Chapter 171: Little Rebellion

Chapter 171: Little Rebellion
Luna's POV

I whipped around to see Michael charging toward us, face twisted in rage, with a gaggle of nosy students peeking through the doors behind him.

Shit. So much for keeping this private.

"Luna Gray!" Michael's finger stabbed the air like a dagger. "You said you were just borrowing the pool for some closed-door swim practice! I trusted you! I thought you were one of the good ones! You... you... you—" His face was turning a scary shade of purple as he fumbled for words that wouldn't get him fired.

My heart pounded like a drum in my chest. Getting busted by Michael was not on my romantic proposal bingo card. My cheeks burned as I stood there frozen, still gripping Gabriel's hand.

But Gabriel? Cool as ice. He slipped an arm around my waist and leaned in close, whispering, "Run."

"What?" I hissed.

He flashed that wicked grin that always turned my knees to jelly. "Trust me, baby. Run."

Before I could even blink, he grabbed my hand and yanked me toward the exit. We bolted past the sputtering principal and through the crowd of wide-eyed students.

"Gabriel Ashford!" Michael roared after us. "YOU GET BACK HERE RIGHT THIS SECOND!"

Gabriel's laugh cut through the air as we sprinted across campus, my shorter legs scrambling to match his long strides. Wind whipped my hair into a messy tangle, but I couldn't hold back the giggles bubbling up from deep inside.

We didn't stop until we hit the car. Gabriel flung open the door, practically shoving me inside, both of us panting and grinning like idiots.

---

The second we stepped into Gabriel's bedroom at Ashford Estate, the vibe shifted from playful chaos to something electric and intense. My laughter died on my lips as he shut the door, the soft click of the lock sending a thrill straight down my spine.

Gabriel's eyes raked over me slowly, lingering on the school uniform I'd picked as a nod to our first meeting. "You have no clue what you do to me in that getup, Luna."

I swallowed hard, my throat going dry. "I think I've got a pretty good idea."

He shrugged off his suit jacket with deliberate slowness, loosening his tie while holding my gaze. The heat in his eyes made my pulse race.

"Come here," he said, his voice low and commanding, but with that soft edge that always got me.

I moved without thinking, like I was pulled by some invisible force. When I got close, Gabriel surprised me by yanking off his tie completely. He gently took my wrists, binding them with the silky fabric and looping it around the bedpost above my head.

"Gabriel," I whispered, tugging lightly. It wasn't too tight—just enough to hold me in place. "I can't wrap my arms around you like this."

His eyes softened, but there was a spark of mischief there too. "Does that make you feel a little... exposed? Insecure?"

I nodded, caught off guard by my own honesty. "Yeah. I like holding you. Feeling like I've got some control."

He leaned down, his lips brushing mine in a tease. "I love seeing you like this—wanting me so bad, needing me, with that edge of uncertainty. It drives me wild."

A shiver raced through me. "That's not exactly playing fair."

"Who said I play fair?" He trailed hot kisses down my neck, his breath making my skin tingle. "Time to unwrap my engagement gift."

He took his sweet time, using his teeth to pop open the buttons on my uniform blouse one by one, his stubble grazing my collarbone. When he got to my bra, he unhooked it with one smooth flick, exposing me to his hungry gaze. "God, you're stunning," he murmured, his hands exploring with a mix of reverence and raw desire. "I want to taste every inch of you—make you beg for more."

"Gabriel..." I arched toward him, straining against the tie. "Please, touch me. I need you inside me—now."

He chuckled low, his fingers teasing lower, dipping beneath my skirt. "Patience, baby. I'm gonna make you feel everything." His touch was expert, building that delicious pressure until I was gasping. We moved together in a haze of sweat and whispers, his voice rough in my ear: "You're mine, Luna—every gasp, every moan. Say it."

"I'm yours," I breathed, the words pulling us both over the edge into bliss.

Afterward, as we lay tangled in the sheets, my wrists finally free, I traced lazy circles on his chest, marveling at how this man could be both my cage and my wings.

My phone buzzed from the floor. Then again. And again, like a swarm of angry bees.

"Ignore it," Gabriel mumbled into my hair.

But I couldn't resist. I slipped out of his arms, fishing the phone from my discarded uniform pocket.

"Holy shit," I whispered, staring at the screen.

"What?" Gabriel propped up on an elbow, the sheet dipping low enough to distract me for a second.

I crawled back onto the bed, shoving the phone at him. "#AshfordProposal is blowing up. We've gone viral."

Photos were everywhere—us dashing from the natatorium, him in his sharp suit, me in the uniform, both beaming like fools in love. Headlines screamed drama: "Billionaire CEO Gets Reverse-Proposed by Scriptwriter Girlfriend – And Runs for It!"

Gabriel scrolled, his face blank at first, then pausing on a shot of us locked in a gaze, pure joy radiating off us.

I skimmed the headlines:

"BILLIONAIRE CEO GETS REVERSE-PROPOSED BY SCRIPTWRITER GIRLFRIEND"

"REAL-LIFE FAIRY TALE: HEIRESS-TURNED-WRITER WINS BACK ASHFORD'S HEART"

"VALE'S HOTTEST BACHELOR OFF THE MARKET: CHECK OUT THE EPIC PROPOSAL PICS"

Comments were exploding:

OMG, they look so freaking in love! Total #relationshipgoals!

Okay, but her in a SCHOOL UNIFORM? Queen energy!

This has to be a stunt for his new streaming gig. No way it's real.

Real or not, I'd let Gabriel Ashford tie me up any day! 🔥

Gabriel smirked. "Time for dinner, honey."

"Actually," I said, "I've gotta hash out some work stuff with Tina."

I'd snuck that photo as my home screen when he wasn't looking. It was too perfect—a snapshot of us in our element.

"I'll drive you," he offered, sitting up.

I shook my head. "Nah, I'm good. I can handle it solo."

"Luna—"

"Gabriel, I'm a big girl. I can—" My words cut off as my phone slipped from my fingers, landing face-up on the bed.

He snatched it, and the screen lit up with our photo. His eyes widened, then a cocky grin spread. "Looks like someone's more obsessed with me than she admits."

I grabbed it back, cheeks flaming. "It's just a killer shot, that's all."

"Uh-huh." His grin grew. "Let me take you to Tina's."

"No thanks," I said, yanking on my clothes. "We've got drivers for that, right?"

Gabriel's look was equal parts amused and annoyed. "Wanna bet I fire every last one of 'em tomorrow?"