Page 39 of Forbidden Sins

Alana was quiet for a moment, before she pursed her lips and then spoke. “So, you and Gabe...?”

“Yes?”

“You’re still married.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yeah, we are. Unfortunately, an annulment in Nevada isn’t as cut-and-dried as one would think. We’re still technically married for at least the next two weeks. We have a hearing with a judge, and he’ll decide if an annulment is appropriate in our case.”

“Is that what you want? An annulment?” When Ellie didn’t respond, Alana went on with a good-natured smile. “Sorry, I don’t mean to pry.”

“I think you did mean to pry. Because why else would you ask such a personal question?”

Alana smiled. “You’re right. I am prying. It’s just that this is all so weird. Gabe. Married. I just don’t understand, and for once he won’t talk to me about it.”

“What are you asking? If I want to stay married to him?”

“Gabe is my closest friend. I want to know what’s in it for you? I need to know that you aren’t just screwing with him to get at his money, or to get back at your daddy for some reason. I need to know he won’t be caught in the cross fire if you have any nefarious plans.”

“Are you worried about him, or his career track?”

“Of course, I’m worried about him.”

Ellie sat back and looked at Alana, simultaneously surprised and impressed that Alana asked the question. “I’m not using him. I don’t know Gabe well, but I really like him.” She wouldn’t reveal to Alana that she was in love with Gabe. “We’re having fun together. But I assure you, it’s only temporary.”

Alana nodded, and inspected her cuticles. Ellie could see the woman was an impressive, intimidating figure. “That’s good. Because if you hurt him, I’ll hurt you.”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Ellie said. “I won’t hurt him.”

“Good.”

Ellie talked a big game about wanting her father’s approval and forging a relationship with him. But Alana had made her realize something. Was being with Gabe her way of sticking it to dear old Daddy? Her heart broke in two when she realized that maybe Alana was right about her. Maybe shewasgoing to hurt Gabe.

It wasn’t hard to find Ellie once he entered Di Terrestres. She was sitting at a table with Alana and it looked like the women were engaged in a serious conversation. He frowned, and wondered what Alana could be saying to Ellie. They hadn’t left on the best of terms at their last meeting, and he hadn’t spoken to her since. He’d seen men crumble under Alana’s examination, and he knew that Ellie was tough, but he hoped she was faring well.

He jogged over to them. “Ladies,” he said, more alerting them to his presence than greeting them. He could tell that the air between them was tense. “Everything okay?”

“Everything is fine,” Alana told him, her voice still cool to him.

He turned to Ellie for confirmation. She nodded. “It’s fine.” She stood and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, her lips parting for him immediately.

Her mouth was warm, wet, willing—full of promise. As his tongue lapped around hers, his arms encircled her waist, and he pulled her closer to him.

Oblivious to Alana, he kissed her without restraint; his hands cupped her ass and she pushed against him and his already hard dick.

“Let’s go downstairs,” she whispered to him.

He nodded and searched her face. Whatever had been bothering her when she called him had seemed to evaporate. But there was something dark and wild in her eyes.

When she picked up her purse, he looked again to Alana who gave him a curious shrug. He wondered what was going on behind her unwavering eyes. But he could get to the bottom of it later. For now, he had Ellie, and he needed her. “We’ll talk later?” he asked her.

“Yeah, sure,” she said with another shrug. He took one last look at Alana, and wondered what was on her mind, but he couldn’t pay that any mind, as he watched Ellie head across the floor to the downstairs.

“We can get a private room upstairs,” he told her when they got to the landing of the staircase.

“Why would we do that?” she asked, pulling him downstairs.

Gabe frowned; something strange was happening with Ellie. But he’d be damned if he knew what. Then he remembered. “You met with your father today. Did something happen?”

“No. Nothing that matters or is any sort of surprise.”

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