I did my best to keep her dress nice and not mess up her hair, which she spent nearly an hour doing. I took her at the foot of the bed with my slacks around my ankles and my collared shirt wide open. My jacket had been laid on the bed instead of tossed on the floor where I would normally throw it.

I wasn’t in the mood to fuck her, not like I usually was. When I saw how beautiful she looked, so elegant and exquisite, my heart did a strange somersault. I just wanted to be buried inside her, to feel my woman in a way no one else ever had.

I moved my enormous length deep inside her slowly, nearly hitting her in the cervix before I pulled out again. Her arousal was drenched around me, and she was tight like she always was. In the moment, I didn’t care about the charity gala. If I walked in late, I didn’t give a shit. When I wanted my woman, I took her. There was no way in hell I was going to wait until the end of the evening. Knowing me, we would just hook up in the bathroom anyway.

And her dress would definitely get dirty then.

She lay absolutely still so she wouldn’t mess up her hair, but when she started to climax, she arched her body and tilted her head, her expression utterly sexy. “Calloway…”

Fuck, I loved it when she said my name.

I enjoyed the rest of the show, watching her writhe and ride the high until she was completely finished.

I finally forgot I was pissed at her for not telling me the truth about her past, for not telling me her real name. When we were connected like this, man and woman, her secrets seemed irrelevant. My obsession rekindled to new heights, and I enjoyed her just the way I used to.

I would have kept going if we didn’t have anywhere to be. But since we did, I knew it was time to finish. I continued my slow pumps until my cock thickened and it was hard as steel. It was the best part about the orgasm, about the exquisite explosion in my cock before I finally released.

I hit my threshold then released inside her, filling her with all of my come, where it would remain for the rest of the night. I would show her off to my respected colleagues and donors, knowing she was full of my seed. It would make me feel like a man.

My woman always made me feel like a man.

* * *

She sat beside me in the middle seat of the car as my driver drove us to the Plaza. My hand rested on her thigh, and I glanced down at her from time to time, wondering what she was thinking in that pretty little head of hers. She looked like a beauty queen beside me, making me appear unremarkable in comparison.

We pulled up to the front of the hotel where a few guests were chatting. Men in suits with women in gowns on their arms. One of the attendants opened the door so I could step up. Before he could help Rome out of the car, I extended my hand and helped her emerge like the royalty that she was.

The attendant looked at her with approval before he walked to the next car that just pulled up.

My arm circled her waist, and I held her close into my side, wanting it to be completely obvious that she was more than just my date—she was the woman who slept in my bed every night. We moved through the entrance then headed to the grand ballroom where the dinner was being held.

“So, is this a silent auction or something?”

“No.” I noticed the way her hair would brush against my arm. I couldn’t feel it through my suit, but I knew how it felt because it happened when we slept together every night. Her soft strands prickled my skin with their innate softness. “It’s to recognize the outstanding donors for the last year. Usually, other people who come forward and make big donations so their company can have that same publicity at a later time. The whole thing is a PR stunt, honestly.”

“I’m sure some people genuinely want to give back.”

Some, but not most. “Or get a tax break.”

“Oh, come on.” She bumped her hip into my side. “Give humanity more credit than that.”

“I already was.”

She rolled her eyes like I was joking.

I was being dead serious.

We entered the ballroom where hundreds of people chitchatted with colleagues or introduced themselves to corporate competitors. I recognized some of the people from my company mingling with the people who gave us the donations to make our work possible. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the tables were covered with ivory tablecloths and beautiful flowers as centerpieces.

But I cared more about the bar.

I guided my date to where the liquor was held. “What would you like, sweetheart?”

“Whatever you’re having.” The way she smiled when she spoke made me want to kiss her—and kiss her hard.

But I would do that later. I got the drinks then handed one to her.

She looked at me as she sipped from her glass, a coy expression in her eyes.

I could tell she was flirting with me without saying a single word. She did that when we were in public places sometimes. If she thought I wouldn’t fuck her in the bathroom because we made love before we left the house, she was dead wrong.

Before I could express my threat, people recognized me and moved my way for a conversation.

But there was still the rest of the night.

* * *

“You know a lot of people.” Rome and I finally got a moment to ourselves when I excused us to get another drink.

“I don’t. But they know me.”

“Then how do you remember them all?”

“I write it down on my hand.” I gave her a teasing look before I handed her another glass.

She rolled her eyes then sipped her drink. “How much money do you think we’ll raise tonight?”

That was always her end game. She wanted to know what kind of difference we were going to make for the people who needed the most help. Fancy dinners with people dressed in their finest wasn’t interesting to her. It was one of her attributes that made me fall for her a long time ago. “A lot.”

“Does that go directly to us?”

“Not necessarily. Some of it will go directly to certain groups, like the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc.”

“Oh, okay.”

“The money will be allocated appropriately.” My arm hardly left her waist all night, wanting to show her off to everyone in the room. I’d never taken a date to these sorts of things. It was much easier to come alone and mingle. But now I never went anywhere without my better half.

We walked to one of the tables, and I pulled out the chair for her. Just as she sat down, I noticed a familiar face across the room. With dark hair, blue eyes, and a strong frame, he blended in with the rest of the suits in the crowd. But his terrified expression made him stand out to me.

Hank.

He was the last person I expected to see here. Maybe he came to these events regularly, but I never noticed because he didn’t mean anything to me at the time. But he must have known I would be here—thinking he was safe with all these witnesses.

Think again, motherfucker.

Rome noticed my gaze and emitted a quiet gasp when she realized who was on the receiving end. “Calloway, don’t—”

I already left the table. I slowly walked around groups of people and other tables as I made my way toward him.

His eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he turned around and darted the other way.

Pussy shit.

I walked at a normal pace and smiled when I saw colleagues do the same to me. But I never took my eyes off my target. I watched him move through people until he reached the mayor. He stood beside him and struck up a random conversation, his drink still in hand. He’d spilled a few drops on his suit during his attempt to flee.

Like the goddamn mayor would stop me. He could be the president of the United States, and I still wouldn’t give a shit.

I walked up to the group, right beside Hank, and stared him down.

Michael Rosenberg turned to me once I joined the group. “Mr. Owens, how are you this fine evening?” The mayor stuck out his hand to shake mine.

I took it with a firm grip. “I’m wonderful, sir. How are you?”

“Great. I’m always in a good mood when there’s an open bar.”

Hank continued to stand there, sweat forming on his forehead.

I stared him down, enjoying every single second of his terror. That was exactly how Rome felt when she looked over her shoulder every day. I wanted him to suffer worse than she ever had. He needed broken bones and hideous scars. “How’s Lydia?”

Michael didn’t seem to care that I was staring at Hank instead of him. “She’s good. She’s mingling with the girls. You know how women get. I probably won’t see her until the end of the night.”

“I do,” I said in agreement.

“You brought someone?” the mayor asked. “That’s wonderful, Calloway. May I meet her?”

I turned back to Michael, so grateful he asked that question. “Of course.” I turned to where Rome sat at the table, her eyes trained on my conversation with alarm in her eyes. I held up my hand and beckoned her with my fingers.

Rome’s eyes doubled in size.

I gave her a hard look, telling she better get her ass over here or I’d drag her.

She eventually rose out of the chair and walked around the edge of the tables toward us.

I eyed Hank, seeing his clammy skin and the anxiety in his eyes.

Rome finally came to my side, stiff and obviously terrified of the man who stood right beside me. She wore a fake smile, but her eyes were filled with dread.

My arm immediately circled her waist, and I pulled her into my side, reminding her nothing could happen to her when she was in my possession. “Michael, this is Rome. Rome, this is Michael Rosenberg, the major of New York.”

Rome did her best to be herself, but she came off as nervous. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” She shook his hand before she squeezed back into my side. “You’ve done a lot for the people of New York, and I appreciate it.”

“Thank you,” Michael said. “Calloway, she’s lovely.”

“Thank you, sir.” I eyed Hank again, challenging him with just my silence. He thought he was safe when he was next to powerful men of this city. But he didn’t realize I knew these same people—and I was more powerful than all of them.

I suspected Rome had never been this close to Hank unless they were in the middle of a brawl. She did her best to appear calm, but I could feel the slight tremor in her frame. The woman I knew wasn’t afraid of anything, and if she was afraid, she didn’t show it. So this reaction just made me want to break Hank’s neck even more. No woman should ever have to feel like prey like this.

“Well, I need to talk with a few friends,” Michael said. “But maybe we can hit the links together next week.”

“I’d love to, sir.” I shook his hand again. “I’ll have my assistant call your assistant.”

“Sounds good.” Michael turned around, his back to us.

Hank had been silent for the entire conversation. I thought it was odd that the mayor didn’t find that abnormal. Hank immediately darted away so he could get away from us.

I snatched him by the arm and yanked him back, forcing more of his wine to hit the front of his suit. I didn’t give a damn if anyone saw what I did. It happened so quickly that people probably weren’t sure what they saw.

Rome held her breath beside me, petrified of what would happen next.

I looked Hank in the eye, doing my best not to crush my massive fist against his face. “You picked the wrong woman to fuck with, Hank.”

* * *

We finished dinner as the speeches began. Awards were given out, and outstanding contributors to society were recognized. The ceremony seemed to stretch on interminably with no end in sight.

I kept my hand on Rome’s thigh, reminding her I was always there. I was an invisible concrete wall around her, so thick and powerful that nothing could break through. She would always be safe under my protection.

Rome did her best to behave normally, but she didn’t smile again for the rest of the night. She didn’t say a word to me either, eating in silence and never meeting my gaze. She probably wanted to leave so she wouldn’t have sit in the same room as that horrible human being.

But we couldn’t leave.

There wasn’t a statement more powerful than holding our ground. I’d proven that I wasn’t afraid of him, that a ballroom full of witnesses didn’t change my treatment of him. And Rome proved that she wouldn’t run either.

We just had to get through the rest of the night.

I pressed my face to her temple and kissed her hairline, comforting her in the only way I knew how at the moment.

My touch didn’t make her melt like it usually did. Like she was frozen, she didn’t feel anything. “I need to use the restroom.” She tossed her napkin on the table and excused herself.

Of course, I followed her.

Our table was near the edge, so leaving the ballroom without distracting anyone else was easy. I trailed behind her and watched her hips shake as she walked in her sky-high heels. When we exited the room, I caught up to her and moved my arm around her waist.

She darted out of my hold and into the bathroom, like my touch was the last thing she wanted.

I felt the offense burn into my skin at her rejection. She didn’t need anything else but me to get through this. I put my hands in my pockets as I waited for her, wondering if she was crying inside the women’s restroom.

I only lasted a few minutes before I walked inside and joined her.

She stood at the sink with her hands resting against the counter. Her head was tilted to the sink, and she breathed slowly. There were no tears, but she obviously needed the privacy of the bathroom to get a hold of the emotions she was battling deep inside.

I glanced underneath the stalls and realized we were alone. I kept my distance and crossed my arms over my chest, standing at the opposite end of the counter so she would still have space if she needed it.

She finally noticed my approach and turned to me. “Sorry…I just wanted a moment where I didn’t have to put on a face.”

“I understand.” Wearing a mask took energy. Pretending to feel one emotion when you felt the complete opposite was exhausting. I did it from time to time. “But we can’t leave, Rome. We need to back in there and stay for the rest of the evening.”

“I know…”

“There’s absolutely no reason to be scared.” As long as I was alive, I would make sure he never bothered her again. There wasn’t anything he could do to get through me. Even a bullet wouldn’t stop me.

“I know that too.”

“That guy is a goddamn pussy. He’s not gonna bother you anymore.” Hank didn’t put up a fight whatsoever. He only harassed Rome because she was smaller than he was. But when he came face-to-face with a real opponent, he ran for the hills. It was absolutely pathetic. “He knows I have just as much as power. He knows I know the same people. If he makes another move, and I catch him in the act, he’ll be done for. He knows it. I know it.”

She finally turned back to me, looking breathtaking even when she was worked up. The dress was tight around her petite waist, and her hair was still luscious and thick. I wanted to kiss away all her fears. “I wouldn’t know what to do without you, Calloway…”

My eyes softened.

“I’ve never needed a man for anything.” She looked at the ground because she couldn’t look at me anymore. “But…I need you for everything.”

The vulnerability in her voice went straight to my heart. She hardly ever admitted weakness to anyone, even me. But she confessed her soul to me, told me her truest and darkest feelings. My heart did a strange thing in that moment. It tightened and ached like she hurt me rather than flattered me. Knowing this fiercely independent and powerful woman needed me filled me with a strange sense of joy. Once I laid eyes on her, I wanted to be everything that she was missing. I wanted to fix everything that was broken. I wanted to give her a life she deserved.

And I knew why.

I joined her where she stood in front of the sink and cupped her face. Instead of kissing her, I pressed my forehead to hers and closed my eyes, savoring the powerful connection between us. Without feeling her pulse, I could feel her heartbeat. Without feeling her soul, I could feel her love. This woman was the most beautiful thing I possessed, the rarest diamond in a sea of jewels. I loved to worship her and protect her, and knowing she wanted me to do those things gave me a sense of fulfillment.

The words sat on the edge of my tongue, but I couldn’t say them. I felt the sensation deep inside my soul, the raw feeling of devotion. The emotion rushed through my entire body, but my mouth still wouldn’t react. The feeling was so foreign and so powerful I didn’t know how to assuage my fear.

So I didn’t say it.

But I certainly felt it.

“I love you too, Calloway.”

I opened my eyes and looked at her, seeing the love written on her gorgeous features. Her emerald eyes lit up like gems. They reflected the fluorescent lights from the ceiling, so they were even brighter than usual. She looked so strong and so vulnerable at the same time.

Words left me in that moment, so I did the only thing I could do. I kissed her on the forehead and rested my lips there, continuing to stand in the public restroom with her. If someone walked in, I couldn’t care less.

And neither could she.

* * *

At the end of the evening, we left the ballroom and entered the main lobby of the hotel. Rome’s hand was in my grasp as she walked in her heels. Even with the extra five inches added to her height, she was still nearly a foot shorter than me.

“I can’t wait to go home,” she whispered near my ear.

“Yeah?”

“These shoes are gorgeous, but they’re killing me.”

“I could always carry you.”

“No, I’ll manage.”

We walked outside, and I texted my driver to come get us.

Hank walked out with another attorney from the office, a guy I recognized but couldn’t recall by name. When he noticed us nearby, he purposely veered off to the left to avoid being close to Rome and me.

I stared him down the entire time.

It was safe to say Hank wouldn’t be a problem anymore. He used to torture Rome because it was easy, but now that I was around, his taunts were no longer effective. He didn’t want to go head-to-head with me because he would lose.

But I still wanted retribution.

I wanted him to pay for what he’d done to Rome. He knocked her around and put her in the hospital for two days. We both needed justice for that. I wanted to unleash my vengeance physically, but I understood the risk of doing that. As one of the best lawyers in the city, he could easily use the justice system to his advantage. If things didn’t go well for me, I could be locked up for a short amount of time. And if that did happen, Rome would be completely vulnerable on her own.

So violence wasn’t an option for me.

I would have to learn to let my rage go. The important thing was, he was finally leaving her alone. If he made a false move, I would document every little thing he did and take it to court. So we were both waiting for the other to make a mistake and incriminate himself first. I suspected we were both too smart for such stupidity.

The car arrived, and I opened the back door for Rome, allowing her to get in first. I gave Hank a final threatening look before I joined her in the back seat. Even once I was in the car, I continued to stare him down. The windows were tinted so he couldn’t see me, but I was certain he could feel the target trained right on his chest.

The car pulled away, and we headed home.

Rome slipped off her heels then massaged her feet. “If I had to wear those any longer, I would have chopped off my feet.”

I grabbed her by the ankle and moved her feet to my lap. Just in case my driver saw more than he should, I hit the button and rolled up the divider between us so we would have privacy. My hands worked the soles of her feet and the arch in her foot.

“You don’t need to do that…” She lay back and immediately closed her eyes, her words meaningless.

“I like touching you.”

“Mmm…” She rested her head on her folded arms and didn’t say anything else during the drive home.

I continued to use my thumbs to massage her petite feet, loving the way they felt in my hands. I was never a feet kind of guy, but when it came to Rome, I loved everything. From her fingers to her toes, she was perfect.

We arrived at the house moments later, and Rome had to force herself to sit up. “You can do incredible things with your hands, Calloway.”

I chuckled then got out. “I’ve heard that before.” I grabbed her hand and helped her out. She carried her heels in one hand and stepped on the sidewalk barefoot. I scooped her up effortlessly then walked to the front door. She was light enough that I got the door unlocked with one hand and carried her over the threshold.

“Thanks for the lift.”

Instead of putting her down in the entryway, I carried her upstairs and to the bedroom she now shared with me. I set her on the ground then immediately unzipped her dress. As much as I loved seeing it on her, I wanted her naked for me to enjoy.

The dress fell into a pile on the floor, and I kissed her bare shoulder, her skin warm to the touch. I felt her body tighten in response, the excitement running through her veins. Her breathing changed instantly, the spark filling the air.

It was one of the rare times when I sincerely wanted to make love, to have slow and sensual sex that was plain vanilla. I didn’t picture her chained to the headboard with a blindfold over her eyes. I didn’t imagine her suspended from the ceiling with her feet hanging inches off the ground. I didn’t have to pretend to hurt her to get off. I wanted it like this, when it was just her and me in the moment.

Hopefully, my struggle had passed. I jerked off in the shower a few weeks ago because I couldn’t control the urge that I had. I needed to fulfill the fantasy, to at least pretend I was getting what I needed. I felt ashamed for what I did afterward, but when I knew she was keeping a secret from me, that guilt faded.

Now I didn’t think about it.

After we were both undressed, I got her on her back on the bed, her head resting on the pillow. Her legs were spread, and I positioned myself right at her entrance. I wanted to be inside her all night long, to fill her with everything I had until there was nothing left.

Anxious, she gripped my hips and pulled me inside her, forcing my cock past her lips and through her slickness. She bit her bottom lip as she felt my thick cock fill her narrow channel. Her breathing picked up quickly, a quiet pant filling the bedroom.

I savored the sensation even though I’d felt it a hundred times. Before we left for the dinner, I’d made love to her on this same bed. That was just a few hours ago, but now I was hungry like it had never happened at all.

Rome grabbed her tits and played with them for me to watch. She made the sexiest expressions during sex. Her eyes became lidded and heavy with pleasure, and her lips parted with every moan she made.

I moved my arms behind her knees and pinned her thighs back so I could give her more of my cock. It didn’t matter how tight and narrow she was. I was going to give her every inch because she was my woman.

Her hands loosened from her tits as the momentum swept over her. It was obvious to me when she was going to come. Not only did her pussy constrict around my cock like a snake around its prey, but her body arched and her head rolled back. Her lips slightly parted from the deep breath she took. Right when the force hit her, she screamed.

“Calloway…” Her hands moved to my arms, and she dug her nails into my wrists as she rode the high. “Calloway.”

There was nothing sexier than listening to her call out my name. “Sweetheart…I love making love to you.” I silenced her screams with my kiss, my tongue darting into her mouth as I continued to ram my cock inside her.

Her nails continued to dig into me until she finally rode out the explosion that happened between her legs. She caught her breath and slowly wound down, her pussy flooded with moisture that her body released.

I had wanted to keep going, but now I just wanted to come. Knowing me, I would be hard again in a few moments anyway. When I had a woman like this underneath me, it didn’t take much to get me hard even if I’d just come minutes ago. “Fuck, I want to come.”

“Allow me to help.” She rolled me to my back then crawled on top of me.

I liked being on top and watching her tits shake underneath me, but I loved the view when I was on the bottom. She knew how to ride cock like a pro. If I didn’t know she was a virgin before she met me, I never would have suspected it.

Her knees straddled my hips, and she pointed my cock at her entrance. She slowly slid down like she was inserting him for the first time. My cock was soaked in her slickness so it slid right in again.

She rolled her hips as she took my length over and over. Her hands moved to her tits, and she played with them, her thumbs sliding across her nipples and making them pebble. Her hair was beautiful around her shoulders, and her expression was undeniably erotic. She took my length all the way to my balls then raised her body to reach my head. Then she lowered herself again.

I gripped her ass and guided her down my length at the speed I liked. I was eager to come, and I wanted it fast. I moved her body until her tits shook like crazy. I moaned and panted with her, my cock hardening to such a degree it actually hurt. “Here it comes…”

She reached her hand behind her and stroked my balls as she continued to sit on my length. “I’m ready.”

I gripped her hips as I released, filling her pussy with all the come I’d been storing for the night. I dumped all of it inside her, moaning uncontrollably as if I hadn’t gotten laid in months. There was something about her pussy that made me addicted to a frightening degree. “Fuck…” I pulled her hips down harder so she wouldn’t miss a single drop.

She leaned over me with my cock still inside her and pressed a kiss to my lips. “You’re an amazing man.” She pressed kisses along my jaw and down my neck, moving to my chest and shoulders. Her soft lips sprinkled her affection everywhere, making my ego inflate as this gorgeous woman worshiped me like I’d done something to deserve it.

“You’re the one who makes me amazing.”