Page 11 of Hook

“Apologies, boss,” he says, giving me a toothy grin.

I’m relieved to see that the man I kissed isn’t here, so hopefully, I can pretend it never happened and go back to normal.

“So, Gwen, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?” Elio asks.

And that’s when I realize they’re all staring at me. “I’m a wildlife photographer,” I reply.

Alina rolls her eyes. “Photographer? That’s so unoriginal.”

I don’t like this woman already. “How is it unoriginal? I enjoy taking photos and therefore do what I enjoy. I don’t care how many other people also do it.”

“Well said,” Kira agrees, glaring at Alina. “We should all pursue our interests without fear of judgment.”

I smile, knowing that I’m going to get on well with Kira. So far, Tino and Alexsander seem alright too.

“I agree,” Tino chimes in, looking slightly embarrassed. “I enjoy reading whenever I can find the time.”

“What genre do you prefer?” I inquire.

He grins at me. “I love science fiction because it gives me the chance to explore new worlds.”

Turning toward Piero, I gaze into his eyes and ask him, “What about you? What’s your favorite hobby?”

“My work is my passion,” he responds coolly. “There’s nothing more rewarding than expanding my empire.”

I frown. “You find working fun?”

He shrugs before taking a sip of his drink.

My mind reels with doubts as Piero’s response echoes in my head. My thoughts slip to the stranger from earlier who stole a kiss; his smirk and mischievous eyes playing tricks on me.

Piero is great, but suddenly I can’t help longing for something more—longing for that spark of connection I felt with him. A deep, indefinable anger simmers toward my dad for forcing me into a marriage devoid of experience.

Pushing away my thoughts, I try to recall why I was so thrilled to marry Piero before tonight. But no matter how hard I try, all I can see is the handsome stranger who has gotten under my skin with one stolen kiss.

5

CILLIAN

Istalk through Macy’s, never taking my gaze off of Gwen. She’s wearing a simple indigo summer dress with floral patterns on and her hair is styled in a modest updo. Different to the party, but she’s just as breathtakingly beautiful.

With every step I take, her fear intensifies as if she can sense me nearby. Each time, she spins around to try to locate me. She turns in my direction again and I swiftly slip behind a mannequin, my heart racing with the thrill of the chase.

“Are you okay, Gwen?” one girl asks.

She clears her throat. “Yes, I just... Never mind.”

They continue flicking through the rows of dresses in silence.

For the past week, I’ve been following Gwendolyne Tesoro and her pesky bodyguard around Los Angeles. It appears she’s staying at a hotel in the city to remain close to Piero before the wedding, even though she’s only seen him a handful of times. My following her is escalating my obsession with each passing day.

And today is when it will reach its climax—when I finally reveal myself to her for the first time since our kiss.

It’s not my style to strike too soon; building suspense and tension will make it far more gratifying when I take her.

Ever since we first met, I’ve been unable to focus on anything but her. She haunts my waking thoughts and even in sleep, I can’t escape. Her emerald eyes feature in every vivid dream I have.

The three girls finish looking at the dresses and head toward the dressing room to try them on. Her bodyguard, who is clearly incompetent, remains near the front entrance of the women’s clothing floor, watching a woman who has been making eyes at him since the moment they came in here.

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