Page 123 of Ruthless God

And then, in a voice so low it barely sounds like him, he speaks. “Tell me everything.”

I swallow hard, shifting so I can face him fully.

“I woke up to him touching my foot.”

Claudius’ fingers flex against the sheets, his jaw locking even tighter.

I push forward.

“At first, I thought it was you.” I exhale. “But the way he spoke? The way he smiled?” I shake my head. “It wasn’t you.”

Claudius doesn’t react. Not outwardly. But the energy in the room shifts. The air thickening, charged with something dangerous.

Still, I keep going.

“He wasn’t violent. He didn’t threaten me.”

Claudius’ expression doesn’t change. But I see it in his eyes. That means nothing to him. Because Gabriel doesn’t have to be violent to be dangerous.

“He said something strange.” I wet my lips, trying to remember every detail. “He said people pay millions for high-tech security, but they forget that since you and he are identical, your security reads his face the same way.”

Claudius curses under his breath.

I continue, my heart pounding. “He asked if I remembered being with him before. If I remembered how he felt inside of me.”

Claudius snaps. Faster than I can react, he’s out of the bed, pacing the room, his movements controlled but deadly.

I don’t stop.

“He asked if my sperm donor was here yet. That’s how I knew he already knew.”

Claudius stops mid-stride. His gaze cuts to mine.

“How?” His voice is razor sharp. “How does he know?”

I shake my head. “I asked him the same thing. He said he overheard you on the phone.”

Claudius’ eyes darken.

“Impossible.”

I shrug. “Not if he’s been following you.”

The words hang between us. Claudius says nothing. And that? That terrifies me more than anything. Because if he’s not denying it, then that means it’s possible. And that means Gabriel might be closer than either of us realized.

Claudius stares at me, his mind already moving a mile a minute, calculating, planning, strategizing. I see it on his face. That cold, controlled detachment. The way he’s pulling away from me even as he stands right there.

And I’m done with it.

“Why won’t you just tell me everything?”

His head snaps toward me, his eyes flashing with something dark and unreadable.

“What are you talking about?”

“Gabriel. I’m talking about Gabriel.” I stand, closing the space between us. “You never tell me the full truth about him. You never give me more than I already know. Why?”

“Because there are things you don’t need to know.”

---