized how comfortable she has grown around him and isn't paying attention to herself when she is deep in thought around him.

Without thinking, he reaches out and touches her bottom lip with his thumb, liking how soft her lips feel on the pad of his skin, becoming easily distracted and enamored in the feeling. He hears and feels the rush of air pass her lips as she sucks in a sharp breath, her heart pounding outside of her chest.

She wants to ask him what he is doing, but she doesn't dare move a muscle, trapped in the serene moment just as much as Gabriel. Looking at his crystal blue eyes, she tries to understand what he is thinking, but there is a mix of emotions behind his hooded, glazed over eyes.

To any other woman it would be obvious and a clear sign that he wants to kiss her, but with Athena and Gabriel, they have never made their relationship clear to each other. They stumbled upon each other by chance, with Athena barely new in this world under her new identity, navigating her already complicated double lives.

Although the attraction between them has always been obvious, they never had the chance to form a connection and relationship like a regular couple. He almost ran her over and she owed him a favor, all the while needing a favor from him. They learned they could use each other and that's how they formed whatever it is they have now.

By using each other.

Everyone knows no good relationship comes out of two people using each other to gain benefits other than to strengthen the relationship or themselves. They're using each other for their own personal gain and goals, so that Gabriel can rid himself of the constant enemies trying to steal his success, and Athena can do the same with the enemies in her family trying to steal her life and the success of her late mother.

But what are they doing now? What is this situation?

She wants to ask and know what he is thinking, but the other part of her wants to remain silent and still to see what happens.

Do I want him to kiss me?

Athena can't deny that she has never been kissed by a man as handsome and rich as Gabriel in either live she has lived.

But what will happen if they do? She still needs him to help her, and she can't do anything to ruin that exchange.

Then, why isn't she moving away? The longer she stays entranced by his eyes, the further she finds herself leaning into his touch, losing herself in it.

Gabriel is finding it hard to hold himself back as well, his thumb parting her lips and touching the tip of her tongue, a physical jolt of shock rushing through her, setting her skin on fire. Sending all caution to the wind, something seems to possess her body and mind, and Athena closes her lips around his thumb and sucks lightly.

His eyes darken instantly, and she knows she has made a mistake.

In a flash, Gabriel hovers above her, hands on either side of her trapping her against the desk and his face inches away from hers.

"You had your chance," he whispers against her lips before claiming them with his own. Athena gasps in surprise and opens her mouth for him, surrendering to his touch and melting into his arms, her fingers finding their way through his soft dark hair.

All sense of time and setting are lost to them in the moment, too caught up in the heated touch of the other, acting as if they have been holding back all this time though neither still understand their feelings for each other.

Gabriel can feel himself quickly losing control. What started off with wanting to know the feel of her lips has turned into something they might both deeply regret after, no matter what they feel in the moment.

But he can't stop himself. Every touch, every whimper that comes from her drives him wild, sending his senses into overdrive and pushing him to do something he know he won't regret – but she might. He needs to get a hold of himself and calm down, but no matter how many times he pulls away from her lips in an attempt, he is drawn right back in.

He grabs hold of her legs and is about to lift her off the ground, when he hears a faint creak that sounds like a door opening.

"Gabriel, there's something I think you need to see about-" Julian walks in with a stack of papers in a folder.

At the sound of his name, Gabriel and Athena break away from each other with her pushing at his chest and him letting go of her legs. Because she was already half off the ground, she ends up falling back on the desk, her butt missing the edge and landing on the ground, and the force she pushes Gabriel back and the shock of being caught causing him too to fly backwards.

They both let out pained groans, catching the attention of Julian. Taking in the scene before him, it's hard for him not to believe he didn't just stumble into something he shouldn't have. He surveys the awkward and shameful look Athena has and that is more than enough to answer his question, but the harsh glare he can feel penetrating the back of his head from the other side of the room is already confirmation enough.

Oh, woe is me.