Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 694

Gwen's POV

It was just a Tuesday.

I had a folder with my test results, a bottle of water in my bag, and the practical certainty that if I kept everything organized, the rest would fall into place.

Nick appeared in the bedroom doorway with the car keys in his hand and the look of a man who'd already rehearsed the route three times in his head.

"Thirty minutes," he said, checking his watch.

"If we leave now, we'll get there early." I nodded like that made us invincible.I was ready.

Black knit dress that didn't press against my stomach and didn't scream pregnant.Comfortable sneakers.Hair pulled back.

Minimal makeup so no one would ask if I was okay.

The garage was exactly the same.Apparently, I wasn't.Because I saw the car and...stopped.

It wasn't a decision.It wasn't even a thought.It was like someone pulled a handbrake inside me.

"Gwen?" Nick said my name carefully.

I blinked.The feeling was ridiculous.I just...couldn't move forward.

"Sorry," I said automatically.

I got into the passenger seat first and was suddenly overtaken by something urgent and practical.

Seatbelt.

Click.

Unclick.

Click again.

Adjust.

Adjust more.

The strap felt too rough against my shoulder.

The diagonal didn't sit right, even though it was exactly where it had always been.

Nick got in on the driver's side.

He saw me, but he didn't comment.

He started the car, pulled out slowly, and before turning the first comer, he touched my hand once.

Light.

A quiet. I'm here.

normal.Normal traffic.Normal people

Bikes.

Motorcycles.

Tourists wandering.

normal

honk - an impatient motorcycle behind us - I jumped.Not gracefully.My whole body

eyes

just...got startled." I tried to laugh, but

We kept going.

red and I saw it like a shouted command.My chest tightened "STOP!" I

was already slowing.Nick was already

the word shot out of me like I was preventing disaster.He eased the car to a halt, calm as if it were just another

"We're stopping," he said, no judgment

stopping."

know." But my body didn't seem

blocks later, a car sped past us, engine

rush of air and grabbed the seatbelt handle, my

had collapsed

I tried.

Inhale for four.

Hold for two.

Exhale for six.

articles and

the protocol didn't fit what

had nothing to do with the road, My mouth went

up

at me," Nick asked, and I managed to turn

opened my mouth to give him a rational

I didn't have one.

started, and the word dissolved halfway

truck braked in front

brakes lit up

no attempt at charm

glanced to the side, scanning

OVER NOW!"

voice

Nick didn't snap back.

didn't get irritated.He turned on the hazard lights and, with almost surgical precision, eased into a side street and parked

he said, turning off

I opened the door before he'd even finished

hit my face, but it

running, to a trash can across the sidewalk and threw up without

myself against the metal, shaking, my throat burning,

like his body had

hair back with one

at my waist, steadying me without trapping