ChapterTwenty-Four
Ariana
Imogene hugged me at the door, her arms warm as they wrapped around me.Unlike earlier this evening when I’d stiffened at her unexpected affection, now I melted into her embrace, letting myself accept the kindness.The warmth.The unspoken understanding.
“Henry’s a really good man,” she whispered in a barely audible voice as she leaned in.“One I’d trust with my life.And my baby’s life.”She pulled back, allowing me to see the truth in her words.
I may have just met her, but there was no denying she sensed I needed to hear them.Needed some sort of reassurance I was on the right path.That I didn’t need to doubt my growing affection for this man who’d entered my life in such an unexpected way.
“Thank you,” I whispered back.
“Of course.”
She gave me one last squeeze before releasing me.Gideon swooped in next, pressing a kiss to my cheek before wrapping me in a brief, but surprisingly gentle bear hug.
“Visit again anytime,” he said with a grin.“If for no other reason than to drag this guy out from the Underworld.”
“The Underworld?”I arched a brow, looking between Henry and Gideon.
“It’s what he calls my various offices,” Henry explained.
“Dark.Windowless.It suits.”Gideon shrugged.
“So youarelike Hades then.”
“Maybe a little.”He winked, then gave Gideon a quick hug goodbye before steering me down the path toward the SUV with a steady palm on the small of my back.
The night air was crisp, smelling faintly of wood smoke from nearby chimneys.Henry opened the passenger door and helped me inside, his hand firm around mine.The moment he closed my door, the world outside dimmed, cocooning me inside the quiet vehicle.
As he drove down the residential street lined with lamplit porches and sleeping houses, I found myself watching him.His profile looked softer tonight.Or maybe it wasn’t Henry who was different at all.
Maybe it was me.
My feelings.
“I hope you had fun tonight.”His voice was low, almost hesitant.“And that Gideon and Imogene didn’t scare you off too much.”
“It was exactly what I needed.”
His grip tightened slightly on the steering wheel.“Good.”
We fell into a comfortable silence, one that let my thoughts drift and settle.I replayed the evening in my mind like a favorite movie — the laughter, the teasing, the smells of home-cooked food.No forced smiles.No rules.Just warmth and familiarity.
That feeling stayed with me the entire drive back to Henry’s penthouse.
“Want to watch a movie?”he asked after helping me out of my coat and draping it over one of the barstools by the kitchen island.
“I’m pretty tired,” I said around a yawn.“Maybe tomorrow.”
“Sure.”He nodded once.“I’ll walk you up.”
He gestured toward the winding staircase, letting me go first.As we climbed to the upper floor, I felt his presence behind me — solid, warm, protective.
“Thanks again for tonight,” I said, turning toward him when we reached my room.“I really enjoyed myself.Especially Gideon’s story about you crashing your brand-new car because you were checking out a girl.”
He groaned.“I’m going to kill him for that.Slowly.”
I laughed.“If you do, Imogene will kill you.Honestly, I think she scares me more than Gideon.”
