Forever Wicked

1001 Dark Nights - 1

Wicked Lovers - 7.8

by

Shayla Black

One Thousand and One Dark Nights

Once upon a time, in the future…

I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

library at my father’s home and collected thousands

of volumes of fantastic tales.

I learned all about ancient races and bygone

times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

people through the millennium. And the more I read

the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

become part of them.

I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

would not be telling you this tale now.

But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

with bravery.

One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

(Persian: شهریار, "king") married a new virgin, and then

sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,

the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand

women.

Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

never occurred before and that still to this day, I

cannot explain.

Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

protect herself and stay alive.

Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

you now.

Chapter One

“To what do I owe this displeasure?” Jason Denning leaned against the doorjamb and stared at the all-too-familiar face glowering back at him.

This close to Halloween, he wished his visitor was some kid he could hand a piece of candy then send away. Unfortunately, this wasn’t someone in a costume.

“Is that any way to talk to your mother?” Samantha Denning-Markham-Lloyd braced her hand against his chest and shoved him out of the way to enter his condo uninvited. The tap-tap-tap of her ever-present stilettoes clattered against the hand-scraped hardwood floors and echoed off the high ceilings, resounding through his downtown Dallas loft.

As he followed her across the foyer and into the great room, she picked up his remote and turned off the football game with a dramatic sigh. The TV mounted on the exposed brick wall went dark—sort of like his mood.

“No, really, Mom. I wasn’t watching that or anything.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“I haven’t seen you in three years, and you’d rather gawk at grown men chasing an oblong ball? Don’t you even have a hug for your mother?”

Samantha had barely allowed him to touch her, even when he’d been a little boy. Now, she only ever wanted something from him when her life had gone to hell and she wanted help fixing it. “You mean like we’re a warm, well-adjusted family? They usually spend Christmas together. But oh, you didn’t show up last year, like we’d planned. Thanks for not calling to let me know you weren’t coming. I had a fabulous holiday alone, thanks for asking.”

Samantha sighed. “You have your father’s sarcastic streak. I could live without it.”

“Too bad I can’t. Is there a reason you couldn’t return my messages? I haven’t moved or changed my number for the last few years, so I know you didn’t fail to call because you had trouble finding me. I assumed you were too busy with husband number three for your only son.”

“I didn’t come here for guilt.” She waved his words away, and he noticed that her ring finger was currently bare. “Lloyd is long gone. The poor bastard went bankrupt. I couldn’t possibly stay.”

Jason supposed that whole “for richer or for poorer” thing didn’t mean much to Mommy Dearest. “So you dumped him?”

“As it happened, I met another man about the same time. Robert swept me off my feet.”

Translation: He had a lot of money and spent a nice chunk on her. “So you left Lloyd for Robert. Beautiful.”

“It was,” she defended. “We had a fabulous wedding in Fiji. You would have loved it.”

Doubtful, but since he hadn’t been invited and it sounded like the union was over, his opinion was moot. “Is the divorce final yet?”

“No. He just filed last week.” She pursed her artificially plumped lips as much as the injections allowed, looking a bit like a three-year-old in the body of a woman on the downhill slide to sixty. “He met a girl making a music video, of all things.”

“A musician?”

“No.” She scoffed. “A model strutting around in a bikini and spreading her legs on the hoods of cars for the camera. She convinced him that he still had the libido of a man half his age. Now they’re engaged.” She gave him a dainty huff. “I kept up my end of our prenuptial, as I have with every husband. I remained a size four. I played the gracious hostess for all his boring business parties. I even gave him the requisite blow job once a week.”

Jason winced. “TMI, Mother…”

So Robert had left her—a first for Samantha. She was used to men of all ages falling at her feet and offering her the world. She was usually the trophy. Maybe those days were over.

Jason couldn’t tell much difference in his mother’s appearance since he’d seen her a few years ago. She stayed in impeccable shape with a personal trainer. A stylist dressed her. She religiously saw an esthetician and had a plastic surgeon on speed dial. Most people wouldn’t think her more than a day or two above forty.

She fluffed her artificial blonde hair and shot him an impatient stare. “Don’t you have anything to say?”

Not really. Though he sensed the incident had broken her ego more than her heart, she still hurt. “Is he refusing to honor the terms of your prenup?”

“No, but…” She paced, looking out over the Dallas skyline all lit up in its evening glory yet not really seeing.

“But?” he prompted. The sooner she said whatever she needed to get off her chest, the sooner she would leave.

“He’s thirty-five years older than her. It’s ridiculous!”

Jason refrained from pointing out that billionaire Charles Denning had been thirty-two years Samantha’s senior when she’d married him. She hadn’t believed the age gap ridiculous then. Since his mother had given birth to him six months after she and his father exchanged vows, Jason didn’t think his mother had wooed his father away from his first wife of twenty-seven years with her scintillating conversational skills. Pointing that out now would only make her snit worse.

“Do you want a glass of wine?” A few of those usually solved her problems.

She shook her head and unwound her cashmere wrap, then tossed it at him. “It doesn’t mix well with my Xanax, and I can’t afford the extra calories. I’m looking for another man, one younger than me. I’ll show Robert.”

His mother sounded bitter. He wasn’t surprised. She’d always acted as if the world owed her something.

It was going to be a long evening.

Jason paced to the fridge and grabbed a beer, then tossed himself onto the black leather sofa, peering at the cityscape. He should probably keep his mouth shut. After all, he knew damn well that she hadn’t come to him for advice, probably money and sympathy—in that order. But she was all the family he had left. Even if she hadn’t been much of a mother, she was his.

“Maybe you should take some time to be alone, consider what you really want in a marriage before you dive into number five. There’s a reason things never work out, Mom.”

“That’s not fair,” she shot back. “Your father died on me when you were barely thirteen. I was married to Daniel Markham for over a decade before he got stingy.” She sighed. “Lloyd and I had a good five years, then…like I said, he went broke.”

“And Robert couldn’t keep it in his pants. Got it. I’m just saying that maybe some soul searching wouldn’t be all bad before you get involved again,” Jason suggested.

She cut him a blue-eyed glare as she perched on the edge of a gray suede chair and crossed her ankles. “What would you know? You’ve never been married.”

Jason froze. He should probably shut up now, but he’d learned a thing or two lately. “Actually, I’m currently married. Have been for almost a year.”

With that admission, a familiar weight pressed into his chest, unbearable and suffocating. Anger charged his veins. The constant, nagging pain followed. He shoved it all down and blanked his face.

Samantha reared back, eyes wide with shock, as if he’d just said he kept Godzilla as a pet. “You married? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I tried. That’s what the invitation to spend some family time last Christmas was supposed to be about.”

“Oh, well. I didn’t know. You didn’t invite me to the wedding.”

“It was somewhat…impulsive.” Because at the time, he’d thought that if he didn’t own that woman in every way possible, he would go insane.

Well, he’d slipped a ring on her finger and taken her to bed. Sadly, none of that had kept him from losing his damn mind.

He’d been a stupid bastard.

Samantha’s surprise deepened. “You’re never impulsive. And you’ve always expressed utter contempt for marriage.”

For years, he had. The not-so-shining examples around him had convinced him that he should never attempt happily ever after. That no one should. But she had been different. He’d been right about that. But he’d been so fucking wrong, too. He’d taken a stab at marriage, and the blade had cut him deep.

“Who is she?” Samantha rose to her feet, looking all around. “Where is she?”

Jason dragged in a deep breath and gritted his teeth. “She isn’t here.”

And she was probably never coming back. The truth fucking hurt.

For once, his mother looked genuinely concerned about him. “So you’re separated? Have you started divorce proceedings yet?”

It had crossed his mind…but Jason couldn’t make himself call his lawyer. Some senseless part of him kept hoping that if he gave her more time, she would return.

It’s been three hundred forty-four days. What are the odds she’ll come back to play happy wife?

“No.”

“Has she violated her prenup? You do have one, right?”

“I do, and she hasn’t.”

His mother looked around his condo. All sleek black leather, chrome, floor to ceiling windows, and pristine kitchen—without a feminine touch anywhere. Every square inch of the place screamed bachelor pad. Samantha might be a pain in his ass, but she wasn’t stupid. She’d know his wife didn’t live here and never had.

“How has she not violated the terms of the agreement? You were specific, right?”

“I outlined how much money she would receive after every milestone anniversary if we divorced. There’s a sunset clause after twenty-five years. There’s a division of assets in the event of my death.” He shrugged. “Typical stuff, but nothing she violated.”

Samantha wagged a finger at him, looking aghast. “Jason Edward Denning, you know better than that. You’re a young, good-looking billionaire. You could have any woman you want in any way you desire. Didn’t you spell out her duties with regard to the house? The living and sleeping arrangements? The type and amount of sex?”

Jason stifled his anger. He’d wanted her to be a real wife; he hadn’t wanted to buy her. “I kept it simple. Unlike your Prince Charming, Robert, I declined to contractually obligate her about how often I wanted oral gratification.”

His mother rose and crossed the room, sitting beside him to lay her delicate fingers on his knee. “That’s your mistake. You just need to be detailed with her. Surely, if you made yourself clear—”

“I wanted her to choose to be with me. She didn’t and now she’s gone. End of conversation.”

Growing up steeped in wealth, he’d seen all sorts of couples marry for reasons that had far more to do with money than devotion. Not that he didn’t understand a man’s desire for companionship while protecting his assets. But from those interactions, he knew that relationships were a barter, affection bought and paid for. The currency might change, but the concept didn’t. Meeting his wife had somehow altered his opinion.

He’d not only appreciated and deeply admired her altruistic, self-sufficient nature, he had married her because of it. Eventually, he’d hoped she would be the mother of his children because she brimmed with honesty and fought for what was right. For her, nothing had been about money, but loyalty and kindness. Caring. He’d trusted her more than he’d ever trusted a female. She put family first. Jason had never imagined the traits he’d once admired so much would bite him in the ass. Or that she’d not only leave him, but deny his most basic rights as her husband and her Dom—to help and protect her—proving that she didn’t trust him at all.

Then again, hadn’t that been a recurring theme for them?

“Call your attorney,” his mother advised. “Maybe you can ‘clarify’ the terms of the agreement. Then she’ll have to sign and recommit or you’ll box her into a corner and she will have to leave the marriage first. And in that case, she won’t receive anything, right?”

Yes, he could do all that. But she would only hate him for it. For some reason he couldn’t fathom, he found that idea intolerable.

Jason slammed his beer on the glass-top table and rose. “I’m going out. If you need a place to stay, there’s a guest room at the top of the stairs and to the right. If you need money, there’s ten grand on my dresser. You’re welcome to either. But if you’re here when I come back, my marriage isn’t a subject open for discussion—ever.”

* * *

Club Dominion was closed on Sunday nights, but Jason kept a private playroom here and had round-the-clock access to it. The moment he let himself into the dark, still dungeon, he realized it wasn’t the room he sought, but the memories.

Quickly making his way down the hall, he pictured his wife as he’d first seen her, arresting a rowdy drunk in the parking lot who’d been harassing females entering. She’d been questioning the club’s owner, Mitchell Thorpe. Despite the badge on her chest and the holstered gun at her side, everything about her expression and posture had shouted that she leaned submissive. When she’d looked at him with her soft, dark eyes, Jason’s need to possess her had slammed into him like a visceral force. But she’d been gone before he could even learn her name.

The next evening, he’d spotted her out of uniform, entering Dominion with Thorpe, who both escorted and explained. Jason hadn’t wasted a second before approaching her. The Dungeon Master had introduced the beauty as Greta. An oddly German name for an obviously Italian girl, but he accepted that she’d chosen a club name as a way to protect her anonymity, especially important since she worked in law enforcement.

They’d talked that first night for hours, mostly about the lifestyle, what she secretly yearned for, what she wanted to understand…and what he would be more than happy to give her.

For over a blissful year, Jason had. Casually at first, of course. He purposely didn’t form attachments to others. It wasn’t logical when so many merely sought him for his net worth. But from the start, his wife had been different.

Over time, she’d grown from an anxious novice, unsure if she truly wanted to pursue the lifestyle, to an eager, if somewhat willful submissive. During those months, he’d learned her beautiful soul, and their connection had grown. Shockingly, she lacked interest in his money or stature. At first, he’d wondered if her silence on the subject was a ploy to disarm him. Then his infatuation had kicked in, and he’d stopped thinking altogether.

When he’d been foolish enough to make their relationship permanent, everything had gone to hell. Now he had a wound with her name on it. He’d tried to patch and heal it…but he’d never been successful. Since Jason wasn’t accustomed to failing, the bleeding bothered him even more.

“Hi, Denning.” Thorpe stepped out of the shadows. “It’s been weeks since you’ve darkened these halls. What are you doing here tonight? Not a lot of action.”

Thorpe leaned against the wall, his pose seemingly casual. Bullshit. Nothing the man ever did lacked purpose.

Jason shrugged. Thorpe was one of the few who knew he’d married “Greta” and that it hadn’t worked out. Thankfully, he’d never asked questions.

Unfortunately, Jason had a hard time maintaining a similar silence. “Have you heard from her?”

Thorpe cocked his head. “Greta is no longer a member here.”

That made Jason stiffen and his seeping wound throb. “That’s not her name. Don’t treat me as if I don’t know any better. I’m her fucking husband.”

“My apologies.” Thorpe’s tone was smooth and somehow not apologetic at all. “Gia is no longer a member, then.”

“She let her fees lapse? I’ll pay them.”

“No. She called me last month to revoke them. I refunded her the unused portion.”

“And it didn’t occur to you to call me first?” He tried not to sound like he was seething.

Apparently calling him hadn’t occurred to Gia, either. In fact, she had reached out to the club owner before she’d contacted her own husband. More unexpected pain whacked him. Dominion had been his first common thread with her. The place had brought them together. And she had renounced it without a word.

“Gia asked me not to. I respected her privacy, just like I do everyone in this club.”

Just then, a petite pixie of a brunette padded through the dungeon with her phone pressed to her ear and a grin on her face. Her tinkling laughter somehow brightened the room. Even from a distance, Jason saw her blue eyes dance with a hint of mischief.

No way Thorpe failed to miss it, either.

“You mean like you’re protecting Callie’s privacy now?” Jason drawled.

“She’s different.”

“How?” he questioned. “Unless I miss my guess, she’s on the phone with Sean. She accepted his collar months ago, but you’re eavesdropping on her conversation like whatever she says or does is still your business.”

Thorpe watched the beauty as if he’d forfeit a limb for the chance to touch her. Once, the two of them had been close—not lovers, but certainly more than friends. Jason had no idea what had caused their rift, but clearly the club owner wasn’t letting go. And as Callie stole a longing glance at her boss, Jason knew Thorpe’s feelings weren’t one-sided.

“Listen to me because I’m only going to say this once.” Thorpe clenched his jaw. “I protect every woman who passes through those doors, regardless of who or what they require shielding from. Your wife chose this separation. I’m respecting her wishes. I suggest you do the same.”

“Do you enjoy the distance between you and Callie these days?” Jason watched the woman end her call with a happy little sigh that left him little doubt she had feelings for Sean. Thorpe looked ready to spit nails. “I don’t think so, but you let it happen. That’s your choice. Good for you. But I didn’t ask for this separation from Gia.”

“I understand,” Thorpe said.

Regardless of the platitude, the man wasn’t going to budge. Thorpe, of all people, should fucking comprehend how agonizing this situation was.

Cursing under his breath, Jason resisted an unusually violent urge and tried and another tactic.

“I can’t find my wife. I’m worried about her. She was going through a great deal of personal trauma when we split. She sold her house, disconnected her number. I don’t know if she’s all right or needs my help. She’s my responsibility.”

“She’s my client. I’ve sworn to protect her privacy. Sorry.”

His empty apology nearly yanked the leash off Jason’s inner caveman. Maybe being alone for the last eleven and a half months had finally unhinged him. Maybe it was that damn hollow ache gashing his chest and infecting his judgment. Maybe seeing his mother had shown him the future he now stared down. Whatever.

“That’s not putting my fears to rest.” He gritted between clenched teeth.

“I can’t help you.”

Jason didn’t want to argue with Thorpe. The man was as bendable as steel. But he refused to give up because he wasn’t going to heal without seeing Gia again. “Tell me something. What would you do if Callie left Dominion—and you—without warning?”

Thorpe’s face tightened as he searched for the right response. “There is no place she can go where I won’t find her.”

Jason saw his opportunity and seized it. “But what if she disappeared? Wouldn’t you goddamn look for her and want to chew the head off of anyone who kept her from you?”

With a sigh, Thorpe sized him up. Resolution crossed his face. “Come into my office and have a drink. We’ll talk.”

That sounded like as much fun as a lobotomy, but it was progress. Besides, the Dungeon Master had left him little choice.

After trailing the man into his well-appointed office, Jason sat in a cushy leather chair. Thorpe lifted a cut crystal decanter of Scotch from a heavy cabinet and poured him a glass. With a nod, Jason took it. “Thanks.”

After rounding his sizeable desk, Thorpe sank into what could only be called his throne. “Start at the beginning and fill in the blanks for me. Tell me what I’m not seeing in this picture.”

In other words, Thorpe would intervene only if he heard the facts and decided the situation warranted his help. Jason didn’t particularly like the idea of the other man as judge and jury.

“You know the basics.” He really didn’t want to air his dirty laundry. He revisited the moments he and Gia had shared enough in his head.

Yes, he could hire a private investigator, but he knew exactly how that would chafe Gia’s independent nature. He would find her again, but she’d be too mad to speak to him. If he wanted to locate his wife and have any chance of reconciling with her, he had to play this Thorpe’s way.

Leaning back in his seat with a sigh, Jason tried to decide where to start. Not the first big scene he’d set up with “Greta” at Lakeside Park late one night. His wife had exhibitionist urges—and a lot of Catholic good-girl upbringing to overcome. She’d been unable to let go that night, and it had become a disaster.

He’d recovered quickly and staged another scene at Dominion a few days later, more private but still public enough to give her a thrill. Logan Edgington, another member of Dominion, and his wife Tara, at the time an FBI agent in field training, had witnessed his lovely sub stripping down to her skin, exposing her newly waxed pussy, then masturbating for her unknown audience. She’d surrendered to him entirely, giving him every bit of her body for the very first time. Jason still remembered how perfect she felt clinging to him, clutching his cock inside her snug little cunt. He’d suspected even before then that “Greta” was special, but that nooner had sealed the deal.

No sense in spilling those details to the club owner. Because Logan had seen it, the former SEAL had undoubtedly shared it with his buddy Thorpe. Even if Logan hadn’t, Thorpe somehow knew most everything that happened under his roof.

Jason swirled the Scotch in his glass. Where to begin? Not the early days of their courtship, but later…when she’d finally trusted him with her real name, when everything between them had become genuine. The beginning of the end.

“Last November, I invited Gia to a benefit dinner for the homeless. It raised money for a shelter and kicked off a coat drive. She’d seen enough of my life by then to know that we’d be photographed and that people would speculate. At first, she told me that she didn’t own a dress fancy enough for a five-thousand-dollar-a-plate dinner. I offered to take care of it. She insisted I take the money I would have spent on her ticket and a dress and donate it because those people needed it far more than she did. She was the first woman I’d ever met who turned down money.”

Thorpe sipped his drink. “And that shocked you.”

“Completely. I was already infatuated with her. But her selflessness…did something to me.” And he’d never recovered.

He swallowed, remembering that he’d driven to her house that night, uninvited, and fucked her like a man possessed. She’d been surprised, but welcoming. Happy, even. The night had been extraordinary, and he’d realized then that he hadn’t scened or had sex with anyone else since meeting her. He hadn’t wanted to. A first for him.

“The next day, Gia called me because she’d heard on the news that the same foundation would be serving an early Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless downtown and that I would be there helping. She surprised me again by asking if she could come along to lend a hand. When she refused the benefit dinner, I’d wondered if she didn’t want to be seen with me and gossiped about. But no. She really just didn’t want to take money that would help the needy. Instead of accepting a Versace gown so I could wine and dine her, she offered to donate food, cook, clean—whatever we needed.”

Jason had seen Gia’s big heart and lost his head. As he’d stood beside her and dished out trays of food to the homeless, he had totally fallen for her. A pressing need to make her utterly his assailed him. He’d been unable to talk himself out of it, so he’d set the wheels in motion.

“Your wife is a good person. I understand the circles you were raised in. A big heart is both very rare and very attractive.” Thorpe looked out the open door of his office and spied on Callie, tidying up around the silent dungeon—and sneaking a peek Thorpe’s way.

The yearning on the man’s face told Jason that he did, in fact, perfectly comprehend.

“The day after Thanksgiving, I took Gia to dinner.” He gave a self-deprecating grin. “If I’d been thinking, I would have realized that The Mansion on Turtle Creek wouldn’t have been her first choice. I probably also would have chosen a more modest engagement ring, something more her style.”

Thorpe looked mildly amused. “How big was it?”

“The center stone was about five carats, cushion cut, set in platinum with another two carats surrounding it. I might have gone overboard.”

“Might?” Thorpe raised a brow.

Jason shrugged. “Okay, so I did. My wife isn’t a little thing like Callie, but the ring looked huge on her hand. I don’t even know if she liked it. She didn’t say a word other than ‘yes.’”

That had been one of the happiest nights of his life. Gia was the most genuine person he knew, and she made him look at everything in a different light. With her around, he could be more generous and grateful, even optimistic. Other than an isolated childhood, life had been pretty damn good to him. But she’d made everything perfect for that idyllic forty-eight hours.

“You hustled her to Vegas the next day?” Thorpe asked, though he knew the answer.

After keeping her in his bed all night long. “I did. I wasn’t going to give her any time to change her mind. By that Saturday afternoon, we were married. We had the penthouse at The Venetian, along with all the room service and champagne we could consume.”

And they’d had each other. That incredible night—the only he’d ever spent with her as his wife—was forever etched in his memory. Hands down, it had been the best of his life.

“When did things start to roll downhill? From my vantage point, it looked awfully fast.” The Dungeon Master swallowed back the last of his booze, then glanced at Callie as she pranced past his door again.

Thorpe didn’t like having emotions for the girl. A hundred bucks said they made him feel somewhere between uncomfortable and unwise. Jason related.

“That Sunday at four a.m., Gia received a call from her father saying that her brother had been killed in the line of duty.”

“I heard. He was a cop too, right?”

“Yes. His partner at the time was the only one who witnessed the shooting deep in South Dallas gang turf. He apparently stayed with Tony rather than running the asshole down. None of the other units were willing to come into that neighborhood to back him up and track the thug down. Gia was heartbroken. We rushed home. And that’s when things went wrong.”

That’s when the terrible hemorrhaging had set in.

“She was going through a lot,” Thorpe pointed out.

“And like an idiot, I stepped back to give her space because she asked me to.” He rubbed at his forehead, where he felt a headache developing. “During that conversation, she admitted that she’d never told her parents about me. She hadn’t met my mother either, so I didn’t think much of it. I didn’t really understand what a big deal family was to her until it was far too late.”

“Did she say why she turned you into her dirty little secret?”

“Yes. She’s from a family of police officers. Her parents wanted her to marry some guy named Enzo, another cop they’d handpicked for her. He’s a member of her church, and she’s known him all her life. Gia swore that she married me because she loved me. Whatever that means.” Probably not relevant since it hadn’t lasted.

“I don’t think she’s the kind of woman who would lie about her feelings.”

“Intentionally, no. I think she liked the fantasy of me better than the reality. When faced with the prospect of telling her family about the guy who wasn’t Catholic and didn’t have a drop of Italian blood in his veins…not so much.” He shook his head. “Until then, I’d never heard that money didn’t fix everything.”

“Maybe she just needed time to tell them gently.”

“I understood why she didn’t want to spring the surprise on them the day her brother died, but I thought she’d do it in the next few days. Certainly before the funeral. But she didn’t. Instead, she attended without me.”

“Ouch.”

Jason hated to admit even now the agony that had caused him. He’d needed to lend her support, hold her hand, and be her rock. But she’d turned away from him and anything he might have provided her. Instead, she’d disregarded their vows and elected to do everything for her family alone. In some ways, he’d been proud as hell. He’d been fucking infuriated, too.

“She barely called that first week. Never came to see me. I left her umpteen messages. It didn’t take long before she stopped returning them. A week slid into a month. I’m not unfamiliar with the mayor. I asked him to poke around to find out what the hell was wrong. He did some digging, and I learned that Gia was consoling her parents and helping her sister-in-law through an injury of some sort. She was also caring for her nephew and newborn niece.”

“She had a lot of people counting on her. Her communication could have been better, but you can’t fault her heart.”

“No. However, I can fault her for turning into a one-woman vigilante squad, determined to bring down the gangster who’d killed her brother.”

“Yeah, if you discovered that she was gunning for him, you absolutely had to deal with it.”

“And I did,” Jason confirmed. “As soon as I found out, I called and left her another message, told her that she had twenty-four hours to contact me or there would be hell to pay. I’d had enough. I missed my wife. She hadn’t let me lift a finger to help her, goddamn it.”

“What did she say?”

“Nothing. A day went by. Then another.” He dragged in a deep breath. “She didn’t bother to refuse; she just didn’t acknowledge me at all.”

Thorpe sat up, leaned across the desk. “Seriously?”

“Yep. Instead, she went back into that ghetto and tried to arrest the punk by herself. And he shot at her. I was fucking done.”

Thorpe winced. “I don’t blame you. What did you do?”

“I reached out to a few people, called in favors, greased palms.” Jason shifted in his chair. “I had her put behind a desk. There was no way I was going to stand by and watch her get killed.”

“I’m sure that got her attention.”

“Oh, she came to see me that night, angrier than hell and itching for a fight. I was dumb enough to give it to her. She threw her ring back at me and stormed out. Hell of an early Christmas present.” He smiled grimly and shook his head. “I haven’t spoken to her since.”

He’d tried. For months, he’d called. Not to apologize. He wasn’t going to say that he was sorry for trying to keep her safe, especially after she’d backed him into a corner. But he’d left messages asking her to fucking talk to him, to at least meet him halfway. Nothing. The last time he’d called her, he’d gotten a recording that her number was disconnected. Somewhere between fed up and worried, he’d climbed into the car and driven across the city through rush hour and road construction to her house—only to find that she’d moved out months ago and new owners had taken her place.

Never once had Gia asked for his help. She’d just picked up and carried on with her life as if he didn’t matter. No, as if he no longer existed.

Damn it, his chest throbbed again.

“These last months must have been difficult, but you did the right thing. After all, you can’t force her to submit if you doesn’t want to put herself in your hands.”

“Don’t I fucking know it.” Jason raked a hand through his hair. “Since she apparently wants nothing to do with me, I keep expecting her to file for divorce. I’m surprised she hasn’t.”

“Why haven’t you?”

“Right now, that’s not possible since I can’t find her.” No, that was an excuse—and he knew it. “Even if I could, I’m not ready to quit. We only had twelve hours together as man and wife to decide if we were compatible. I’ve seen people get divorced quickly, but even that would be a record.” Besides, their time together had been damn near perfect. And he had to understand why she’d ended all contact and cut him off at the knees. He might have to give her up eventually, but he refused to do it without a fight.

“I don’t know Gia’s side of the story,” Thorpe admitted. “When she called to revoke her membership, she sounded stressed and upset. I pressed gently, but she wouldn’t talk. I’d be violating my own rules if I gave you her current contact information, but I can call and ask if she’d be willing to speak to you.” He sighed, sneaking a sideways glance at Callie. “Because if someone left me like that, I wouldn’t rest until I had answers.”

“Exactly.”

Chapter Two

Gia Angelotti sat across from Jason and tried not to visibly shake. Impossible. He always rattled her.

The restaurant she’d chosen for their meeting was loud and public, busy for a Tuesday night. Chatter filled the air, along with the faint notes of mariachi music floating from the overhead speakers. A young Hispanic man set salsa and a bowl of chips on the table between them. She barely noticed because she couldn’t do anything except stare at her husband.

God, he looked good. His dark hair appeared recently razor trimmed. His eyes lured her, such an intense crystal blue made even more striking by the two days of stubble and his stark white collar. A charcoal suit coat accommodated his broad shoulders perfectly. Then again, he’d likely had it made to fit him.

Seeing him again kicked her with a bittersweet pang. She’d missed him so much.

Tonight, they had only exchanged clipped pleasantries, and Jason looked through her like a stranger. Maybe she shouldn’t have come. But Gia knew she owed him.

A year ago, he would have kissed her breathless, then probably spanked her for the fun of it before commanding her body to stunning ecstasy. She’d always surrendered herself, as if he held some sway over her. As if he alone held the key to her pleasure. But he inflamed more than her flesh. His blazing wit intrigued her. His absolute command of himself and everything around him compelled her. Then last Thanksgiving at the charity dinner for the homeless, Jason had given her intimate glimpses behind his walls, into his compassion. How many billionaires would take the time to serve someone penniless?

As they’d talked, she’d been struck by how few people he seemed to have in his life. He rarely discussed friends and never mentioned family. His lonely solitude had tugged at her heart. Gia ached to help him, heal him because under that stern mien, he had a good heart. When he’d asked her to marry him, she couldn’t say anything but yes.

She cleared her throat. “I was surprised when Thorpe called and said you wanted to see me.”

For a precious moment, she held her breath. He was going to serve her with divorce papers; she just knew it. That would hurt like hell, but Gia understood. She’d been unable to be a wife to Jason, and he had every right to move on. Maybe she would see their split as a blessing someday…in the very distant future.

She’d been stupid to hope that her fairy tale would end happily ever after. They were from different worlds. What did a sophisticated mogul want with a blue-collar girl who liked pizza and beer and quiet evenings at home? Gia had always thought of Jason as her gorgeous prince. His demeanor might be a little sharp and definitely Dominant, but he had so much to give besides money.

Sadly, no matter how much she loved him and always would, they would never have a happy ending.

“I wanted to talk to you, and you didn’t leave me any choice.” Anger sharpened his tone.

Gia tried not to wince. She hated disappointing him. “You’re right, and I fully accept that responsibility.”

He didn’t say anything for an uncomfortable minute, just stared expectantly. “Then would you care to explain why my own wife ceased speaking to me?”

The explanation brought up so many painful memories, but he deserved to understand. “I was going through a lot and—”

“I would have been there for you, but you cut me off at the balls. I couldn’t help you since you didn’t tell me what the fuck was going on.”

“My life changed completely, and you didn’t sign up for all that. I didn’t think it was fair to drag you through my muck. We’d been married for, like, five minutes, so—”

“Five minutes or five decades, we were still married. My number one job was to give you what you needed, and you didn’t give me the chance.”

She felt his rage thick in the air between them, sizzling across her skin, pulling at her chest. Gia had to fight not to plead with him, to point out that he’d made mistakes, too.

“You’re right. Let me explain.” She paused, bracing herself to relive the last terrible year. “My sister-in-law, Mila, had given birth to my niece, Bella, just a month before Tony was killed. She was already showing signs of postpartum depression, but the evening after the funeral, she tried to commit suicide by shooting herself in the heart with his gun. Another inch to the right and she’d be dead.”

He sat back, his expression shocked before he softened. “I’m sorry. Is she all right now?”

“Better. We covered up her attempted suicide so that she wouldn’t lose the kids. She still struggles with depression, so I live with them and try to provide stability. I have since last December.”

“I wish you had told me all this.”

“I didn’t because there was nothing you could have done. You would only have driven yourself crazy trying.” His lips tightened, and Gia prayed he would understand. “I had two children under the age of three in my care. My nephew didn’t understand why his dad was suddenly gone and his mom wasn’t the same. My parents were too grief stricken to handle the demands of two little kids, and my mom isn’t as mobile as she used to be. I had to handle everything while still holding down my job. Thank God for daycare. But I needed another pair of hands and I didn’t expect you to provide them.”

“Why not? You were overwhelmed, and I would have helped you.”

“How? I didn’t picture you changing diapers and warming bottles for two a.m. feedings.”

His expression went from remote to downright chilly. “What had I ever done to make you believe that I’d leave you to deal with everything alone?”

Nothing. Maybe it was unfair, but his playboy image hadn’t given her the idea that he was prepared to cope with kids. The one time she’d been to Jason’s condo before their marriage, she’d been struck by how spotless—and cold—the place looked. Black, chrome, glass…everything that would show fingerprints. Floating stairs a child could easily tumble down. Walls of windows with a balcony that a curious toddler might be able to scale and fall twenty-four stories to his death. Unfair, perhaps, to judge Jason’s ability to take care of children by his condo, but in her mind it had been an indication of his lack of readiness.

“Have you ever even held a baby?” she challenged.

“I could have learned.”

True. He was brilliant, and helpless was the last word she’d ever use to describe him.

“Or I could have hired someone qualified to help you. I might not have any experience with kids, but I’ve got a fortune.”

Gia knew that. She’d even thought of asking him for monetary help at the time, but… “I didn’t expect you to take on my family crisis. It wasn’t your responsibility.”

His mouth tightened. “You are my responsibility. As your husband, your problems are my problems. Instead of giving them to me, you shut me out and shouldered everything yourself. Stubborn, independent…” He clenched his jaw. “You’re making my palm itch.”

She hadn’t allowed herself to think about how much she’d missed his discipline, his touch. Now, her womb clenched. Her clit throbbed. Her heart ached.

“Who’s been taking care of you?” he demanded. “The bags under your eyes suggest you never sleep through the night any more. Your loose clothing tells me you’ve dropped fifteen pounds you didn’t have to lose. Your hair has grown at least three inches, as if you haven’t had time to cut it. You have a broken fingernail and a shoe that needs resoling. I’m going to guess your pedicure is months old, as is the wax job on your pussy.”

Gia gasped. Jason had always been observant, but his attention to her every detail left her speechless.

He leaned closer, intent. “Stop acting as if I don’t know you. I see you. Just like I see that no one has given a shit about you in the last year as I would have.”

She couldn’t refute him. God knew she’d been horrifically lonely. She’d missed Jason so damn much that sometimes the pangs had been every bit as wracking as the physical ache of withdrawal.

“A million times, I stared at my phone, needing so badly to hear your voice.” She’d yearned for his steadiness and calm control to soothe her.

“But you didn’t,” he bit out.

“Between work and caring for the children, I didn’t have anything left to give. I knew that wasn’t fair to you. I couldn’t take without giving back. Besides…” How did she put this into words that he’d understand? “Some nights, I’d rock Bella to sleep, tuck Tony Jr. in, then spend half the night trying to reach Mila, but she’d just lie pitifully on a mountain of pillows in her bed and stare out the window as if her world had fallen apart, refusing to speak. Guilt crushed me. Why should I have what my heart desired when everyone around me was suffering so much?”

“You felt guilty for wanting to be happy?”

“That’s part of it. The other part…” She teared up. “What if I hadn’t been in Vegas with you that night? I probably would have heard about the shoot out sooner. He called for backup.”

“You weren’t on duty that night.”

“But maybe I could have gotten there—”

“That’s a lot of ‘what ifs’ and ‘mights,’ and you’ll never know the answer. Stop beating yourself up for failing to prevent what you couldn’t foresee.”

“I’ve told myself that logically. But I can’t seem to get past the feeling that I let Tony, Mila, my parents, and the kids down.” Gia pressed her lips together to hold tears at bay. After nearly a year, she’d hoped the grief would abate, but she still felt her brother’s absence every single day.

On the other hand, she’d be lying if she said that missing Jason hadn’t compounded her sorrow.

Her husband reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “You’ve endured a lot this year. If you thought you were saving me, you thought wrong. I would have been there for you. We would have faced it together.”

His tender, emphatic words nearly undid her. Tears stung her eyes.

All these months, she’d felt horrible about cutting him from her life, but tried to tell herself she’d done it for his own good. Now… Had she done him a terrible disservice? After all, he’d always seen to her welfare. On their trip to Vegas, he’d treated her like his queen. Maybe he would have stood beside her and found some way to deal with the kids and the chaos. Maybe.

But Jason had betrayed her, too.

The waiter came by and took their drink orders. For a moment, they perused the menus. Gia wasn’t hungry. In fact, she hadn’t had an appetite all day. Her nerves about this meeting had been eating her up inside. Still, she knew from experience that Jason would insist on feeding her. In the past, he never let her skip a meal. God, she’d missed his exacting care.

By the time she yanked herself from her thoughts, the waiter was setting down their drinks and asking what they’d like to eat. Gia ordered a taco salad, then sipped at her iced tea. Jason frowned and ordered fajitas. After the waiter read back their order, he departed. The sounds around the restaurant nipped at their cocoon, but silence hovered between them.

Gia broke it. “I should have explained everything sooner. I was lost and bottled up. I’m sorry I left you hanging. I was honestly trying to figure out how I could be with you again in some way without my problems swallowing your whole life. Then your phone calls to the brass forced me to ride a desk. After that, I was just furious.”

“You weren’t communicating, and I needed answers. Once I got them, there was no way I was going to let you put yourself in the path of your brother’s killer. I understand you were grieving. You were angry at the world and wanted revenge. You wanted to bring this thug down for your parents and your sense of justice.”

Gia sat back. Sometimes, she wondered if Jason knew her at all. Other times, like now, he understood her so perfectly that he scared her.

“As a husband, I was worried. As your Dom, I was giving you hard boundaries the fastest way I could.”

“You jeopardized my ability to support my family,” she accused.

“I would have taken care of them.” He clipped every word insistently.

“But they’re my responsibility.”

“Don’t start that again. We’ve covered that ground.”

“Fine. You blemished my career.”

“No.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “I brought your actions to light. You made the choice to go after that scumbag all on your own.”

“Someone has to. And thanks to you, I’m still stuck behind a desk,” she spit, her anger clawing its way up from her belly to her chest.

“You’re still alive,” he countered, sitting back and crossing his arms.

His stare assessed her, his irritation vibrating in the air between them. How could she be so angry with him at the same time she yearned to fall to her knees and obey his every illicit command?

“And Tony will never have justice. A killer is still on the loose. My brother’s children will never really know their father. My parents won’t ever be complete again. My sister-in-law doesn’t say a word, but I know she’s tormented that I haven’t caught Ricky Wayman and made him pay for Tony’s murder.”

Not that Gia had given up. More than once, she’d gone to the thug’s crime-ridden neighborhood alone to seek out Ricky. She didn’t plan to stop until she brought him in. Confessing that to Jason wouldn’t be smart. At this point, she didn’t know exactly what his reaction would be, but she didn’t think it would be pleasant or accepting.

“What if you got yourself killed? How would your parents take that? What would your sister-in-law do without you?” he challenged.

She couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “Since I’m in no danger of being on the streets anytime soon, I guess it’s not an issue.”

Jason sent her a hard stare. “You’re safe.”

“I feel useless.”

“I would still make those same phone calls again.” He grabbed his beer and took a long swallow before setting the bottle far too carefully on the table. “What do you want to happen next? With us, I mean.”

Now came the conversation she’d dreaded and feared, but they had to air this out. “I’m assuming you want a divorce.”

She hadn’t been any sort of wife to him, so that seemed logical.

Instead, he just looked pissed off. “You’re assuming?”

“We can’t go on this way.”

“Finally. Something we agree on.” He leaned in again, elbow braced on the table as his stare snared hers. “So I’m going to give you a choice: Spend between now and our anniversary with me—and I mean twenty-four/seven with me, in every fucking way I deem. If the twenty-fourth rolls around and you still want a divorce, file. I won’t fight you. In fact, I’ll not only honor the terms of our prenuptial agreement, but I’ll give you the amount stipulated if we’d remained married five years. If you want a divorce now, I’m filing tomorrow, and you get nothing.” He raised a brow at her. “Decide.”

Gia sucked in a breath at his proposition. “This instant?”

“The offer is only good for the next ten minutes.”

She’d always known that Jason played hardball, but she hadn’t expected him to use those skills on her. The prince she’d fallen in love with wasn’t trying to reconcile with her, but control and punish her.

“So you’re trying to coerce me into bed for a little revenge, or do you just want to work me out of your system?”

He shrugged. “My motivation is irrelevant. I merely asked you to make a choice.”

Gia’s immediate instinct was to tell him to shove his choice up his ass. She couldn’t be bought, no matter how rich and powerful he was. On the other hand, her conscience wouldn’t allow her to turn her back on him again. Besides, the two hundred fifty thousand dollars he dangled in front of her face could change her entire life. All she had to do was give the man she loved slightly less than three weeks of her time.

It wasn’t exactly a nightmare scenario—except for the part where he probably ended up crushing her heart at the end. Maybe she deserved it. Jason might not admit it, but she knew she’d hurt him this past year. If having her under his thumb for a few weeks enabled him to move on after they ended, she owed him that.

“I’ll come with you.” She’d figure out what to do about work, what to say to her parents, how to make sure Mila and the kids had the help they needed.

A satisfied little smile danced across his lips. “Excellent. Present yourself at my condo tomorrow at precisely six p.m. Arrive wearing no more than three garments and a pair of high heels. Pick whichever three you want, but if I have to peel off more than that before I fuck you, we’ll start with punishment.”

Shock whiplashed her. He’d always been direct, but his sharp command, followed by the declaration that he intended to take her to bed, both made her mad and frothed up her libido. She hadn’t had sex since their wedding night. She hadn’t even had energy or privacy for masturbation. Though her long-denied sex drive wasn’t at all upset about his demands, her head knew that his proposition was riddled with land mines. Eventually, this would blow up in her face.

Still, she couldn’t possibly refuse.

“Fine.”

Neither of them said a word more until the waiter set their food down. Even the smell of Jason’s sizzling fajitas didn’t rouse her appetite for food. Another sort of hunger plagued her. Why should she want him so much when he was being a ruthless bastard? Because she’d always found that side of him hot, and Gia’s own excitement now pissed her off.

He thanked the waiter, then turned back to her. “If work presents a problem for the next few weeks, I’ll make the necessary phone calls.”

“Of course you will,” she drawled.

He ignored her jibe. “Does your sister-in-law need a nurse or a nanny during your absence? If so, I’ll provide it. I have no desire to leave them in a bind.”

Guilt stabbed her. Gia softened. “Thank you. That’s generous of you.”

“Not at all. I don’t want you spending our time together thinking about anyone else.”

Of course not. And Jason was used to getting his way.

Gia stifled her guilt. “I’ll talk to Mila tonight.”

“Whatever she needs so she can manage without you for a few weeks, she’ll get. Are we understood?”

The concept wasn’t difficult. Jason had bought her until November twenty-fourth, and she’d let him. Though she’d chosen this path of her own free will, it made her feel dirty. “Yes.”

He nodded at her. Then the conversation ceased, and he dug into his food. Gia stared at her salad. Her stomach roiled too much to take a bite. She picked at the greens and plucked at the grilled chicken, thinking about tomorrow night. How long would it take him to wholly own her body and heart again? An hour, or could she actually manage to hold out an entire night?

“You’re not eating.”

“I had a late lunch,” she lied.

He set down his fork slowly. “Do you remember what I do to subs who aren’t honest with me?”

Orgasm deprivation—hours and hours of it. Her sex tightened. Heat crawled up her cheeks. Even on an olive-skinned Italian girl, the blush would be impossible to miss.

“I see that you do.” Jason looked satisfied. “The sensual torture last time will seem minor compared to what I’ll do tomorrow night if you don’t tell me the truth now.”

Gia gritted her teeth. Until tonight, they’d never even had an argument. She’d just willingly fallen under his spell and into his embrace. Trying to resist Jason now was as futile as it was arousing.

“All right, then. I was nervous when I walked in and now I’m sick to my stomach that I let you buy me, even for a few weeks.”

With a cynical curl of his lips, he lifted his beer and toasted her. “Everyone has their price, Gia. I just found yours.”

Chapter Three

Gia tried to breathe through her nerves as she arrived at Jason’s condo the next night. The mountain of lies she’d told her family still scalded her with shame. They wouldn’t understand. Mila would tell her not to compromise herself. Her parents would be disappointed that she’d sold her morals and her body, even briefly. Her brother, if he’d been here, would have gone after Jason with cocked fists and a loaded semiautomatic.

Fabricating excuses had been far better for everyone.

As she stepped off the glass elevator that gave her aerial views of the city stretching on forever, she crept into a foyer with a water feature cascading down a glass wall. His door stood to the left. Gripping her suitcase in her hand, she glanced at her phone. Three minutes until six. One hundred eighty seconds to decide how the hell she was going to leave in eighteen days with her sanity and her heart intact. Of course, she’d had nearly twenty-four hours to ruminate on that problem. She’d come up with absolutely nothing.

Gia focused on his imposing black wood and wrought iron door, but couldn’t make her feet move. Her belly clamped. Her heart stuttered. She tried to convince herself that she could handle this, but the mental pep talk wasn’t working.

To her shock, the door opened suddenly, and Jason stood there in jeans, a long-sleeved jersey knit top in midnight blue, bare feet, and that triumphant hint of a smile she wanted to slap off his face.

“You’re on time. Very good.” He stepped back to admit her. As she entered with leaden legs, he glanced at her suitcase that had seen better days. “Is that all you brought?”

Had he expected her to bring her whole closet? “You gave me the impression I wasn’t going to need many clothes.”

“You won’t.” He shut the door behind her and took her bag. “I don’t have many ground rules while you’re here. Anything you see in the kitchen you want, take it. Don’t leave the building without consulting me. I’ve got a heated pool on the deck outside our bedroom. There’s a full gym downstairs. You’re welcome to use either as you’d like. No work while you’re here, especially on your brother’s case. We’ll discuss any family emergencies together as they arise. When we’re sceneing, you will call me Mr. Denning. Is anything I’ve said confusing?”

“No.” She supposed that since she hadn’t seen or knelt for him in nearly a year, he no longer wanted her to call him Master. That was just fine. That slash of pain didn’t mean a damn thing.

To avoid staring at him, she eyed his personal space. The expanse of a two-story wall of windows was unbroken by a drape or blind. Then again, why bother? Who could peek in on them this high up?

“Nice shoes.” He glanced down at her dressiest T-strap black heels. “What three garments did you choose to wear with them?”

His high-handed attitude made her feel like a piece of merchandise. Gia tried to keep a grip on her temper. Was he punishing her for the last year or was she seeing the real Jason Denning now that he had no reason to woo her?

“Hello to you, too. My day was hectic. How about yours?”

“It dragged by while I counted the hours until I could fuck you again.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at it. “I’m much happier now that my wait is over. And I don’t want to hear the attitude again. I’ve done nothing you haven’t agreed to, so don’t act as if I’ve insulted you.”

Technically, he was right, and that rubbed Gia completely wrong. “Should I just drop all my clothes here, get to the floor, and spread my legs? Or will I make it up to the bedroom before you’re all over me?”

Jason froze. “Do you need to reconsider your decision? The door is right behind you if you’d rather divorce now and forfeit the money.”

So cold. Where was the firm but caring Dom she’d fallen for? If she was smart, she’d take him up on this reprieve and walk out the door. But she couldn’t afford to. Besides, it wouldn’t be the right thing to do. She’d hurt him, so now he meant to hurt her back. An eye for an eye.

“No. I’m staying until the twenty-fourth.”

For a silent moment, he let her feel the weight of his anger. “Then act like it or we’ll start talking about consequences.”

Gia knew she shouldn’t mouth off to him again, but she had to ask him one thing. “Would your parents be proud of you right now?”

He shifted his weight and seemed to ponder her question. The conclusion he reached apparently amused him. “My father would. He was an absolute bastard who ate other people for breakfast. My mother would expect it. In fact, just a few days ago she suggested that I take you in hand and be firmer in my expectations. I didn’t listen to her much growing up, but I think she might be onto something now.”

His answer horrified her, mostly because he appeared dead serious. Nor did he seem to think his behavior was appalling. Oh god… She wasn’t just in over her head; he’d no doubt drown her before the night was through.

Jason had not only bought her body until their anniversary, he’d bought her soul. She’d sold it to him almost without a fight.

Gia closed her eyes in shame. “I’m wearing a sweater, a bra, and jeans.”

“No panties?” he murmured in her ear as he set her suitcase down and began circling her like a shark. She heard the rustle of him around her, felt his body heat across her skin.

“None.”

“I’m very pleased. Take everything off.”

Her brows drew together as she tensed and tried to find her fortitude. Would it be even harder when she had to spread her legs for him and allow him inside her, knowing he merely wanted revenge? Or would he, like before, overwhelm her with pleasure until she panted and begged? She didn’t know which would hurt more.

Slipping out of her shoes, she stepped onto the textured wood. It was solid, comforting, kind of like the floor in her dad’s den. Gia focused on that as she peeled her sweater over her head and dropped it to the ground. She tried not to think about what she was doing when she reached behind her and unhooked her bra. Not that the lace covered much, but as she removed what little protection it afforded, cold hit her nipples. They beaded. She refused to believe it had anything to do with Jason’s blistering stare.

Slowly, Jason reached out and touched her. Gia started with a little gasp. His ghost of a smile haunted her when he ran his knuckles up the curve of her waist, to the swell of her breast, brushing over the sensitive bead. Against her will, a jolt of desire shivered through her system. Her breath hitched.

“Pretty. Soft,” he whispered. “Now lose the jeans so I can see your pussy.”

Gia dragged in a shuddering breath, her whole body tense. Why did she resent him and want him so much at the same time? What mystical control did he have over her body? Or did she simply respond because she’d always loved him?

Her fingers shook as she unsnapped her pants. The zipper fell with a subdued hiss. Then she fitted her hands on the waistband and pushed them down her hips. A year ago, they’d been tight. Since then, they’d gotten so big, they fell to her knees with the tiniest shove. She stepped out of them, leaving them piled on the wood beside her sweater.

Gia stood totally bare in front of him, eyes squeezed tightly shut.

Jason took her chin in his grip. “You don’t get to escape me by closing your eyes and pretending I’m someone else.”

Lashes fluttering, she lifted her lids. “That’s not… I wasn’t even thinking of another man.”

“So this is the sacrificial martyr routine. Perfect,” he snapped. “Nothing makes a man feel more wanted than cringing.”

Gia clenched her fists. “For the next eighteen days, you can tell me where to be, what to wear, where to sleep, how to kneel, and the way you want me to spread my legs. You do not get to tell me how to feel.”

He hesitated, his stare taking her in. She wished she could see warmth in his blue eyes—something that made his strict care seem like the safety net it once had. Now it just felt like a blade he held at her throat.

Finally, he stepped back, reaching behind him to grab a fluffy white robe on a coat rack she hadn’t noticed. It was too small for him, and it made Gia wonder if he kept it here for his overnight conquests. She tried not to weep at the thought as he slipped it over her shoulders and she rushed to belt it around her waist.

“Go upstairs,” he demanded. “At the end of the hall, you’ll find our bedroom and someone waiting for you. I’ll be up soon.”

Someone? He wasn’t coming up to push her into bed right this second? Or had he arranged for another person to do his bondage dirty work first? She frowned.

Annoyance tightened his lips. “Problem?”

Whatever awaited her upstairs would allow her precious time to confront her feelings and get them under control. She’d been terrified out of her mind on the job once or twice. She’d buckled down, pushed through, and taken care of business. This required the same strategy.

“None.”

Gia swept past him and headed up the stairs. Before they’d married, she would have taunted him with a kiss and a flirty smile. Now, she risked a peek at him over her shoulder and found him watching her, unblinking and resolved.

With a shiver, she raced to the master bedroom and got her first look at his personal space. The soft lights of the recessed cans and the golden glow from a lamp on his nightstand illuminated the room, muting the view of the city. The big dark leather-tufted headboard dominated one wall and lorded over the king-sized bed, covered in white with accents of shimmering taupe. It looked like a sleek hotel room. Except for the two women who stood inside the space, both gorgeous and impeccably groomed.

“Gia?” a blonde in her mid-thirties asked.

“Yes.” Were they Jason’s lovers? Did he want her to hear their bedroom tales or something?

“I’m Michaela.” Her smile broadened, a friendly gesture that surprisingly set her at ease. Then she gestured to the woman beside her. “This is my assistant Stacia.”

The very petite, exotic brunette bowed her head in welcome. “Hello.”

What was going on? “Nice to meet you.”

“If you’ll come with me into the bathroom, we’ll get started on your hair,” said Michaela.

Her hair? Jason wanted her tresses arranged in some fancy do before he tousled her in his big bed? Then again, this was his show. She was here to entertain him.

“Sure.”

As they rounded the corner into the modern space, she stopped short. A contemporary oval tub stood alone in the corner of the room on dark slate tile. Views of the city sparkled from the two walls of windows. A double vanity with hideously expensive marble carved out not only the counters but the sinks, all in severe angles. The piece took up half the length of one wall. A massive shower ate up the rest. No curtain or glass partitioned it off. The space was designed to simply walk into, with shower heads to spray a body from every direction, as well as overhead.

In the middle of the large space, Michaela had set up a big leather chair with an ottoman and waved Gia toward it. “Please sit here.”

Getting her hair done wasn’t exactly like being waterboarded. With a shrug, she eased into the seat.

Immediately, Michaela had her hands in Gia’s tresses, fluffing and testing its texture. “Tell me what you’d like to do with your hair. I’d recommend a trim to clean up the ends. We can play with the color if you want. Your dark brown has gold tones. It’s pretty, but I can add more warmth, frame your face with some highlights. We can also give you some depth with lowlights.”

“He didn’t give you specific instructions?” If he’d paid a pair of beauticians to come to his place, she figured that Jason would want to call the shots.

“Just to bring out your natural beauty and make you happy.”

That puzzled the hell out of Gia. She’d never been a girly-girl, and highlights would just mean maintenance later that she didn’t need to deal with. Her plate was already full. But a free haircut was a free haircut.

“Just a trim, please.”

Michaela didn’t show her disappointment. “Of course. I’ll condition it, too. Now that winter is coming, you’ll need a little extra moisture.”

Sure. Whatever.

Gia leaned back, lowering her head into one of Jason’s sinks as Michaela wet her hair. Stacia approached her with several bottles of nail polish and asked her to pick one for her pedicure. Absently, she picked a peachy-bronze color and sighed as Michaela began to shampoo her. Gia knew she should relax and enjoy the pampering. She hadn’t had any in the last year. Instead, the worry that the temporary nanny wouldn’t remember to read Tony Jr. a bedtime story distracted her. And the hope that Jason would soon be in a better mood ran a close second.

An hour later, she stared at herself in the mirror, blinking in surprise. With a few snips of the scissors, the brandishing of a blow dryer, and some turns of a curling iron, Michaela had transformed her hair into something beautiful, full of body and shine. Stacia had finished her pedi, and now shaped and buffed her fingernails.

Afterward, she emerged from the bathroom. A baby-doll nightie in a blush color, trimmed with beige lace that would cup her breasts and flirt with her thighs, lay strewn across the bed. A very small thong accompanied it. A pair of new champagne-hued Louboutin stilettos sat on top of their box, their bows glittering, the red soles a bright warning.

“I’m supposed to put all this on?” she asked no one in particular.

“Not yet,” Michaela answered, then turned to her assistant.

Gia caught sight of a pot of wax heating as Stacia set up what looked like a wide massage table and covered it with a clean sheet. Her stomach dropped. Jason really meant everything he’d said. He intended to take her to bed. For that, he’d want her waxed. After all, why shouldn’t he insist on his money’s worth? Remembering how much she’d hurt him and how much she owed him, she eased onto the table, vowing not to give her husband any more of herself than her body.

* * *

Scrubbing a hand down his face, Jason paced his kitchen. The scents of the savory garlic-herb roasted chicken and vegetables blended with the delicious aroma of yeasty bread. He should be hungry by now. Starved, even. Hell, he couldn’t notice a damn thing but the clock ticking, his dick aching, and that wretched pain only Gia could make him feel gouging his chest.

His wife had chosen money. He’d offered her the funds in desperation, never imagining that she’d take them. Rather, he’d clung to the hope that she had agreed to meet him at the Mexican restaurant because she wanted to resume their marriage. In truth, Jason had been worried that Gia had come to seek a divorce. He’d been prepared to talk fast to convince her otherwise. But never had he imagined that she’d actually take him up on his wretched offer and sell herself.

Apparently, she wasn’t different from the rest, after all.

The only saving grace to this situation was that his mother had been gone when he’d returned home late Sunday. Not surprisingly, she’d taken the cash on his dresser. Later, she’d texted to say that she had found a new friend while consoling herself at Neiman’s. Apparently, the man had invited her to dinner at The French Room. Jason hadn’t seen Samantha since. Her new friend must be “entertaining” her. Hell, if the guy had enough money, he’d probably be husband number five.

Finally, the two beauticians he’d hired to take care of Gia’s personal needs made their way down the stairs, implements all packaged up in their roller bags. He exchanged a few words with the quiet blonde, but didn’t hear a lot beyond the fact that his wife was finished and waiting for him upstairs.

More eager than he wanted to be, Jason paid the women and tipped them amply before he tossed together a dinner tray, added a chilled bottle of wine, and headed up to find his bride.

His heart raced as he reached the closed door. “Gia?”

“Yes.”

She didn’t sound at all happy. He’d given her more than one opportunity to leave, but she’d taken the mercenary path. He refused to feel sorry for her.

Balancing everything in one hand, he turned the knob and opened the door. As soon as he saw her, he nearly dropped the tray. She looked like his fantasies—only better. Her hair hung in loose waves. One of the women had done something that made her skin glow under the lights. Even her toenails shimmered. When he’d bought the miniscule scrap of lace she now wore, he’d imagined how she would look in it and gotten hard as hell. But seeing her in person? Damn. He could picture her spread out across his sheets, her gaze on him, her arms open as he ripped her thong away to expose her smooth, pouting pussy. The “fuck me” shoes made him want to do exactly that. Jason nearly growled with need. But he’d enjoy the sex more if Gia felt half as eager as he did…and if she’d lie to him and say she loved him, like she used to.

Patience.

If Gia wanted a divorce and she wanted to be paid for her freedom, he planned to make her earn every penny of it first. And if he was very lucky, maybe he’d figure out how to get enough of her and move on.

He set the tray on the dresser, still looking her over. “Beautiful.”

She cast her gaze down submissively. Either that or she couldn’t bear to look at him. “Thank you.”

“I brought us some dinner.” He poured the wine, and she took the glass, her expression somewhat guarded. “To…new endings.”

Her face closed up entirely. “Hopefully, a quick one.”

Jason made a noncommittal sound, repressing his urge to get her naked and flat before he put his stamp on her, hold her in his thrall the way she’d done him. Instead, he forced himself to wait. Gia gulped half her glass as if she needed the liquid courage.

Trying not to grit his teeth, he lifted the lid on the dishes, then pointed at the bed. “Sit.”

Slowly, she sat back against a stack of fluffy white pillows and took the plate. “Thank you.”

Their gazes met before hers skittered away.

Holding in a curse, Jason gave her a fork. When she grabbed the far end, refusing to even brush his fingers, his lips tightened. If she had a new aversion to touching him, he’d quickly put a stop to it.

Plate in hand, he sat back on the bed against the grouping of pillows, leaning against the headboard beside her. Digging his fork into his rice, he did his best to focus on the food and act as if nothing happening between them bothered him in the least.

“So, you’ve been dealing with your family. Tell me about the progress you’ve made in bringing your brother’s killer to justice.”

Gia tensed. “There hasn’t been any. My brother’s former partner initially pointed the finger at a thug named Ricky Wayman. A few days later, he recanted and claimed he wasn’t sure, but I know better. Patrick was either scared off or paid off. The day before my brother died, he told my dad that he knew Ricky had something big going down and he intended to stop it. Tony died on Ricky’s turf, so I know damn well who shot my brother.”

“No one has arrested Wayman?”

“They haven’t even brought him in for questioning.” And that obviously infuriated her.

“Don’t the police usually go all out to hunt down a cop killer?”

Something cynical and mad as hell twisted her delicate features. “Usually, yeah. Wayman’s got a sick rep and a lot of firepower.” Fingers gripping her plate until her knuckles turned white, she drew in an angry breath. “I think the brass is already convinced it’s an unwinnable war and it would cost too many lives to bring this one punk to justice. He takes out a lot of other criminals, so…”

“They let him slide.” Jason turned her words over in his head, angry on her behalf. Not only did someone as principled as Gia want the badges she worked with to do their jobs and put criminals behind bars, she expected it. She’d been disillusioned by their failure to act.

“Totally,” she confirmed, no longer eating.

Jason knew damn well how his wife had been spending her time this past year. Since she hadn’t gotten the help she needed from her fellow officers, she’d refused to give up on justice for her brother. “So you’ve spent all your free time tracking Wayman down yourself and trying to prove his guilt, even after I had you put behind a desk.” He sent her a speculative stare. “Your parents don’t know, do they?”

With a roll of her eyes, she admitted, “My dad tried to make me promise that I wouldn’t go after Wayman alone, but my mom is so grief stricken. I have to try and give her whatever comfort I can. That killer behind bars would help.”

Drawing in a deep breath, Jason tried to pull back on his anger. Gia’s sense of good and right wouldn’t allow her to sit this manhunt out. Funny how the determination and rectitude that had drawn him to her had become the very things he wanted to throttle her for.

“I understand.”

Gia hesitated. “You do?”

“It’s hard to see people you care for in pain, isn’t it?”

She nodded. “Excruciating.”

Jason couldn’t agree more, and though logic told him that her circumstances shouldn’t matter, he couldn’t ignore her anguish. “Eat your dinner before it gets cold.”

She exhaled and seemed to deflate altogether. “I’m not hungry.”

“That isn’t a request.” He sent her a stern glare.

“Of course it isn’t. And people always obey you.”

“Generally, yes. I won’t apologize for it, especially when it’s for your well-being.”

And Jason refused to say another word until she’d consumed at least half of the food on her plate, even giving him a low moan at the tastiness of the bread.

When they’d finished, he took her plate and padded downstairs, leaving the dishes in the sink. His maid would be in come morning to take care of the mess.

He pulled the refrigerator open and lifted one large crystal cup, then grabbed a single spoon from the drawer and headed back upstairs, mentally weighing the evening’s events.

As he made his way to the bedroom again, he was unpleasantly surprised to find Gia no longer in his bed. After setting the items he held aside, he visually swept the room and sighed in relief. She stood at the window and stared out, looking at the sky lit night and the urban sprawl giving way to suburbia farther north. His wife might be physically in the room with him, but she was really a million miles away.

“What’s wrong?”

She jerked back to attention and shook her head. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

As she turned to face him, her expression looked neutral, all traces of whatever or whomever she’d been thinking about gone. He held in a snarl of frustration.

“Sit for me.”

Dragging her feet, Gia did as he bid, stopping at the edge of the bed. “Naked, I presume? Now that you’ve done your Domly duty and seen to my needs, you’re intending to see to yours, right? Is this the part of the evening where you nail me into the mattress?”

Jason felt his ire rise. Then he caught onto her game. “Trying to make me feel guilty for this arrangement will neither anger nor upset me enough to halt it. I made you an offer. You accepted. End of story.”

She gave him a little huff. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”

To hear her admit that she had no idea why he might want to spend time with her bugged the hell out of him. It also told him that she’d given up on them already. Somewhere in the back of his head, he’d known that, but it bothered him all the same. “I have my reasons and I’m not obligated to share them. You’re my submissive for now—”

“Oh, just say it. I’m your whore and you’re getting off on exercising your control over me.”

Jason froze. It took everything inside him not to rise to her bait. “If that’s how you choose to see the situation, I can’t stop you. I merely asked you to sit on the bed. I’m still waiting.”

“Fine.” She tossed herself onto the mattress and sat against the pillows, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Thank you. Now hold your arms up at your sides.”

Her dark eyes flashed suspiciously. She narrowed them as if trying to guess his intent. Finally, she complied, holding them straight out from her shoulders, almost as if opening her arms to him…but not quite.

Jason reached behind his headboard and plucked at a padded wrist cuff, attached to an adjustable chain, then secured it around his wife’s wrist.

Gasping, she drilled him with a shocked stare. “What the hell?”

“We are now sceneing. What should you call me?”

“What the hell, Mr. Denning?” she snarled, jerking her free arm down to her side.

He grabbed it again and brought it to the other cuff. Gia fought him, and Jason dug deep for patience. “Give me your wrist or use your safe word. It’s divorce.”

“You’re being a bastard, Mr. Denning.”

“Well, we can’t all be angels like you. Since opposites attract...” He gave her a tight smile. “In case you’re wondering, I’m not offended. Much meaner people have called me names far worse. Are you saying your safe word or giving yourself over to me?”

The fight left Gia. She lifted her hand to him.

“Just to be clear, you’re choosing to give your power to me, yes?”

“Yes.” She gritted her teeth. “Mr. Denning.”

Even though she’d given him the green light grudgingly, satisfaction still rolled through him. For the first time in nearly a year, he would finally have the gratification he’d craved—and he intended to take it. “Excellent.”

Wrapping his fingers around her forearm, he aligned her wrist with the cuff and snapped it in place. Now she was beautifully at his mercy.

“Are you uncomfortable physically in any way?” he demanded.

“No.”

“Do you have anything you want to say before we get started?”

“No.”

“And your safe word is…” he quizzed.

“Divorce.” Gia sounded as if she worked hard to shove down her anger.

It couldn’t be greater than his own, and he’d get to the bottom of hers when she felt more amenable to conversation. For now, he had something else in mind to remind her once and for all of the way a Dom/sub relationship worked.

“Good.” He reached into his nightstand and pulled out a sleep mask. It worked wonders when he needed shut-eye on bright Texas mornings…or when surly little subs needed an attitude adjustment.

When he lifted the mask to her eyes and fitted the Velcro strip behind her head, she gasped. “Jason, no.”

“Excuse me?” He injected sharp rebuke into his voice.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Denning…”

Now she sounded breathy and afraid, and he backed down immediately. Cradling her face in his hands, he pressed his lips to her ear. “I’m going to take care of you.”

She sucked in a shaky gulp of air. He could almost hear her mentally reviewing the months they’d spent as Master and slave, remembering all the ways he’d seen to her well-being then.

And slowly, her frozen muscles melted a bit. “Thank you.”

So she hadn’t forgotten the manners he’d taught her when playing with him. He smiled.

As he rose from the bed, Jason stepped back to admire Gia all spread out like a sacrifice, arms wide, innocent lace barely hiding her nipples and pussy from him, eyes covered and breath held, awaiting his pleasure. The sparkling shoes with their five-inch heels elongated her sleek legs. The idea of those shoes in the air while he fucked her turned him on.

With a grimace, he adjusted his hard cock in his jeans and made his way to the dresser to retrieve the goodies he’d left there. Once in hand, he sat on the edge of the bed next to her. God, he couldn’t wait for this.

“Open your mouth.”

Her breathing caught before the rate of her respiration picked up. Then slowly, she parted her moist, rosy lips. He’d missed kissing her so much, feeding his cock into that mouth and drowning in the warm heaven…

Shit, he had to stay on track.

He lifted the dish and dipped the spoon inside to gather a generous bite. Then he inched it onto her tongue and waited.

As soon as the taste hit her buds, she wrapped her lips around the spoon with a moan that fired his blood and sucked the utensil clean.

“You like that?” A grin tugged at his lips as he scooped up more of the confection for her.

“It’s amazing,” she hummed, her face lax with pleasure. “You remembered?”

“That chocolate mousse is your favorite, yes. I remember everything.”

She tensed. Jason weighed his next options, but he’d done enough cornering and hounding her for the moment. She knew the score. Now was the time to coax her.

He raised the spoon to her lips again and nudged her wider. Gia didn’t hesitate, but eagerly took the mousse into her mouth once more. “I think that’s the best I’ve ever had.”

Because he’d hunted down a five-star rated chef and paid the man a small fortune to make this just for her. If he was going to coerce her into spending nearly three weeks with him, he had to show her some of the perks. This was a start.

“I think I’d like to try some, too.”

Rather than giving her time to ponder his declaration, Jason set the dish and spoon aside, then reached for the buttons holding the baby-doll together between her breasts. One, two, three, they all came undone without a fight. He pushed the sides of the filmy garment apart and exposed the sight he’d been craving since he’d last taken her on their wedding night.

Beauty came in all shapes and sizes, but he was a breast man. And Gia had just about the most beautiful he’d ever seen. Round, firm, on the large side but not disproportionate. Dusky tips surrounded by inch after inch of unblemished olive skin. Just perfect.

As the cool air caressed Gia, her nipples tightened. His mouth watered. With a feral grin, he dipped his finger into the mousse, then rubbed the dark, sugary cream on her distended tip. So the other didn’t suffer indifference, he covered it as well.

Gia’s small hands curled into fists and she bit her lip, but arched toward him, begging him without a word to ease her ache. Jason gladly complied.

He bent and cradled one breast in his palm, lifting it toward his mouth. The scents of chocolate blended with the succulent musk rising from her skin. As he took one sugary nipple in his mouth, her flavor intoxicated him. She made him dizzy with her sweetness.

Fucking hell, he’d missed Gia. No woman smelled or tasted or affected him the way she did. After nearly two decades of sex for the sake of sex, he knew the difference. And as he laved her peak, licking off every morsel of the chocolate goodness, Jason wondered how he would ever do without her again.

As he sucked on the hard tip of her breast, a whimper slipped from Gia, as if she couldn’t hold her reaction in. He refused to let her. She forgot that he knew her body way too well to hide from him. But he’d remind her.

He nipped at the sensitive crest of her breast, then drew on her, sucking hard. She gasped as she tossed her head back with a thump against the headboard. Before she could absorb the pressure of his mouth, he pulled back enough to grip her wet nipple between his thumb and forefinger. As he squeezed, he latched onto the other breast, capturing the hard tip against his tongue and eating off the chocolate while feeling her nipple harden even more.

“Jason…”

His wife’s voice sounded somewhere between a moan and a plea. He drank it in, letting the little sigh resonate in his head and swirl together with all the unique things about Gia that left him hungering for her. But he had a point to make now that wasn’t about his pleasure—as much as he wished otherwise. Time to remind her exactly who—and what—he was.

Jason pulled back, withdrawing his fingers and lips, removing all stimulation. “Not ‘Jason.’ Try again.”

Her brow furrowed. Her lips pressed together. Gia was confused and frustrated. Clearly, she wanted more pleasure. He withheld. Maybe now she could understand a fraction of what he’d endured for nearly the past year.

“Mr. Denning,” she finally gasped out, arching her breasts even closer to him. “Please…”

“Better,” he praised before he took her nipples in his mouth again, one after the other, savoring the soft skin of her breasts with his fingertips.

The starch that had stiffened her muscles since she’d walked through his door melted more with every pull of his mouth on the candy-hard crests. He could smell her now. The tang of her arousal filled his nostrils and made his blood boil. Every time he had Gia under his power, she fired him up like no woman ever had. Feeling her now warmed him like the sun after a long, cold winter.

But after what seemed like a thousand freezing seasons without her, he needed more.

With a growl, Jason fitted his hands around the little straps over her hips and ripped her thong away. He lay his palm over her bare pussy, letting her feel the claim he had placed here long ago. Then he ground the heel of his hand in a tight circle, directly over her clit. To his great satisfaction, she spread her legs wider to him, granting him even more access to her secret flesh.

He’d been wrong earlier. His wife didn’t just intoxicate him; she held him spellbound.

“Gia, baby, I’ve missed you,” he blurted.

He nearly bit his tongue off. No way should he admit that. The truth gave her power. He had to watch himself, somehow not get lost in her.

With a mewl, she lifted her hips to him. He sank his fingers between the velvety folds of her cunt, dipped his fingers into her wetness, and he caressed her clit. His slow rub had her writhing as he awakened the nerve endings under the hood of her flesh. Then he withdrew.

“I’ve missed you, too. Don’t stop,” she begged.

Wondering if she meant that or merely said what she thought he wanted to hear, Jason massaged her clit again, more circular motions that hardened the little bud and had her bucking closer for more. “Tell me who else makes you feel this way.”

“No one,” she breathed out.

Gia had admitted as much before they married, and he’d hoped the same was still true. “Who else has touched you like this in the last year?”

As he brushed her nerve-laden bundle again, she whimpered. “No one.”

“You haven’t let anyone pet this pretty pussy since me?” He wanted to hear her admit it again. He ached to believe it.

Jason softened his touch, concentrating the rhythmic cadence exactly where she wanted it, taking her closer and closer to the edge of pleasure.

“No,” she gasped out. “Even when I saw you with other women in the newspaper, I couldn’t…” Her thighs went taut, and she gyrated, trying to take him deeper. “I couldn’t do it.”

She thought he’d been unfaithful? That grated on him. It would probably be wise to let her think it, but where his wife was concerned, he had yet to make a damn logical decision.

“I attended benefits and art showings with ‘appropriate’ dates for one good cause after another. I smiled as photographers snapped pictures. I did not take anyone to bed.”

Gia turned her head away and tried to draw her legs together to shake off his touch. “You don’t have to lie.”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “So why would I bother? Nothing in our prenuptial agreement prevents me from fucking someone else. But I didn’t.”

Around the edges of the mask, he could see her brows furrow together. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Why?” He ripped the mask away. “Because you think I’m a deceitful playboy who chases one piece of ass after another?”

She blinked, readjusting to the light and focusing on him. “I wouldn’t have married you if I thought that.”

Jason raised a brow at her. “Do you think I cheated because you’re not special enough to inspire fidelity?”

“N-no.”

He sat back on his heels. The denial had come out, but he didn’t believe it. He wasn’t even sure she did.

“Then tell me why you think I’ve been playing musical beds.”

Rolling her shoulders back and crossing her legs, she shut her eyes and refused to meet his gaze. “I assumed you’d moved on with your life.”

The way she’d moved on with hers. Damn it. He should probably do the same, but now that he had Gia here, he wasn’t convinced he could ever let her go.

Jason grabbed her chin. “Look at me.”

Her mouth twisted and her nose reddened as she fought tears. “Can’t you just take what you want already?”

So she could hate him for it later? No. She seemed to think he merely saw her as a body to fuck. Or that he didn’t care about any pleasure but his own. If they were going to make any progress in the future, he needed to set the record straight now.

Hovering over her, he plunged one hand into her hair and tugged until he captured her gaze and her mouth trembled directly under his. He thrust two fingers into her weeping pussy and prodded her clit with his thumb. As she gasped and her body opened to him again, almost as if against her will, he slammed his lips over the soft velvet of hers and fused their mouths together.

Hell, he couldn’t inhale her fast enough, take her deep enough. As he shoved his way into her mouth, sweeping inside for a devouring kiss, Jason reveled in the fact that he touched her, penetrated her. He meant to do it again—frequently—lap at her flavor and drink in her reaction. He’d listen to each little breath and eat up every inch of her surrender over and over until she was completely in his hands and under his control again.

Pumping his fingers in and out of her as he swept through her mouth, Jason waited until an aroused glow suffused his wife, until she held her breath and her legs twitched, until she fought her restraints and kissed him with abandon. Then he jerked away, staring hard at her beautiful flushed face.

“No…” She pleaded with him.

He merely raised a brow at her.

“Mr. Denning,” she added hastily. “Please.”

Fuck, she was killing him. But this lesson had to take precedence. He might not respect her choice to come here for money, but he refused to let her believe he saw her as a whore.

Shaking his head, he tried not to soften in the face of her entreating stare. “You’re my submissive and my wife.”

“Yes, but—”

“No,” he corrected. “I have not touched another woman since our wedding night. And to set the record straight, if I intended to use you simply for my pleasure, nothing would have stopped me from fucking you right now, especially not the resentment you’d feel afterward. I want you to think about that, Mrs. Denning. I’ll be back.”

Chapter Four

The door shut behind Jason, enclosing Gia in his bedroom by herself. His words hung in the silent room and reverberated through her body. His sudden absence made her feel ridiculously alone, but having him gone didn’t stop her body from throbbing for what only he could give her. With her breasts bare and her pussy exposed, she couldn’t not be aware of her naked vulnerability. Nor could she seem to pry her heart from her throat.

What the hell was going on?

As a police officer, the idea of being restrained in a man’s bedroom somewhat against her will should bother her. But Jason had relegated her to a desk because he didn’t want her hurt or killed hunting down Tony’s killer. Her husband would never physically harm her. On the other hand, he would very likely make her heart bleed—as if she hadn’t already been suffering since their separation.

If he hadn’t aroused her just now with the purpose of wringing every bit of his money’s worth from her body, then why had he touched her? To prove he could rev up her libido? Or something entirely different? Everything about his behavior in the last twenty-four hours confused her. She’d assumed that he wanted a divorce and that he sought to make her pay with her body before he paid in cash. Now…she wasn’t sure. If he’d brought her here merely to use her before he began legally shedding her, why would he insist he’d been faithful? Or speak her married name so emphatically, like he meant to underscore the fact that, at least on paper, she was still his wife.

Once, she’d believed that he loved her. He’d never said the words, but what he lacked in verbal affection he’d more than made up for in a hundred other ways, like his romantic, over-the-top proposal. Like remembering that she loved stargazer lilies and having huge bouquets stuffed with them at their last-minute wedding.

Like having chocolate mousse for her tonight?

Gia closed her eyes. Why couldn’t everything be different? The night she and Jason had married, she’d been on top of the world. He’d been the most dashing groom. Somehow, in less than twenty-four hours, he’d seen to every detail of their elegant ceremony. He’d even had a selection of insanely beautiful wedding dresses delivered to her door so she could pick one and have it hemmed or tucked as needed.

That night, she’d been Cinderella at the ball, swept into his glittering world for an enchanted evening, fooling herself into imagining that she belonged beside him. Her phone ringing with the news of Tony’s murder had been her clock striking midnight. Reality had ripped her from fantasy. Suddenly, she’d realized that her brother was gone forever, her parents didn’t know she had a husband, and she had a mountain of responsibilities that weren’t going to go away simply because she’d been foolish enough to marry a man she couldn’t keep.

When she’d forced herself to let go of Jason mentally, Gia had been sure he would forget her within a month or two. Six at most. But nearly a year later, he seemed resistant to the idea of releasing her for good.

Was it possible he still cared?

Gia glanced at the clock. He’d only been gone ten minutes. Somehow, it felt like a week. But that wasn’t new. For unending months after their marriage, being away from Jason hadn’t been a mere ache, but a plague—a ceaseless yearning that had hounded her days and haunted her nights. After just a little taste of him tonight, the need thrumming inside her, demanding to be close to him was twenty times worse.

What was she going to do about their marriage? As much as she still had feelings for him, she didn’t see how she could toss aside her common sense again. But even if the two of them living happily ever after was a fantasy, the thought of letting him go again made her heart constrict.

The door opened, abruptly ending her thoughts. Automatically, she curled her legs up to her chest to hide as much of her nudity as possible.

Jason quirked a brow. “Lower them.”

He stood stock-still until she complied, flattening them on the bed once more and revealing her breasts.

“Spread them,” he demanded.

She dug deep to tamp down anger—and the even more insidious arousal. No way could she let him know. Already, she’d begged him. Stupid move. Jason had so much command over her. Tipping her hand and revealing how much she wanted her husband would only give him more.

Still, she couldn’t stop her trembling as she parted her thighs. His stare immediately dropped to her sex, and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She stung with both desire and shame.

“Excellent. More mousse?” he asked, sauntering to the nightstand and taking the crystal dish in hand.

The chocolate was scrumptious. Since Jason could usually take or leave anything sugary, she suspected he’d had someone whip up the dessert for her. The surprising gesture was sweet—a word few associated with him. But Gia had seen that side of him before and knew it existed. Yes, he’d been an ass tonight, but she had expected as much. He was angry and hurt, and she bore most of the guilt for their faltering marriage. Throwing his thoughtfulness in his face now would only be juvenile.

“Yes, please.”

He relaxed, as if pleasantly surprised that she hadn’t rebuffed him. Then again, after months of rejection, why should he have expected anything else from her? Guilt gnawed at Gia again.

“Open up.” Jason sat on the edge of the bed and spooned up some of the mousse, then brought the heaping chocolate toward her mouth.

Willingly, she opened for him, cradling all the goodness on her tongue while he fed her. The independent woman in her probably shouldn’t like this, but why lie? Sometimes, he could be so attentive, even tender, that she simply melted.

In silence, he lifted one bite after the other onto her tongue until she’d swallowed the last of it. Gia couldn’t contain the happy little sigh that escaped her throat. “Thank you. That was incredible.”

Jason brushed a piece of hair away from her face. “You’re welcome. How are your hands and wrists?”

Though she was still cuffed, everything was surprisingly comfortable. “I’m all right, except I don’t know why you left the room with me restrained. I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“You weren’t,” he confirmed. “But that orgasm you pleaded for earlier is mine. I’ve waited nearly a year for it. I wasn’t going to let you take it from me by your own hand.”

“I wouldn’t have.”

He shrugged. “I wasn’t taking chances. Are you still hungry?”

“Tonight’s dinner was more than I usually eat in three days. I’m stuffed.”

His lips tightened. “You’ve lost weight.”

“I can’t eat when I’m stressed.”

Jason didn’t comment directly, he just reached over to uncuff her wrist on the far side of the bed. His chest hovered near hers, their faces inches apart. Gia couldn’t deny how much she craved his kiss again.

Instead, he stared, silent and inscrutable, as if trying to see down to her soul. His sharp blue eyes enthralled her. Stubble covered his strong jaw. His broad shoulders eclipsed so much of the room beyond. God knew he was good in bed. Maybe she could resist if she didn’t love him.

Finally, he popped a latch, and her left cuff sprang free. Jason eased back and released the other, then began massaging her shoulders. “Do they ache?”

Gia wasn’t dumb enough to lie. Besides, she deeply suspected that her wrists would be in those same cuffs again in the very near future.

“A bit.”

“Come with me.” He peeled off her shoes and helped her to her feet.

Swallowing down her questions, she trailed him to the massive bathroom as he began running the tub. As the water turned warm, he eased the stopper down and added a bit of some exotic bath oil with a hint of coconut and musk before turning to her.

At the gravity of his stare, she swallowed. With fingertips skimming her shoulders, he slid the baby-doll nightie down her arms and off her body. When she stood bare before him, raw lust seared his face. That expression said he wanted to lower her to the floor and fuck her right that second. Gia wanted to let him.

He held out his hand, looking her up and down. “Get in.”

It didn’t once occur to Gia not to comply. She closed her eyes in delight as the warm water enveloped her feet and lapped at her ankles.

Since she’d moved in with Mila and the kids, the little house’s only bathtub was on the other side of the place, and Gia hated to intrude in the children’s space. She’d missed the luxury of being immersed in warm, fragrant water.

“Sit back.” Jason helped ease her down into the water.

Though she usually liked to wait until the tub filled to avoid the cold surface against her skin, she didn’t argue. But when she lay back, Gia was shocked to realize the entire surface of the tub was comfortably warm.

“The back is heated?”

He smiled faintly. “Yes. It’s also an air tub with colored LED lighting. The towels are heating now. So is the floor.”

Wow. She never even stopped to consider such luxuries. Money had always been tight in her family. Now it was a downright issue. She’d better enjoy all this pampering while she could, but it was far more special because Jason shared the luxury with her. In her stupid heart, he did it because, despite his anger, he still wanted to take care of her.

“Thank you.” She settled back again and closed her eyes.

“You’re welcome,” he murmured.

He ran his fingers through her hair. Another touch she’d always loved. And he remembered. Gia moaned as he gently rubbed at her scalp, brushed his hands over her temples, applied the perfect pressure to the back of her stiff neck. He touched her as if they didn’t have a care between them. It would be so sinfully easy to slip again into the fantasy of being Jason’s fairy-tale soul mate.

Once upon a time, she’d fallen hard for him. It had nothing to do with his money and everything to do with the very personal way he cared for her. Insistent, yes. Hands on, definitely. But she’d never felt more adored in her life than she did with Jason.

“Relax,” he whispered.

Her eyes slid shut. “You’re making it impossible to do anything else.”

“Excellent.” He gathered her hair in his hands and clipped it atop her head.

Then she smelled something new, a blend of lavender, rosemary, chamomile, and a few other scents she couldn’t identify. Suddenly, his big hands covered her shoulders and began kneading, working the oil down her arms, then back up to her neck. She gave a low groan and melted against him.

“Jason,” she whispered.

He bent and brushed his lips against her ear. “You like that.”

“Hmm…” she breathed. “Yes.”

When Gia had first arrived, she’d been sure that he would immediately force her into bed. Not physically. After all, she’d agreed to give him her body at any time in any way he wanted until their anniversary. But instead of ordering her surrender, he seemed intent on coaxing it from her. And he was doing a damn fine job.

“Still sore?” He massaged the tense muscles and tendons of her shoulders and arms, dissolving her accumulated stress with every gentle dig of his fingers.

“No.”

“Good.”

Jason dipped his hands in her bath water, rinsing them. Then he caressed his way up her hips, her waist. Gia’s breath caught and held as his fingertips traced a path over her damp skin until he cradled her breasts in his hands.

“These are perfect,” he murmured, thumbing his way toward her nipples.

They beaded in anticipation of his touch, tightening, lengthening. He captured them in his grip. She eased her head back against the rim of the tub and drew in a shaking breath before exhaling in an aroused rush. Why did he always turn her inside out?

He slid his cheek against hers, the stubble prickly soft. The slight abrasion of his skin added another layer of texture to his possession. His woodsy-musky scent surrounded her and reminded her of the hundreds of times he’d driven her to ecstasy with seeming ease. Now she was on his turf, playing by his terms…and heading for his bed again. For a blissful moment, she didn’t regret it.

The last eleven and a half months had been so devastating, so stressful and terrible. Temporarily dropping all the crushing responsibilities for finding Tony’s killer while juggling her small niece and nephew was such a wonderful, guilty relief. Giving Jason anything but her body wasn’t smart, but Gia didn’t think she could hide the fact that she still cared.

When Jason released her nipples then clamped down on them again, she arched into his hands, reveling in the way he cradled her in his grip. Pleasure clouded her thoughts, as if she’d consumed a whole bottle of wine. Tomorrow she would care that she’d given in too easily. Tomorrow she might even resent him for being so able to unravel her restraint.

Tonight, she just didn’t care.

He buried his nose in her neck and inhaled. “God, I’ve missed your smell. For a month after we left Vegas, I sniffed the nightgown you wore on our wedding night. It made me hard and hungry to fuck you every damn time. Just like I am right now.”

“You’re trying to seduce me.” She couldn’t seem to make her voice sound accusing.

“I don’t have any plans to stop at trying. You’re my wife, at least until the twenty-fourth. That’s how I intend to treat you. I’m going to strip you, bind you, penetrate and possess you every chance I get.”

She didn’t doubt him. Jason might be motivated by revenge or a need to work through whatever residual emotions he had, and he might want to be indifferent to her in every way except sexually, but she sensed he wasn’t.

“Stand.” He grabbed a towel from the nearby rack.

As she complied with a shiver, he wrapped the warm terrycloth around her, tucking it between her breasts. Dizzy and off balance, Gia swayed closer. Her chest met his. As Jason wrapped his arms around her, she grasped his shoulders and eased her head back. She couldn’t help but stare into his eyes. They didn’t look crystal cold now, but a hot, dark blue. His jaw clenched. His nostrils flared. Desire tightened his face.

It might be the stupidest thing she’d ever done, but Gia lifted her face, stood on her tiptoes, and brought her mouth toward his. Jason met her halfway, his lips crashing over hers.

He held her tight and sank deep, as if he could inhale her all at once. The inexplicable need to be close to him, along with a sense of rightness, stunned her.

Gia opened herself to him and took the aggression of his kiss. It had been such a long time, and she wanted him, craved the sense of safety and care he inevitably gave her. She’d done far too much damage to their relationship to expect much more than lust in return, and she should probably use this time to work Jason from her system, in case he was doing the same. Problem was, she didn’t want that at all.

The last year had proven that she didn’t always get what she wanted.

Shoving the confusing tangle of her thoughts aside, Gia drowned in his scent, his taste. He made her body ache—and her heart yearn. Lost in him, she gave herself over.

Suddenly, Jason tore away, drew in a breath, repositioned to get deeper, fisted her towel, and devoured her once again. Gia couldn’t stop herself. Desperate for more, she stumbled over the rim of the tub and pressed her body to his.

Her husband lurched back against the bathroom counter, and she finally felt every inch of his hardness—chest, abs, thighs, as well as that cock she remembered filling her so perfectly. Gia whimpered as she curled her tongue around his, begging because she couldn’t bother to part from him long enough to speak the words.

With a growl, Jason yanked back, panting. He scanned her expression for a long second with a curse before he lifted her and turned, plopping her on the counter. He ripped the corner of the towel from between her breasts. The terrycloth fell away, exposing her entirely. He remained fully clothed, and she felt so vulnerable under his hot stare. Determination stamped itself all over his face. He meant to have her now.

Gia’s nipples peaked. Her stomach knotted with excitement as her blood fired hot and her pussy clenched. If he walked away from her again, she swore she’d shrivel up or go insane, so she did the one thing she knew would inflame him.

She lowered her gaze, noticing the big bulge beneath his fly, and spread her legs for him. “Take me.”

* * *

Jason clenched his teeth. It would be so easy to do that.

But instinct told him that he had to decide whether he merely wanted his pound of flesh…or to keep his wife by his side forever.

If he let Gia into his life again, he would have to remove feeling from their arrangement or risk her hurting him once more. But if he took her to bed now only to watch her slip through his fingers again later, then what?

At the thought, Jason was torn between leaving the room once more until he could be rational or fucking her absolutely senseless.

“Damn it,” he muttered.

How had she crawled under his skin again so quickly? Or had he ever truly stopped caring? Jason knew the answer. It wasn’t a comfort.

So he had to find some way to induce her to stay, figure out what she wanted and give it to her, no matter the cost.

His entire life, he had wondered why his father had been stupid enough to marry Samantha, knowing she cared about his money far more than him. Sadly, Jason understood now.

“Spell it out for me,” he insisted, clasping her face in his hands and spearing her gaze with his own. “Who am I and what do you want from me? Exactly. I won’t have any more miscommunication between us.”

“I want you inside me, Mr. Denning.” Gia’s voice trembled.

She gave a shit about what happened here. If nothing but nerves caused her shaky tones, she wouldn’t have sounded so damn steady when they’d argued earlier.

“We’re not sceneing right now. Try again.”

“J-Jason…”

He shook his head. “Who am I to you? Just some guy you want to fuck?”

She recoiled, shock raising her brows and dropping her jaw. “No. We might not have had an ideal first year or even a honeymoon, but legally we’re still married.”

“But I’ve never had the chance to truly be your husband, so where does that leave us?”

Gia tried to back away. “I thought you wanted sex.”

Jason held firm. “I didn’t ask what you thought I wanted. You’re avoiding my question.”

Her expression looked a bit guilty. “You’re my husband.”

“That’s right. And…?”

The way Gia squirmed in his grasp told him that she wasn’t ready to admit any feelings she might be having for him. Oh, she was willing to cede her body. Jason meant to use it to bind her to him. Once he’d managed that, he would work like hell to capture at least a corner of her heart. If that didn’t work…well, he had more money.

“Spit it out. What do you want from me? Does tonight mean anything or do you just have a fire that needs putting out?”

“No,” she insisted. “Why are you making everything between us sound so ugly?”

“I’m simply making sure I understand what you’re begging for.”

Her lips tightened. She leaned back against the mirror with a huff and grabbed for her towel to gather it around her body. He slammed his hands down on either side of her hips, pinning the terrycloth to the counter.

“Let me have it,” she insisted.

“Answer me.”

She gave him a little growl. “You’re the one who demanded we spend this time together. What do you want?”

“For you to stop hiding from me and be honest.”

Gia crossed her arms over her naked breasts. “What do you want me to say? I’ve never stopped wanting you. Fine. There’s the truth, but I like you much better when you’re nice.”

“Nice?” Jason turned her words over in his head. “What the hell does that mean?”

“You know, like when you helped me into the bath and rubbed my shoulders, unlike when you accused me of being horny or desperate for just any man.”

“Did you like it when I kissed you and shoved my fingers up your cunt?”

A little flush dashed up her cheeks. “You know I did.”

Her admission wasn’t loud, but he heard it. And he understood. Gia opened to him every time he treated her like a treasured lover. Was there any chance she actually still cared?

The thought revved him far more than it should.

“Put your arms around me.”

It took her a long moment to release the grip on her biceps. Finally, she did and scooted closer, raising her arms to him slowly until she clasped them behind his neck.

“Good.”

Her body heat rose and her scent swirled all around him. Hell, just having her here made him rabid with the need to claim her now. He should probably stop, get control of himself and the situation, regroup and plan. All he really wanted to do was consume her in a blistering conflagration so she never considered leaving him again.

Jason covered her lips with his own once more. He gave up anything that resembled careful consideration and seized her mouth with a scorching kiss, stroking deep, feeling her lips mold to his kiss. Gia’s breath caught, and she grabbed at his hair. Desire pinged from her body to his and back, revving with enough charge to power Dallas on a sweltering day.

Gathering her thighs in his desperate grip, he pulled them wide and dragged her closer until his aching fly rested against her pussy. Jason cursed the zipper separating them. Why the hell hadn’t he taken his clothes off, too?

Dragging in a determined huff, he broke away and pulled at his shirt, not really caring how he got the damn thing off. As he tugged, some of the buttons pinged onto the floor, but BFD. Claiming his wife again was far more important.

His jeans fell victim next to his blazing need to be inside Gia. He ripped at the snap and yanked down the zipper, then shoved them off until he, too, stood naked and needy.

Some part of him really hated wanting her so much. That voice screeching in his head sounded like his father—calculating and remote. But he wondered how he’d last another hour without her, much less the rest of his life. Jason had never been good at forming attachments, but with Gia it had just…happened.

Fuck, these feelings were so foreign. Even if they gave her too much power, he wanted to be inside her in the next sixty seconds or less.

Jason reached into the bathroom cabinet and grabbed a condom. “Tell me again you want this.”

Gia nodded. “I do.”

“Tell me you want me.”

Her gaze clung to him as her face softened. “I haven’t wanted anyone else since I met you.”

At her trembling admission, his cock ached even more. If he hadn’t had the same experience, he probably would have bowed to his inner cynic and assumed she was lying. But he knew firsthand how true those words could be.

“No regrets afterward,” he warned.

Hesitation flitted across her expression. It bothered Jason. Worried him, even.

Finally, she shook her head. “No. I’m not going to feel whole until I’m with you again, at least this once.”

Once, my ass. After he took her, there’d be no letting her go again. But no way was he going to argue when he could be immersing himself inside the slickest, hottest heaven he’d ever lost himself in.

“I won’t hold back.” He tore into the foil and rolled the condom down his aching cock.

“I wouldn’t want you to.”

And I won’t let go. For better or worse…until death do us part.

The silent vow made, Jason swiped a pair of fingers through Gia’s folds. She moaned, and her wet heat put all his worries to rest. His wife was every bit as ready as he felt, and later he would touch her at will, delight in seeing her flush and pant and whimper for the orgasms he vowed to give her. He’d also take her properly in the bed he intended to share with her for the rest of their lives. Right now, he needed to make her his again.

Jason clasped her thighs and dragged her ass to the very edge of the counter. He was damn thankful that he was tall and had long legs. And then he didn’t think anything at all as he wrapped his hand around his cock and guided it to her swollen, weeping cunt.

As soon as he buried the head inside Gia’s sweltering opening, he clutched her hips, fused his stare to hers, and began to tunnel inside. She gripped him like hot silk and made his eyes cross as pleasure instantly blazed through his body.

As he pushed deeper, she tensed and gasped. Jason gritted his teeth. It had been nearly a year for both of them. Of course she was tight. He fought the urge to shove his way balls deep and pound at her pussy. Damn it, he didn’t want to be wearing this condom. Taking her bare and feeling her walls clench down on him in climax before he spilled his seed deep inside her, hoping she would swell with their child…

Hell, he had to stop thinking that before he lost all self-control. He’d waited way too long to be inside Gia again to rush this.

Slow strokes, easy pumps back and forth. She gripped his shoulders, her eyes widening with every inch he managed to work inside her.

“Gia.” His voice sounded like he’d honed it with sandpaper. “Take all of me.”

Fighting to get inside her, the friction of her tight flesh all over his... Fuck, it was unraveling him.

“I’m trying.” She nearly cried the words.

“Deep breath. In…yes. Now let it out.” Amazingly, she relaxed around him, and he sank a little farther, over halfway in.

“Jason,” she keened.

He grabbed her hips tighter, his fingers biting. “I know,” he panted. “Another deep breath. We’re so good together. Once you let me in, I’m going to fuck you deep and make you feel so good. Just let me…yeah. Like that,” he groaned as he slid completely inside her. “Oh, baby.”

Gia grabbed his shoulders and mewled, moving in perfect rhythm underneath him.

“You feel so damn good. I couldn’t think about anything all day but you.” He caressed her lush ass and withdrew in a torturously slow stroke.

“I imagined this,” she moaned. “I fantasized about us.”

Her pleading expression fueled his urge to thrust deep once more. His need to spur her climax drove him to action. Once he finished, he intended to do it again and again until they were sated and spent and smiling.

Determined, he shoved deep inside her once more. This time, submerging was as easy as diving into a warm pool of water.

“Please.” Her nails bit into him. “It feels so...”

“Perfect. Yeah.” He thrust a fist in Gia’s silky dark hair and fastened his mouth to hers, drinking her in and filling her every way he could.

Her whimper made him harder. His balls tightened and his heart twisted. He did his level best to undo her one relentless thrust at a time. Her spice filled his nostrils. She made love the way she lived life, with caring and honesty—throwing her whole self into it. Her pussy clung to him, as if she couldn’t bear for him to leave her for even a moment. The sensations had him flirting with orgasm. And with every thrust, he only craved her more.

Gia tore her lips from his with a gasp. “Faster. Harder!”

Normally, he didn’t take orders well from anyone, especially a submissive. But tonight, he couldn’t disagree. “Hold on.”

Jason slammed back inside her, deeper than he could ever remember being. His cock prodded her cervix. Her nails clawed his back. She cried out in pleasure. He set up a merciless rhythm, chasing their pleasure until his heart pounded in his ears and his legs trembled. Fuck, he wasn’t going to last, and he had to make sure that she didn’t either.

Jason slid his hand between them, fingertips circling her clit. Gia tightened and clawed at him, her cunt clamping down. She blinked up and held her breath, silently begging, every muscle braced in anticipation. Then she wailed out her climax. The sound bounced off the tile walls and floors, ringing in his ears. He wanted more of that.

“Come for me, baby. Yes…” he groaned as she sucked him deeper. “So. Fucking. Good.”

As her peak stretched on, unrestrained and beautiful, his spine tingled, his balls tightened. Jason’s self-control broke.

He wanted to be the man who gave her more pleasure than she’d ever known, the person she turned to when she needed someone to laugh with, someone’s hand to hold, someone to share her tears. Whatever it took, whatever energy he had to expend or money he had to burn, he would be that man for her.

With a last long stroke, Jason centered his world entirely on Gia and let go. Her scent filled him. Her flesh surrounded him. His heart beat with hers as he shouted her name in a hoarse groan and gave her everything.

Chapter Five

Nine days later

Gia padded down the stairs, weak morning sunlight drizzling into the kitchen through the thick clouds. Mid-November had turned a bit cooler, and she curled her arms around herself, huddling in Jason’s T-shirt, wishing she’d donned warmer clothes. Then again, he’d take them off in nothing flat. After all, she didn’t need a stitch in bed.

As she landed in the big open space of the first floor, she found him pacing the great room wearing a pair of sweat shorts. He’d doffed his nylon tank and slung it over one thick shoulder as he pressed the phone to his ear. Even the sight of him made her tingle like a girl in the throes of her first crush.

“I need a report,” he demanded as he stared out the window.

Residual sweat from his workout slicked his wavy hair from his face. The muscles of his back rippled and moved every time he shifted his weight, breathed—or made an angry gesture with his arm, as he did now.

“What do you mean there’s no progress? That’s not acceptable.” Jason paused. “Time is the one thing I lack, so don’t tell me to be patient. It’s been a week. If we’re not getting results, we need another tactic.”

He walked to the other end of the room, toward the front door. Gia continued to gawk. His broad shoulders tapered into a lean waist, narrow hips, and muscled legs. The thin fabric of his shorts clung to his incredibly appealing backside. He had an athlete’s body, one he pushed to its full potential nearly every morning in the gym downstairs. Today, he’d added extra cardio, making love to her before his workout until she’d screamed—repeatedly.

“You’re asking me for suggestions? Isn’t this your area of expertise?” Jason opened the front door, and his Wall Street Journal waited there. He bent to retrieve the paper and clenched it in his fist. “Do you need more money?”

The party on the other line said something, and Jason tensed even more.

“Then I don’t want to hear excuses. Solve the problem.” He turned just enough to reveal a chiseled profile and his flush of quiet rage. “You’ve got seventy-two hours before I cut you loose and find someone who can do what I’ve asked.”

Her husband conducted business full throttle. She’d been privy to a few of his calls. It shocked her that he spoke fluent Japanese, at least when it came to money management. Whoever he talked to now didn’t quite understand that Jason was used to getting what he wanted and would drive hard until he got it.

That described their relationship. She’d been trying to hold her heart separate from her body, but every night Jason rocketed her to the stars, urging her on and up until she was spent and dizzy. Then he held her close, their hearts beating together, until she wondered if she could separate from him again without crumbling.

For so long, Gia had coped by dealing with only the most pressing issues. The future and its associated problems, she’d shoved into a mental compartment marked “later” and locked away. Little by little, Jason pounded at her mental safety barriers like a battering ram. Gia felt perilously close to caving in. The possibility of parting ways with him for good on their anniversary filled Gia with dread.

“Try that. Spreading the word is critical, but do it carefully,” he insisted, then turned back toward the kitchen. The moment he spotted her, his eyes darkened. “I’ll have to call you back.” Jason didn’t wait for a reply. He simply hung up. “Good morning.”

“Morning.” The word came out breathy, and she kicked herself. She sounded almost as love struck as she felt. A man like Jason could use her feelings to wring all the sex and devotion from her he desired.

Would giving in be so bad? He no longer seemed to want revenge or simply to bang her out of his system. In fact, the way he talked to and touched her, studied her, and spooned her each night made her wonder if he had something else entirely in mind.

A shiver wracked her, part cold, part desire as she remembered how he’d bent her over the sofa last night to pump her with ferocious strokes of his thick cock as they looked out over the city’s glittering lights. He’d growled in her ear that he craved her—and that she belonged here with him always.

It wasn’t smart, but her body had flowed with his, her pleasure rolling up to him like the ocean at high tide. And damn it if her heart hadn’t yearned to stop resisting and surrender.

“Sleep well?” he asked.

“Yes.” She always did when she curled up beside him. “You?”

Jason smiled faintly. “A few hours. You know me.”

She did. Mentally restless, he always worked on ways to make money grow or plot some business scheme to his advantage. Gia knew damn well his thoughts were hardly limited to commerce and interest rates. Every day he found some new way to engage her until she felt like the most interesting topic he wrapped his thoughts around. When Jason focused on something, he did it with single-minded fervor, and she couldn’t deny how much she loved being the center of his attention.

If she could experience that every single day, it would be a dream come true. Then again, hadn’t hoping for the fairy-tale ending and ignoring reality landed her in this mess?

Gia averted her gaze. “I can make breakfast this morning. What would you like?”

“No worries. I had a few things delivered. I’ve got fabulous breakfast burritos in the warming drawer and fresh fruit in the fridge. Give me a minute, and I’ll have a surprise, too.”

He never let her lift a finger. The pampering had been nice at first. Now, she felt without direction. Even if she wasn’t staying forever, she had to contribute. “You know, I’m not useless.”

He frowned. “Of course not. You’re very capable.”

“But you see to everything around here. Why won’t you let me pitch in? I cook, Jason. I clean. I do laundry. I can even garden.”

“But you don’t have to. I employ people. Let them do their jobs. You’re here to focus on us.”

“I have. But what’s the point of me having nothing to do? If it’s to take a vacation, believe me, I haven’t slept this much in a year. I haven’t eaten this much ever. I’m ready to be productive again. You’re still conducting business. Since you don’t want me working on my brother’s case, at least let me contribute in some way.”

He sent her a sly grin with a flash of white teeth. “If you think you’re not playing a vital role, let me assure you otherwise.”

“By being available for sex?”

The smile fell off his face, replaced by a chilly warning. “By being my wife.”

Suddenly, his ploy made sense. “You’re trying to show me how you envision every day of our married lives.”

On the one hand, she was more than a little touched. On the other, she couldn’t live this way. Did Jason think that the “job” he paid her for in luxuries and physical pleasure was to be at his carnal beck and call?

He stiffened. “Would that be so terrible?”

“So if we stayed married, you’d insist I hang around and be available whenever you wanted me naked? I wouldn’t do anything vital, like work?”

“I would take care of you in every way. Keep you safe, adored, and—”

“Bored out of my damn mind.” She gaped at him. “I need purpose.”

He stalked closer, eyes narrowed. “You came here exhausted and half starved. If that’s what ‘purpose’ does to you, I won’t tolerate it. I’m not expecting you to do nothing. I understand you’re a determined woman with goals. I know your submissive nature drives you to help others. You’ve given a lot to your family. That’s admirable. But you can’t do it all at your own expense, Gia. Let me help you. Why should you give up food and sleep when I can provide them so easily and let you turn your attention to something else important?”

A half dozen relevant responses raced through her head. Her family wasn’t his responsibility. But they’d already had that argument. She understood his point. They hadn’t been married long, but did the length of time matter? Spouses were supposed to be partners in life. If her mother ever needed help and didn’t tell her father, he’d be very hurt. Fine. Message received.

Naturally, Jason didn’t want her important task to have anything to do with bringing Tony’s killer to justice. Hunting Ricky Wayman down alone and cuffing him would bring her immense satisfaction…but the task was dangerous almost to the point of suicidal. And in the back of her head, Gia worried that even if she could manage to arrest the thug and a grand jury indicted him, the trial wouldn’t see right served. Her brother’s former partner, Patrick, had quickly recanted his statement that pinned the blame for Tony’s murder on Wayman, so she couldn’t rely on the lone eyewitness account to convict him. But last week she’d learned from another friend in the precinct that Patrick had bought a fancy new boat this past spring. She could guess where that money had come from, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She’d called Internal Affairs to report the incident, but hadn’t yet heard a thing. Frustration was setting in.

If Jason didn’t see her filling Tony’s shoes again to care for Mila and the kids, and if she accepted that trying to bring Wayman to trial might be exasperating—not to mention risky—where did her husband think that left her? Just a guess, but she figured he would be much happier if she didn’t strap on a badge and gun every day and patrol the streets of South Dallas. Gia had mixed feelings about that.

“I appreciate what you’re saying,” she began. “I just don’t know where that leaves me.”

Jason didn’t answer immediately, and she tensed, watching him open the warming drawer under the oven with a couple of breakfast burritos inside. “Bacon or sausage?”

“Bacon,” she answered automatically.

He grabbed the rolled foil item on the left, then retrieved a plate. As soon as he set her breakfast on the shiny black china, he reached into the refrigerator to pull out a cup of pineapple, bananas, and mandarin oranges. He continually surprised her with her favorite things, and she couldn’t help but be moved, even when she was miffed.

“Take this to the table.” He handed her the plate, then gestured to the breakfast nook.

“I need an answer.”

“Eat. We’ll talk.”

Gia knew damn well that arguing with him when he expected her to fill her belly wouldn’t get her anywhere. Shaking her head, she took her breakfast and plopped down at his table, looking out over the city. He lived in the clouds, her prince occupying his castle in the sky…and she could almost get used to sharing his kingdom every day.

Was she really thinking about staying? The thought was dangerous, but difficult to drown out. How could she do it with so many people relying on her? How did she admit to her family that she’d been married all this time? And how did Jason expect her to fill her days?

Despite all these obstacles, the sense of rightness when she was with him gripped her and never let go.

As she unwrapped the burrito, Gia heard the popping of a cork and turned. Sure enough, he was pouring champagne into a flute and adding a little orange juice.

Her jaw dropped. “A mimosa?”

“It’s one of my mother’s favorites.” He shrugged. “I thought you might like it.”

And he’d arranged this treat because he’d been thinking of her. The whole thing struck her as thoughtful and indulgent, if a little excessive. But he went above and beyond in taking care of her. How could she be angry about that?

Crap, he had her so confused.

As she took her first bite of heavenly warm egg-filled burrito and followed with a spoonful of the luscious fruit, Jason finished mixing the drink and brought it across the room, easing it directly in her hand. Beside her plate, he set a bottle of hot sauce. “Enjoy.”

“I will as soon as you tell me what you see me doing with my next nine days.” Or the rest of my life?

She gulped down half her mimosa, then had to hold in a moan. That tasted really good.

Jason pulled out the chair beside her and sat. Gia had the distinct impression that he collected his thoughts and organized his words.

“I hope you’re willing to simply enjoy our time together, but if you genuinely need something to occupy you, come up with ideas and we’ll discuss them. Do you want children someday?”

The change of subject made her head spin. “Of course.”

He stood again and paced, paralleling the wall of windows along the north side of the kitchen with his long stride. Sharp and controlled, he pivoted to face her again when he reached the counter and ran out of floor.

“I do, too. And I want them with you. Let’s cut to the chase. Tell me what you need to stay with me and make that a reality.”

Gia blinked at him, unable to breathe for a long minute. “You want us to have children together?”

“Yes.”

Nothing in his expression told her what he might be feeling. The only thing she sensed was edginess, a hint of anxiety. He wanted this, probably more than he wished her to know.

She tried not to soften too much. After all, who knew why he’d chosen her to procreate with. So he wanted her. And he’d given her every reason to suspect he cared. But neither of those truths added up to a reason they should create life together.

“I don’t understand. What I need to stay? Um…” She tried to give him a coherent answer, but that proved hard with a nonsensical question.

“You know.” He gestured impatiently. “Tell me what I’ll need to provide in order for you to stay with me. A bigger house, a new car, diamonds, a trip to Paris… Whatever it is, consider it done.”

Was he serious? “First, I’d need a life with fewer problems. I have to figure out what to do about my family. You and I would need to work out our differences and find some common ground. Another house with safe stairs is a must once kids start walking.” She shrugged. “But buying me a car or jewelry or taking me overseas won’t fix anything unless… Was that supposed to be some bribe to induce me to remain your wife and have your children?”

He bristled. “It’s an honest exchange. I give you something you want so I can have something I want.”

The idea was completely distasteful. “What makes you think I would even accept something monetary to enter into motherhood?”

His face turned colder. “You would hardly be the first woman. Several of my mother’s friends had monetary provisions rewarding them for the birth of each planned pregnancy written into their prenuptials. Besides, once you accepted my offer to come here in exchange for a better divorce settlement, I saw no reason you wouldn’t be amenable.”

He’d thought wrong. Was that how marriage worked in his experience? “No! Children aren’t a clause in a contract. People should have them because they’re in love and want to grow their family so they can pass that love down to the next generation.”

He raised a dark brow at her, a silent rebuke. “Love is…something movie producers and greeting card companies use to manipulate our emotions so we’ll open our wallets. Usually, it’s lust, loneliness, or the desire to display the ‘right’ wife on your arm. Over time, ‘death do us part’ is more about one being too fond of the dollar signs in their bank account to engage in a messy divorce. Gia…” He shook his head. “Unconditional love and eternal devotion are seductive thoughts, but they don’t exist.”

Every word horrified her. She stood to face him, shock bouncing inside her. “That’s not true. I’ve seen them every day. I have no clue where you got your warped ideas but… If you really feel this way, why the hell did you marry me?”

“I wanted you.”

“We were already having sex,” she argued. “You didn’t need to marry me for more of that.”

“I wanted to call you mine. I still do. You fill some void I hadn’t realized existed in my life. I enjoy spending time with you, pampering you, and fucking you. I’d like a family since I didn’t have much of one as a kid. So I need to know what you require in order to make it happen. Give me your price.”

“Your love,” she choked.

His face closed up. “I could lie, but I’d rather not insult you. What else can I give you?”

Gia felt time stand still, the air stop. Pain crushed her, starting dead center in her chest and rapidly spreading like a disease.

“Without love, I can’t stay.”

“So that’s it? You’re going to divorce me on our anniversary and walk away because I won’t give you syrupy words I don’t believe in?”

“No.” She approached him on bare feet. “I’m going to let you go so you can find someone you will fall in love with so you can see how real it is.”

With a controlled sigh, he clenched a fist. “I don’t want ‘someone.’ I want you. I’ll treat you like a queen and give you the world. Can’t that be enough?”

Gia’s first instinct was to refuse. If she did, it would mean spending her life without Jason. Should she relinquish the man she loved over an ideal? Who was to say that he wouldn’t eventually realize he more than wanted her? That maybe he even loved her deep down? Or was she rationalizing because he had her heart and always would?

Suddenly, her phone rang from a distant corner of the house. A quick listen told her the ring tone was Mila’s. Had something happened to one of the kids?

Sending Jason a glance that pleaded with him to understand, she dashed for her purse upstairs.

He followed. “Who is it?”

“My sister-in-law,” she tossed over her shoulder.

Cursing under his breath, he trailed her into the bedroom, watching with unwavering focus. Gia couldn’t mistake his impatience to finish their earlier discussion. She felt the same.

Today had, perhaps, been their most honest conversation. Before they’d married, she and Jason had lived in the moment. She’d read enough about his upbringing online to know that hers had been vastly different. He must know that, too. Since she’d returned to Jason, they had shared space, but they hadn’t really tried bridging the chasm between them.

This morning felt like a first step.

As the fourth ring pealed, Gia snatched her phone from her purse and hit the button, pressing the device to her ear. “Hello?”

“Hi, G,” Mila greeted. “Sorry to bother you. Just a quick question. Where did you leave TJ’s insurance card?”

Her sister-in-law had taken to calling Tony Jr. by his initials because Mila could no longer bear to speak her late husband’s name.

“It’s not in your purse or affixed to the fridge?” Gia asked.

“No. It’s not in the junk drawer or with your mom, either. I’ve looked in the obvious places. Last I remember, you had it when you took him in for his cough.”

Crap. Yes, she had—the day before she’d come to Jason’s.

Gia plowed through her purse and found her wallet. The second she opened it, the little card spilled out. “I’ve got it.”

“I need it.”

Her heart stopped. “What happened?”

“Nothing. I totally forgot that TJ has a well appointment today. I wish they’d let me use my card, but I guess the insurance company is cracking down against members using the wrong one, so…” Mila paused. “Is there any way we can meet so I can get it? His appointment is at three.”

A glance over her shoulder told Gia that Jason stood in the doorway, staring and conscious of every word she spoke to her sister-in-law. She barely managed not to wince. Introducing Jason to Mila might as well be introducing him to the whole family. No way would her brother’s wife keep quiet about a man. But Gia already knew that crossing town to spend a few hours without him wasn’t an option. She’d committed to spending twenty-four/seven with him until their anniversary.

“How about if I drop it off at the doctor’s office and you can pick it up there? I have to get back downtown this afternoon, and I’d rather not fight rush hour traffic.” Gia rubbed at a pain in her chest that couldn’t be anything but a stab of guilt.

“Sure.” Mila sounded a little surprised and hurt that she didn’t want to meet for a cup of coffee or lunch, like they usually would, but her sister-in-law could be a one-woman inquisition. If Jason was anywhere in earshot, he would state the bald truth.

What a terrible way for her close-knit family to find out the two of them had been married for nearly a year.

“Great. I’ll have it there by one or so.” She sent Jason another glance for confirmation, and he nodded.

Then he slipped from the room and headed down the hall, toward the stairs. Gia breathed a guilty sigh of relief that he’d elected to let her finish her conversation in private.

“Perfect,” Mila assured.

“How’s the new nanny?” Gia almost held her breath, anxious for the answer.

“Incredible! I don’t know how you managed to talk your new boss into paying for someone so amazing. The kids love Colleen, and she’s made life so easy. I wish I could keep her forever.”

A sad relief. Great that the woman was working out, but Gia’s worry that she’d failed her family hurt. She’d given her all, but between work and hunting Wayman, there hadn’t been enough of her to go around.

“Glad to hear it.”

“They miss their Auntie G,” Mila added.

“I miss them, too.” She tried not to cry. In truth, she missed her whole family.

“Hopefully, you won’t be busy much longer,” Mila said gently. “Oh, the other reason I called… We’ve had to move your father’s birthday dinner to tonight. I know it’s short notice and you’ve got a tight job, but any chance you can make it? It would mean a lot to your parents.”

“Tonight? Dad’s birthday isn’t for two weeks.”

“Thanksgiving is late this year, so his big day falls on Black Friday. The Delvecchios are out of town that weekend for the holiday.”

The family owned her dad’s favorite little hole-in-the-wall for food. He wouldn’t want to celebrate anywhere else.

“Your mom and I realized it this morning, so we rescheduled,” Mila went on. “Please come.”

How would that work? She doubted seriously that Jason would allow her to attend a family event without him. In fact, he’d told her just minutes ago that he wanted to be with her a lot longer than nine days. It stood to reason that he’d demand to meet the Angelotti clan.

When she and Jason had first eloped, she’d had a plan to invite her parents over for dinner, introduce Jason and let them get to know him over the meal, then announce that they were husband and wife. But once Tony had been killed, her plan had gone out the window. Gia didn’t know how to broach the subject with them a belated year later. Or if she even should. She’d know what to do once she’d decided whether to stick it out with Jason or throw in the towel. But springing a surprise marriage on her father, especially when it might not last, wouldn’t be much of a birthday gift.

“I want to come, but I’m really tied up here.” Gia winced. “I’ll see what I can do… If I get free, tell me again what time I should be at Delvecchio’s.”

“Five thirty. It was the only time they could take us last minute.”

“I’m not sure I can be done with my downtown appointment this afternoon by five thirty. Don’t be surprised if y’all have to go on without me.” Gia made a mental note to ask Jason if they could shop for a gift today and drop it off at the restaurant before her family arrived.

“I was afraid you’d say that.” Mila sounded disappointed. “If your schedule changes and you can make it, then come by. I know your dad would be thrilled.”

“Sure. Yeah. Thanks for the heads up. If I end up having to leave the gift at the restaurant, I’ll text you. Talk to you soon.”

Gia shoved her phone in her purse again and turned suspiciously to the hall, wondering if she’d find Jason lurking there. But no. She crept downstairs and found him in the kitchen sipping coffee and browsing his newspaper.

“So we need to drop your nephew’s insurance card by the pediatrician’s office?”

His question rattled her. “I can take care of it and be back by two.”

Jason’s blue eyes turned dark, his entire expression disapproving.

Or not…

“I’ll be driving you, Gianna.” He spoke her full name, telling her with just one word that she’d reached an unbendable boundary.

She tried to hold in a sigh. “I also need to drop off a little something for my dad. Would it be possible to stop by a mall first?”

“Of course.”

“If you don’t have time, I understand. You sounded like you were on an important call when I first came downstairs, so—”

“Nothing is more important than you.”

His words made her stomach flutter. Honestly, she didn’t understand her husband. He hadn’t even pretended that he believed in love, yet he’d done everything to make her happy, comfortable, and sated since she’d walked through his door. If he’d told her that he loved her this morning, she would have believed him. Oh, his demeanor could be remote. But his behavior spoke volumes, every word saying so clearly that he cared.

Confused and yearning, Gia lowered her gaze. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Why don’t you shower? I’ll set out something for you to wear. We’ll leave when you’re ready.”

“I can find my own clothes. You don’t have to…”

Gia stopped. No, Jason didn’t have to choose her clothes, but his raised brow told her that he wanted to. In fact, he insisted. It should really bug the independent woman in her, but the idea that he sought to select every stitch on her body from the skin out excited her.

“All right,” she murmured.

“Excellent. Off with you. I’ll take care of everything else.”

* * *

Jason watched his wife walk up the stairs. She intended to keep him separate from the rest of her life. Not acceptable. He suspected Gia worried about her parents’ reaction to their marriage. No, he wasn’t Catholic, but Marco and Silvana Angelotti would surely find other redeeming qualities in him—namely that he would always take care of their daughter.

Later, he’d allow himself to feel disappointment in Gia’s behavior. Now, he had other plans.

Before he’d asked Thorpe to reach out to his wife, Jason had examined his marriage from every angle and found three impediments to making their relationship last. He’d cured the first by bringing Gia here to actually spend time with him so she could see what their life together might be like. He hadn’t completely fixed the second problem, but he’d started the process. It shouldn’t take much longer. The last? Well, maybe today he could enact change...even if he had to force her to face her fear.

For now, he’d show her a pleasurable afternoon while he ironed out this new wrinkle between them: her insistence on love.

Frowning, he pulled out his phone and made a few arrangements, then headed upstairs to the bedroom he shared with his wife. That had a nice ring, and he had to admit that he’d been much happier since getting her under his roof. She looked better rested. He’d even managed to put a few pounds back on her. All in all, it had been a successful nine days.

Time to step up his game and close the deal.

Once in the master bedroom, he heard the shower running behind the closed bathroom door. Prowling to his adjoining walk-in closet, he opened his armoire and pulled out a few bags. He’d carefully chosen the contents of each over the past week. A bra here, a skirt there. Understated but sexy heels. A designer bag with a beautiful pop of bright pink. According to his assistant, these would thrill Gia, and he enjoyed buying her things she’d never buy for herself.

Next, Jason pulled open the jewelry drawer. Inside, he found the Tiffany blue velvet box with Gia’s wedding ring tucked away and clutched it in his fist.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained…

With a decisive nod, he shut the armoire doors and laid all the items out on their bed, including the ring.

Quickly, he made use of one of the showers down the hall, then returned and dressed, just waiting for her reaction. It should be enlightening.

Chapter Six

About mid-morning, they pulled up in front of one of the swanky, old-money malls of Dallas. She’d heard of this place, but it was easily thirty minutes from her part of town, and she’d never had the bank account to shop here.

Gia pursed her lips. She couldn’t blame Jason for bringing her to this mall when she hadn’t been specific about which one she wanted. His condo wasn’t far from here, and to a guy, one shopping center was probably as good as the next. Hopefully, at least one store would allow her to buy a present for her dad that didn’t cost her an arm and a leg. But when they breezed in from the parking lot and the first merchant on her right was Tiffany, Gia didn’t hold much hope.

And it reminded her of the little blue box Jason had put on the bed beside the ensemble—minus panties, of course—that he’d instructed her to wear. In every other way, the outfit was classy, well-made, and fit perfectly. She’d squealed over the raspberry-colored Kate Spade bag. Even the black Jimmy Choo kitten heels were surprisingly comfortable. Since the tags had still been on everything, she’d choked at the cost. Was Jason insane? Nine hundred dollars for a Roberto Cavalli skirt? She would never have even looked at something this pricy, much less bought it. But this was his show, so she’d worn everything he’d given her, hoping like hell she didn’t spill anything and stain the garments.

Jason escorted her inside, then stopped her with a subtle grasp in front of the legendary jeweler. “Where’s your ring, Gianna? I set it out for you to wear.”

Damn. She’d known he would ask. “In my purse. I don’t think wearing the ring is such a good idea.”

“Because you don’t think you’ll be Mrs. Denning much longer?”

Gia hesitated. Everything between them was up in the air. Until she figured out whether she could stay with a man who might never say he loved her, she had to play it safe. “Because at this point we’ve only agreed to spend a few more days together. I’d hate to lose it while we’re deciding about the future.”

He didn’t look happy with her answer. “Do you dislike it?”

It was far bigger than anything she’d ever imagined someone putting on her finger. She was almost afraid to find out how much he’d spent on it. Every minute she’d worn it last year, she’d checked to make sure the center stone hadn’t somehow popped out or that the ring hadn’t slipped off her finger.

“If you don’t like it, I’ll get you something else.” He looked toward Tiffany & Co.

“That’s not it. I just…” How did she put this into words? “The conversation we had this morning disturbed me. The point of marriage and family is love. Desire isn’t enough.”

“Do you really mean to give up on us because I won’t say three silly words? Other than that one conversation, we’re getting along perfectly. I’ve enjoyed this time with you more than I can express. Until this morning, I believed you felt the same. Am I wrong?”

Lying wouldn’t solve anything. “No.”

“Good. Having a realistic view of marriage in no way negates the fact that I care about you. You’re not just a trophy or a body to me. I believe we can have a good life together. I’ve got nothing against roses and champagne. I’m happy to buy you all the lace you want. I’m too direct to ever compare your eyes to stars or whatever romantic drivel people spout. Beyond that, no two people should have their world revolve entirely around the other.”

“None of that is love.” Was he really that clueless? Where did he get these notions? She had a suspicion… “You know, we never talked about your parents. Tell me about them.”

“Let me put your wedding ring on your finger and I will.” When she opened her mouth to object, he shushed her. “If you lose it, it’s insured. I’ll replace it. Any other objections?”

At the moment? “No.”

In truth, the ring was beautiful, but it was dangerous to entertain the fantasy they were a loving husband and wife out together for a relaxing afternoon before they returned home to cuddle on the couch to watch TV or make love.

“So what’s the problem? Do you want to avoid wearing my ring more than you want to hear about my parents?”

With his tight jaw and down slashing brows, he turned away angrily. But when Gia curled a hand around his elbow and nudged him to face her, he looked more hurt than anything. Her resistance melted.

“I do want to hear.” Gia dug into her purse and laid the cheerful blue box in her palm.

Jason’s big fingers curled around hers, her ring sandwiched between them. When they touched, the electric contact gave her a jolt. He curled his other hand around her neck and cradled her head. God, she always got so lost in his eyes…

During their year apart, she’d often had dreams about him. No matter what happened during those episodes, when she woke, it was his eyes that haunted her. But she loved so much more about Jason.

His sophisticated precision and the relentless way he attacked life had always fascinated her, yes. He cut through the BS and simply said what others only dared to think. Once he’d zeroed in on her, he’d quickly snagged her attention and conquered her heart. Since then, he hadn’t let go. Gia thought she had, but now she wasn’t so sure.

“Baby…” he murmured as he bent to brush a kiss over her lips.

Gia closed her eyes, soaked Jason in, and opened to him. With something between a sigh and a groan, he took her mouth, plunging deep, his grip tightening on her. He took her breath as he stole her heart all over again.

She grabbed his shoulders, wriggling closer and fusing herself against him. How could she want him again so desperately? But like always, the moment their lips met, the passion sparked to a blaze that quickly became a conflagration.

Because she loved him. But according to him, he would never love her in return.

Damn it, what was she supposed to do about that?

As he let go of her hand and gripped her wrist to bring her closer, someone jostled them and cleared her throat. Gia looked up to find an elderly woman silently scolding them as she passed.

Jason smothered a laugh. “Guess she doesn’t believe in PDA.”

“Public displays of affection weren’t big in her day. My parents don’t mind indulging, but I remember my grandparents. OMG, the moment my mom and dad would kiss, my granddad would bluster and rail.”

“That sounds nice, actually. I never knew my grandparents.” With a sad smile, he plucked the box from her palm and opened it. “Give me your hand.”

With her heart thumping, she did. When he removed the ring, he snapped the little case shut and pocketed it before sliding the gorgeous jewel on her finger. The moment hovered, breathless and profound as he settled the ring in place. It still fit perfectly, and the diamonds glittered in the light. Just like the first time she’d seen it, Gia fell speechless.

“I really will get you something else if you don’t like it.”

“Is that what you think?” She looked up at him, blinking in shock. “I love it. If I never told you that, I’m sorry. Wearing it terrifies me. Losing it would be crushing because it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jason breathed what looked like a sigh of relief. If he didn’t have deep feelings for her, if it—like her—was just a status symbol, would her opinion even matter?

“Tell me about your parents.” She squeezed his hand.

His smile looked tight and cynical as he squeezed back and let go, strolling deeper into the mall. “Well, my father married my mother, his assistant, after he got her pregnant. He was fifty-five. She was twenty-three. He divorced his first wife, leaving her and their three college-aged children. My mother wanted wealth, and he wanted an upgrade on his piece of ass.” He cocked his head and sent her a challenging glance. “Are you thinking, ‘poor little rich boy with the scarred psyche?’”

Actually, yes. She might have grown up knowing her family watched every penny, but she’d never had any doubt they loved one another.

“Were they happy at all? Ever?”

He shrugged. “Mom was happy when she was shopping. I think my father was happy when he was showing off his pretty, young wife so everyone could see what great taste in women he had. They ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ that he could afford her. To this day, she’s very expensive looking.”

“None of that is happiness,” she pointed out.

“I’m well aware of that.” He took her hand in his.

“So they weren’t affectionate?”

“The ‘affection’ my parents shared was outlined in their prenuptial agreement. If my father wanted more, it usually cost him at least a new Louis Vuitton bag.”

“So basically, he bought her?”

Jason paused, then nodded. “I suppose, but she wanted it that way. He didn’t object.”

That explained why he spent ridiculous amounts of money on her and why he didn’t believe in love. Why he’d been trying to buy his way into filling her womb with his children. He only understood what he’d seen.

“That’s not the way marriage should be,” she murmured.

“Forgive me if I don’t believe you.” He sent her a brittle smile. “Now, what do you need at the mall?”

Biting her lip, Gia vacillated. Tell him? Don’t tell him? If she spilled, he’d insist they go to her father’s party. The family would learn her secret…and there would be trouble. Besides, if she introduced Jason to everyone and they didn’t stay married, she’d shock her parents and break their hearts. Her mom and dad were fairly hip about lots of things, but they were still Catholic. They didn’t believe in divorce.

On the other hand, no one had ever shown Jason real love. Maybe he needed her far more than she knew. Or maybe she was inventing reasons to stay with him because she wanted to so badly.

She needed time to think.

“Just a little something for my dad,” she hedged. “It won’t take long.”

He said nothing, just led her through the mall. Gia had the vague sense that he was disappointed. Or maybe that was just her guilt talking…

* * *

It didn’t take too long before Gia found a nice pair of wool-lined leather gloves and a striking plaid scarf for her father. She protested their expense and moved on. Since pinching pennies in Neiman’s was counterintuitive, the second she sought the restroom, Jason went back and purchased the gift for her father. Marco Angelotti was his father-in-law, even if the man didn’t know it. Besides, Jason had an ulterior motive.

Bag in hand, he waited for Gia at the end of the hallway outside the restrooms. She came out with fresh lipstick and a smile.

“I was thinking, if we start heading toward my parents’ house, there’s a sporting goods store Dad likes to browse that—” She peered at the bag in his hand. “What did you buy?”

“The items you think your father will enjoy. And don’t say a word. He’s important to you, so he’s important to me. End of conversation.”

She pursed her lips together. “It’s not. There’s no way I can afford those, so he’ll know they didn’t come from me.”

“Take the price tags off and say you got a great deal.” He shrugged. “Of course, you could always tell him the gift is from his daughter and son-in-law.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. The first thing they’ll want to know is if you love their little girl. If you can’t say yes and mean it, they won’t be welcoming.”

If they had a drop of practical blood in their veins, they’d realize he could provide for her and any children they had in great style. They might not be thrilled that he’d joined the family, but he’d bet they’d be smart enough not to object.

“Leave that to me. I can be very convincing.” He took her by the elbow.

Gia tensed, and Jason had no doubt she was flustered. Time to take his pretty wife in hand and start persuading her that love was just another four-letter word. She mattered to him. They could enjoy one another and build a solid foundation on which to raise children. And he’d spend every moment they had left together proving it.

“Come with me.” Jason led her toward a section filled with clothing that looked well-made and stylish with a hint of sexy.

“Where are we going?”

“Indulge me for…” He glanced at his watch. “An hour or two. You don’t have to be at the pediatrician’s office for a while.”

She frowned, still agitated about her dad’s gift. “All right.”

He grinned and led her to a rack of sexy black skirts that would hug her ass in the best possible way.

“Can I help you?” a very manicured fifty-something saleswoman asked them.

“No. We’re just browsing,” Gia answered.

“Yes,” he contradicted. “My wife wants to try this skirt on.” He spotted a shimmery blouse in a champagne shade that would look fabulous against her skin. “And that. I’d like to see some casual clothes, too. Classic, but not stuffy. Something age appropriate.”

“Of course.”

“She also needs lingerie and shoes.” He rattled off her sizes.

Gia gaped at him. “Jason!”

He patted her hand. “Don’t worry. We have time.”

Because he wasn’t going to hear a damn word about money. His subtle warning glare should tell her that.

“Will your wife need a purse or two? Any jewelry or cosmetics?” the woman asked.

“Yes. If you’ll bring the purses with the outfits to the dressing room so she can see how everything looks together, I’d appreciate that. Also, we’re going to need this block of dressing rooms to ourselves. My wife is very private, and I respect her modesty.”

“Of course.” The woman bowed her pale head deferentially. “I’ll call some other associates and we’ll be happy to bring you everything you requested.”

“Excellent.” He grabbed Gia’s hand. “We’ll wait for you inside.”

The moment the woman hustled away, no doubt adding up her potential commission, Jason led his shocked bride to the fitting rooms against the far wall.

As soon as they walked into the partitioned area and saw that they were alone, she stopped and gaped at him. “Are you crazy? I don’t need all that. I certainly can’t affor—”

“Stop. Right. There.” He glowered. “I asked you to indulge me and you agreed.”

“I thought you wanted me to look at something interesting.”

He shrugged. “Consider me spoiling you the most fascinating subject ever.”

With a roll of her eyes, she sighed. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but you don’t need to buy me anything.”

Jason studied her with a frown. She would spend every day and night until their anniversary with him for a healthy divorce settlement, but wouldn’t accept his gifts during their marriage? “I didn’t need a new Porsche last month, but it made me happy. Not everything is about necessity.”

“Have you ever heard the words ‘frugal’ or ‘economical?’”

“I have. They only apply when I wish them to. Don’t worry about money, Gia. I have nine zeroes in my bank total. I can handle a day of shopping.”

“I won’t wear any of this when I go back to work.”

Her argument was somewhere between tiring and insulting. “So I should not wish to buy things for my wife for the express purpose of seeing her look good or smiling?”

“That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Then explain. If I had to guess, you think that if I spend money on your clothing, I’ll demand something from you in return.”

“It feels a lot like you’re trying to buy me, the way your father did your mother.”

So she wanted his money without strings? That made sense to the cynic in him, but every other part of him protested that Gia wasn’t mercenary.

Jason snorted. Either he was getting soft or his wife had played him well.

“Not at all. Let me put it to you this way: Would your mother ever object to your father if he wanted to do something nice for her?”

Gia paused, obviously trying to think of some way—any way—she could say yes to that and mean it. Finally, she gave a little huff. “No.”

“Because if your father told your mother they could afford something, she would just accept that as fact.”

Her long sigh told Jason he’d hit a bull’s-eye. “Yes.”

“Can you give me the same courtesy?”

“My father would never buy her all the things you’re suggesting,” she argued.

“He likes to make her happy, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then if he had the means, I guarantee he would buy her everything in the store she wanted. Hell, you make it sound like he’d give her the world.”

“He loves her.”

“He values her above all others.” And now they were playing a game of semantics. “Just like I value you. I fail to see the difference.”

The sales associate saved him whatever argument Gia had on the tip of her tongue by coming in with an armful of bright but warm clothes for the coming winter. She set them in the first dressing room then disappeared and returned moments later with two fellow employees, who each carried in shoes and bags and a stack of lacy panties, sheer bras, and even a pair of stockings or two.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you. If you need me sooner, there’s a call button on the wall.”

“Give us half an hour, please.” He smiled politely, but it wasn’t a request.

The woman didn’t hesitate. “Of course.”

As she left, Jason looked around in satisfaction. He’d been inside dressing rooms equipped with what his father used to refer to as the “man chair,” but he’d never seen one outfitted with something between a chaise and a bed. It looked ready for sex. Draped in fuchsia, emerald, bright blue, and gold, he lounged back on the soft surface and watched his wife stomp toward the first dressing room.

“Problem?” he asked.

“You just take over everything. You bossed that woman around. You always tell me what to do. You even buy me things when I’ve asked you not to.”

“The sales clerk is here to assist us. She doesn’t seem unhappy with the tasks I’ve given her. And I fully expect that, by the time we’ve left, I’ll have made any extra effort worth her while.”

“Not everything is about money.”

His pretty wife sounded naïve. “Most everything is. It’s ugly but true. As for you…” He rose from the bed and prowled toward her. “It’s a husband’s right to provide for his wife, and maybe indulge her every now and then. If it will make you feel better, I won’t ask you for a blow job in exchange for anything I buy. All I want is your company. Why are you angry?”

When he cupped her shoulder, she shrugged it off and turned away with a sigh. “I’m not angry. I just feel everything spinning out of control. No matter how I try to stop it—”

“That’s the problem. You’re trying to control not only this situation, but everything in your life. Baby, no one can.” He turned her back to face him, something inside him hurting when he saw the tears gathering there. “When we met at Dominion, you agreed to my Dominance because you said you were ready to give me control. It took you months to truly let go, but every time you relinquished a bit of your tight grip and began to trust me, I was so thrilled and proud of you. During our separation this past year, you seem to have forgotten everything we once worked on.”

“Because there was no one else to take on all this responsibility. I had to be strong.”

That stung. “No one?”

She flushed and looked away. “After all these months, submitting still feels kind of foreign and irresponsible. Maybe I’m not wired for that any more.”

Gia still believed she couldn’t let loose and see to her own needs because she’d been so busy caring for everyone else’s for months. She was mistaken. And he’d still love to paddle her for refusing to let him shoulder any of her burden. Arguing certainly wouldn’t get him anywhere. He simply had to show her.

Jason pressed a kiss to her forehead, her lips, then stepped back. “Strip.”

“What?” She looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.

“Did you have difficulty hearing my command?”

“No, I’m just—”

“Overthinking everything. I’ve given you a simple command.” She wouldn’t remember how much surrender fulfilled her until he gave her the experience again. Once she did, it would bring them closer. “I expect you to obey. Deep down, you want to.”

Gia hesitated, her dark eyes searching his face as if looking for answers. “What if someone walks in?”

“Leave that to me.” He smiled as he shut the door to the dressing room, enclosing them alone together.

After another hesitation, she nodded and dropped her hands to her blouse, her trembling fingers working the buttons.

Jason knew that Gia she was still a police officer who, if caught, would face censure for breaking the law. It had worried her in their past. After playing the role of parent to her niece and nephew, it would worry her even more. But she still trusted him enough to peel off the gauzy shirt covering her pretty breasts and slide it to the floor.

He began loosening his own shirt buttons, watching as she fiddled with the waistband of her skirt and hesitated. Gia had to work through this in her head. She’d always had an exhibitionist streak, but struggled with letting go away from the privacy of the bedroom.

“Off with the skirt. You didn’t disobey me and wear panties, did you?”

“No.” Gia sounded breathy and aroused, just the way he liked her.

“Good.” He waited until she pushed the skirt down her hips and stepped out, holding it in front of her like a shield. “Hand it to me.”

She swallowed nervously and paused, then finally held the skirt out to him. Perhaps he’d ease up and take pity on her if her nipples weren’t peaking through her thin bra and she didn’t already look wet.

Damn it, he couldn’t wait to get his hands on her. It might sound trite, but every time he explored Gia’s body, he found something new to appreciate, another way to savor her.

For now, he merely pushed her comfort zone by hanging the skirt over the top of the door behind him, far out of her reach. “Now your bra.”

Her fingers curled up as she formed fists. She pressed her lips together. Jason could see the pulse beating furiously at her neck. His wife was going to give into him, and the thought drove him mad with anticipation. Fire seared his veins, engorged his cock. He fought the urge to grab her and tear the undergarment away, then shove her down on his stiff length until she took every inch. Instead, he snapped his fingers, letting her know that his thin patience had given way to expectation.

She let out a shuddering breath. “Jason…”

“Your safe word is still divorce. It’s your only out. Unless you want to use it, give me your bra now. If you make me wait any longer, I’ll spank you here and now. I won’t care at all who hears.”

Her eyes went round. Gia believed him. Good, because every word was the truth.

He held out his hand again. “You’ve got three seconds.”

“You’re pushing me.”

And she was stalling.

“It’s what a Dom does.” He wriggled his fingers.

With a little wince, she reached behind her and pulled off her bra, then handed it to him. Jason barely looked. He was far too focused on her breasts, their natural weight plump and pretty as they rested gently on her chest. Her nipples stood straight and so beautifully engorged. He’d started this to remind her how satisfied she felt when she put her submission into his hands. But no way could he ignore how stunning she looked.

Without once taking his gaze from her, he slung her bra on top of her skirt. “Come closer. Cradle your breasts in your hands and present me your nipples.”

At his words, she whimpered, but she did as he’d commanded, settling her palms underneath the weight of her orbs and lifting them up just enough to thrust their hard tips higher.

Jason watched her image reflected in the trifold mirror. They showed him her body from every angle, and he decided then to install one near his bathtub just so he could watch her emerge from the warm water, skin steaming and dripping, for his viewing pleasure.

Easing into the simple black and chrome chair behind him, he stared at Gia as she edged nearer. Hungry, ready, he itched to fasten his hands on her hips and drag her close enough to taste. Instead, he waited. She had to dredge up her courage and dig a little deeper into her submission with every step forward she took.

Finally, their knees bumped, and he cast his gaze from her nipples to her face. Nervously, she licked her lips. Smiling, he scanned the rest of her. Gia’s flat belly twitched. She looked far wetter than the last time he’d peeked.

Excellent.

“Spread your legs.”

She stepped out a few inches with her right foot, still supporting her breasts in her hands. God, what a gorgeous sight. Aroused, offering herself, so lush and wanton…

“Wider. Straddle my legs,” he said, slouching in the chair and enjoying the view.

Gia frowned, her dark brows forming a frown. She glanced down toward his lap and stepped forward, the inside of her knee brushing his thigh. Awkwardly, she stumbled closer, spreading her legs wider until she straddled his own.

Every delectable part of her was on display for him. She might look hesitant, but he knew her desire and the need to submit had overcome her caution. Breathless, she stood, waiting, looking down at him with need glowing in her eyes.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he demanded softly.

“That you make me ache and want you when I shouldn’t.”

He petted her thigh, curled his fingers around to the back of her leg, and prowled up until he cupped her ass. “Why shouldn’t you desire your husband? We won’t get caught.”

“You don’t love me.”

Jason pulled her into his lap, her thighs gripping his hips before he grabbed her chin. “I will place your needs above my own and take care of you until the end of time. I will never let you hunger or suffer or worry. I will bear your burdens, father your children, and hold your hand. No man will ever give you more.”

And he refused to let this topic fester any more between them now. He’d rather drown out her thoughts with pleasure.

Cradling her head in his hands, he yanked her toward him. Her lips crashed into his. Gia gasped, conveniently opening to him. Jason took advantage, sliding inside to claim her with a ravaging kiss.

Intent on stealing her breath, he stroked ever deeper into the silky heaven of her mouth. He tasted the little butterscotch candy she’d sucked on just before they arrived. The musky dew of her cream wafted in the air between them. In his head, the two blended for a sensory buzz that had him reeling.

Jason urged her closer. Fuck, he had to get inside her soon.

But he had to fulfill her first. Gia needed to surrender, to pull that submissive part out of her and give everything over to him so he could make her feel safe. So she’d be whole. So they’d have a stronger bond.

As he broke away from the kiss, he nudged her back and helped her to her feet. He leaned to retrieve a skirt the sales associate had brought Gia to try on and ripped the belt from its delicate loops. “Turn around.”

She closed her eyes as if she had to steel herself or find courage, but she did exactly as he asked.

“Keep your legs spread and give me your hands.”

Gia looked at the two of them in the mirror, her gaze bouncing from her completely exposed body to his face, trying to read him. He remained purposely blank. When she’d submitted and pleased them both, he would make sure she felt his approval.

Finally, she stepped wide again and wound her hands around to the small of her back. He grabbed them with greedy glee and looped the wide cloth belt around her wrists, loose enough to allow blood to flow, but tight enough to keep her under his control.

Taking her hips in his hands again, he turned Gia to face him. “Pretty. I always like you bound and merciless. Now be a good girl and suck my cock.”

Her breath caught, and she cut her gaze to the dressing room door. They had at least fifteen minutes before anyone interrupted them.

“Focus on me,” he snapped as he unbuckled his belt and slid the button free. The zipper went down with a little hiss.

Gia’s breathing picked up speed. She bit her lip as if nerves dive-bombed her, but her skin flushed and her nipples looked harder than ever. The fear of being caught was part of the game for her. It scared her, but not enough to stop playing.

“Yes, Master.”

The words fell from her lips, an automatic response she’d given to him a thousand times when they’d played at Dominion. He’d always loved hearing her shaky little voice acquiescing to his every dirty demand. But now it meant so much more. Whether Gia intended it or not, she was letting him past her walls, allowing him back into her psyche, trusting him.

The thrill of that raced through him as she lowered herself to one knee, clearly intending to kneel to her task.

“No,” he corrected. “Stand with your legs spread and bend at the waist. I want to see your pussy in the mirror.”

She blinked at him. Somehow, he still managed to shock his little wife every now and then, and that gave him a supreme thrill.

As he wrapped his hand around his engorged staff, holding it up to her, she began to obey, bending to him slowly. About halfway down, he stopped her with a finger under her chin. “Open your mouth. Let me see how you intend to take me.”

Her lips parted. Her brown eyes darkened. He released her face and filtered his fingers into her hair, bracing around her neck to urge her down.

As she wrapped her plump lips around his cock, he hissed in a breath at the shock of sensation. He focused straight ahead, staring down the line of her back and into the mirror. Every swollen fold of her drenched pussy reflected back at him, pink and scrumptious—and all his.

Gia curled her tongue around his length, worked the head with a series of slow licks and long pulls, then took him deep, right to the back of her throat. Heat. Thrill. Power. Jason felt drunk on them. But his wife intoxicated him most, her aching, almost desperate submission igniting his blood and torching him like gasoline on a bonfire.

“Good, baby. Yes…” He fisted her tresses and guided her to a faster rhythm. “Don’t tease me or you know what will happen.”

She bobbed her head, both nodding her agreement and razing him with a soft glide of lips back up his cock. Her teeth glided over the head. Biting back a moan, he urged her on even faster.

Fuck, she looked pretty and helpless. She sucked him like she wanted only his pleasure. She saturated him in a heady grip of desire. She was…his world. There was no way he was leaving this dressing room until she’d screamed her release.

He tugged gently on her hair. “Stop.”

Gia licked her way to the head of his cock, then looked up. Their stares met. Her dark eyes looked doe-soft and yearning. He’d tapped into her submissive nature, and now she couldn’t wait to give him more. She pleaded silently, as if she worried that she’d displeased him or that he’d spurn her. Immediately, he put her fears to rest.

Jason locked his lips with hers, breathing her in as he urged her mouth open and tasted her. Why did she reach into his chest and yank without mercy at the damnedest times? He wanted to consume her, shove her against the wall and fuck her madly. But he also wanted to slide his skin against hers, his heart beating in sync with hers. He wanted her beside him every damn night of their lives. Jason wasn’t exactly sure why he’d fixated on her, but he couldn’t deny the truth.

“Please…”

Gia’s voice cracked. A glance told him that she neared the end of her rope. And if he didn’t want to be interrupted, they were running out of time.

Jason fished a condom from his pocket and shoved it on in seconds before he snagged her arm and pulled her onto his lap, her legs dangling over the sides of the chair. He sought her opening and plunged deep, filling her cunt completely in seconds. Gia gasped sharply.

Because her hands were tied behind her, she had no choice but to rest all her weight on him. She also had no way to pull back. No leverage. No control, and he fucking loved it.

Fingers tightening around her hips, adrenaline and need charged through him as he lifted her up, then used his strength to control her slide down. Slow. Rough. Deep. Her moan shuddered as she tossed her head back. He gritted his teeth and hissed in pleasure. Yeah, he would give her every inch, every ounce of the heat scalding his cock—and she was going to take it.

“Is this what you wanted?” he growled.

“Yes.” She barely managed the words between pants.

“Does this feel good?”

“God, yes.”

Satisfaction soared. “You want your husband to fuck you?”

She nodded. “I’m aching…”

Beneath her, he rolled his hips as he lifted her, then lowered her back onto his erection. Tingles clawed up his spine. His body went electric as he watched her come apart for him. Her brown eyes darkened, softened as her cheeks flushed and her lips parted with a silent moan. Gia wriggled, trying to rush him. Her pussy clenched tight around his dick.

He impaled her on his length again and grabbed her nape, forcing her to look at him. “You don’t determine the pace, do you?”

“No, Master,” she whimpered.

He released her neck and again used his arms to lift her into his strokes. Faster. Rougher. Deeper. Jesus, she was like lightning in his veins.

Leaning in, he nipped at her shoulder, then bent and caught one nipple in his mouth. As he sucked, she let out a keening cry.

“That’s it, baby. Make noise for me.”

“I shouldn’t.” Worry wrenched the words from her.

“You will. I’ll take care of everything.” He pulled on her nipple again before switching to the other. “I just want to hear you.”

His wife might be worried about being discovered, but this turned her on. Around him, she felt so slick and tight. So stunning and breath stealing.

“Yes…”

The flush broke out across her chest. Gia gushed all over his cock again. Her little whimpers picked up in volume. She was close.

“Come for me, my sweet wife, and scream.”

Her hard breathing became outright pants, then she dragged in one long breath and held it. Jason pumped hard straight into her depths, praying he could fuse them together in a way that would last far longer than the orgasm and its afterglow.

Then he wasn’t thinking any more as the ecstasy shot through him like he’d injected it straight into his heart. It zipped through his body, taking over. And as she let out a high-pitched squeal of pleasure in the sound of his name, he released everything he had to her, shuddering through every thrust, doing his best to claim her once and for all.

Chapter Seven

An hour later, Gia left the department store still blushing to the roots of her hair and dazed. Beside her, Jason held her hand and carried three huge bags of things he’d bought for her in the other. Behind them, two clerks carried the boxes of shoes her husband had insisted she needed. All eight pairs of them. When she’d pointed out that she only had two feet, he smiled and whispered that he only had one penis, but it really appreciated the view of her in sexy stilettos. Any other objection she’d raised, he’d waved away. His credit card had taken even more of a pounding than she had in the dressing room.

The thought made her blush again, especially when she recalled the way the sales associate had returned a few minutes later with a gentle clearing of her throat and a repressed smile. Gia herself hadn’t been sure whether to smack Jason for inducing her to do something arrest-worthy or simply giggle. No denying that she felt happier, lighter than she had in over a year. Being with him fulfilled her, and it had nothing to do with what he bought her and everything to do with the way he coaxed her out of her comfort zone and made her feel special with just his touch.

She was head over heels in love with him again. Well, still. She sighed.

What could she possibly give him in return? A blue-collar outlook on life? Arrest procedures? He knew how to cuff someone without her pointers. Gia shook her head. She liked herself, but didn’t at all see why a billionaire would pursue her. Was it because she’d left him for the better part of a year and he wanted what he saw as the unattainable?

The thought gnawed at her as they loaded the car and left the mall. It chewed some more at her as they glided down the highway, heading west toward her part of town. He drove his sleek black Porsche like he conducted business—aggressively and without paying much attention to the rules.

“You get a lot of speeding tickets?”

He grinned. “Maybe a few. What can I say? I like the adrenaline rush.”

“You one of those idiots who jumps out of perfectly good airplanes with just a canvas backpack?”

“Yep.” He laughed. “I love skydiving. I’ll get you to try it someday soon.”

“No thanks.”

“Baby, we’ll tandem jump. You’ll enjoy it. I’ll keep you safe,” he promised.

For no logical reason she could think of, that actually made her reconsider. Jason would do exactly as he said. He would ensure that nothing happened except a crazy jump from five thousand feet and a smooth landing. She trusted him.

Of course, would she really be with him long enough to make that a reality?

Maybe…she should think about their future more. Yes, she was better rested and more relaxed since she’d come to Jason’s condo. But if she stayed, it would only be because he made her genuinely happy. And because they were both in love.

Once in her neighborhood, she and Jason had a fabulous lunch at a nearby Japanese hibachi and sushi place she’d been wanting to try. Afterward, he drove her to the pediatrician’s office, where she dropped off the insurance card.

When she hopped back in the car, it wasn’t quite two in the afternoon. She assumed Jason would head back toward the city. Instead, he drove directly to her old house and parked in front of it.

Gia stared at the cozy little ranch-style abode. It hadn’t been much. Small with an ancient kitchen and a crappy master bathroom. But she’d been proud of the little fixer. She’d bought it with her own money and spruced it up as finances allowed. Seeing it now gave her a terrible pang. She’d lost so much in the last year. Her brother. Her husband in so many ways. She’d also lost her independence and missed it deeply. The thought made her feel selfish, so she tried to squelch it. Truth was, she simply hadn’t been prepared to shoulder the responsibility of her entire family while she’d been in shock and mourning.

“Why are we here?” Her voice shook.

“Why did you sell your house?”

Such a complicated question… “Long story short, after my brother’s death, Mila couldn’t cope without me. I was running myself ragged driving the nine miles between her place and mine, sometimes in the middle of the night when Bella was sick or Tony Jr. had nightmares, and grief was eating her alive. She really didn’t function for a good three months.” Gia paused. “My mom had just had a knee replacement. My dad was a great cop in his day, but he doesn’t know much about being the primary caretaker for two kids under the age of three. It was just easier to move in with Mila.”

“Why not rent your house out while you stayed with your sister-in-law so you’d have a place to come home to?”

She let out a huge sigh. After the way she’d avoided him for months following their wedding day, she owed him this explanation. He’d probably seen her disconnecting her phone and moving away as her means of avoiding him, rather than trying to deal with the tragedy and accept the obligations she’d suddenly inherited.

“When Mila learned she was pregnant again, my brother overextended himself to buy her and the kids the house they now live in. They needed a place with three bedrooms because if they put the baby in with Tony Jr., she’d keep him up half the night. Nothing worse than a cranky toddler.”

Jason grimaced. “I’ll take your word for it. So you…sold your house and gave her the money?”

“My brother would have done the same for me if our roles had been reversed.”

“Your parents couldn’t help out?”

“My mom raised kids and never worked outside the home, and my dad is retired. Their income is fixed and tight. Mila didn’t want to burden them any more.”

“You sacrificed a lot to help your brother’s wife and kids.”

Yes, including her marriage to Jason. “I’d help them all over again. Mila would never have been able to stand on her own this past year. The kids are adorable, but a constant handful. But if I had to do it again, I’d try much harder to include you. In my head, leaning on you so much didn’t seem fair.”

“Giving me up was?”

Her only defense was that she hadn’t believed he’d miss her that much. She still didn’t know what it was about her he’d latched on to. “You’re right. My sense of duty and my pride got in the way.”

Jason sent her a pensive stare. “That can’t happen again, Gia.”

“I know.”

He caressed the crown of her bowed head, a silent gesture of acceptance and forgiveness. “So you grew up around here?”

“Yes.”

“Show me where you went to school.”

It might be stupid, but his request made her feel giddy. Would he ask if he didn’t care? No, nor would he fight for her to stay by his side. She hadn’t bothered to truly open up to him before they said “I do.” It wouldn’t kill her to do so now. In fact, he was trying so hard to keep them together, putting…well, not his heart on the line, but his pride at least.

“Sure. I’d like that. You can tell me about your crazy high school days while I do.”

It didn’t take more than three minutes to reach her alma mater, but he was already regaling her with tales about playing football as a teenager. Even in the schools for the wealthy kids, they still pulled pranks on rivals and coaches alike.

He parked, and several of the male students stopped to gawk at his car. As Jason took her hand in his again, he patiently answered questions and even gave a few a peek at the interior. This relaxed version of her husband was giving, fun to be with. She more than respected the driven, take-no-prisoners man she’d married, but in this moment Gia really liked him, too.

Once the boys had gone, they walked the grounds of the school. The teenagers’ day of learning had come to an end. Behind them, students peeled out of the parking lot as she and Jason walked together. On campus, they ran across the group of color guard girls taking advantage of the last of the nice weather before winter. They danced and tossed bright flags in the air to the beat of a dramatic tune.

After observing their routine and clapping at the conclusion, the girls giggled. Jason led her inside the halls and asked about her favorite classes, teachers, and memories. They watched part of a basketball game in progress and had a little footrace on the track. Since her husband was so athletic and he wasn’t wearing heels, he won by a lot, but she laughed all the way back to the car, surprised to see that sunset was near.

Back at his sleek Porsche, he opened her door. Gia paused before climbing in, curling her hand around his shoulder and stepping on her tiptoes to kiss him. “That was fun. Thank you for a wonderful day.”

His face softened. “You’re welcome. I wanted to hear about this part of your life. Thank you for sharing it.”

Gia blushed. They should be far past the innocent joys of “getting to know you,” but here she was, feeling like an adolescent with her first love. A little backward since they were already married, but she liked feeling the butterflies in her tummy.

She smiled at Jason, wondering again what she could possibly give him to make him half as happy as he made her?

Jason slid into the driver’s seat beside her and looked something up on his phone. Moments later, he revved the engine. It purred out of the parking lot, and she found herself lost in a haze of contentment.

Gia had married her husband once because she’d believed they would be happy together, but she’d never had the opportunity to test that theory. After today in particular, she knew she’d been right. Sex in a dressing room wasn’t something she wanted often, but Jason somehow understood her craving for that edge of wild—within a net of safety. He always delivered. She was the one who had failed him, first that summer night long ago when he’d arranged a sensual tryst in the park. She had failed him again when she’d assumed he would want nothing to do with her family problems. She hadn’t stood by their marriage.

“Thank you for refusing to give up on us.”

He turned to her, stare sharp as he slid to a stop at a red light. “You’re not angry any more?”

“More than anything, I was afraid. And I felt guilty. I knew so much of the blame for our separation could be laid at my feet. I didn’t think I mattered to you any more and that you’d ordered me to your condo to punish me.”

“And now?”

“I know you’re trying to put us back together. Our last nine days have been better than anything I could have dreamed of.”

Gia had a hard time admitting all that when Jason wouldn’t tell her that he loved her. But he cared. Neither of them were perfect. Maybe they would grow together in time. Maybe…but it still bugged her. Could she live the rest of her life feeling his adoration but never hearing the three most powerful words a husband could give his wife? Were they a cliché or some vital glue that held a marriage together?

Jason reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze, then punched on the gas pedal when the light turned green again. “I’m relieved to hear you say that. We have another nine days together, and I’ll enjoy every minute of them. But I would enjoy it more if you told me you would stay beyond our anniversary.”

“It’s crossed my mind. We have some issues to work through if we’re going to try.”

“We do. And I want to start now.”

With those cryptic words, Jason took her hand from his and gripped the steering wheel. His stare on the road looked somewhere between focused and grim.

“What do you mean?”

He didn’t answer right away, and she stared at the clock. Five forty. Her family would just be sitting down to her dad’s birthday dinner. She hadn’t had the chance to drop her father’s birthday gift off at the restaurant, and it was too late now. Gia cursed under her breath. She would just have to hang onto it until her father’s actual birthday.

She pictured her family chatting, singing, moaning over good food. They would miss having her there. The kids must be confused. She’d been a constant in their lives for the last year, and not seeing them felt like someone had punched a hole in her heart. They were so close to the restaurant… Gia thought of telling Jason about the gathering and suggesting they go. But as she glanced down at her three thousand dollar outfit and the gorgeous rock on her finger, she knew her parents would be shocked. If she remained Jason’s wife, she would tell her family when they’d married and why she’d hidden the union from them, but not while they celebrated her father’s birthday. Not in public. Not when she wasn’t sure if she and Jason had a future.

As the familiar streets passed, she focused on Jason’s strong profile and waited for an answer. Finally, he turned off one of the town’s main drags and down an ancillary street, slowing down as they approached Delvecchio’s. Her heart stopped as he pulled into the parking lot.

Crap! He’d overheard her on the phone with Mila earlier. “Jason…”

He shoved the car in park and turned to her. “You admitted that we have some issues to work through. The fact that I haven’t met your family is a huge obstacle. I want to remove it now. Hell, do they even know we dated?”

No. She’d been worried when she’d met Jason that her folks wouldn’t understand. He represented so many things her old-school, old-world parents didn’t like—establishment and money. He’d never worked with his hands. He wasn’t a part of the Church. No one in her family—not a single one of her sixteen cousins—had married anyone who wasn’t both intensely Italian and devoutly Catholic. She didn’t care about any of that, but her parents would. They would understand even less that she’d concealed her marriage from them.

Most of all, she didn’t want to put her family through this upheaval unless she believed that she and Jason could truly make a life together.

“It’s complicated.”

“It’s not,” he contradicted. “I’m not who they would have chosen for you. I understand that, but it’s your life and ultimately your choice. You say they ‘love’ you.”

“They do, but—”

“No buts. If they value your happiness, then they will allow you to make the best decision for you and respect it. Am I wrong?”

“You’re oversimplifying. They’re parents; they always think they know best.”

“You’re an adult with your own life.”

He was absolutely right. “But they’ve been the biggest part of it for years. I couldn’t do without them.”

“Well, I won’t be your dirty little secret any longer.” Jason gritted his teeth and sucked in a breath. “We are going to walk into that restaurant, and you’re going to introduce me as your husband. Or you are going to say your safe word. Tell me again what it is.”

“Divorce,” she choked out.

“That’s right. And we will never escape that possibility as long as you hide me from your family. All refusing to introduce us does is prove that you never intended to incorporate me into the important parts of your life.”

“I need time.” But as soon as the plea slipped from her lips, Gia knew she asked for too much.

“You’ve had nearly a year.”

She had more objections, but they were all about her escaping her family’s disappointment. About her not having to endure their shock and anger. Waiting did nothing but convince Jason that he wasn’t important to her. And that wasn’t true. If they could work it out, she wanted to stay with him. She loved him and wanted his happiness.

Her world tilted on its axis for a breath-stealing second. She steadied herself against his car as her thoughts raced. Could she even make him happy? Cold dread gripped her. Gia had no idea what Jason really saw in her. Maybe nothing.

Maybe that’s why he cared but didn’t love her.

God, she needed answers and she simply didn’t have them.

“Gia?” he asked, concern deepening his voice as the setting sun slanted through the windshield and cast a golden glow over his inky hair and bronzed skin. He watched her with blue eyes, fixed and unwavering.

“I’m fine,” she said automatically.

But she wasn’t. She’d been that insecure girl who’d let self-doubt cloud her brain and screw her up. She’d let fear rule her—and still did. She wasn’t a supermodel or a brainiac. She hadn’t come from a gilded background or even finished college. All along, she’d been unclear what she could possibly give him, and the moment her family obligations had separated them, she’d allowed her doubts to creep in and craft a million excuses for why they should remain apart.

Self-flagellation and guilt blistered through her.

“Then it’s time for you to decide. Do we meet your family or are you saying divorce?”

Instantly, Gia knew that if she uttered that word, he would take it literally and file tomorrow. On the other hand, if she stayed with him and he lost interest in a few months or years? It would hurt so much more.

No, she couldn’t look at it that way. She refused to lose him again because of her fears or to save her feelings. It reeked of cowardice and self-doubt, and she would not be that woman. Even if she disappointed her parents, she had to believe they would never stop loving her. She owed it to them to come clean. And she owed it to Jason to try making him a part of her family.

“Let’s go.” She grabbed her purse from the floorboard and shoved open the car door, shaking from head to toe.

They walked through the shadowed parking lot. Jason took her hand, holding her father’s professionally wrapped gift in the other, leading her to the door. He opened it for her, and the heavy wooden thing squeaked on its hinges. Delvecchio’s wasn’t big. The small bar area and takeout counter sat to the right, doing a steady business already. A dining area big enough for maybe fifty people lay beyond the hostess stand in front of a half wall just inside the foyer.

Gia swallowed, her palms turning sweaty as the familiar hostess turned to her. “Hi, Renee.”

“Gia!” The Delvecchio’s youngest daughter, only recently graduated from high school, called out to her with a little squeal. “I haven’t seen you in forever.” She eyed Jason not so discreetly. “Your parents said you weren’t coming tonight. They’ll be surprised to see you.”

Completely. That filled her with an anxious dread, but she wasn’t backing down.

“What corner did you sit them in? You know they’re going to be loud, right?”

“Mila warned me.” Renee winked. “They’re in the big booth right outside the kitchen. Need a menu?” she asked Jason, looking a little star struck.

“I’ll wing it.” He gripped Gia’s hand more tightly.

She flipped her gaze up to her husband. He’d pushed to make this meeting happen…but he was nervous. This mattered to him, and Gia found that endearing. Maybe she should still be mad at him. God knew she was so worried, she probably looked a charming shade of green.

“Can you have your brother bring a bottle of that Cabernet I like?” Gia asked the girl.

“Sure. Nick will take care of you. Holler if you need anything else.”

She nodded at Renee and figured it was time to stop hiding behind the hostess stand.

Sucking in a deep breath, Gia led Jason around the partition concealing the restaurant from the front door. Instantly, she saw her family in the corner. Longing buckled her chest. Dad laughed. Mom held his hand. Mila rocked the baby while smiling at her folks. Tony Jr. played with a pair of plastic cars on the table, crashing them together and making explosive sounds. He looked so much like her brother sometimes that it hurt.

The boy looked their way, his dark eyes piercing, then they lit up with recognition. “An’ Gia!”

As he clambered from his chair, nearly toppling it and his booster seat over, he darted across the restaurant toward her. Jason released her so she could crouch and welcome the happy child into her arms. The moment the little boy crashed into her, Gia reached back to right her balance and laughed. Automatically, Jason braced her with a hand on her back. She sent him a grateful glance before she turned back to Little Tony.

“How’s our big boy? You been good for your mama?”

He nodded earnestly. “I helped.”

“Of course you did.”

“Colleen helped, too.” The little boy grinned.

From his smile, Gia had no doubt that he liked the woman Jason had hired to help Mila and the kids during her absence. “That’s great.”

As she stood and ruffled his hair, Jason took her hand again and nudged her forward. She looked up to see her parents and sister-in-law all gaping and silent.

She held up her palm in greeting as she closed the short distance between her husband and her family. “Hi.”

They all gave her the once-over before their collective gazes slid over to Jason. They studied him unabashedly. Her father frowned.

Her mother stood. “Hello, dear. Mila said you wouldn’t be here. I’m glad you could make it. You brought a…friend.” She smiled wanly. “Why don’t you introduce us?”

Here went nothing.

“They’re not just friends, Sil,” Mila corrected her mother-in-law gently.

His frown morphing to a scowl, her father stood and looked Jason in the eye. “You dating my daughter?”

Gia sighed. “Daddy, be nice. If you’ll give me a minute—”

“No, sir.” Jason held out his hand and waited until her father shook it. “I married her.”

What the hell? She turned a peeved glare at Jason, but he just sent her a cool glance.

Maybe it didn’t matter if he’d blurted the truth. There was no good way to drop this bombshell.

Her mother gasped and blinked at her. “You’re married to Jason Denning?”

He cleared his throat, and they looked around to see most of the restaurant staring at them. She recognized a girl she’d gone to high school with. Their neighbors down the street sat two booths away. She and Jason had managed to keep this marriage secret for nearly a year. Between crazy Twitter peeps and gossipy folks in the neighborhood, the truth would travel so fast, they might make the local ten o’clock news.

“Why don’t we sit down, Mom?” She looked pointedly around her.

Mama pursed her lips. Her short dark hair didn’t quite hide the flush of her cheeks. “All right.”

Her father followed them. Mila just stared. This meeting wasn’t going down as she’d hoped.

Awkward prevailed as they pulled up spare chairs. Gia lifted Little Tony and set him in her lap, glad to hold him again and have a buffer. “Mom, Dad, Mila, you’ve obviously heard of Jason Denning. He’s my husband and he wanted to meet y’all.”

“Why didn’t you do the proper thing and ask me for my daughter’s hand?” Daddy scowled.

Her mother looked uncertain. “Do you love her?”

Mila frowned. “How long have you been married and how did we not know about this?”

Gia slapped a hand over her face. “Can we skip the interrogation, please? Dad, we chose to elope. Mom…” She sighed. “Can you let me handle the whole love thing? I’m a big girl.” Then she turned to her sister-in-law. “We married the night before Tony’s death. When I got the phone call with the news, Jason and I were in Vegas. When we returned, everything was crazy, and I couldn’t bring myself to lay more upheaval on any of you…so I made the choice to live separately from my husband while you needed me.”

Her father’s scowl deepened, then he leaned across the table to glare at Jason. “You supported this decision?”

“Not in the least. She slipped through my fingers for a while, but no more. I’ve been trying to convince her for nearly two weeks that we belong together. She’s proving a little stubborn, but I intend to persevere.”

Her father seemed to like that answer. A little smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “Good.”

“Happy birthday.” Jason set the present on the table between them.

Gia watched the exchange, stunned. Her father hadn’t growled or thundered? She turned to her mother, keenly aware of the woman’s confused stare. She also looked a bit hurt.

“I didn’t marry him to upset you,” Gia vowed.

With a tilt of her head, the older woman acknowledged that truth. “He’s not Italian.”

“Men of other nationalities can be equally wonderful,” she pointed out.

Mom looked at her husband of thirty-two years. “Perhaps. I might be a little biased.”

“I’m not Catholic, either, ma’am,” Jason jumped in, sending her mother a reassuring expression and placing his hand over hers. “But I assure you that I’ll always take care of your daughter and any children we have for as long as she’ll let me.” He smiled. “I’ll probably do it even when she fights me kicking and screaming.”

A reluctant grin tugged at her mother’s lips—and broke the ice. “Which she will. My daughter is more than a little stubborn.”

“And who does she get that from?” her father teased, pressing a kiss to Mama’s forehead and dropping a hand to her thigh.

“You, of course,” her mother quipped.

Her father laughed, then bent to murmur something in her mother’s ear that made her blush.

Little Tony squirmed off her lap and ran around to his grandpa with his toys, looking for someone willing to join in the fantastic imaginary car crashes. Bella started fussing, and Gia’s mother took the baby from Mila with a fond smile.

Jason’s gaze bounced back and forth between her parents, seeming to look for any other objections he could stop before they began. Honestly, Gia couldn’t believe they weren’t more shocked or angry. In fact, they hadn’t really protested much at all. Oh, they’d have words later, but she’d been sure the announcement would immediately cause World War III. So far…no.

Of course she was pleasantly surprised, but what the hell was that about?

A harried waitress came over a few minutes later, and Gia immediately recognized that the blonde was new. She smiled and asked for their order as Nick, the Delvecchio’s son, brought the bottle of red wine she’d asked for.

“Thank goodness,” Gia muttered as Nick poured the wine and gave Jason a speculative stare.

The second her glass was full, she took a long swallow and downed half. Gia still couldn’t relax. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Dad opened his gifts with thanks and smiles aplenty. He loved what she’d picked for him. Wine flowed. Food came. Mila actually looked happy. Little Tony sidled up to Jason and wanted to play cars with him. Her husband was patient and attentive, and Gia watched, falling a little more in love with him every moment.

By the time they finished the food, her father was telling Jason jokes. Her mother patted his shoulder with a welcoming smile. Bella woke, and Mila stood, placing her in Jason’s arms. He blinked and sputtered a bit, but her sister-in-law gave him instructions on holding her properly. The girl eyed Jason with an avid brown stare, then placed her little hand on his chin with a giggle. He grinned back.

Gia breathed through a sting of tears. He looked natural with children. He might have a ruthless bastard side, but he would also be a fierce protector who would move heaven and earth for his kids. When Jason caressed Bella’s head, she also knew he’d be a giving but firm father—exactly like her own.

As the waiter took their food away, Jason engaged Mila in conversation about the kids and their habits.

Her mother rose from the table and kissed Dad, then turned to her with a pointed glance. “Why don’t we go to the ladies’ room?”

Mama wasn’t asking exactly, and Gia knew the woman must have questions.

“I’m right behind you.”

Jason watched as she rose, his expression bolstering her. Yes, she could handle whatever happened with her family. Gia had put off this introduction, building it up in her head to a terrible confrontation that simply hadn’t materialized. He’d been right to give her a shove. She’d wanted to wait until she “knew” they would last to make him an official part of the family, but no couple had a guarantee of forever. It hadn’t been fair to him.

She’d made more than one decision about her marriage that she regretted.

As Gia and her mother left the table and wended through the growing crowd to the restrooms, she felt Jason’s eyes still on her. But when they disappeared into the ladies’ room, her mother turned to her immediately.

“You’ve been married nearly a year and didn’t tell us?”

Gia winced. Her mother rarely beat around the bush, but she was often gentle enough not to put someone on the spot. No mistaking her mom’s determination for information now.

“I didn’t know what to say.”

Her mother frowned. “You thought the truth would upset us?”

She should have realized Mama would see right through her. “I know he’s not Enzo.”

“Honey…” Her mother’s face softened with understanding. “You don’t love Enzo the way you love Jason.”

“Yeah. I wanted to for your sake, but…”

“Don’t. I know your dad and I put a lot of pressure on you in the past, but Tony’s death made us realize that no one is assured a tomorrow. We want every day you spend in this life to be a happy one. Enzo doesn’t love you the way Jason does.”

Well, since her husband didn’t love her at all, according to him, she wasn’t exactly sure how to reply to her mother. “It’s been a really tough year, Mama. I cut Jason out of my life and it hurt so much. I don’t know why he’s forgiven me, why he wants me back, why he chose me in the first place. I’m scared.”

“If loving someone doesn’t scare you at least a little, then they don’t really mean much to you.” Her mother pulled her into a hug. “He chose you because you’re beautiful and giving, because you’re selfless and smart. What more could he want?”

“Someone like him. Someone raised in his circles with all the money and the advantages it buys. Hell, sometimes when he takes me out, I’m embarrassed that I don’t know which fork to use.”

“You didn’t fall for someone raised in your circles. Do you love him less because he’s not Italian or a cop or Catholic? Because he knows which utensil to use when?”

“No.” When her mother said it, the whole idea sounded silly. “But I thought you might.”

“Would you really have left him for good if your father and I didn’t approve?” Mama cocked her head in a silent scold. “You’re a grown woman, Gianna.”

“I know. You’re right.” She loved Jason too much to leave him again. “It’s what’s in my heart that matters.”

“Exactly. Does he make you happy?”

“Yes, but we have some unresolved issues between us.”

“Then work them out. That’s what people who stay married do. Talk. Be as honest as you can. Share your fears. Give him your worries.”

Gia grimaced. “I haven’t been really good at that. When I got the phone call about Tony, I just…broke away. I knew the family would need me.”

“You gave up your happiness for Mila and the kids. Did you ever think that adding another member to the clan would make it stronger? That maybe he could help you and lessen the burden for everyone?”

“No.” And she saw it so clearly now that sorrow and guilt weren’t clouding her. “I didn’t really give him a chance. I just assumed he wouldn’t want to be knee-deep in diapers and baby vomit and all the depressing reality of Tony’s death and Mila’s problems.”

Her mother shot her a skeptical stare. “He hardly looks like the type who would crumble in the face of adversity.”

Again, Mama was wise. “You’re right. I feel like an idiot.”

“You may have left originally because of our tragedy, but you didn’t return to Jason for some reason I suspect is bigger than your obligation to Mila and the kids.”

She hadn’t trusted in what they had, in her appeal and ability to hold him. She had been sure that if she presented him with all her problems instead of her ass for a good spanking, that he’d get annoyed and leave. She’d lacked faith in herself, in him… “I have to fix it.”

“There’s my baby girl.” Her mother smiled. “Show me your ring. It blinded me across the table so I didn’t get a good look at it.”

Gia laughed and held out her hand. Mama took it and peered down at the jewels.

“It’s incredible.” Her mother squeezed her hand.

“So is he.”

“Then just be you and open up. Everything will work out.”

They shared another hug before Mama disappeared into a stall. Gia did the same, then they washed their hands in silence before returning to the table. Jason was playing peekaboo with Bella and answering her father’s questions about savvy investing while Mila watched with an indulgent smile.

“Are we ready to go?” Mama asked as she approached the table.

“Not quite.” Mila grinned, then gestured toward Nick.

He came out with a big slice of Italian wedding cake all lit up with candles. Their waitress followed, juggling forks, a knife, and another bottle of wine.

As Gia took her seat beside her husband and gripped his hand, everyone at the table started singing, Little Tony screeching the words he knew at the top of his lungs. She laughed.

In this golden little moment, all was right with her world. Not perfect, but really close. She had to work on herself and cut Jason some slack. He didn’t understand love…yet. But with time and patience, if she gave him her whole heart, he would.

As the song ended, her family clapped. Dad even looked a little misty-eyed—a first for her big, tough-guy father—as he thanked everyone. The group dug into the cake while her father lifted baby Bella above his head for an airplane ride, followed by a kiss. The day seemed more complete for having Jason beside her.

Once the dessert had been devoured, her husband rose and disappeared. Frowning, Gia watched. What the devil was he up to? He returned a moment later with a smug smile. Before she could puzzle that out, Nick nearly danced his way to the table with a beaming grin, then handed Jason his credit card.

With an absent scrawl, her husband signed the slip, and she looked down. She wasn’t surprised that he’d paid tonight’s bill, but the family could eat at Delvecchio’s every week for a year and probably not spend that much.

Nick handed her father a gift certificate. “From your daughter and Mr. Denning. Happy birthday.”

Daddy looked at the slip of paper and scanned it, then handed it back toward Jason. “A thousand dollars? You didn’t have to do that. I can’t accept…”

“Now I know where Gia gets it from.” He sighed. “Please take it. If it makes you happy, it makes your daughter happy. And you know the saying… Happy wife, happy life.”

“But it’s too much,” her father argued.

“If you enjoy this place, it’s just right.” Jason wrapped an arm around her.

She smiled up at him. He was trying so hard to fit into her family. Maybe he’d gone overboard, but she knew Jason meant the gesture to please, not bribe. No one had ever done something that nice for Daddy, and he deserved it. No doubt he would appreciate it.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You can thank me later,” he murmured hotly in her ear as a cell phone rang somewhere nearby.

“Not because you bought him something,” she scolded.

“Then don’t thank me. I just can’t stay away from you.”

Gia giggled. “You’re so bad.”

“Oh, just wait. I’ll get much worse when we’re alone. I might have a new paddle with your name on it. Or maybe we’ll go for a swim in the pool on my deck and I’ll fuck you there.”

Out in the open, where anyone could see. Well…anyone with a helicopter or binoculars in a nearby building. But the idea made her more than wet. “I didn’t bring a bathing suit.”

“What a shame…” He grinned.

She fought down a shiver and a blush. Jason cradled her chin and lifted her face for a kiss as she heard a third ring, then her father answer the phone.

“Yes, this is Marco Angelotti.” He pressed his finger to his other ear, trying to drown out the background noise in the restaurant.

Her mother grabbed her purse as Mila gathered Bella’s little dish and spoon, then removed her bib. Little Tony retrieved his toys. And Gia glowed with happiness. Her family knew about Jason and they accepted him. They weren’t angry or disappointed or throwing her out of the family.

All that time she’d wasted because she’d been worried about their reaction. If she’d taken Jason to meet her parents when they’d been dating, her father would have yelled and refused to let him in the house. Her mother would have cried, crossed herself, and asked why her only daughter was trying to kill her. Today…a whole different story. She’d never imagined that Tony’s passing had caused them to change their outlook about the proper son-in-law.

“Can you repeat that?” Her father frowned.

Mama paused to send him a questioning look. He closed his eyes and clenched his fist. Gia’s stomach dropped like a stone. Worry filled the void.

Beside her, Jason’s phone dinged with a text. Nothing new since he constantly conducted business, but she wished all the noise and chaos around them would abate so her father could hear and they could all figure out what had him upset.

He pushed past Mama and Jason and marched toward the door. Everyone gathered their belongings and followed him out. Apprehension gripping her, she trailed after her family, then looked behind her to see Jason reading his phone before he darkened the screen with a satisfied nod.

“I need to see what’s wrong with my dad.”

“I’m with you,” he promised, pocketing the phone. “Is he upset?”

“I can’t tell for sure.”

Jason grabbed his coat and escorted her out the door just as her father hung up the phone, his face pale and shocked. He stepped closer to his truck, shaking, then balanced himself against it, head bowed.

Mama curled up against him and lifted a palm to his cheek. “Marco?”

Gia ran to her dad, flanking his side and taking hold of his arm. “What is it?”

He tensed, swallowed, then lifted his head to stare at them all for a long moment. His weighty gaze steadied on Mila before shifting back to his wife. “Ricky Wayman is dead.”

Chapter Eight

Fifteen minutes later, they sat around the breakfast table in her parents’ kitchen. Mama busied herself making coffee. Mila settled Little Tony in front of the TV in the next room, then put Bella in her playpen. Jason linked his fingers with her own. Daddy didn’t say a word.

“Who gave you the news? What happened exactly?” Gia asked finally as Mila entered the kitchen again and Mama sat down with her steaming mug.

Her father sighed. “Sergeant Miller called. He still works at the precinct, right?”

She nodded. “He’s retiring in March.”

“He thought I’d want to know that Wayman had been killed. Apparently, he got into a fight with one of his homies and it ended with a gunshot.”

Gia sat back in her chair, the shock still pinging inside her. A thousand emotions pelted her. Vindication warred with anger. Wayman had been an unrepentant thug, well known for selling drugs to kids. Whoever had shot him had probably done the human race a favor. But she’d wanted to arrest him and at least try to make him answer to a jury and the prison system for his crimes. His violent end shouldn’t be surprising, not when he lived so violently himself. Still, the suddenness of it left her reeling.

“Do we know why?” she asked.

Mila breathed a sigh of relief. “Do we care why? He’s dead, and I say good riddance. Wayman shot your brother in cold blood, and I hope he pays for what he’s done in Hell.”

“I can’t disagree,” her father said gruffly, sipping at his coffee. But he still looked shaken.

Mama reached out and tucked her hand in his. “I know I should look at it differently as a good Christian, but that criminal took something from me—from all of us—I can never replace. I couldn’t bring myself to forgive him. Maybe now that he’s reaped what he’s sown, I can. I don’t know. But I also know there’s a mother out there tonight grieving the loss of her son. She will miss him at Thanksgiving and Christmas, every year his birthday passes, every time she sees something he would have enjoyed… Even if her son committed terrible deeds, my heart goes out to her.”

Daddy nodded fiercely and wrapped his arms around her mother, breathing loudly into her hair as if trying to get a hold of his emotions. A long moment later, he kissed her head. “His death probably saved lives. And right or wrong, I feel a sense of closure now.”

Gia didn’t. She was relieved in a way, but even more, she felt cheated. The whole swirl of emotions barely made any sense to her. But right now had to be about her family.

Beside her, Mila sobbed quietly. “I know Wayman’s death doesn’t bring my husband back.” Her breath hitched on his name. Still, she pressed on. “But I feel better knowing that man doesn’t walk the streets any more and can’t pull the trigger again. He can’t rob any other woman of her husband or son. Maybe now, we can all move on with our lives.”

Beside Gia, Jason squeezed her hand. She knew she should let go of her anger against Wayman and her driving need for revenge to focus on tomorrow, on building her own family with her husband. On the surface, that sounded great. But how did she just forget the fact that she’d needed to give her family—and herself—some finality before she moved on?

“We certainly weren’t going to get closure from DPD,” her father added cynically.

“What do you mean?” Gia frowned. Did her dad know something she didn’t?

“Think about it. A good cop died and no one lifted a finger? The story of an officer murdered on the streets within days of Thanksgiving barely made it to the press. And Patrick recanted his eyewitness testimony after a few days.”

“Yeah,” she drawled. “And I have little doubt he bought a boat with the bribe that made him suddenly ‘unsure’ of what he’d seen. I even reported him to Internal Affairs. It’s like…they’re stalling or they just don’t care.”

“That’s what I’m saying. Wayman was paying off most of the precinct, including the brass. I can’t prove that, but I know he targeted your brother because Tony refused to be bought.”

Gia sat back, feeling flattened all over again. It all made sense, and she should have seen it sooner. But no, she’d wanted to believe that the people she worked with weren’t corrupt assholes more concerned with lining their pockets than justice. She felt damn naïve.

How was she going to return to work when her stay with Jason was up and look those people in the eye without wanting to rail and scream at them all?

Jason’s phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen, then stood. “I should take this. You okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

Sort of, anyway. She might self-combust in the next ten seconds if her head didn’t stop spinning. Hell, what else didn’t she know?

“Excuse me for a minute.” Jason nodded and ducked out of the room.

Gia watched him ease out the front door with his phone pressed to his ear, his posture telling her he was already in business mode.

“It’s been a hell of a night,” her father commented with a sigh.

She nodded, then reached for Daddy’s hand. “It has, but I want you to know that I’m here for you all.”

“No,” Mila insisted, jumping out of her chair with her hands on her hips. “Hell, no.”

Blinking, Gia stared at her usually reserved sister-in-law. “What the…”

“You listen to me.” Mila wagged her finger. “Don’t you dare give up one more minute with your husband! Tony and I had six wonderful years together. Even though they ended terribly, I wouldn’t trade a second with him because I loved him. You gave me a year when your place was with Jason. Don’t spend more time apart from him that you may someday regret. I should have been standing on my own two feet all this time. I will from now on.”

“If we had known you were newly wedded, honey, we would have done so much more to pitch in and help.” Mama’s expression looked somewhere between miserable and guilty. “I let you handle everything because I felt lost myself. Taking care of the kids would have given me purpose and allowed me less time to wallow.”

“You weren’t up to it.”

Her mother snorted. “I’m not ancient. I would have managed.”

“I’d hoped dealing with the kids would give you less time to hunt Wayman,” her father admitted. “I damn near did a jig when you were put behind a desk. You were too set on revenge to be looking for that killer.”

“Daddy, I can take care of myself.”

“I thought Tony could, too.” He shook his head solemnly. “I kept fearing I’d get a phone call about your murder next.”

“I wouldn’t have risked myself.”

Her father scoffed. “Don’t lie to me.”

Gia sighed as guilt ricocheted through her. “I was careful.”

He shook his salt-and-pepper head. “Bullshit. You went into Wayman’s ‘hood with guns loaded and cocked. I made a couple of phone calls and tried to get you reassigned or put behind a desk, but I don’t have any influence since I retired. Whoever finally realized that you were going to get yourself killed and did something about it, I want to shake his hand.”

“I’m glad you approve.” Jason closed the door behind him suddenly and crossed the front room into the kitchen with his hand outstretched.

Daddy took it, pumping vigorously. “You got Gia desk duty?”

“Yes, sir. I’m acquainted with the mayor. I might have suggested that if he wanted a healthy donation for his reelection campaign, he needed to make sure a certain beautiful female officer didn’t get hurt in the line of duty.”

“Well, hot damn!” A grin broke out across her father’s face. “I like you even more.”

“Thank you.” Tears trembled in Mama’s eyes.

Mila nodded, wearing a mirror expression.

She glared at them. They all approved of Jason’s manipulation? What the hell?

Jason looked surprisingly grim. “Don’t thank me yet.” Then he turned to Gia and took her hands. “You know I’d do anything for you, that I would move mountains to keep you safe and happy.”

“Yes,” she said cautiously.

He’d proven it again and again these past nine days. Really, since they’d met. She might not always like the boundaries he gave her, but she couldn’t deny that he had her best interests at heart.

“Always,” he vowed, then faced her family. “That phone call I just took was from an associate of mine. A week ago, I hired him to spread the word in Wayman’s neighborhood that I would pay anyone who brought information leading to the thug’s capture a hundred thousand dollars.”

Her father choked. Her mother gasped. Mila’s jaw dropped.

“What are you saying?” Gia demanded.

“Once word got out, one of his fellow criminals didn’t want to just give us information. Apparently, this one decided he could run the hood better, so he tried to turn in Wayman and collect a little money, too.”

“Wayman would never go in quietly. He’d fight to the death… Oh my god.” She pressed her hand to her mouth, shaking.

“Your reward put an end to him,” Mila said.

Jason shrugged. “His fellow gangster’s greed prompted him to turn on his ‘buddy,’ and Wayman chose to die rather than go to the station for questioning. Maybe I should cry or feel guilty, but I don’t. I don’t always get to use my money for something good, but I think in this situation, we got the best outcome possible.”

“You knew I wanted to bring Wayman in myself,” Gia said through her shock.

He nodded. “I knew it was going to kill you, too.”

She couldn’t argue that he hadn’t done everything possible to keep her safe, but he’d completely missed the point. Later, when she was less stunned, she might not be so angry. But not now. “You didn’t even discuss it with me.”

“I saw no reason to mention it unless my plan actually worked. And I didn’t know Wayman would rather die than be questioned.”

“Did you think he’d just go quietly?” She tossed her hands in the air.

“Most people do, so yes. My intent was simply to get him into the station, which I hoped would lead to his arrest and eventual conviction. I did this for you.”

She knew that logically, but somehow she had a hard time simply thanking him. “What gave you this crazy idea?”

“The night we met for Mexican food, I knew you needed closure. The way you spoke suggested your family did, too. I knew you’d kill yourself trying to provide it. So I took care of it. It took me a few days to find the right person and another week for results but—”

“That phone call this morning, the one I overheard after I first woke up… That was him.”

“Yes.”

“You threatened to fire him.”

“I wanted results. How does that make me the bad guy?”

It didn’t, and in her head Gia knew that. But right in her gut where the anger and rage over Tony’s death lived? Not so much. “You didn’t talk to me about this.”

“So you could tell me not to and go on risking your life?” he challenged.

She held up her hands, feeling seconds away from explosion. She didn’t even know how to put everything she felt into words. Jason’s heart had been in the right place, but that didn’t excuse his interference.

“You had me put behind a desk, then you blackmailed me into spending a few weeks with you. You bought me clothes without consulting me, forced me to introduce you to my parents. And now you tell me that you had my brother’s murderer turned to dust. When do I get to make some decisions about my own life?”

“Gia!” Mila screeched. “I couldn’t be more grateful to him.” She turned to Jason, then rounded the table to hug him. “Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, really. Thank you.”

He put an awkward arm around her. “I’d do it again.”

Meeting Jason’s stare over the top of her sister-in-law’s head, Gia dragged in a breath, trying to get ahold of herself. They’d been so happy an hour ago. She’d been almost convinced this could work.

Almost.

Her father grabbed Jason’s hand again and shook it. “You did what I wish I’d had the means to do. My wife and I are grateful.”

Mama nodded. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re a permanent member of this family.”

“That means a lot.” Jason disentangled himself from Mila.

“Let’s leave them alone,” her mother suggested to the others.

Bella started crying, and Little Tony called for his mother. The women sent Jason one last grateful smile before they disappeared into the family room. Her father followed. As they retrieved the children, turned off the TV, and disappeared into the back of the house, the yawning silence suddenly enveloped she and Jason, threatening to swallow them whole.

“You’re really angry with me?” he challenged.

“Yes.” Fury growled at her, threatening to break free from its chain. “Apparently, I’m the only one. I know you did it for the right reasons, but…I can’t believe you went around me like that.”

Jason tilted his head. “You left me so few options. As long as Wayman was at large, you weren’t going to stop obsessing. It takes two to have a marriage, and I can’t be the only one fighting for us, Gia. I might make choices you hate, but damn it, at least I’m trying. What are you doing to keep us together?”

“You only offered that reward because you didn’t think I was good enough at my job or strong enough to bring Wayman in.”

“No. That’s your insecurity talking. I did it because I knew you were brave and determined to keep going until the day one of you died.”

His words knocked her back on her heels. For a long moment, Gia couldn’t quite breathe.

“You’ve always made me feel so special and cared for—until this. Now you’ve just taken away my sense of purpose. Poof.” She tossed her hands in the air. “All gone—without saying a word to me. Yes, I know you did it to protect me. But you tried to distract me with pretty baubles that don’t mean a damn thing. I needed to make this world a safer place for my family by bringing Wayman down way more than I needed new designer clothes. And you just didn’t get that love is more important than Prada. Or care. You might be able to buy another wife, but not this one. If you don’t see that, I’m not sure we need to stay together.”

He stiffened, then clenched his jaw as he stepped back from her deliberately and slowly. “You haven’t discussed any of your plans with me for nearly a year, especially this obsessive, dangerous manhunt. Or your decision to move in with your sister-in-law and totally ignore your husband. But I digress… I’m sorry for not consulting you and for trying too hard. Neither will happen again. I’ve done everything I know to make you care about our marriage, but it’s clear to me that we will never be a priority for you.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Tell your family that it was nice to meet them. I have a reward to pay out tonight. Good-bye, Gia.”

Jason raised his hand like he wanted to touch her. But he didn’t. He simply clenched his fist and turned on his heel before he walked away. Her chest imploded as she watched him, the jagged and raw pieces of her heart a splintered heap. Gia wanted to call him back…but why? Loving Jason wasn’t enough. She couldn’t change him any more than he could fit her into the mold of women, like his mother, he understood.

As her husband shut the door quietly behind him for the final time, Gia knew that nothing would ever be the same again. A sob tore through her chest.

* * *

Jason paced his condo. The November sun streamed through the floor to ceiling windows, blinding him. If he’d been able to drink himself into a stupor after last night’s debacle, his hangover would be bitching at the light. As it was, he had nothing to blame his squinty, vampiric avoidance of the sun on except his bad mood. Why should the day be so fucking cheerful when he wasn’t?

Stalking back into the kitchen, he grabbed a bottle of water and downed long swallows. He hadn’t been able to run this anger out of his system, even after a punishing eight-mile jog on the treadmill. Business hadn’t distracted him during his sleepless night. Neither had trying to logic his way out of this mess. No matter how he told himself that he’d failed at marriage and now he should move on, Jason couldn’t make himself listen. He’d even tried to convince himself that Gia was just another woman who could be easily replaced. On paper, maybe. Something inside him wasn’t buying it. He had no idea why.

She’d been a pain in his ass, with her quick Italian temper and headstrong ways. The woman wasn’t logical. She’d taken a long time to give him her submission, railed every time he tried to set boundaries or keep her safe, insisted that she didn’t need his money or his protection or…much of anything from him. Jason sighed.

In some ways, those traits were the very ones that had drawn him to her, which probably made him sound like an idiotic loon. But he’d enjoyed the challenge of coaxing her from her shell. Gia’s independence coupled with her submissive nature had been so unlike anyone he’d met. The fact that she didn’t seem to give a shit about his fortune was refreshing. Hell, he respected it. She’d wanted money from their divorce, yes. It disappointed him, but the businessman that lurked in his brain said that in her position, he’d want the sum they’d mutually agreed upon, too. His attraction to Gia was everything he’d thought and still more he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Her loyalty, for sure. The way she so often put the people she cared about first.

Sadly, she’d never made him one of her priorities. So where did that leave him? Mooning over a woman who would never return half of his…what, sense of attachment? No. He’d mooned over some of his girlfriends in high school. What he felt was more than mere connection. Missing her now hurt like he’d lost something vital. A limb, maybe. But even more important.

Like his heart?

Jason downed another swallow of water, then huffed out a breath of air. Oh, shit. Was that even possible? He’d always believed that love was a fabrication, but what else explained why Gia would sacrifice so much of herself to help raise her niece and nephew? Risk her life to vindicate her brother? Worry so much about her parents’ reaction to their marriage? She genuinely loved those people, would do anything for them.

Maybe she hadn’t been able to love him because he didn’t understand the meaning of love. His parents had been lousy examples. Samantha would never have lifted a finger to help raise the children of a relative grieving the loss of a spouse. She would have cheered Wayman’s death and Jason’s method for bringing it about because she wouldn’t have had to get her hands dirty. She could simply spend another day at the spa, drink champagne, and think about how grand life was. Even his dad hadn’t been a shining example of devotion. Jason had never said anything, but he had zero respect for a man who would leave his wife and three kids because he’d been stupid enough to bang his secretary and knock her up. All his life, Jason had seen “love” exchanged for a new pair of shoes or a trip to anywhere exotic.

Before she’d ever taken a dime from him, Gia had proven that wasn’t love at all.

So what was it exactly?

Jason whipped out his phone and opened his browser to search. Dictionary results popped up. With a shrug, he figured that was as good a place to start as any.

1. A deep, tender, indescribable feeling of affection and care toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness.

That was a really convoluted way of saying he gave a shit about her way more than the average person and that he had a hard time explaining his feelings. Check.

2. A feeling of intense desire and attraction toward a person with whom one is disposed to make a pair; the emotion of sex and romance.

Check, though those were really clinical words to describe the feelings unsettling him. He’d never felt anything like this and he didn’t have anything to compare it with. What her parents felt for one another? That had looked like love to him. When he’d seen Marco and Silvana, he’d been struck by an odd jealousy. Those two had been through hell together, would have done anything to make one another happy and whole. Jason couldn’t deny he wanted what they shared.

3. Sexual passion.

Um…like mad. He wanted his wife all the time. Check, check, check.

Well, shit. He was in love. What a fine time to realize it now that Gia was gone.

If his mother could see him now, she’d laugh her head off—after she’d asked him for money, of course.

Jason gripped the phone tighter. What did he do about this mess? He’d been angry with his wife last night. He’d tried to help her and keep her safe, and he’d been hurt. So he had thrown in the towel. But really, he couldn’t keep the relationship going for them. She had to want it, too.

Why didn’t she? Was he that unlovable?

As he ping-ponged mentally whether he should let her go and call his attorney or find another way to lure his wife to his side, his phone rang. He stared at the display.

Gia.

His heart stopped. But he could only make one choice.

He stabbed the button with his finger and answered. “Yes?”

“Jason, I need to talk to you.”

Her voice trembled, and he braced. Whether she felt guilty or angry or worried, she’d brought them to this place. Okay, he’d probably helped. Being decisive and in charge worked for him in business. It didn’t translate quite as well in marriage. His mistake, and he’d already taken note for future reference. That, and the fact that he fucking missed her, were the only reasons he’d answered her call now. But without calm, productive conversation…their marriage could only be heading one place.

“I’m listening.”

“Face to face. I can’t do what I need to over the phone.”

Do, not say, he noticed. Had she decided not to wait the eight days until their anniversary to file for divorce? Most women wouldn’t pass up decent six figures just to be free a few days early. Gia? With her, anything was possible.

He could point out the pitfalls of bailing early on their agreement, but she was smart. She knew the score. And even if it made him foolish, he wanted to know what the hell was going on in her head. He wanted to see her, too. Might as well not kid himself. Besides, once she’d served him with papers and they started down the grand road to divorce, he wanted to look her in the eye and tell her that he loved her. In part because he knew he’d never feel like he’d given this his all until he did. And also because he wanted Gia to know exactly what she’d lost.

“When and where?”

“Four thirty. Lakeside Park, by the granite teddy bears.”

The park he’d taken her to early in their relationship for their first scene together, a semi-public one meant to open her submission and fulfill a fantasy. The same one in which she’d called her safe word and nearly ended everything between them for good.

Symbolism. Fabulous. He loathed that shit.

“I’ll be there.”

“Thank you. See you then.”

Before he could reply, she hung up. Jason cursed, then paced his empty condo. He had exactly eight hours to decide how to approach her.

Grabbing his gear, he left his place. Too many memories of Gia here pelting him now. He wished like hell he would have thought of that before he’d coerced her to stay in his home. He could have gotten a suite at the Crescent or something. But no. He’d wanted her in his personal space, in his bed, as if she shared his life. So she would experience what their marriage could be like.

Dumb ass.

Making his way out the door and to his Porsche, he drove the city aimlessly, past his boyhood neighborhood, past upscale shops and family neighborhoods. A pretty brunette pushed a stroller on the sidewalk, a napping toddler securely tucked in. The smiling woman looked visibly pregnant with another child.

Why couldn’t that be his life? His family?

Damn it, he sounded maudlin.

His phone rang again. He couldn’t see the screen while driving, but he pounced on it. “Gia?”

“Is that your wife or your latest girl toy?”

Samantha. He sighed. “Did you want something?”

“Well, I’m being a good mother this time and inviting you to my engagement party.”

Jason recoiled. “That was fast. The guy you met at Neiman’s?”

She sighed as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “Geoffrey is a wonderful man. You’ll like him. He takes such good care of me.”

Whatever. “What do you like about him? I mean, besides his bank balance.”

“Well, he’s charming, of course.”

“Do you love him?”

She gasped, affronted. “Would I marry anyone I didn’t?”

Only four other times. “Would you take care of him through thick and thin?”

“Jason, Geoffrey is ten years younger than me and in perfect health. Neither of us are on our death beds.”

And his mother was missing the point of the question completely, probably on purpose.

“Would you do anything to comfort him if he lost something priceless?” He couldn’t compare Gia’s unflagging support of her family after Tony’s death against his mother helping her next fiancé through a missing cuff link or whatever. The questions were soaring right over his mother’s head because she valued things far more than people.

She laughed off his questions. “I’m sure I’d find the appropriate words for such a moment and hand him a double Scotch. Where are you going with this?”

Jason winced and gave up explaining it to her. She had limitations, and he wouldn’t change her. But one thought resonated in his head over and over: If he let Gia slip through his fingers, he’d probably wind up with a new wife every five or ten years, each one much like Samantha.

The thought sickened him.

But he couldn’t control everything between them. He certainly couldn’t make her love him.

Fuck.

“When is the party?”

“Tonight at eight o’clock.” She rattled off an address, somewhere off of Mockingbird in Highland Park.

Old money. Naturally.

“I have a meeting at four thirty. If it wraps before then, I’ll be there.”

“Lovely. Don’t disappoint me.” Samantha hung up.

Jason ended the call and shook his head.

He felt sorry for his mother because she would never know anything deeper than the joy of pretty, shiny things for sale. She’d never really feel her heart. Moreover, he didn’t want to be like her. He wanted what Gia’s parents had.

He wanted Gia.

How could he impress that upon her when he saw her this afternoon? All his usual ideas—jewelry, handbags, shoes—took him in the wrong direction. She wouldn’t care about any of that. She wouldn’t take a trip to an alley with him, much less anywhere tropical and fabulous so that he could romance her unless she wanted to be with him.

Other than her divorce settlement, she didn’t seem to care about money. In fact, now that he thought about it, her agreeing to spend eighteen days with him for the cash seemed out of character.

Unless the money wasn’t for her at all.

He pounded on the steering wheel with a sigh. Oh, hell. He’d been so stupid.

But at least he knew what to do now.

A few errands and a lot of anxious waiting later, Jason pulled up at the park, locked his car, and headed toward their meeting point. The sun shined brightly, the thermometer edging toward the seventy degree mark as the last of autumn fought against a winter that would soon encroach. A few leaves still clung to the trees. Ducks swam in the nearby pond. Kids ran and laughed across the little stone bridge near the granite bears that served as monuments in the park. He’d grown up here and always thought of this place as a little slice of heaven, a refuge in the city.

Now being here just ate at his guts.

Jason glanced at his watch. Right on time. He looked around for Gia, leaning against a little railing, hoping like hell he’d made the right decision.

As he second-guessed himself, Gia approached in a pair of faded jeans, a simple coral-hued T-shirt paired with a beige sweater, and flip-flops. What she didn’t wear was her wedding ring or a smile. Jason couldn’t stop the anxious slide of his stomach to his toes.

He didn’t want a goddamn divorce.

“Hi,” she greeted. “Thanks for meeting me here.”

He wanted to hold her. Fuck, he wanted to take her, possess her, convince her that she was his and always would be. But she put off a vibe that gave him pause. Not a fuck-off sort…but not precisely welcoming, either.

“Of course. What’s on your mind?”

She drew in a not-quite-steady breath—a hint that she was nervous, too. “I’ve given everything that happened recently a lot of thought. I’ve made some decisions and taken some action.”

Here it came, Gia telling him that she’d filed. He clenched his jaw, braced for the worst, and resolved to at least listen before he spoke. Then he intended to fight like hell. She might not see it yet, but they were right for one another.

“We made an agreement before I came back to you. I am determined to keep up my end of things, so I’ll return for the next eight days if you want.”

“Because you want the money from the divorce settlement?”

“Yes.”

“So…you haven’t filed yet?”

“No.”

Thank God for that. “Then what? You plan to hire an attorney and just…go on with your life as if this never happened?”

“No,” she said softly. Her expression broke, and he watched her fight tears.

It took everything inside Jason not to intervene and comfort her, to reach out and try to make everything okay.

“Then what?” He frowned at her, not understanding. “Explain.”

“I won’t be the one to file. I can’t stop you if that’s what you want, but…” She shook her head, tears gathering. “I’ll never make the first move to end our marriage. I tried for a year to go on as if we never happened. I already know it’s not possible.”

His chest seized up. Breathing stopped. His heart thundered furiously. “Are you saying you don’t want a divorce?”

“No.” She emphasized her answer with a shake of her head. “I’ve given this a lot of thought. You’ve been trying to show me affection in the way you know how, with gifts. It’s not an insult, and I have to stop being too proud to see that.”

Gia had been thinking.

Relief poured through him. “I never once tried to hurt or offend you.”

“And you’ve gone out of your way to help me. Trying to have Wayman arrested is a good example. I might not like your methods, but you meant to keep me safe and eradicate him from my life all at once.”

“Two birds, one stone. I’ve been telling you my motives for a while.”

“You have, and I…” She shook her head and curled her fingers together nervously. “I can’t hate you for that.”

“Protecting what’s mine is in my nature. I know you don’t like my methods—”

“But your intentions are in the right place, I know. Sometimes, I lose my temper and I get emotional. When I look back later, I see clearly that I overreacted. I’ve gotten pretty good at eating crow over the years. I wish you had told me that you intended to deal with Wayman, but I know you didn’t mean to take away my opportunity for justice.”

“I didn’t.”

“After I calmed down, I realized that I took my frustration out on you. I’m sorry.”

“You always want to right the wrongs. I respect that about you. I’m sorry if I stepped on your toes. I might be a bit too accustomed to calling shots and making decisions.”

“I’ve heard enough of your business conversations to figure that out. I just had to calm down enough to realize you didn’t do this to hurt me.”

“Never.”

“And I wanted to be really mad at you for forcing me to introduce you to my parents.” She gave him a wry, if reluctant smile. “As hard as it is to admit it, you were right. They really love you.”

A bright spot in this mess. “I’m pretty fond of them, too. Your niece and nephew are adorable and clearly idolize you.”

“They are a handful. I’ve loved every minute I’ve been with them.” She sighed. “But we’re not here to talk about the kids.”

“No,” he agreed. “You don’t want a divorce. What do you want?”

“What do you want? When you left last night—”

“I was mad, too.” A tight grin tugged at his lips. “I don’t often lose control of my temper.”

“Do you want these last eight days with me?” Gia looked like she held her breath. “You don’t have to coerce me. I’m more than willing to give them to you.”

Jason couldn’t find her words anything other than endearing. “Why do you ask? Because you want to spend those days with me or because you need money?”

“Both,” she admitted quietly.

He watched her closely, trying to puzzle her out, but her normally expressive face didn’t give a lot away. “We can negotiate the time together. The money…” He reached into his pocket and pulled free a piece of paper he’d folded and placed there earlier after picking it up off the fax machine at his office, then he handed it to Gia.

She scanned it. “What’s this?”

“Read it,” he encouraged with a bob of his head.

With a frown, she did. Her expression changed from impatience to confusion. Finally surprise overtook her face, complete with a gasp. “You didn’t!”

“What?” he asked innocently.

“You paid off my sister-in-law’s house?”

She screeched the question, and he took a step back. “You’re mad? I’m not trying to buy you, if that’s what you think. I just thought that since you always worry about Mila and the kids—”

“Thank you!” Gia threw herself at him, arms encircling his neck, legs around his waist, squeezing tight.

Damn, the minute she touched him, he wanted to tear her clothes off, restrain her, and get as deep inside her as possible.

Not far away, he saw a few moms watching over their kids stop and stare at them. Public scenes were nothing new to him…but definitely not with kids nearby.

Jason cleared his throat and gently eased Gia to her feet. “Baby, as much as I’d love to do every fabulously dirty thing to you I can think of, now isn’t the time.”

She sent him a little scolding glance with a laugh, but she still blushed. “I know. I just… Wow, I know you paid off Mila’s mortgage for me, and I can’t think of anything that makes me happier.”

Relief wended its way through his bloodstream. “Thank God. I finally figured out this morning that you wanted the divorce settlement to help your family, so I just took care of it. I know I didn’t consult you first.”

“It’s the most thoughtful thing you’ve ever done for me.” She grinned from ear to ear. “Mila is happiest being a stay-at-home mom, and even with my salary and the proceeds from the sale of my house, I could barely keep up financially. I didn’t want her worrying about affording the house or wondering how they’d find the money to eat. Now, without a mortgage, she’ll have enough left after Tony’s death benefits to take care of their necessities and save a little for the future. She’s going to be so incredibly happy.”

“If you’re happy, that’s what matters to me.”

“I’m thrilled. But…” She winced. “I still want the money from the settlement.”

“On top of paying Mila’s mortgage? All two hundred fifty thousand?”

“Yes. Today, if you can get it to me.”

Jason’s first reaction came from the cynic in him. She wanted money and she still intended to let the divorce happen? Why? Had she decided that she couldn’t live without the swanky shopping? He stared down into those deep dark eyes of hers, the lush rosy lips and paused. Did her reasons really matter? If all he had to do in order to keep Gia was take her to the mall and buy her a few things to line her closet…

He frowned and put the brakes on that thought altogether. Gia wasn’t Samantha. She’d been thrilled that he’d spent his money paying off a family member’s house, rather than try to bribe her with baubles.

“Who needs the money?”

She bit her lip. “It’s complicated. If you’ll at least consider it, take me to your bank, and I’ll show you what I’m thinking. Then…you can decide what you want to do about the money and about us.”

Knowing his wife, the money would benefit someone else far more than her, at least directly. She would probably derive her satisfaction from knowing someone she loved no longer had to worry, but who? Her parents?

“Separate cars? You lead. I’ll follow.” They headed toward the lot.

Gia gave him a sheepish grin. She looked like such a sensual woman most of the time. Her beautiful femininity had caught his eye first. She was all curves and angles, graceful. At the moment, however, she looked a bit like a child with that smile.

“Can I ride with you?”

Jason palmed his keys. “You like the car.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m fascinated by the way you drive. It’s aggressive. And…sexy.”

Jason laughed. “Hop in.”

As he pressed the button on the fob, the car beeped and unlocked. He opened her door and helped her in, then shut her inside. Bracing against the car, he closed his eyes for a second, allowing himself a moment of triumph. She didn’t want a divorce.

So what happened with them after this jaunt to the bank? Gia wouldn’t tell him what she had in mind until she was good and ready. But any time he spent with her was a pleasure, so he played along.

Jason slid into the low, sleek vehicle, letting the black leather hug his body as he started the car and let it roar. He backed out of the lot, threw it in drive, then revved the engine. A smile crept up her face.

“You know, Officer Angelotti, I might break a traffic law or two today. Think you want to try to arrest me for that?”

Her smile disappeared, and she turned suddenly somber. “No.”

Hell, what had he said? “Did I upset you? I was just teasing.”

Face pensive, she licked her lips. He got hard at the sight and cursed himself. She was upset. As much as his cock wanted those lips around him, Jason had to focus on her.

“Sorry,” he murmured.

“It’s okay. It’s not you. I’ll explain after our stop.”

Something still bothered her. Jason examined their conversation from every angle, trying to determine what. Their marriage? This errand? He came up blank.

A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of the bank. Jason emerged and opened her door, curiosity eating at him. Whatever she was about, he wanted this settled so they could deal with their marriage and their tomorrows…and start letting Gia know that she was his.

As they approached the door, she stopped and placed her fingers on his chest. “Before we go in, I want to say a few things.”

He pulled her to the side to let another customer enter the branch and tried to rein his impatience. “Go ahead.”

“Whether you want to give me the money or not, it doesn’t change my decision. I won’t file for divorce. Obviously, I can’t stop you from doing it, and if you still choose to at the end of eight days, I won’t expect more money.”

His silly wife hadn’t yet grasped the way he saw their relationship working, but as soon as he figured out what she was up to, he’d make a few things clear.

“All right. Anything else?”

She nodded, then took in a shaky breath. “Last night, I gave a lot of consideration to my future, all parts of it. I took a long, hard look at my job and decided that I can’t keep working for a precinct where no one cares if justice is being served. When money becomes more important than right, I have no business being there. I talked it over with my dad. He understands. This morning, I quit.”

The words stunned him. Happily, of course. He never thought he’d see the day that Gia gave up the pursuit of order and goodness. He loved the idea that she wouldn’t be risking herself in the line of duty and possibly wind up a casualty like her brother, suddenly gone because some street punk had pulled the trigger. But Jason remembered their argument in his kitchen yesterday morning. She needed purpose in her life.

“If it’s a decision you’re happy with, then you made the right one. If you want my support, you’ve got it.” And he would totally provide for her. If she never wanted to lift a finger again, he’d be happy to give her everything she needed.

“That’s where the money comes in,” she admitted, wrapping her arms around herself as a breeze whipped through her sweater.

“So it’s a nest egg for the future?” Did she think she’d remain married to him but live separately?

“No, it’s the beginning of my new purpose. If I’m not going to be a police officer, I’ve got to do something good with my life. So I’m going to start a fund to help the families of slain officers. It will provide assistance for everything from burial expenses to child care to financial planning for the future. And grief counseling, definitely. Whatever these survivors need, I want to make sure they get. The money from the settlement will allow me to get a good start on fundraising and assisting others.”

Shock and pride both smacked him. God, Gia had the biggest heart. She made him feel alive for the first time in his life. Until her, he’d never known what it meant to think with goodness. Jason felt blessed to have her. If he had his way, he’d spend the next fifty years absorbing more of that love and giving it back to her.

“Did you already set up an account here?”

“No, but I did file the paperwork to create a nonprofit LLC so I could open one. Do you hate the idea?”

“No, baby. I love it. I think it’s every bit as amazing as you are,” he assured her. “Let’s get this started.”

An hour later, they emerged from the bank. Evening was just falling, leaving a bright orange-pink swath across the sky. Gia wore a smile of such serenity that she glowed. Jason had been attracted to her the moment he saw her, but he found her so much more beautiful because he knew how good she was inside as well.

“Congratulations,” he murmured as he helped her into the car again.

“I’m really excited to get started. Thank you so much for doubling the contribution. I can do more for others much faster.”

“My pleasure.” He started the car and drove back to the park.

It didn’t take long before they pulled into the lot again. Most of the minivans and SUVs had cleared out.

“So…that’s everything I had to say.” She looked at him expectantly. As Jason pondered the best way to tell her what was on his mind, she grabbed her purse and fished her keys out. “I’ll…um, get out of your hair.”

Jason reached out and grabbed her wrist. “No, you won’t. I need to say a few things before anyone goes anywhere.” And now that the moment had come for him to finally speak what was in his heart, he felt nervous as all hell.

She sank back into the seat but still didn’t look relaxed. “All right.”

Shit. He hadn’t planned this speech exactly. Without knowing what Gia had on her mind, he hadn’t been sure what to say. Usually, he went on with his thoughts and plans, then let everyone else adjust as necessary. Besides keeping him off guard, his wife deserved more consideration—especially since she always put everyone else first. No one did that for her, and he wanted to be the one she could count on.

“I’m listening,” she assured softly.

He gulped down rare nerves and took her hands in his, clutching them. “Gia, baby, I don’t want a divorce, either. I want you to stay with me and live as my wife. I want to take care of you and watch you grow this foundation in your brother’s honor, be a part of your family…and start our own. W-will you do that with me?”

The beginnings of a smile broke across her face, and she pressed her lips together to squelch it. Even so, he saw the moisture gathering in her eyes and making them glisten. Damn it, if she wasn’t the most beautiful woman he knew. “Really?”

“Yeah…” He squeezed her hands. “I’ve been thinking a lot, too. I love you.”

Gia froze, completely silent. Then she shoved her purse to the floorboard and launched herself into his arms, pressing her lips to his with a need that floored him. The passion to become one with him flowed from her kiss, deep into his mouth where they joined…then straight to his heart. Over the gearshift, he held her tighter, wishing like hell he could pull her body completely against him and make her his all over again.

But first, he had to hear her say that she wanted what he yearned for, too.

He tore away. “Is that a yes?”

She panted, her slick, passion-stained lips parted and tempting and… Shit, he needed to keep his head together. This answer was too important.

“Yes.” Gia brushed a solemn kiss on his mouth, then smiled softly at him. “Yes. I’d love that because I love you. So much.”

When she gasped suddenly, then dove for her purse on the floorboard, he frowned. “Baby?”

After a wild dig through her purse, she came up with a triumphant grin on her face. “Put this on me?”

Gia handed him her ring, then kept something back in her other fist.

Jason wondered what little plot she cooked up now, but he smiled. “My pleasure, wife.”

In the solemn silence, he slid the ring onto her finger. This time, he knew it would stay there. Joy lit up every nerve and jetted through his veins. He couldn’t imagine being any happier than he was right now.

“There,” she breathed, looking down at the symbol of their marriage all glittering in the falling light. “It’s beautiful…but not perfect.”

“It’s not?”

Gia grabbed his left hand in hers, set it against her cheek, kissed his palm. Then she looked into his eyes and, with shaking fingers, she settled a perfect platinum band around his finger. “I bought it this morning when I figure out what I wanted. In our rush to Vegas, we never picked out a ring for you, and I wanted you to have something from me so you’d always remember that you’re my husband.”

Fuck if he didn’t feel his throat close up as he choked on the moment. “It’s incredible. I’ll cherish it because you gave it to me.”

“I love you, Mr. Denning.”

“I love you, Mrs. Denning. Hell, I enjoy saying that.” He laughed, filling with light and joy and more happy tomorrows. “I’ll probably say it a lot.”

“Good.” She grinned, then gazed out the windshield. “I think all the moms and kids are gone.”

He glanced around the empty parking lot. “I think you’re right.”

Gia opened the door, stepped out, and bent to toss him a come-hither look. “You know, I’ve been a very bad girl, Master.”

Jason wondered what she was up to but figured he’d like it. “You have. I still owe you one hell of a spanking for deserting me for so long.”

“You do,” she agreed. “You’ll always keep me safe, right?”

“Always, to my last breath.”

Her smile filled with mischief. “Then spank me…and whatever else you have in mind. That is, if you can catch me.”

Her words clicked through his brain and had registered with his libido by the time she slammed the car door and started jogging into the park. He’d finally have her here, where their relationship had almost ended once—and now she’d trusted him enough to surrender. She’d love him more than enough to make it sweet.

“It’s on, baby,” he muttered as he jumped out of the Porsche and clicked the fob to lock it as he ran after her. “When I catch you, I’m going to spank your ass red and take you right then, right there.”

As she reached a towering tree, she curled her arm around the trunk, then peeked back at him with a grin that lit up her whole face. “I can’t wait…”

1001 Dark Nights

Click to purchase

FOREVER WICKED

A Wicked Lovers Novella

by Shayla Black

CRIMSON TWILIGHT

A Krewe of Hunters Novella

by Heather Graham

CAPTURED IN SURRENDER

A MacKenzie Family Novella

by Liliana Hart

SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING

A Scanguards Vampire Novella

by Tina Folsom

DUNGEON GAMES

A Masters and Mercenaries Novella

by Lexi Blake

AZAGOTH

A Demonica Novella

by Larissa Ione

NEED YOU NOW

by Lisa Renee Jones

SHOW ME, BABY

A Masters of the Shadowlands Novella

by Cherise Sinclair

ROPED IN

A Blacktop Cowboys ® Novella

by Lorelei James

TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT

A Midnight Breed Novella

by Lara Adrian

THE FLAME

by Christopher Rice

CARESS OF DARKNESS

A Phoenix Brotherhood Novella

by Julie Kenner

Acknowledgments from the Author

This novella might never have been written if not for the clever, unflagging persistence of Liz Berry and M.J. Rose. I’m thrilled you two allowed me to be a part of this project and tell a story that hits so many notes near and dear to my heart. Huge appreciation for every author in the inaugural 1001 Dark Nights collection for seeing the potential in our collective power and going on this adventure with me. Special hugs to all the “Beach Babes” with whom I had a chance to share my enthusiasm for 1001 Dark Nights (along with many Jell-O shots): Lexi Blake, Cherise Sinclair, Lara Adrian, Larissa Ione, Lorelei James, and J. Kenner. I’m extremely grateful to Isabella LaPearl for her fabulous voice that helps me “see” everything I’ve written. And to Chloe Vale for her gently guiding editorial hand, along with her ability to see what I’ve somehow missed. I can never thank you all enough.

About Shayla Black

Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 40 sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances produced via traditional, small press, independent, and audio publishing. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Shayla’s books have been translated in about a dozen languages. RT Bookclub has nominated her for a Career Achievement award in erotic romance, twice nominated her for Best Erotic Romance of the year, as well as awarded her several Top Picks, and a KISS Hero Award. She has also received or been nominated for The Passionate Plume, The Holt Medallion, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader’s Choice Awards.

A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every new book.

Connect with her online:

Shayla Black:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ShaylaBlackAuthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/@shayla_black

Website: www.shaylablack.com

Theirs To Cherish

Wicked Lovers, Book 8

By Shayla Black

Coming March 4, 2104!

The perfect place for a woman on the run to disappear…

Accused of a horrific murder she didn’t commit, former heiress Callie Ward has been a fugitive since she was sixteen—until she found the perfect hideout, Club Dominion. The only problem is she’s fallen for the club’s Master, Mitchell Thorpe, who keeps her at arm’s length. Little does she know that his reasons for not getting involved have everything to do with his wounded heart…and his consuming desire for her.

To live out her wildest fantasies…

Enter Sean Kirkpatrick, a Dom who’s recently come to Dominion and taken a pointed interest in Callie. Hoping to make Thorpe jealous, she submits to Sean one shuddering sigh at a time. It isn’t long before she realizes she’s falling for him too. But the tender lover who’s slowly seducing her body and earning her trust isn’t who he claims…

And to fall in love.

When emotions collide and truths are exposed, Sean is willing to risk all to keep Callie from slipping through his fingers. But he’s not the only man looking to stake a claim. Now Callie is torn between Sean and Thorpe, and though she’s unsure whom she can trust, she’ll have to surrender her body and soul to both—if she wants to elude a killer…

* * *

Callie trembled as she lay back on the padded table and Sean Kirkpatrick’s strong fingers wrapped around her cuffed wrist, guiding it back to the bindings above her head.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she murmured.

He paused, then drew in a breath as if he sought patience. “Breathe, lovely.”

That gentle, deep brogue of his native Scotland brought her peace. His voice both aroused and soothed her, and she tried to let those feelings wash through her. “Can you do that for me?” he asked.

His fingers uncurled from her wrist, and he grazed the inside of her outstretched arm with his knuckles. As always, his touch was full of quiet strength. He made her ache. She shivered again, this time for an entirely different reason.

“I’ll try.”

Sean shook his head, his deep blue eyes seeming to see everything she tried to hide inside. That penetrating stare scared the hell out of her. What did he see when he looked at her? How much about the real her had he pieced together?

The thought made her panic. No one could know her secret. No one. She’d kept it from everyone, even Thorpe, during her four years at Dominion. She’d finally found a place where she felt safe, comfortable. Of course she’d have to give it up someday, probably soon. She always did. But please, not yet.

Deep breath. Don’t panic. Sean wants your submission, not your secrets.

“You’ll need to do better than try. You’ve been ‘trying’ for over six months,” he reminded her gently. “Do you think I’d truly hurt you?”

No. Sean didn’t seem to have a violent bone in his body. He wasn’t a sadist. He never gripped her harshly. He never even raised his voice. She’d jokingly thought of him as the sub whisperer because he pushed her boundaries with a gentleness she found both irresistible and insidious. Certainly, he’d dragged far more out of her than any other man had. Tirelessly, he’d worked to earn her trust. Callie felt terrible that she could never give it, not when doing so could be fatal.

Guilt battered her. She should stop wasting his time.

“I know you wouldn’t,” she assured, blinking up at him, willing him to understand.

“Of course not.” He pressed his chest over hers, leaning closer to delve into her eyes.

Callie couldn’t resist lowering her lids, shutting out the rest of the world. Even knowing she shouldn’t, she sank into the soft reassurance of his kiss. Each brush of his lips over hers soothed and aroused. Every time he touched her, her heart raced. Her skin grew tight. Her nipples hardened. Her pussy moistened and swelled. Her heart ached. Sean Kirkpatrick would be so easy to love.

As his fingers filtered into her hair, cradling her scalp, she exhaled and melted into his kiss—just for a sweet moment. It was the only one she could afford.

A fierce yearning filled her. She longed for him to peel off his clothes, kiss her with that determination she oft en saw stamped into his eyes, and take her with the single-minded fervor she knew he was capable of. But in the months since he’d collared her, he’d done nothing more than stroke her body, tease her, and grant her orgasms when he thought she’d earned them. She hadn’t let him fully restrain her. And he hadn’t yet taken her to bed.

Not knowing the feel of him deep inside her, of waiting and wanting until her body throbbed relentlessly, was making her buckets full of crazy.

After another skillful brush of his lips, Sean ended the kiss and lifted his head, breathing hard. She clung, not ready to let him go. How had he gotten under her skin so quickly? His  tenderness filled her veins like a drug. The way he had addicted Callie terrified her.

“I want you. Sean, please . . .” She damn near wept.

With a broad hand, he swept the stray hair from her face. Regret softened his blue eyes before he ever said a word. “If you’re not ready to trust me as your Dom, do you think you’re ready for me as a lover? I want you completely open to me before we take that step. All you have to do is trust me, lovely.”

Callie slammed her eyes shut. This was so fucking pointless. She wanted to trust Sean, yearned to give him everything—devotion, honesty, faith. Her past ensured that she’d never give any of those to anyone. But he had feelings for her. About that, she had no doubt. They’d grown just as hers had, unexpectedly, over time, a fledgling limb morphing into a sturdy vine that eventually created a bud just waiting to blossom . . . or die.

She knew which. They could never have more than this faltering Dom/sub relationship, destined to perish in a premature winter.

She should never have accepted his collar, not when she should be trying to keep her distance from everyone. The responsible choice now would be to call her safe word, walk out, quit him. Release them both from this hell. Never look back.

For the first time in nearly a decade, Callie worried that she might not have the strength to say good-bye.

What was wrong with her tonight? She was too emotional. She needed to pull up her big-girl panties and snap on her bratty attitude, pretend that nothing mattered. It was how she’d coped for years. But she couldn’t seem to manage that with Sean.

“You’re up in your head, instead of here with me,” he gently rebuked her.

Another dose of guilt blistered her. “Sorry, Sir.”

Sean sighed heavily, stood straight, then held out his hand to her. “Come with me.”

Callie winced. If he intended to stop the scene, that could only mean he wanted to talk. These sessions where he tried to dig through her psyche became more painful than the sexless nights she spent in unfulfilled longing under his sensual torture.

Swallowing down her frustration, she dredged up her courage, then put her hand in his.

Holding her in a steady grip, Sean led her to the far side of Dominion’s dungeon, to a bench in a shadowed corner. As soon as she could see the rest of the room, Callie felt eyes on her, searing her skin. With a nonchalant glance, she looked at the others scening around them, but they seemed lost in their own world of pleasure, pain, groans, sweat, and need. A lingering sweep of the room revealed another sight that had the power to drop her to her knees. Thorpe in the shadows. Staring. At her with Sean. His expression wasn’t one of disapproval exactly . . . but he wasn’t pleased.

Content

Forever Wicked
1001 Dark Nights - 1
Wicked Lovers - 7.8
by
Shayla Black

One Thousand and One Dark Nights

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

1001 Dark Nights Click to purchase

Acknowledgments from the Author

About Shayla Black

Theirs To Cherish Wicked Lovers, Book 8 By Shayla Black Coming March 4, 2104!