I wasn’t happy about giving up the only life I’d ever known. But I couldn’t live without Rome anymore. Something about this woman changed me. She strengthened me when I was already powerful. She pushed me when I couldn’t be pushed any further. She made me feel more like a man because she was an incredible woman.

I had to give it a try.

We came home after work, entering the empty house we both shared. She was staying with me temporarily—at least, that’s what she thought. I had very different plans for our arrangement.

She slipped off her heels by the door—as always.

I’d come to love her little habits, the things she did without even realizing it. I loved the way she brushed her teeth at night before bed. I loved the way she ran her fingers through her wet hair just before she dried it. I loved the fact that she looked just as beautiful without makeup as she did when she got dressed up.

And I loved the way she looked wearing that ring. The black diamond looked perfect against her pale skin. I loved officially claiming her, making her mine forever. Now that I’d seen her wear that ring of commitment, there was no way I could let her go.

The second we were alone together behind locked doors, I wanted to do the thing I loved most. I wanted her on her back, her thighs spread and her ankles locked together around my waist. I pressed her into the wall and kissed her, the exact place where I fucked her the other day. My hands moved to the wall and boxed her in, making sure my prey couldn’t escape.

She clearly didn’t want to run. She melted at my touch right on cue, her hands moving to my powerful arms. The quiet sounds she made when she kissed me were sexy. I didn’t need to stick my fingers in her pussy to know she was wet for me.

I knew I should head to the gym after work and get back to a routine, but I didn’t want to leave Rome alone. In fact, I didn’t want to leave her at all. I wanted to fuck her all day and all night. My woman was back in my life, and I didn’t want to waste a moment doing something else when I could be buried inside her.

I picked her up and carried her upstairs to my bedroom on the third floor. I placed her on the bed gently then began to peel her clothes away. That afternoon, I just lifted up her dress and rammed my cock inside her. But now I wanted to take my time, get her naked so I could truly enjoy her.

When she was naked on the bed, I considered her perfect figure. She had nice tits, a tiny waist, and flawless skin. The demon inside me wanted to smack my palm against the delicate flesh and mark it red. The arousal flooded through me at the thought, and I was gripped by the memory of a leather belt in my hand. But I pushed it away and concentrated on the sensual sex I was about to have.

I undressed myself, taking my time to torture her. I slowly worked my tie and loosened it around my neck.

She squirmed on the bed, licking her lips with arousal burning in her eyes.

I dropped my tie on her stomach then undid each button of my shirt, slowly revealing my chiseled physique.

“Come on…”

Nothing sexier than watching a woman beg. “Touch yourself while you wait.”

She moved her hand between her legs and rubbed her clit in a circular motion. At the first touch, her breathing hitched. She arched her back as her thighs fell away, her breathing increasing noticeably.

I got to the last button, my cock hard as steel in my slacks. I watched her hand rub that little nub and excite herself even more. She was touching herself to me, getting off to me stripping. I moved to my pants next, forcing myself to go slow even though I wanted to get naked as quickly as possible.

She parted her lips when she moaned, her hand working harder against her clit. Her chest blushed a beautiful pink color, and her nipples hardened to the edge of knives.

I undid my slacks quickly and pushed them down along with my boxers, unable to maintain my slow pace. I kicked off my shoes and didn’t bother with the socks. “You’re so goddamn sexy, sweetheart.” I crawled on top of her and placed her feet against my chest, pinning her underneath me so there was nowhere for her to go.

She gripped my hips and pulled me into her, just as anxious for me as I was for her.

I loved the way she looked in that moment, so desperate to have me. Her obsession matched my own. This woman was my driving force for everything. She was my whole world, my whole universe. And I knew she felt the same way about me.

I sank into her, slowly giving her every inch until she had all of me.

“Oh god…” Her hands snaked to my biceps, her favorite muscle to grab on to.

She was always so tight. It didn’t matter how many times I fucked her or how rough I gave it to her. Her pussy was just too small, and my cock was just too big. I rocked into her slowly to get her used to me. Every time we screwed, I needed to ease her into it, to give her body time to stretch to accommodate my large size. Otherwise, I would just hurt her.

And that was the last thing I wanted to do.

* * *

I was at work when my PI called me.

“What’s up, John?” I said into the speakerphone. My eyes were glued to the window, seeing the rest of the city as my backdrop. This city was full of people trying to make their dreams come true, trying to make something of themselves.

“Hank is pretty transparent. Went to Dartmouth for undergrad then Columbia for his law degree. He’s been a public figure for a long time. His father used to be the mayor of New York City. His mom was a fashion model. He’s done a lot for the community as the DA. Put a lot of bad guys behind bars, criminals that killed cops. He’s pretty much a hero in the eyes of the city.”

That wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

“Other than that, he’s squeaky-clean. Nothing on his record.”

Even worse.

“Sorry, Mr. Owens. I know that wasn’t what you wanted to hear.”

When I thought about the heinous shit he did to Rome, I knew she couldn’t be the only one. He had to have stalked and assaulted other women. It tended to be a pattern for men like him. “Look into all of his old girlfriends. I want their names and addresses. Everything.”

“Of course, sir.” He hung up.

I let the line go dead before I hit the button on my phone and ended the call. I continued to stare out my window and tried to control the rage that swept through me like a forest fire. I wasn’t just angry—I was insane. My hands tightened into fists, and my knuckles turned white. When I thought about what that asshole did to my woman, it made me see red. Rome was my whole world. If anyone touched her, they were asking for their own execution.

Even though I was happy to be reunited with her, that joy was fleeting. Once I was alone, my thoughts immediately turned to the man I’d proclaimed as my enemy. I’d seen his face, and it haunted my dreams. Sometimes my nightmares showed him on top of Rome, thrusting inside her with a maniacal gleam in his eyes. I started thrashing in bed until Rome woke me up. Every time she asked what my nightmares were about, I never answered.

If anything ever happened to her…I wouldn’t be able to go on.

I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself for not protecting her.

Hank reminded me of my own father. He was psychotic, violent, and evil. I didn’t stand up to my father until way later than I should have. But I wasn’t making that mistake again. Hank had been obsessed with Rome for far too long.

I needed to put him down.

My secretary’s voice came through the phone. “Mr. Owens, Christopher is on the line to speak with you.”

I hit the intercom button. “Thanks. I’ll take it.” I hit the speakerphone button and addressed him. “What a nice surprise.” Christopher and I had been on decent terms since the shit hit the fan. He didn’t like me as much as he used to, but he tolerated me.

“Since you’re with Rome 24/7, I knew I’d have to call on my lunch break if I wanted some privacy.”

I definitely didn’t let Rome out of my sight—not even for a second. “Hank hasn’t tried anything. He probably doesn’t know where to look for her. Has he come by the apartment?”

“Not from what I can tell. But I’m sure he has men watching the place. He’s probably figured out that she’s not staying here anymore.”

If he had men watching her, that was truly creepy. “You’re always welcome to stay at my home if you aren’t comfortable, Christopher.” He wasn’t the kind of man to admit he was afraid, but I wanted to make the offer anyway.

“I’m fine,” he said with confidence. “He doesn’t want me, so I doubt I’ll hear from him again.”

“Unless he wants to figure out where she is.” I knew this wasn’t over. I was prepared for anything at this point. If Hank had gone all the way to her apartment and broken in during the middle of the day, he obviously thought he was invincible.

“I’ll never talk. Maybe we can get away with assault and harassment, but even the DA can’t get away with murder. I’m not afraid of him.”

Neither was I. “If you ever change your mind, let me know.”

“Are you kidding me? I have a huge bachelor pad all to myself now. The ladies love it.”

I chuckled into the phone. “Sounds like things worked out for you.”

“Some good came out of it. I didn’t want to live with Rome in the first place. Now she’s your problem.”

She was the best problem I’d ever had.

“So…does that mean you guys are back together?” There was no hope or dread in his voice. His feelings about the matter weren’t clear like they usually were.

“Yeah.”

“Oh…I’m surprised Rome changed her mind.”

“I caved.” I didn’t feel ashamed about it anymore. Having her sleep with me every night made it all worth it. I loved the sex, no matter how vanilla it was. I loved everything about her even though I had no control over her. I would rather have this than my previous misery.

“Meaning?”

“I gave up Ruin. I gave up the lifestyle.”

“Wow…I didn’t think you could do it. You stood your ground for six weeks.”

“That was the best I could do. After what happened to her…I understood how much she meant to me.” Knowing Hank laid a hand on her sent me into a terrifying rage. That wouldn’t have happened if she had been sleeping with me. No one would ever bother her again if she were mine. I couldn’t let that ever happen again. Forsaking my old ways was a small price to pay to keep her safe. I really didn’t have much of a choice. If I didn’t give her what she wanted, she would move out eventually and be left vulnerable to another attack.

“Yeah, I get it. I’ve never felt that way about a woman, but I can imagine. I was pretty upset when everything went down. Rome is a good person. She doesn’t deserve to be stalked and nearly raped just because she’s beautiful. It’s disgusting.”

I couldn’t think about the implications of Hank’s success. If Rome hadn’t been a hard-ass and fought him off, he would have gotten his way—taking something that didn’t belong to him. Then I really would have killed him. Rome’s strength was the reason I wasn’t sitting in jail at that very moment. “Yeah…”

“Thanks for being there for her. I do my best to look out for her, but I’m not you. I don’t have the same kind of power.”

“I don’t mind.” Rome meant everything to me. Since the moment she walked into my life, everything had been better. She made me happy when I didn’t think I could be. I’d give her the entire world if I could. “She’ll be safe with me. Between you and me, I hope Hank comes after me. I would love to kill him.”

“Yeah, that makes two of us.”

* * *

We ate dinner together in comfortable silence. It was the third night we were eating leftovers since Rome refused to throw anything out. She would eat anything unless it was so spoiled it would actually make her sick.

Since she was so passionate about it, I didn’t mind.

We made small talk about work and discussed the next charity benefit we were having at the Four Seasons, but I didn’t really listen to her. I was more absorbed in her features, watching the way her lips moved when she spoke. Her green eyes weren’t quite as bright as they used to be. There was a distinct melancholy about her, a sadness she struggled to hide.

“Something on your mind?” I ignored my glass of wine because I wished it were scotch instead. I put away the hard liquor once she moved back in with me because she made her feelings about it pretty clear. I wasn’t allowed to be a drunk when she was around—in my own home. But the more authority she showed, the more obsessed I became. I was drawn to her power like a moth to a flame.

“No.” She kept her eyes down, a guilty sign.

“Don’t lie to me.” I didn’t mean to come off so harsh. It was difficult for me to be gentle when I was concerned. I wanted her to be completely open with me—no more secrets. She should have told me everything about Hank before things got this bad.

She looked up again, the hardness in her eyes. She always fought me out of principle, but she loved my authority at the same time. Sometimes, I wondered if she even realized it. “Have you thought about what we’re going to do about Hank?”

Other than kill him, not really. “My PI got some information on him. His record is squeaky-clean. But he’s got skeletons in his closet like any other politician. And I’ll find them.”

“What do you know about him?”

“He went to the best schools. His father was the mayor for a long time. He’s put away a lot of cop-killers. He’s pretty much the face of this city.”

“I was afraid of that…” She took a bite then sipped her wine.

“But this behavior couldn’t have started with you.” Rage burned up inside me again, and I had the urge to knock the table over. My hands formed fists on the table, and I forced them to relax. “He must have a history of assault and abuse. I’m looking into his old lovers to see if I can find anything.”

“And do what?”

“Get them to come forward,” I explained. “Maybe the word of one woman isn’t enough, but when there are several, it really makes a difference.”

“That’s true…”

“So we’ll go the legal route. But if that doesn’t work…”

She watched me, her gaze full of hesitance. “Then what?”

I didn’t finish the sentence because I didn’t need to.

“We aren’t going that route. That’s not a solution.”

My temper flared, and I couldn’t control it. “I’m running the show, Rome. We’ll do whatever I see fit. This is my problem, and trust me, I will fix it.”

She didn’t like that answer one bit. “Killing him isn’t the answer. You could lose everything, Calloway.”

“But you would be free.” She wouldn’t have to look over her shoulder every time she walked down the street. She wouldn’t have to make sure the door was locked ten times before she could sleep at night. She would never have to worry about that man coming after her again. That would make it all worth it.

Her eyes softened like I’d said something funny. “I don’t want that, Calloway. I don’t want you or Christopher to get in trouble because of my mistake.”

“It wasn’t a mistake, Rome. How were you supposed to know he was a psychopath? He purposely misled you. Don’t apologize for that.”

She looked down at her plate again.

“In my experience, these problems don’t go away unless someone dies.”

“Calloway, stop talking like that.”

“It’s the truth.” I clenched my jaw in irritation. “This is just a sick game to him. He’s obsessed, and he’s not going to stop until he wins. That’s how it goes. He’s the predator, and you’re the prey. But I’m a bigger predator, so now he’s the prey.” I grabbed the wineglass and drank all of it, needing all the alcohol in my system even if it was weak. I could really go for some scotch right now, but that would get Rome all fired up.

Rome set down her fork and pushed her plate away, obviously finished with her dinner. But there were still a few bites left.

Now I knew something was seriously wrong. “Sweetheart, talk to me.” Did I say something to upset her? Did I take it too far? Maybe I shouldn’t have worn my rage so well, made it so visible.

“I just…” She ran her hand through her hair, pulling the soft brown strands away as she kept her eyes averted.

I waited in dread, unsure what she was going to say.

“I guess that whole thing is really hitting me. I’ve never taken the time to sit down and think. I’ve never had the opportunity to feel safe, so I just kept pushing forward. I never had any choice in the matter, so I just dealt with it.”

I didn’t really understand what she was saying, so I remained quiet, hoping she would become clearer on her own.

“But now that I have you…I feel safe.” She kept her head bowed like she couldn’t look at me. “And now that I know what that feels like, I don’t want to be scared anymore. I’m more scared of being scared… I know I’m not making any sense right now. But when he dragged me into the apartment, I was so afraid I was going to lose. I was afraid he would overpower me and…I knew how much that would hurt you.”

I kept a straight face to make this easier on her, not wanting her to see my pain.

“I just want it to stop, you know?” she whispered. “Only when I’m in this house do I really feel like no one will hurt me. Only when you’re sleeping next to me do I feel protected. I love feeling that way, but I hate relying on someone to make me feel that way. I feel like I don’t have any freedom, any power.” She ran her fingers through her hair again, her eyes wet.

I stood up and moved to the chair directly beside her. My arm hooked around her, and I pressed my face close to hers, comforting her in the best way I could. “It will stop, sweetheart. I promise.”

“I know…”

“And he’s never going to succeed, Rome. He’s never going to bother you again. As long as I’m breathing, he’ll never lay a hand on you. You can enjoy feeling safe because I’ll continue to make you safe.” I brushed her hair off her forehead then kissed her temple.

“I know you will, Calloway. I just… I’ve always taken care of myself. I hate having to rely on someone else. It’s not in my nature. I feel like an embarrassment to women everywhere.”

“Don’t say that.”

“But I do. I don’t want to run to the shelter of a man. I want to fight my own battles.”

“Everyone needs help, sweetheart. It has nothing to do with the fact that you’re a woman. We all need to band together to reach our goals sometimes. You aren’t relying on me to do anything. I’m looking after you because—” The words died in my throat before I could say them, before I could do something incredibly stupid. “I’m looking after you because I can’t live without you, Rome. We’re a team. We’re in this together.” I kissed her temple again, my lips warm against her cold skin. “We will find a solution. I promise you.” My hand cupped her neck, and I rested my thumb against her gently beating pulse. I pressed my mouth against hers and gave her a slow kiss, full of affection and devotion. I wanted her to feel safe with me because there was nowhere else in the world that she would be safer. I didn’t need guns or knives to protect her. All I needed was my body and my bare hands.

* * *

I was dead asleep when Rome rolled hard into my side, her hand lashing out and striking me right in the back of the head.

I sat upright and looked down at her, my eyes lidded and heavy with sleep. I dragged my hand down my face so I could get a better look at her, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to reality.

Tears streaked down her face as she continued to whimper under her breath, saying wordless phrases in the throes of a nightmare.

“Sweetheart.” I grabbed her shoulder and shook her gently. “Come on, you’re having a nightmare.” I shook her again when my words weren’t enough to wake her up. “Rome.” I said it more firmly, using her name to pull her out of the terror she was experiencing.

She finally sat up and gripped her chest as she gasped, taking in a deep breath like it was the first time she could access air. When she felt the tears, she quickly wiped them away as if she was embarrassed. She stared into the dark room like she was trying to figure out where she was.

“Rome, it’s okay.” My arm hooked around her, and I pressed into her side. “It was just a nightmare. That’s all.”

She pulled her knees to her chest and concentrated on slowing her breathing, forcing herself to calm down.

I pressed a kiss to her shoulder and allowed my affection to heal her, to remind her she was safe with me. “It’s just you and me. No one else.” I rubbed her back and continued to kiss her, to let my adoration seep through her skin and directly into her core. “Alright?”

All she did was nod.

I kissed the back of her neck then her hairline, giving her more affection to lull her back into relaxation. I lay back down and then patted the mattress beside me.

She eyed the spot before she crawled across my chest, getting so close to me there wasn’t any space between us. My body heat encompassed her, bringing her back into the security my strong frame provided. “I’m sorry…”

“Shh, it’s okay.” I ran my hand through her hair as I held her close to me.

“I don’t usually have nightmares.”

“It happens to the best of us.”

“Did I hurt you?”

“No.” I pressed my mouth against hers, giving her a seductive kiss that changed the course of her thoughts. Feeling her cling to me for comfort only aroused me. I loved hearing that she needed me, that I made her feel safe when no one else in the world could. I loved seeing her trust me, knowing I would risk my own life to protect hers. In that sense, it reminded me of the Dom/sub relationship that I missed, where my partner trusted me completely to give her what she needed.

Now I was hard, but there was nothing I could do about it.

I kept kissing her until I felt the strength to pull away. Rome just had a nightmare, and it would be insensitive for me to automatically take it to sex, not when she was obviously still upset.

Rome stared at my lips once they were gone, her lidded eyes looking beautiful in the dark. She moved back into me and kissed me again, her lips aching for mine. Her smell washed over me, her hand gripping me like she needed me. Then she pulled me on top of her, her leg hooking around my waist.

Once I felt my cock rub against her wet pussy, all my sensitivity went out the window. My woman wanted me—and there was no way in hell I was going to say no.