Page 29 of A Mistake of Identity
The silence stretched for a moment before Jean picked up his fork again, continuing to eat without further protest. Gabriel’s hand reached under the table and squeezed Ellis’ thigh once more, and when Ellis looked up, Gabriel was smiling at him. Despite lingering confusion about why exactly he was there, Ellis smiled back.
Alain cleared his throat, drawing Gabriel’s attention. “About your brother’s whereabouts that night...”
“Ah, yes.” Gabriel’s hand remained steady on Ellis’ thigh. “What did you find?”
“He spent both evenings with Marc Saint-Clair. First at Club Essence, then Le Rouge. The morning of the C-suite meeting, they were spotted leaving The Crown around four in the morning.”
Jean’s derisive snort cut through the tension. He swirled his wine, not looking up. “Tell me something that isn’t obvious. Where else would Henri be? Marc says jump, Henri asks how high.”
Gabriel’s brow furrowed. “That doesn’t sound like my brother.”
“How well does any older brother know the younger?” Jean’s laugh held no humor. He took another sip of wine, letting the bitter words hang in the air. “Marc’s kept Henri on a short leash for years. Everyone knows it.”
Ellis watched Gabriel study Jean with growing concern, saw questions forming behind those blue eyes. But beforeGabriel could voice them, Annabelle swept in with dessert, her cheerful presence breaking the tension.
The conversation moved on, but Ellis couldn’t shake the chill Jean’s words had left. He’d seen that same bitterness in Jean’s eyes in the mirrors at Heart Court. Whatever was happening between Marc and Henri, Jean knew more than he was saying. And from the way Gabriel’s hand had tightened on Ellis’ thigh, he hadn’t missed it either.
Gabriel
Gabriel woke before his alarm, as he had every morning since bringing Ellis home. Dawn had barely begun painting the sky in watercolor shades of pink and gold, casting long shadows across their bed. For several minutes, he simply watched Ellis sleep, taking in how his little bird had already changed their space.
Ellis’s tablet and phone lay on the nightstand, connected to their chargers. His clothes from yesterday were carefully draped over the chair, a habit from years of protecting the few possessions he owned. Even in sleep, Ellis curled slightly toward Gabriel’s side of the bed, seeking warmth.
Gabriel traced the curve of Ellis’ spine with his finger, watching early morning light paint shadows across bare skin. Over a week had passed since bringing Ellis home, and each morning grew more difficult. The thought of leaving Ellis alone in their bed while he attended to La Sauvegarde’s demands was becoming increasingly... distasteful.
Ellis shifted in his sleep, the sheet sliding lower to reveal the marks Gabriel had left the night before. Beautiful bruises in the shape of his fingers decorated Ellis’ hips, a visible reminder of ownership.
He had no major meetings today. A few video calls, some private discussions with department heads...
An idea formed with surprising ease. “Ellis.” He pressed his lips to a marked shoulder. “Wake up, mon coeur.”
Ellis stirred, blinking slowly. “Gabriel?”
“We’re going to the office today.”
That woke Ellis completely. “What? We?”
Gabriel growled at the adorably confused expression, unable to resist capturing those parted lips. Ellis melted against him as Gabriel deepened the kiss, one hand sliding down to wrap around them both. Ellis gasped into his mouth, hips jerking as Gabriel stroked them together.
“Yes, we,” Gabriel murmured against Ellis’ throat, drinking in the soft whimpers as he picked up the pace. “You’re coming with me today.” He twisted his wrist just so, drawing a broken moan from Ellis.
“Gabriel, please—”
“Come for me, petit oiseau.”
Ellis shuddered beneath him, spilling over Gabriel’s hand with a choked cry. Gabriel followed moments later, marking Ellis’ stomach with his release. He pressed their foreheads together, sharing heated breaths as their pulses slowed.
After bundling a still-dazed Ellis into the shower, Gabriel pulled out his phone. He fired off a quick message to Jacob about requiring a suit, then joined Ellis under the spray.
After their shower, Gabriel heard Annabelle’s familiar, efficient movements in the bedroom. He wrapped Ellis in a thick robe before they could exit the bathroom.
“No one sees you naked anymore,” Gabriel murmured against his ear, possessiveness darkening his tone. “You’re mine alone to look at now.”
By the time they emerged, Annabelle had already swept through the bedroom like a domestic hurricane. She’d laid out Gabriel’s favorite charcoal suit, but her real triumph was apparent in how she hovered near the door, practically vibrating with suppressed excitement.
“Jacob tells me you’re finally letting me dress him properly,” she announced, unable to contain herself any longer. Her eyes sparkled as she gestured to where Lucas’s suit hung. “Though this is just temporary, n’est-ce pas? We’ll need a proper wardrobe. I’ve already made lists...”
“Annabelle,” Gabriel warned, though he couldn’t quite suppress his smile.
