Chapter 56
His hand was still cupped around my cheek when I opened my eyes fully. The room was dim. Only the soft light from the hallway spilled across the floor.
“You’re so late.” I marmured, still halfway in sleep.
Karl brushed his thumb along my jaw. His voice was low, warm. “The meetings ran longer than I thought. I didn’t expect it to drag like
I sat up a little, rubbing my eyes. My body was stiff from the way I’d been curled on the couch. I tried to swing my legs over the side.
“Wait,” he said, standing and leaning forward. “Tve got you.”
Before I could protest, he lifted me into his arms in one smooth motion. Bridal style. His grip was steady, like I weighed nothing,
“You’re ridiculous.” I whispered, my cheek against his chest.
He didn’t answer. He just carried me up the stairs, one slow step at a time. I felt the slight shift of his muscles under his shirt. His heartbeat was steady against my ear
J
When we reached the room, he nudged the door open with his shoulder and walked us in. He set me gently on the edge of the bed, and I leaned back on my palms, watching him.
He started unbuttoning his shirt. I blinked slowly, too sleepy to pretend I wasn’t staring. The fabric slid off his shoulders, revealing skin I had seen before, but never without this kind of context. Never with this quiet surrounding us,
He didn’t rush. Belt, then pants. Down to just his boxers.
He climbed onto the bed, his body hovering over mine. He didn’t press down, just balanced his weight on his elbows, his face inches from mine.
His fingers threaded through my hair slowly
“I thought about you the entire day,” he said, voice rough. “I couldn’t focus. I kept checking the time, thinking maybe you’d call. Or I’d call you. But then I didn’t
His eyes searched mine.
“I’ve not been myself,” he added. “I was struggling today”
I smiled sleepily. “That bad without me?
ple. “Worse than bad”
He brushed a kiss over my temple.
“My day was fine,” I said. “Boring. I kept pacing around downstairs waiting for you.
He raised a brow. “You waited for me?”
I nodded.
Then I frowned.
“What?” he asked.
I looked at him. “When can we kick Gypsy out?”
He blinked. “Did not see that coming”
“I’m serious” I said, folding my arms across my chest. “Why is she still here? It makes me uncomfortable. Every time I turn around she’s standing somewhere she shouldn’t be. Looking smug”
He exhaled, sitting up slightly. “She doesn’t have anywhere to go right now, Ellen. I was just trying to be-
I didn’t say anything. I just looked at him.
His mouth shut. He stared at me for a second
“Okay,” he said quietly. “Tl ask her to leave. Soon. I promise.”
Chapter 56
I looked away. “I just don’t want to keep waking up wondering if she’s going to be around every comer
“I get it,” he said “Really. That can we stop talking about her?”
I nodded oner.
He leaned in and kissed my neck gently. His lips moved lower, warm and slow. His hand slipped under my shirt, gliding over my skin. He sucked on the spot just above my chest, not hard enough to leave a mark, but enough to make my breath catch.
“Karl” I whispered, barely audible.
He rugged the hem of my shirt, pressing a kiss through the fabric, over my nipple. The pressure was light. Teasing. His hand smoothed over my stomach, and he kissed lower, trailing to my belly.
Then lower still.
I tensed slightly, but he looked up at me. His eyes were soft but locked on mine.
“I missed you all day,” he said again, voice low against my skin.
I was already breathless and he hadn’t even done anything. His presence alone was enough to tilt the world sideways. He didn’t push. Just pressed his lips gently against my hipbone, his hands sliding along the sides of my thighs.
But I was too tired. I reached down and brushed my fingers through his hair.
“Later.” I whispered. “Just stay with me right now.”
He nodded slowly, climbing back up and settling beside me. I turned onto my side, facing him. His hand rested on my waist
He leaned close, kissed my forehead, and said nothing else.
The silence between us wasn’t heavy this time.
It felt like peace.
The morning light spilled in gently, warming the room with its soft glow. I stirred slowly, blinking at the ceiling as my mind drifted. between dreams and reality. The bed was warm, the blankets tangled around me, the lingering scent of Karl still clinging to the sheets
I rolled over, reaching instinctively for him.
Nothing
My hand met cool sheets. The space beside me was empty. My brows furrowed slightly. I pushed myself up, eyes scanning the room. No sign of him. The door was slightly ajar. Maybe he had gone to shower. Maybe he had a call. Or maybe he’d gotten up earlier to deal with work. He always did.
I groaned quietly, sitting up and brushing my hair out of my face. My body felt heavy with sleep, but my stomach gave a loud growl, reminding me I hadn’t eaten properly the night before.
The house was quiet when I padded down the stairs. One of the staff greeted me with a polite smile and directed me to the dining room, where a light breakfast was already waiting.
I sat down and started to eat, not bothering to wait for him this time. Toast, eggs, fresh fruit–simple things, but I devoured them like I hadn’t eaten in days. I was too hungry to care about anything else.
Once the edge had worn off, I leaned back, sipping the last of my orange juice. The silence was nice. Too nice.
I picked up my phone, tapping it to life. Notifications exploded across the screen, and I frowned as I opened the first one. My fingers paused
A news headline blared across a tabloid site: “Billionaire Karl Lever Spotted Getting Cozy With Ex–Girlfriend in Private Garden Date”
My chest tightened. My eyes narrowed.
