Page 31 of Taken By My Guardian's Fangs

Instead of giving a fuck about everything that was right with Emilia or everything that was wrong about Laura, all he could think about was Juliette...and he had no fucking idea why that was.

Logic told him that he should discontinue his agreement with his ward and pursue a new one with Domenico Moretti's sister. But if he were to give his ward up, wouldn't that mean letting another man touch her?

The idea alone made him want to commit murder, and the fact that it did only made Gaël feel more restless.

In a bid to clear his mind, Gaël decided to pay a visit to his baby girl. In honor of his daughter's memory, Gaël had hired the world's best landscape artist to design a rose garden at the back of the house, and an adjacent gazebo had also been constructed to serve as the landmark for her grave.

Gaël expected to be alone as he followed the paved stones leading to Rosey's resting place, but his steps came to an abrupt halt when he saw a a familiar figure seated next to her tombstone.

"Juliette?"

His ward was visibly stunned at hearing his voice, and she rose to her feet in clumsy haste. "G-Gaël."

He took a step closer, and he realized why he hadn't been able to detect her presence early on. She was using the scent-masking spray that Jean Luc had invented, and it was vastly effective.

His gaze drifted back to his daughter's grave, and it was then he saw the pink roses on the ground. "Those are from you?"

She nodded.

"I see them often, and I wondered who it was that always left roses for my baby girl."

"I just felt Rosey would enjoy it," Juliette confessed.

There was a slight pause, and when her guardian spoke, his voice was taut with emotion. "I think she would, too."

Juliette's heart ached. "I'm sorry, Gaël. I'm really so sorry." She knew it had been years since his daughter died, but she could see in her guardian's gaze that the pain was still raw and vivid.

"It hurts to think of her still," Gaël said roughly.

Juliette could no longer help it, and she threw her arms around him.

"Rosey is in a good place now," she whispered. "I'm sure she's looking after you from heaven, and she wouldn't want you to stay sad like this."

Gaël squeezed his eyes shut. "She was just too fucking young, you know?"

Juliette could only nod as her own eyes started to sting. If only she could take away his pain! If only!

Gaël's arms eventually eased from her, but just as she started feeling empty, Juliette was startled when his hand took hers in a grip...and didn't let go.

They started walking, and having him hold her hand as they did made her want to cry. They had never done this before. Never. And because of what the future held, this might also be the first and last time he could ever hold her hand.

I love you, Gaël. I love you.

She had always been in love with him. Always. It was something she was now absolutely certain of, but because she had also thought he was out of her league, she had never really thought anything would come out of it.

And yet now...

Juliette bit her lip hard when it started to tremble. The nights she had spent reaching the heavens in his arms had been so beautiful...and they had made her hope for more. She had even allowed herself to think they had a chance...until what Aprilynne had revealed.

Knowing what she did now meant that she would have to eventually close the door on her feelings. But before she had to let him go, there was just one last thing she wanted to do, and that was...

"Gaël?"

They had just reached the back of the house when Juliette whispered his name, and he turned to her in question. "What is it, my darling?"

"May I go to your room tonight?"

His grip on her hand tightened. Even with all the times he had pleasured and made her cum, not once had Juliette taken the initiative. Not once. This was the first time...and the fact that it was made Gaël unable to resist her invitation.

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