At 2:14 a.m., five heavily armed men dragged the most ruthless syndicate boss in New York through the sliding doors of Mercy General Hospital, and the first person brave enough to lay hands on him was the woman they sneered at.

They arrived at a highly secure luxury penthouse in Manhattan—a property entirely off the grid, owned by one of Gabriel's shell corporations.

Victor had arranged for a private styling team to arrive an hour later. They asked no questions as they ushered Clara into the master suite, washing her hair, applying immaculate, dramatic makeup, and presenting her with a garment bag.

When Clara unzipped the bag, she gasped.

It was a breathtaking, floor-length gown in deep emerald green. It wasn't designed to hide her curves, as she was used to doing with oversized scrubs and baggy sweaters. It was designed to worship them. The silk clung flawlessly to her full hips and narrow waist, plunging slightly at the neckline.

When Clara stepped out of the bedroom, she felt like a different person. She wasn't the exhausted, sneered-at night nurse anymore. She looked powerful. She looked lethal.

Gabriel was waiting in the living room, dressed in a pristine black tuxedo, looking like a dark god of war. When he turned and saw Clara, the breath physically left his lungs.

He didn't speak for a long time. He just walked toward her, his whiskey eyes completely consumed by raw, unadulterated hunger.

"I... I feel overdressed," Clara stammered, blushing under his intense stare.

Gabriel reached out, running a reverent hand down the curve of her waist. "You look like a queen, Clara. My queen."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy velvet box. He popped it open, revealing a breathtaking diamond and emerald necklace. Without asking for permission, he stepped behind her, brushing her hair aside, and fastened the cold, heavy jewels around her neck.

His lips grazed her bare shoulder, sending a shockwave of heat straight to her core.

"Tonight, Leo learns what it means to take what belongs to me," Gabriel whispered against her skin. "Are you ready, mia vita?"