Page 148 of Ruthless God

The silence drags.

Then, finally, Claudius tilts his head, his voice low.

“What exactly are you doing down here, Cecely?”

It hits me in that instant, what he said earlier to Mrs. Blanc.

Cecely with an e and not an i.

The words I spoke to Gabriel that night at Purple Panther Hideaway. Words I never said to Claudius.

I force my body to relax even though my pulse is racing. My mind is spinning.

Because I know.

I know.

I’ve been so blind. So stupid.

Gabriel didn’t just survive. He didn’t just come back. He never left. Because he was always here.

Because Claudius and Gabriel are the same person.

A slow, creeping horror sinks in. Every touch. Every whispered promise. Every moment of trust. I thought I was with Claudius. I thought I knew who he was. But I didn’t. I never did.

And now? Now I don’t know if I’ve been sleeping beside my lover. Or if I’ve been lying in bed with a monster.

I swallow hard, keeping my expression blank. I can’t let him see. Can’t let him know I figured it out.

His head tilts, watching me with sharp, assessing eyes.

“Are you okay? I asked what you’re doing down here.”

His voice is calm. Controlled. A test. He’s waiting to see what I say.

I let out a slow exhale, forcing a small smile.

“Looking for you.”

His eyes narrow. “Is that so?”

I nod, stepping closer just enough to move toward the desk. Toward the letter opener resting beside the keyboard.

He doesn’t notice. Or maybe he doesn’t care.

Because he’s already won, hasn’t he? Already played me for a fool.

My fingers curl around the handle. Cold. Smooth. Something real. Something to hold on to when everything else is a lie.

But I keep my voice light.

“I got lost,” I say. “And then the lights went out.”

His lips curve, but it’s not a smile. It’s something darker. Something that tells me he knows I’m lying. That he’s just waiting to see what I’ll do next.

And suddenly I know. This isn’t just about surviving. It’s about escaping. Before Gabriel—Claudius—whoever the hell he really is—decides I know too much.

He’s still watching me like a predator waiting to see if its prey will run or fight.

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