We spent the afternoon in bed, exactly where I planned to spend my day with her. There was talking, sex, more talking, but mostly sex. Her ass cheek was still red from where I’d smacked it, and I liked to stare at it while I pounded into her from behind. I wanted her full of my come, my essence deep within her while she mingled with Chicago’s finest.

When evening arrived, she left the bed, her hair a complete mess. “I need to start getting ready.”

I sat up with my back against the headboard, my body tight from the intense exercise I’d had during the day. My ass was tense from pounding into her for hours. I made her come five times before I finally felt satisfied.

She continued to stare at me like she’d just asked me a question. She was looking for permission without actually asking for it.

“Then get ready.”

She walked into the bathroom, her ass tight and her long legs perfectly sculpted. She had a thigh gap between her legs because even those muscles were tight. For a woman who didn’t step inside a gym, she sure looked fit.

She shut the door and then the water turned on.

At that same moment, the doorbell rang. I didn’t order room service, and I put the Do Not Disturb sign outside so no one would bother us.

So that meant only one person was at the door.

I pulled on my sweatpants but purposely left off my shirt. Tiny marks from Titan’s nails were in my pectorals, and every lean and toned muscle made my physique undeniably perfect. I ran in the morning before work and lifted weights in the evening. Unlike Titan, I looked like this with a lot of effort.

And I wanted that jackass to know it.

I opened the door and came face-to-face with the blue-eyed man Titan had promised herself to. He was my height and of similar build. He was equally handsome but with different features. His jaw wasn’t as hard as mine, and his light-colored eyes gave him a pretty-boy look. I was tall, dark, and terrifying. “Yes?”

Thorn didn’t hide his disdain, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. “Where is she?”

“In the shower.”

“I need to talk to her.”

“Well, looks like you can wait.”

Thorn took a step inside.

My hand went to the doorframe and kept him out. “You can wait in the hall.”

Now Thorn looked like he wanted to punch me. “I’m not the kind of guy you want to fuck with, Hunt.”

“What a coincidence. Neither am I.”

His powerful arms hung by his sides, but they were about to launch at my face at any moment.

“I’ll tell her to call you when she’s out of the shower.”

“Why don’t I believe that?”

“Hunt.” Titan’s voice came into my ear. She emerged behind me, the authority in her voice returning to normal.

I sighed before I turned to her. “Yes, baby?” I slapped on a smile, pretending everything was just fine.

She pressed her lips together tightly and walked around me. “Please come in, Thorn.”

“I’d be happy to.” Thorn spoke with a clenched jaw as he shut the door harder than necessary. He gave me another fiery look. “Can we talk in private?”

I couldn’t keep them apart forever. Titan had plans this evening, and I couldn’t get in the way of that. She never canceled her engagements unless she absolutely had to. I didn’t have any control over that.

“Give us a minute, Hunt.” Titan gave me her executive look, telling me our arrangement no longer applied.

Just to be an ass, I positioned myself between her and Thorn and kissed her on the mouth. It was a sensual embrace, the kind of kiss we shouldn’t have in front of other people. My arm circled her waist, and I squeezed the ass I’d spanked so hard. “Don’t talk too long.” I released her and walked into the bedroom. The suite had different rooms, so I took my laptop with me and sat at the table. I took care of some emails, checked on my stocks, assets, various companies, and checked in with some of my regional managers around the globe. Work never slept, and now that I was spending so much time with Titan, I had to make up for lost time.

Fifteen minutes later, she came back inside in the same robe she’d been wearing. It was midnight black and made of silk, showing off the nice curves of her body. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, and she still didn’t have her makeup on.

I looked up from my computer, meeting her gaze with my own.

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared down at me.

I didn’t ask what Thorn wanted because it was none of my business—as much as I wished it were. “Yes, baby?”

“Why do you call me that?”

“Baby?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

I gave her a malicious grin. “Because I own you, Titan. I can call you whatever the hell I want.”

She couldn’t stop the irritated look from filling her face. She wore a mask for the world to see, constantly appearing pragmatic and indifferent, but now I knew every little expression she made because I’d seen them all. I knew what was really going on in that big brain of hers. “You’re only making Thorn dislike you even more.”

“Am I supposed to care?” I didn’t give a shit what that asshole thought. He could hate me all he wanted, but it didn’t change anything. I was fucking Titan good and hard all night because she was mine. He wasn’t going to own her anytime soon.

“I guess not.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “But he is my closest friend. I would hope you’d make an effort to get along with him.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because we’re business partners, and once he’s my husband, you’ll be seeing a lot of him.”

“I don’t care if you’re married. I do business with you—not him.”

“Why do you hate him so much? He’s smart, charming, and understanding. The only way someone could dislike Thorn is if they refused to let themselves like him.”

“You’re right. I refuse to let myself like him.”

“You could at least respect him—for me.”

“I don’t owe him anything. And since I’m in charge, I don’t owe you anything either. I wanted to tell my friends that I was seeing you, but you refused to let me share that information with anyone. So, no, don’t expect me to bend over backward for the people you care about.”

When she didn’t say anything else, I knew I had her backed into a corner.

I turned back to my computer. “You should get ready. I’m gonna fuck your mouth before you leave.”

She cocked an eyebrow.

“That way, if Thorn kisses you—he’ll be kissing me.”

---

She walked in the door after two a.m., still looking gorgeous with the diamond earrings hanging from her lobes. Her eyelashes were thick and dark, highlighting the natural emerald color of her eyes. She wore more makeup than usual, but everything contoured her features even more, making the shape of her face more prominent along with the rest of her pretty attributes.

And her body…enough said.

That dress hugged her petite waistline perfectly, showing the womanly hips I liked to grab when she was bent over in front of me, the small of her back that was deeper than the bend of a boomerang. Her long legs were covered, but the hint of their shape was forever burned in my mind since I’d kissed them everywhere.

I watched her from the couch as she set her clutch on the entryway table and slipped off her heels.

My laptop was open on the coffee table, but I’d stopped working hours ago. Now I watched one of my evening talks shows, drinking more bourbon than I probably should have. Something about her being out with Thorn made me drink more than usual.

She set her designer shoes on the table with her clutch because they were too expensive to leave on the ground.

For a woman who wore heels anytime she was in public, she didn’t seem to enjoy wearing them.

She walked to the back of the other couch, her hands resting on the back. “How was your night?”

“Good. Got a lot done.” I was in just my boxers, preferring to wear nothing when a beautiful woman could walk in the door at any time.

She eyed me on the couch, her eyes heavy like she was ready to fall asleep. She glanced at the screen then turned back to me.

“How was yours?”

“Good. Spent time with other members of Thorn’s family and a few other business acquaintances.”

Sounded like a snoozefest to me. When she walked in the door, I’d intended to fuck her before bed, but noticing how tired she was made me second-guess it. Something about her being sleepy made her look vulnerable, and since I liked that look, I didn’t want to chase it away. I liked Titan, the fierce woman who had a big brain and a smart mouth, but I liked Tatum more…because very few people knew her. She was quiet, contemplative, and open. She was sweet, affectionate, and so soft.

I turned off the TV and left my drink on the coffee table. I joined her on the other side of the couch and came up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my face in her neck. I breathed in the smell of her perfume, the scent she sometimes wore to special functions. Normally, a light aroma of vanilla accompanied her skin from her body soap. It was subtle but fragrant.

I moved my hands up and down her arms, feeling the soft skin. My lips rested near her neck, and I listened to her breathe. It was impossible for me to be this close to her without wanting her. I could easily lift up her dress and grab her by the back and bend her over.

But I didn’t.

I reached for the zipper at the back of her dress and pulled it to the top of her ass. The fabric slowly broke apart, falling over her shoulders and slipping down her body. Without my help, it fell to the floor, revealing her in just her black thong.

I could take a bite out of that ass.

Her breathing increased now that we were both in our underwear. She didn’t turn around, waiting for my direction.

My arms scooped her up, bringing her to my body, and I carried her into the bedroom. Her arms circled my neck, and she let me carry her like a man carried his wife to bed. I set her on the bed before I got under the covers beside her. The lights were already off, so all I had to was get into bed.

I turned on my side and looked at her.

She was staring at me, her green eyes peeking behind her eyelashes. Her tits were covered by her arms, but the sexy line of her body disappeared under the sheet. She watched me like she expected something to happen.

My hand moved across the bed until I found hers. I intertwined our fingers without shifting my gaze.

Her thumb brushed over mine. “I thought about you a lot tonight.”

“You did?”

“Yeah…”

I’d assumed I was the last thing on her mind after the day we had. She’d been my slave all afternoon as I fucked her how and when I wanted. Her lips were swollen because I’d kissed them so many times. She didn’t get a chance to even open her computer because I commanded every single moment of her attention. “And what were you thinking about?”

“I missed you…” Her thumb stopped moving over mine, and she broke eye contact.

I didn’t look away.

“I was with you all day, and you even pissed me off…but I still missed you. I wished it was your hand that was on the small of my back… I wished it was your hand in mine.”

I wondered if she had too much to drink that night. She was drinking before she left, probably had a glass in her hand all night, and now she’d reached the glass ceiling of her tolerance. Instead of being aggressive or disoriented, she became transparent.

I needed to make her drink more often.

I leaned over the bed and kissed her hand, my eyes on her. “I missed you too, baby.” I kissed each of her small knuckles before I returned to my side of the bed, keeping my distance so she could fall asleep in peace. “I always miss you.”

“Do you?” she whispered.

“Yes.”

She closed her eyes and loosened her grip. “Diesel…”

I loved hearing my name on her lips. Very few had the privilege of saying it. Jax said it to me on the phone the other day, but he was family. By birth, he was allowed to say it.

She didn’t open her eyes again, but she tugged gently on my arm.

“You want me to cross the line?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

I moved over the line and tangled our bodies together. I pulled her flush against my chest, hooked her leg around my waist, and rested my lips against her forehead. We were a web of limbs and torsos, our hearts beating together in the exact same rhythm. Our chests rose and fell together.

It was the most peaceful moment I’d ever known.

I didn’t think about anything outside the two of us. I only thought of this woman, the one person in the world who knew me better than most. And I knew as many secrets about her. This had started off as pure lust, but now I couldn’t deny how fond I’d grown of her. I cared about this woman, her happiness and her pain. I always had her back against the world—and her front.

I had all the money in the world. I had all the material possessions I could ever want. My life was simple. But it was also empty and boring. For the first time in my life, I felt excitement, a kind of high that hadn’t faded away. I felt fulfilled, like there wasn’t a single thing missing.

I felt complete.

---

We packed our bags and headed back to New York.

When Thorn was with us, he was a barrier to our connection. I didn’t feel as close to her, having to share her with this man she’d known longer. They were each other’s confidant, able to say anything to each other. Titan and I already had that relationship, but in a preliminary stage. If we gave it enough time, I was convinced she would pour her heart out to me in a way she never could with him.

At least, that’s what I hoped.

We returned to the city, and Thorn took his own vehicle back to his apartment.

I’d spent the last three days with Titan consistently, so I should head back to my place and prepare for the upcoming week. But the only place I wanted to be was with her.

The guys loaded our luggage into the cars, and we spoke to each other before leaving.

“Are you heading home?” she asked.

I searched her face, trying to figure out what she wanted. Did she want me to stay? Did she want me to leave? Did it really matter what she wanted when I was calling the shots? “I should probably head home and get some work done.

She nodded, but the disappointment filled her eyes.

“Unless you want me to stay.”

She quickly hid her reaction like it had never happened in the first place. “No. I’ll see you tomorrow, Hunt.” She turned away to her car.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her back toward me, not caring if anyone saw us together. “I’ll stop by in a few hours.”

This time, she didn’t hide her reaction. Instead, she smiled.

---

I walked inside Stratosphere and took the elevator to the top floor. Whenever I walked into work, I was usually devoid of emotion. I wasn’t excited or disappointed by the prospect. It was just another day at the office, another day to make money and strengthen my reputation.

But whenever I walked into Stratosphere, I felt something different.

Knowing she would be there.

Tatum Titan, CEO of Stratosphere.

Co-CEO.

I felt the drumming of my heart, the flush of my skin, and the excitement in my pants. My eagerness didn’t only stem from my attraction. She was my favorite person in the world—and I always looked forward to seeing her.

I saw her last night—but that didn’t dampen my joy.

The elevator doors opened, and I walked onto the remodeled floor. We each had two assistants in the center of the room, each working at white desks that Titan had picked out. The office had a similar feel to the one she had in her own building, but she went out of her way to make it more masculine, knowing I owned half of this company. She did my office the same way, in the exact same tones as my penthouse.

I didn’t go straight to her office. Instead, I walked into mine and handled her emails and messages. I knew she was already there because her office door on the opposite side was wide open. For someone so fiercely private, she didn’t like barriers between her and her working space.

I needed lots of privacy.

After an hour, I walked across the room, ignoring the looks all four assistants gave me, and stepped inside her office.

But I shut the door.

She looked up from her laptop, wearing a white blouse with a tight pencil skirt. Her hair was pulled back today, in a sleek updo that made her appear more professional but just as feminine. A vase of flowers sat on her desk, pink peonies. “Good afternoon, Mr. Hunt.” She spoke to me like someone could be eavesdropping.

I didn’t care if anyone was listening in. I wanted the world to know she was mine. If only she felt the same way. “I just went through everything you sent my way. I like the changes, but I think we should keep the presentation more traditional. It’s not original, I admit, but if we don’t compete with the sleekness of our retailers, then people won’t take us seriously. Carol already did a shitty job running this place. Now we have to overcome that as well. Our rebranding should be as classy as possible.” I lowered myself into the seat in front of her desk and rested my ankle on the opposite knee. I’d rather be kissing her as she straddled my hips, but we’d agreed to be professional when we were in the office.

Even though professionalism was overrated.

Titan stared at me as she considered what I said, her eyes glued to mine. She had a remarkable talent for sorting through complex ideas without ruining the intimacy between her and the person she was speaking with. She held dominion easily, pausing without losing confidence. “You’re right. I agree.”

“I’ll get started on that.”

“Okay.” She turned back to her computer like our discussion was over. She was back to being Titan, the fierce and focused executive.

Tatum was nowhere in sight, not that I should expect her between the hours of eight and five.

I rose to my feet. “I’m heading back to my office. You know where to find me.”

“Okay.”

I didn’t look back before I walked out, knowing she wasn’t looking at me anyway.

---

I had a meeting with my officials and executives. My focus had always been on growing, making my businesses expand as much as possible. But lately, I’d been in a ruthless tycoon mood. I was buying small companies and flipping them, and I was growing Megaland at an insane rate.

I worked like there was no time to waste.

My goal was to be the richest man in the world, to pass the few men higher on the list—including Thorn Cutler.

I didn’t want that man to have any leverage over me. He inherited a hundred-year-old company, not doing a damn thing to earn it. I, on the other hand, did everything from the ground up. I was a true entrepreneur, making my own wealth and growing it. I was a man who stood on my own two feet, not on the bones of my ancestors.

I was in my office when Brett texted me.

Let’s get a beer tonight.

I kept in touch with my brother as often as my friends. He was the person I spent the holidays with, the one person in my life that was truly family. We were only half related, but I felt more related to him than I did Jax. In the back of my mind, I thought about Titan. I’d probably see her tonight, but I couldn’t blow off my brother. Sure. 6?

Yeah. You know the place.

After I finished my workout at the gym, I showered and changed before joining him at the sports bar. He was already there with a tall glass of beer in front of him. He’d already ordered me a scotch because it was sitting on my side of the table.

“Better not have put anything in my drink.”

Brett rolled his eyes. “If I wanted to kill you, I’d use my bare hands.”

“True.” I took a long drink as I stared at him across the table. He was in a gray t-shirt and jeans, sporting a beard due to his laziness. “What’s new with you?”

“Working on a new idea for a car.”

“Already?”

“Yep. I was working on the idea for the Bullet years ago.”

“You gonna give me one of those too?” I asked.

“Hell no, cheap ass. You’re gonna have to buy one.”

“Damn.” I chuckled before I took a drink.

“So, how’s it going with your lady?”

Of course that would come up. “Good.” I didn’t kiss and tell when it came to Titan. She valued her privacy like businessmen valued their bank accounts. I couldn’t tell him the details like I could with other women. As a famous face, she had a sterling reputation to protect. It was stupid that it had to be that way, but I understood.

“Good?” he asked. “That’s all you’re going to give me?”

“You asked how it was going. I answered.”

He rolled his eyes. “Are you still hooking up? Are you serious? Is this going somewhere? That’s what I’m asking.”

“I told you it was a fling.”

“Flings last two weeks, tops,” Brett said. “This is not a fling.”

It started off as one, but it’d definitely taken on a new definition.

“You do business together…you’re sleeping together…I know you like her…so what’s the deal?”

“I already told you what it was, Brett.”

His eyes narrowed. “And I think it’s all a bunch of bullshit.”

“When have I ever actually liked a woman?”

“Never,” he snapped. “Which is why you never see the same one twice. But you’ve been seeing Titan for months. What does that tell you?”

I shrugged. “She’s great in bed.”

“No woman is that great. She’s got a personality to boot, and you know it.”

I hated it when my brother analyzed me. “Why do you care, Brett?”

“I care because I want my brother to be happy. And if Titan makes you happy, don’t fuck around. Tell the woman how you feel, and be what she deserves.”

Easier said than done. “She doesn’t want to be anything more. That’s the problem.”

“She doesn’t?” he asked in surprise.

“Yeah,” I answered. “She still wants to marry Thorn.”

“Even though she’s been with you for months?”

I nodded. “She’s not interested in love.”

“Are you?”

I stared at him without blinking.

“Hunt?”

“What?” I answered.

“You want to be more than a fling, then?”

“Doesn’t matter what I want.”

“If you do, you should tell her. Come on, women like Tatum Titan don’t grow on trees. They’re once in a lifetime. You want this woman, you fucking fight for her.”

I could fight for her like a caveman, but that wouldn’t change anything. If she didn’t want to be fought for, then it was a moot point. Her arrangement with Thorn was ideal for someone like her. It protected her reputation, gave her a partner she could trust, and she would marry one of the wealthiest men in the world. It wasn’t a bad setup. Arranged marriages were common for the rich and famous. “Brett, just let it go.”

“I can’t let it go if you’re letting it go. I know you’ve been busting your ass with Megaland and buying all those other companies. You’re growing your holdings by ten percent every single month. You’ve never been this ambitious before—and that’s saying something.”

“I like money. So what?”

“We both know this isn’t about money.”

It was about a lot more than that. “I feel like things have been different between us lately…”

Brett didn’t say anything and finally just listened.

“It’s not really about the sex anymore. We talk about things…”

“That’s a good sign.”

“But when I ask her about Thorn and the future…she still gives me the same answer. But every time, her hesitance grows.”

Brett smiled. “I like where this is going.”

“I think if I stay patient, things could change. But for now, I’m leaving it alone. It’s not like she’s marrying Thorn tomorrow. When our arrangement comes to an end in a few weeks, I’ll say something.”

“Your arrangement?”

I covered up my error. “Fling, whatever.”

“Good. You shouldn’t let a woman like that slip through your fingers.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“How so?” he asked. “I’ve never met a woman like her. And if I did, you bet your ass she’d be mine.”

“Like a woman like Tatum Titan would be interested in a man like you,” I teased.

“We both know the women love me,” he said with a smile. “And yes, that’s plural.” He drank his beer, a slight grin still on his face. “Like the threesome I had last night.”

I rolled my eyes. “Thanks for sharing.”

“I’ll have to share for the both of us since you aren’t sharing shit anymore.”

I drank my scotch to cover up my silence.

“And that’s how I know Titan is damn special to you.”

“Why?”

“Because you actually respect her.”

---

I walked through the open doors into her penthouse, my bag over my shoulder. She was there to greet me, in just a t-shirt and her panties. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, and she wore light makeup, showing off her natural features. She smiled so big when she looked at me.

Fuck, my knees were weak.

She moved into my chest, wrapped her arms around my neck, and kissed me like she’d been missing me all day. Her look wasn’t cold like it was in the office. She didn’t wear that professional exterior she showed to everyone else. Her hardness faded, Titan disappearing and only Tatum remaining behind.

Tatum.

She moved her mouth with mine, her lips still stretched into a smile.

My hand moved into her hair, and I felt the warmth in my chest, my hands finally on the woman I’d been thinking about all day. My bag fell off my shoulder and hit the floor, but the sound didn’t disturb either one of us. I smiled as I kissed her, unable to wipe the smirk off my lips. I’d never forget that moment, the way she looked at me when I walked through the door.

I wished she’d look at me like that every day.

She hiked her leg around my hip, and I grabbed the back of her thigh and held it there. My fingers dug into her toned flesh, gripping her tighter. My tongue entered her mouth, and I tugged on her hair gently.

She breathed into my mouth, her small teeth gently nibbling on my bottom lip.

I didn’t interrupt our kiss as I picked her up and held her against my chest. One leg was already wrapped around me, so she hooked the other around my waist, her ankles locking together. I walked past the floor-to-ceiling window and headed to her bedroom.

We fell together on the bed, and I pulled her panties down. My jeans and shoes were kicked away, and she yanked my boxers off my muscular ass so I could get the rest away. She didn’t bother with my shirt, and I didn’t bother with hers either.

I slid inside her, and together, we took a deep breath.

Damn, it was heaven.

I held my weight on one arm so I could dig my hand into the back of her hair. I got a tight grip on the strands and rocked inside her, sliding my enormous dick into her ever-tight pussy. I’d been sleeping with her for months now, and that little channel never loosened.

I breathed against her mouth and enjoyed her touch. Her nails started at the nape of my neck and slowly dragged over my body until she reached the small of my back. She breathed harder and deeper, her petite body grinding against mine so she could get more of me. “Diesel…”

Somehow, I found that sexier than Boss Man. I didn’t correct her because I didn’t need to hear it. My spine tightened, and my dick hardened inside her. She called me by a name very few people had permission to use. But this woman had the privilege because she’d earned it. “Tatum.”

Her hands moved to my ass, and she gripped the muscle, pulling me deep inside her even though I could barely fit my length as it was. “Yes…I’m almost there.”

I’d only started, and she was already shaking underneath me.

I ground against her harder, my pelvic bone rubbing against her clit.

“Oh…” Her hands lifted my shirt, and she gripped my muscular torso, her nails starting to dig.

I kissed her before she came, giving her my hot kisses and sensual touches. I danced my tongue with hers before I pulled her bottom lip into my mouth. “Come, baby.”

She writhed underneath me, panting and screaming. Her nails made new scratches, and she squeezed my hips with her thighs and pulled me harder into her, needing all of my length as she constricted around me. “Diesel…yes.”

I came inside her in the same moment, dropping all of my seed inside, filling her until there wasn’t any space left. My favorite thing in the world was to fuck this woman, to give her all of my desire so it could sit inside her all night. I loved running my empire and reaping the rewards of the seeds I had sowed. But this was so much better.

She closed her eyes and rolled her head back, pulling me flush against her. “I love your come…”

“I love giving it to you.” I tasted the sweat off her lips as I kissed her. My lips moved to her neck and her shoulders, kissing her harder than I had earlier. I sprinkled kisses along her collarbone, blanketing her in my worship.

Would she really want to walk away from this when our arrangement was over? Would she find anyone who could rock her world the way I could? Would she find this kind of passion, this kind of desire?

She opened her eyes and looked at me, her gaze heavy with satisfaction and exhaustion. Her hands migrated into my hair, and she felt the strands as she gently ground against me, feeling my cock soften inside her. “I want you again.”

“Baby, you know I’m not done with you.”

---

I stood behind her in the shower and rubbed the body wash into her back, touching her delicate shoulder blades, the long road of her back, and the deep curve in her spine. She was a petite woman, and I didn’t realize it until I looked at her like this—completely naked.

In her dresses and heels, she seemed to be six feet tall. With her intimidating gaze, she felt bigger, stronger, more powerful. But in reality, this was all she was. Five feet something. I grabbed her arms and pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, tasting the remains of her shampoo.

She stilled at my touch, tilting her head forward so I could have more of her.

She invited me to kiss her, so I wrapped my arm around her chest and pulled her tighter into me. I kissed her shoulders, her collarbone, and her neck. My arms were twice as big as hers, my hands covering most of her body because they were so much larger than her petite frame. I wasn’t hard because my body needed a break, but my mind was just as attracted to her as ever before.

And I just liked touching her.

She turned around and looked up at me, the playfulness in her eyes. “You’re one hell of a kisser.”

“Only when I kiss you.”

We rinsed off then dried ourselves with towels. We didn’t have dinner that night because neither one of us thought twice about it. We got into bed once we were done, Titan wearing the t-shirt I came over in. I put on my boxers then settled into her large bed, the large window showing the city outside.

The line drawn in the center of the bed was now nonexistent. She was either on my side, or I was on her side. I pulled her into me just the way I liked, with her leg wrapped around my waist. My face was pressed close to hers, close enough that I could feel her breath fall on my face when she breathed.

Now all of this was routine.

It was time for sleep. I had to wake up early in the morning and head to the gym before work. She was up at the same time as me, usually working on her computer while she had her morning coffee. Work was something we never needed to explain to each other. We were both passionate about everything we worked toward, and we both understood our businesses were our legacy.

I watched her heavy eyes fight the wave of sleep that took over. She was tired from her long day, tired from all the sex, and her body was betraying her. But somehow, she felt the urge and stayed awake.

A small smile formed on my lips while I watched her. “Can I ask you something, baby?”

“You always ask me things.”

“Then can I ask another?”

“Sure,” she whispered.

“Your publishing house…why won’t you sell it?” Whatever her reason was, it wasn’t a business one. It had some personal significance to her. It was a dying business, publishing going in such a different direction that no one had expected.

The sleepiness immediately left her eyes. “I hope you aren’t still trying to buy it.”

I chuckled. “No. I’ve learned it’s not smart to do business against Tatum Titan, but rather, with her.”

“Good answer,” she said with a small smile.

I waited for the real answer.

“My father was a poet. He wrote short stories too. While he was putting food on the table, he tried to sell his work to publishers. He always dreamed he could make a living as a writer, so he could spend more time with me at home. That never happened for him…so I made sure his work got published.”

I stared at her in disbelief, seeing the soft side of this endearing woman. She was emotional, affectionate, and deeply loyal. She never forgot those she loved, and she spent her life honoring them. The world had labeled her as a cold-hearted businesswoman, but she was so much more than that. She was compassionate, sweet, and painfully beautiful.

She turned over and opened her nightstand drawer. She pulled out a small book, no thicker than a hundred pages. She turned back to me and showed me the cover. It was a plain blue cover with ocean waves in the background. The name at the bottom read T. Titan.

“T. Titan?” I whispered. “Your father?”

“Tom Titan,” she explained. “The first letter is an initial because that’s how he labeled all of his poems. I just assumed that’s how he would have wanted it.”

I took the book from her and flipped to a random page. Italicized words were printed, long poems about the pain of life as well as the beauty in it. I was dense when it came to poetry, but it wasn’t hard to see the quality. In just a few pages, I felt like I knew the man who had made such an impression on the woman beside me, the woman who grew into the most powerful woman in the world. “He’d be so proud of you, Tatum…”

“I know,” she whispered. “And I hope he’s looking down right now…seeing all the people who bought his book.”

“How does it sell?”

“Pretty well, actually. But then again…I publish very few other poetry collections. He doesn’t have much competition on my shelves.”

“Even if there were, these are the clear winners.”

“Thanks. My dad was a great writer. Sometimes they were difficult to read…when he talked about the constant struggle for money, losing my mom, raising a little girl on his own…being diagnosed with cancer. His entire life is chronicled in this book. After he died, I got to know him a new way.”

“Did you find this after he passed away?”

“No. I knew he was a writer when I was growing up. After I became a successful businesswoman, I decided to do something with it. No publishing house was interested in poetry, said it didn’t make money. So I bought a publishing house and published it myself.”

I admired her dedication. “You finished his life’s work…but you’re also his life’s work.”

“I wish he was still here. I miss him every day.”

“I miss my mom too.”

A thin film of moisture coated her eyes, but she blinked it away, making it disappear altogether. She grabbed the book and returned it to the nightstand. “It’s nice that you understand…but I wish you didn’t understand.”

“I know.”

She cuddled into me again, her arm resting around my waist.

“Thanks for telling me.”

“Of course…”

My lips brushed against her forehead, and my fingers felt her soft hair. Her smell enveloped me, hugging me like a soft blanket. I was more used to her mattress than my own now. The rare times I slept alone were the nights I slept the worst. Now I was used to having her beside me every single day.

I didn’t want to imagine my life when she was gone.

---

We had breakfast at the table together, sipping coffee and eating egg whites with greens. Most of the time, I didn’t see her eat anything in the morning. She seemed to skip lunch too. And then she hardly touched her food at dinner.

I’d have to say something about it eventually.

She used her tablet at the table, already dressed and ready to walk into the office like a bombshell. She wore stilettos as tall as skyscrapers and a skirt so tight it lifted her perfect nectarine even further. She was a perfect ten wrapped up in executive clothing.

Instead of focusing on my emails, I kept looking at her.

She didn’t look up from her tablet. “What?”

“I can look at all I want. That’s what.”

“But you must get tired of looking at this same face.”

“Never.”

She smiled before she set the device aside. She took one last drink of her coffee before she left the table and grabbed her purse. It was black and shiny, Connor Suede’s logo discreetly printed on the side of the bag.

Piece of shit.

I picked up on her not so subtle hint and grabbed my satchel from the door. I was dressed in my suit and tie, ready for another day at the office.

She walked to the elevator doors and hit the button. “I’ll follow after you.”

We didn’t go down in the elevator at the same time anymore. Titan considered it to be too suspicious. “I’ll see you later.” My arm circled her waist, and I leaned in and gave her a kiss goodbye. It was short and right to the point, but it was still a nice way to start my day. I walked into the elevator and rode it to the bottom.

A few other people stepped out of the other elevators and exited through the lobby, all executives heading off to work. The doorman opened the door for me, and I stepped onto the sidewalk.

And spotted Bruce Carol getting into the back seat of a blacked-out car.

That was the second time I’d seen him near Titan’s building.

Was that a coincidence? Or not a coincidence? Before I drew more attention to myself, I got into the back seat of my car, and my driver took off. I wasn’t planning on mentioning the first time I saw Bruce to Titan, but now that I’d seen him a second time, I’d have to say something.

Hopefully, it was nothing but my paranoia.

My driver stopped at the stoplight, and the red light seemed to drag on forever. I didn’t have to worry about being late to the office because I was the one who made the rules, but I didn’t like wasting time either.

I looked out the window and noticed a little bookstore on the corner.

“Circle the block and pick me up at this corner.” I got out of the back seat, walked into the store, and browsed the poetry aisle until I found what I was looking for.

T. Titan.

I grabbed the hardback and opened the dustjacket. There was a small biography about T. Titan, and the picture was an image of him with a little girl in his lap. With dark hair in pigtails, she looked to be about five years old. He was smiling down at her, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. I could see some similarities between them, especially their eyes. They were identical.

I had my mom’s eyes too.

I went to the register and bought it.