Chapter 1 - The Night Clara Fell Into the Most Dangerous Man in Manhattan’s Lap and Discovered He Had Been Watching Her for Months
“Mr. Costa. Your requested bottle.”
His eyes lifted to hers.
For just a second, something changed in his expression.
Recognition.
“Ms. Hughes.”
Clara paused.
He remembered her.
Of course he did.
She had worked six Costa events over the previous year, but their interactions had never amounted to more than a few sentences.
“Sir.”
Gabriel's gaze moved to the bottle.
Then back to her.
“You're limping.”
Clara blinked.
“No, I'm not.”
“You are.”
She glanced down.
One heel had begun rubbing against the back of her ankle.
She hadn't even noticed.
“It's nothing.”
Gabriel looked at one of his men.
“Bring the first-aid kit.”
Clara immediately shook her head.
“That's not necessary.”
“It wasn't a question.”
The words were quiet.
Not rude.
Not aggressive.
Just final.
She placed the bottle on the table.
“I have twelve other tables waiting.”
“You've already handled them.”
Clara stared.
“How do you know?”
“I watched.”
Her pulse skipped.
“Watched what?”
“You.”
Sienna laughed from across the table.
“Oh, please.”
Gabriel didn't look at her.
Clara did.
Sienna's smile had disappeared.
Gabriel turned toward Clara.
“Go sit for ten minutes.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because this event is my responsibility.”
His eyebrow lifted.
“You're afraid someone will think you're not working if you sit down?”
Clara's face warmed.
“No.”
“Then sit.”
“I'll be fine.”
Gabriel studied her.
Then he leaned slightly closer.
“Your right ankle is swollen.”
Clara's breath caught.
He had noticed.
He had been watching closely enough to notice.
“That is none of your concern.”
“It became my concern when you started limping through my event.”
“Your event?”
“Yes.”
She wanted to argue.
Instead, she turned.
That was when Sienna reached out.
The hand came too fast.
Her champagne glass caught the edge of Clara's tray.
The tray tipped.
Glass shattered.
Clara's heel slipped on spilled champagne.
She fell backward.
The world tilted.
Then an arm locked around her waist.
Another hand caught her under the knee.
Gabriel pulled her down.
She landed directly on his lap.
The ballroom stopped.
Clara heard the collective gasp before she felt Gabriel's hand tighten around her waist.
He didn't move her.
He didn't let her scramble away.
His body was solid beneath hers.
Warm.
Still.
Controlled.
Clara's heart pounded so violently she could hear it.
“Mr. Costa…”
“Don't move.”
“I can stand.”
“No.”
She tried anyway.
Pain shot through her ankle.
She gasped.
Gabriel's arm tightened instantly.
The ballroom fell even quieter.
His face changed.
The calm billionaire disappeared.
The man beneath him remained.
Dangerous.
Possessive.
Focused.
His hand moved carefully to her ankle.
Clara winced.
“That's not nothing.”
She looked at him.
“I told you it wasn't your concern.”
He looked toward Sienna.
Then back at Clara.
“She did this?”
Clara followed his gaze.
Sienna's face had gone pale.
“I didn't mean to.”
Gabriel's expression was unreadable.
“You should start apologizing.”
Sienna swallowed.
“To Clara?”
“Yes.”
The socialite stared.
“I'm sorry.”
Clara said nothing.
Gabriel's hand remained around Clara's waist.
“Again.”
Sienna looked humiliated.
“I’m sorry, Clara.”
“Good.”
Gabriel looked at his security chief.
“Call the doctor.”
Clara's eyes widened.
“No.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because if the doctor comes, everyone will know.”
“Everyone already knows.”
She glanced around.
Four hundred guests were pretending not to stare.
Gabriel lowered his voice.
“Let them.”
Clara swallowed.
“I need to finish the event.”
“The event is still running.”
“Without me.”
“Yes.”
“But—”
“Clara.”
Her name in his mouth silenced her.
“You're injured.”
“I can walk.”
“Not tonight.”
His hand moved beneath her knees.
He stood.
Clara gasped.
“No.”
He lifted her as if she weighed nothing.
The ballroom erupted into whispers.
Gabriel carried her toward a private corridor.
She hid her face against his shoulder.
“Put me down.”
“No.”
“This is humiliating.”
His voice softened.
“You don't have to be ashamed of being hurt.”
“That isn't why I'm embarrassed.”
“Why?”
“Because everyone is staring.”
“Let them.”
She looked at him.
“You don't care?”
“No.”
She stared.
“Why?”
Gabriel stopped outside a private suite.
He looked down at her.
“Because they already know I care.”
Clara's breath caught.
Before she could ask what he meant, he opened the door.
He sat her on a chaise lounge.
A doctor arrived within minutes.
The diagnosis was a sprained ankle.
“She's lucky,” the doctor said.
Gabriel looked at him.
“How long?”
“At least a week before full activity.”
Clara groaned.
“I have three events.”
“You have none,” Gabriel said.
She glared.
“They're mine.”
“I'll handle the contracts.”
“You cannot manage my clients.”
“I can.”
“You're not my employer.”
“No.”
His eyes held hers.
“I'm the reason your employer just got a call from me.”
She stared.
“What did you do?”
Gabriel's expression remained calm.
“I bought the company.”
Silence.
Clara thought she'd misheard him.
“You what?”
He handed her his phone.
A transaction agreement.
Premier Crown Events.
Acquired by Costa Meridian Holdings.
Clara stared.
“That's impossible.”
“It isn't.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“Why?”
He took back the phone.
“Because the company has been exploiting its employees.”
Clara's stomach dropped.
“You knew?”
“I know everything about the company.”
“Why?”
“Because I was looking at the books.”
She frowned.
“For what?”
“To understand where my money was going.”
“And?”
“Someone has been stealing.”
Her expression changed.
“How much?”
“Enough.”
Gabriel sat opposite her.
Then he said something that made her blood run cold.
“The missing money is being hidden in event expenses.”
Clara stared.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does if the events are being used to move something else.”
“What?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Names.”
“Of whom?”
“People.”
His voice lowered.
“People who can be blackmailed.”
Clara felt a chill.
He pulled out a file.
Inside were photos.
Employees.
Managers.
Clients.
Political figures.
Then one photograph made her freeze.
Her.
Leaving her apartment.
Taken from across the street.
“When was this?”
“Three months ago.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
Gabriel watched her reaction.
“That is what I'm trying to find out.”
Clara looked at him.
“You've been investigating me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He didn't answer.
She pushed the file away.
“I want to go home.”
Gabriel nodded.
“You will.”
She hesitated.
“Why were you watching me?”
His expression changed.
For the first time, he looked almost reluctant.
“Because someone else was.”
Clara's stomach dropped.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why me?”
Gabriel reached into his jacket.
He placed a photograph on the table.
A photograph of her entering the hotel that night.
Someone had drawn a red circle around her.
Underneath were three words:
SHE KNOWS WHERE.
Clara stared.
“I don't know anything.”
“I believe you.”
She looked at him.
“Then why won't you let me go?”
“Because whoever wrote that believes you know.”
He stood.
“And until I know why, you're under my protection.”
Clara laughed nervously.
“I didn't ask for protection.”
“No.”
He looked at her injured ankle.
“You asked for nothing.”
Then he walked away.
Clara watched him disappear.
For the first time, she realized something terrifying.
Gabriel Costa had not pulled her onto his lap because he wanted to embarrass her.
He had done it because when she fell, he had already been watching for someone to make a move.
And now she wasn't merely the woman who organized his events.
May you like
She was the woman someone wanted dead.
---
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