I successfully directed the rage away from Thorn, providing a very different outlook on the breakup. I came clean about my love for Diesel, confessing to the world that he was the man I wanted for the rest of my life. A weight had lifted off my shoulders, but a new stress had swept over me at the same time.

There was no going back now.

Our privacy was something I greatly valued. I loved being together without anyone knowing about it. It made it much more intimate, much more special. Now cameras would be in our faces all of the time, and our relationship would be a spectacle that tabloids would constantly comment on. There would always be rumors, always be lies.

But I knew Diesel hated the secrecy, and it would be wrong to continue to hide him. I certainly wasn’t ashamed of him, so I needed to stop acting like it.

My eyes kept drifting back to the phone on my coffee table, hoping it would ring. I hoped I would see Thorn’s name on the screen. But that call never came. The screen remained black, and I continued to sit in the dark as I waited for Diesel to walk inside.

A moment later, he did.

He stepped inside my penthouse in the suit he wore to work, skipping the gym and heading straight for my place. That was an admission of knowledge, that he knew about the interview I gave earlier that afternoon. He obviously wasn’t happy about it. Otherwise, he would have mentioned it sooner.

“Hi.” I rose to my feet, my heels gone, so I was back to being five inches shorter than I usually was.

He stripped off his coat and left it by the door. “Did you see the reporters outside?”

“That was all I could see.”

He walked toward me, a powerful man in a powerful suit. His suit was just as crisp as it had been when he put it on that morning. He always looked good in black, but then again, he looked good in every other color too.

He walked up to me then angled his neck down so he could look into my face. There wasn’t anger in his look, but there wasn’t happiness either. His hands moved to my waist, and his fingers dug into me tightly, touching me possessively even though he hadn’t kissed me yet. “Did you mean what you said?”

My eyes moved to his lips, seeing the stubble along his jaw.

“That I’m your soul mate?”

My arms rested on his, and I looked at his chest, seeing the silk tie that covered the buttons of his shirt. “I can’t think of anyone else I would sacrifice so much for…” My fingers felt his biceps through the fabric, my eyes still on his chest.

His hand moved to my neck, and he tilted my face up so I was forced to meet his gaze.

“Loving you has gone against my better judgment. My love is more powerful than reason, more crazy than it is sane. The second you walked into my life, everything has been different. I’ve changed all my priorities to accommodate you, broken rules I vowed never to break. The only man I would ever do that for is the love of my life…and that’s you.”

His thumb sat in the corner of my mouth, and he watched me with an intense expression. He didn’t crack a smile, but he smothered me with his gaze. His hand tightened on my hip, and he shifted his body closer to mine. “And you’re mine.” He leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth, his touch warm and erotic. His lips trailed down my cheek then along my jawline toward my ear. He kissed the shell before he spoke. “I knew the moment I laid eyes on you.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against his chest. His chin rested on my head, and his large arms encompassed most of my back. I felt like I was being squeezed by a python as well as a strong man.

My face rested against his broad chest. “I’m surprised you aren’t mad at me.”

“I was. But what’s done is done.”

“I was going to tell you… I just never got around to it. And then when I saw Thorn…”

“I understand.”

“But he hasn’t called. I know he saw it.”

His arm moved up the center of my shoulder blades, and he gently caressed my hair. “He’ll come around.”

“I don’t know. I thought he would call by now.”

“He’s probably just digesting everything. Once he sees the aftermath of what you did, he’ll be back.”

“I hope so.” I stepped back from his embrace so I could look at his face. I found comfort in the hardness of his features, the masculine edges that made him handsome and slightly terrifying. “I’m really happy with what we have. But I’m constantly held back by my sorrow. It’s like a pain in my stomach that just won’t go away.”

Diesel had been understanding of Thorn from the very beginning. He was never threatened by my relationship with him, and he wanted us to keep our special friendship. Anyone else wouldn’t have tolerated it. “I know, baby. I really believe it’ll work out. You just need to be patient a little longer.”

I gave a slight nod, falling into that reassurance. I’d just told the world that I was the reason Thorn and I weren’t together. Some people would take the news with an open mind, but some would call me a two-timing whore. Some would turn their backs on me, and others would publish hateful articles about my character and demeanor. People would question my business ethics next. When it came to women, everything else about their life was brought into question. But if I were a man, no one would think twice about it. I was willing to accept the punishment directed my way, but I just hoped it wasn’t all in vain.

All I wanted was my friend back.

Diesel continued to stare into my face, watching me with concern and intensity. “I’m sorry you had to do this, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy that the world knows about the two of us.”

That was all he’d wanted, for a long time. “I know.”

“I know the guys are going to be mad…but they’ll get over it. I’ve accomplished a lot of things in my life, things I’m immensely proud of. But I have to say, I’ve never been more proud of anything than you. Tatum Titan told the whole world that she loves me… I’m such a lucky man.”

My hands slid up his chest, my mouth forming a soft smile. “Because I’m a notch on your belt?”

“No.” His hands squeezed my hips. “Because you erased all my old notches.”

---

Neither one of us thought about dinner, and we spent our time in bed. We made love a few times, climaxing together and soaking the sheets with the aroma of sex. I was on top for one round, but he quickly took over for the next.

Then we lay side by side, cuddled together and relaxed in our mutual silence. My fingers moved over the grooves of his chest and shoulders, and I didn’t think about the world outside my penthouse. Undoubtedly, every news station mentioned the live interview I gave that afternoon. People were dissecting it, breaking it down over and over again. Reporters must have reached out to Thorn and his team for a comment on the story. Knowing him, he declined.

Diesel only had eyes for me. He could have stared at the ceiling or the sheets, but his eyes remained focused on me. His large hands explored my body like he hadn’t just touched me everywhere for the past hour. His rough fingertips glided against my hips and around my waist. “Beautiful.”

“You always say that.”

“Because I mean it.” His voice was deep and scruffy, rough like the hair around his jaw. His eyes were unremarkable in appearance, not bright and rare the way Thorn’s were, but they suited him perfectly. Their deep color, their powerful vibrancy, ideally matched the man who wore them.

“I think you’re beautiful.”

He grinned. “Well, obviously.”

I chuckled then lightly swatted him on the arm. “I do.”

“I know, baby.” His hand slid to my stomach, where he gripped my waistline and the small abs that existed just below my skin. “I had lunch with my father today.”

I hadn’t expected Vincent and Diesel to speak for a while. They’d had a good conversation, but I’d expected it to be months before Diesel would see him in a setting like that. “You did?” I should have wiped my smile away, but I couldn’t.

“Yeah. He stopped by my office and asked me to go.”

“That’s nice.”

“At first, I said no. I didn’t want to do something so normal when we were anything but normal. But then I felt guilty for turning him down. He didn’t show his disappointment, but I could tell he was hoping for more. So I said yes…”

“And how was it?”

“Awkward and uncomfortable.”

My smile fell. “It’s not going to be easy in the beginning.”

“We stuck to discussions about business. That made it a little easier.”

“Baby steps.”

“And then he mentioned your plan to tell the media about your relationship with Thorn.” He flashed me a look full of accusation. “I was caught off guard because it surprised me that you would tell my father something like that before you told me.”

He didn’t paint me in a good light. Made it seem like I was purposely hiding the news from him. “I was having a bad day when he called. So we got to talking, and I asked for his advice. He was actually the one who suggested it.”

His gaze darkened.

“I liked the idea, so I considered it for a while. But I wasn’t going to say anything to you until I made a decision.”

“And then what happened?” he asked. “Because I never got a phone call.”

“I saw Thorn in that restaurant…and I just went for it. I was upset and emotional. I just want this pain to stop. I know it was stupid and could do more harm than good, but I had to do something. If it works, then I’ll have no regrets. And if it doesn’t work…at least I’ll know I tried.”

His anger washed away, and his hand caressed me. “It’ll work, baby.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you first.”

“It’s okay. I was just surprised you told my father first.”

“I didn’t plan on it. But he’s actually a very easy person to talk to. He asked me a few things, and before I knew it, I was telling him everything about Thorn and me.” Diesel painted his father as an evil man, someone who didn’t have a soul. But Vincent had treated me better than most men ever had, even before he knew I was seeing his son. I felt like an equal to him, someone he respected. I never took for granted those kinds of relationships because they were so rare. Thorn was one of the few who never thought twice about having women in positions of power. A lot of the high-ranking employees in his company were women.

“My father and I never really had conversations like that. We stuck to money, business, or my education. That’s about it.”

“Maybe things will be different now.”

He stared into my eyes for a long time. “Maybe.”

I understood Diesel was still hesitant to let his father back into his heart. I couldn’t blame him, not after the things Vincent had done. His wrongful behavior came from pain, but it didn’t excuse the lengths he was willing to go to to hurt Diesel. “So, I’ve been thinking.”

“You’re always thinking.”

“Since you aren’t the person who betrayed me, that means someone else did. We should figure out who that person is. If they really have a vendetta against me, I don’t want them to sneak up on me when I’m not looking.” I spent most of my time looking over my shoulder. As a woman with a lot of power, there were always people trying to take it away from me. I made enemies with people I’d never even met. Some people didn’t find my success just intimidating, but wrong.

Diesel’s expression changed into a look I’d never seen before. His mouth formed a partial smile, and his eyes lit up in a special way. His fingers kneaded the soft skin of my waist a little harder than before. “It means the world to me to hear you say that.”

I never got the evidence I needed to clear Diesel’s name, but I refused to believe a man who loved me so much would ever hurt me. He always had my back, even when I didn’t know it, and he’d been loyal to me since the beginning. Maybe Thorn thought I was being stupid, but I was willing to gamble on Diesel. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you sooner.”

“Don’t apologize for that,” he whispered. “It’s over. I just want you to know it means a lot to me. That’s all.” He moved his face against mine on the pillow and kissed the corner of my mouth, his scruff rubbing against my soft skin. It was a slow kiss, sensual and deep like all the others, but it was filled with even more meaning. He pulled away a moment later, his eyes still filled with the same look of love.

I enjoyed the sight of his handsome face for another moment before I spoke. “Who do you think it is?”

He released a quiet sigh. “I’m not sure, baby. With Thorn—”

“It’s not him.” I didn’t believe in a lot of things, but Thorn was something I believed in deeply. There was no doubt in my mind that he would never betray me. Even now, he still wouldn’t hurt me.

Diesel didn’t push it. “That leads me back to Bruce Carol.”

“He didn’t act guilty. And if he did all those things, I don’t know why he wouldn’t gloat.”

“Me neither,” he said. “Unless there’s another stage to his plan…”

I hoped not. I finally had Diesel publicly, and I was on the road to happiness. I didn’t want to be attacked again. “What about Vincent?”

Diesel didn’t reject it right away. “I’ve been wondering that too. He’s been watching both of us for a long time, and we’ve both seen exactly what he’s capable of.”

I admit Vincent did some terrible things, but that seemed unlikely. “I don’t think he would do that.”

“I don’t know…he did blackmail me.”

“But he also didn’t go through with it.”

“Because you told him not to,” he countered.

“I doubt he would have done it even if I hadn’t.”

“No way for us to know. I know you want my father and me to work things out, but let’s not rewrite history. He’s capable of terrible things because he’s done terrible things.”

I wanted to believe Vincent was a better man than he made himself seem, but I knew that would be naïve. “Then let’s ask him.”

“Outright?”

“Yes. Maybe he did do it. But I don’t think he’d lie about it.”

Diesel considered it in silence, his eyes shifting back and forth as he looked into mine. “You’re right. He wouldn’t lie.” He seemed to be reliving a memory behind his eyes. “That was something he always said to me. A man doesn’t lie about the things he’s done. He admits them openly and faces the consequences.”

“Then I guess we’ll start there.”

---

I checked the headlines that afternoon

Diesel Hunt and Tatum Titan—Soul Mates?

Titan Followed Her Heart to True Happiness.

Tatum Titan—Lying Two-Timer?

Thorn Cutler Is the Man Of Her Dreams, Just Not Her Soul Mate.

I skimmed through a dozen more and was pleased to see the overall reaction. A few people said some harsh things about my character, but it didn’t hurt because I’d been anticipating that. Most people concentrated on the fact that I’d fallen in love with the person I was meant to be with, and I didn’t have any other choice but to do what I did. They seemed to be understanding, and most importantly, Thorn came out looking good rather than bad. I did my best to make sure it seemed like I was the one losing out on him, not the other way around.

Jessica spoke through the phone. “I have Vincent Hunt on line one.”

“Thanks.” I picked up the phone and took the call without thinking twice about it. Vincent had become a part of my life overnight. Now I didn’t hesitate whenever he was on the line. “Hey, Vincent.”

“Hello, Titan. I’ve been reading the tabloids today, something I never do. You did a great job.”

“Thanks…it seems to be working.”

“That wasn’t easy to do. You controlled the narrative and manipulated the media into reporting a specific version of the story you told. Impressive.”

I chuckled. “Well, I’ve been the subject of the media for a long time…”

“And you handle it gracefully,” he said with a deep voice, a tone similar to Diesel’s. “Has Thorn reached out to you?”

I hated giving this answer. I hated staring at my phone all day as I waited for him to call. I hated this separation between us, terrified that there was nothing I could do to get my friend back. “No.”

Vincent was quiet for a long time, his silence stretching over the phone. “I’m sorry to hear that. But it’s only been one day.”

“Yeah…”

Vincent sat on the phone with me, letting the silence stretch between us.

There were very few people I could just sit on the phone with. Diesel and Thorn were the other two. “Diesel and I wanted to ask you something. Are you free tonight?”

“No, but I can be free.”

“You don’t need to rearrange your plans—”

“There’s nothing I’d rather be doing than spending time with my son.” He cut me off with his strong voice, laying down the law so effortlessly, it was no surprise he was one of the biggest suits in the world. “Just tell me when and where.”

“How about my place after work?”

“I’ll be there.”

“May I ask what your plans were?” I’d never ask anyone else a personal question like that, but I felt like I could. Vincent knew most of the intimate details of my life to a high degree.

He didn’t say anything for a while. “Dinner with a woman I’m seeing.”

I’d seen him with a few different women at events or in the papers, but I’d never given his personal life much thought before. Every woman he had on his arm was gorgeous and half his age. But he had a special kind of handsomeness that had followed him throughout life. I knew he could get those women not just because he was rich, but because he was exceptionally good-looking. “I’d tell you to bring her along, but the conversation is private.”

“I wouldn’t bring her around anyway. We aren’t serious.” Just like his son, he was the kind of man that didn’t commit.

I didn’t ask any more questions. “I’ll see you then.”

---

By evening, I still hadn’t heard from Thorn.

Maybe he would never call.

What more did he have to think about? I put myself on the line and risked humiliating myself to the entire world. That didn’t mean anything to him? My sadness was starting to escalate into anger. Thorn had every right to be mad about the things that I did, but he shouldn’t stay angry forever.

Diesel stepped out of the elevator in his gray suit and black tie. Even though the penthouse was mine, he owned it every single time he was in the space. His silent intensity, his strong presence always filled every single inch of the place.

I got up to meet him, trying to swallow the sadness I felt about Thorn.

But there was no hiding from Diesel. With just one look, he could read every expression on my face. His hand dug into my hair, and he kissed me in the living room, his strong mouth caressing mine.

My arms circled his neck, and I let my fingers explore his short hair. He smelled like cologne and scotch, obviously having had a few drinks during the day. He’d shaved that morning so I felt his smooth skin against my mouth. He was warm and hard, a man made of solid muscle and bones of steel.

His hands slid to my waist, and he rested them on the curve of my back. “Don’t lose hope.”

“I’ll try.”

He kissed my temple before he released me. “Do I have time to shower?”

“He’ll be here any minute.” Just when I finished the sentence, the elevator beeped. “Looks like he’s here.”

The doors opened a moment later, and Vincent stepped out in a navy blue suit with a black tie. He had the same threatening expression in his eyes even when his intent was to be friendly. He stepped inside and greeted us both with a look. He still hadn’t shaken Diesel’s hand or extended any other kind of affection, probably knowing it was too soon.

“Can I get you something to drink, Vincent?”

“No, thank you.” He turned his eyes on his son, the person in the room he cared most about.

Diesel wore a similar expression to his father’s, meeting his gaze with the same silent strength. It seemed to be a family trait—that confident stare. His hands moved into his pockets, dismissing any kind of physical greeting. Diesel remained on edge, always tense whenever his father was in the same room. As if that lunch had never happened, they were still worlds apart.

I ushered the men into the living room. “Let’s have a seat.” If I didn’t break their trance, there was no way to know how long they would stare at each other. We moved to the couch, Diesel and me on one while Vincent took the other.

That heavy silence stretched out again.

I cleared my throat before I spoke. “Diesel and I wanted to ask you something.”

Vincent rested his elbows on his knees and brought his hands together. “I’m listening.”

“A few months ago, someone leaked that story about me to the papers.”

Vincent nodded. “I remember.”

“The newspaper claimed Diesel was the source, but Diesel denies it.”

Vincent nodded again. “I know. I read it.”

“Well, it wasn’t Diesel,” I said. “We think someone tried to frame him. We aren’t sure who did it, and we aren’t certain why either.”

Vincent’s gaze slowly shifted back and forth between the two of us. He examined me like a specimen under a microscope, and then he turned his attention back to his son, watching him with the same intense scrutiny. “You think it was me.”

“No,” I said quickly. “We’re asking if it was you.”

Diesel rested his hand on my thigh, his affection natural even when we weren’t alone. “Was it?”

Vincent’s expression didn’t change. He didn’t seem angered by the question. In fact, he didn’t have any real reaction at all. “No. I want to feel offended by the accusation, but I know I have no right to be.”

That was enough for me. I believed Vincent would come clean if he had been the perpetrator.

Diesel didn’t ask any more questions either.

“You’re a powerful woman, Titan,” Vincent said. “They say it’s lonely at the top because it is. You’ve built an empire entirely on your own, and no matter what obstacles get in your way, you still carry on with your head held high. Of course, people will be jealous. Of course, they’ll want to tear you down. That’s probably the reason why, simple as that. In regards to who’s behind it…that’s not as simple.”

I suspected I would never get to the bottom of this. I could have an archnemesis working alongside me every day. Perhaps it was an old vendor, a previous client…I didn’t know. All I knew was that it wasn’t Diesel—and it wasn’t Vincent.

Vincent continued. “This person probably fulfilled their desire when they published that story about you. They got what they wanted and moved on with their life. There’s a good possibility it’s over. You don’t need to look over your shoulder anymore. Your reputation has remained intact despite all the roadblocks.”

“Or they aren’t finished,” Diesel added. “And we’ll always be looking over our shoulders for the next attack.”

Everyone had an enemy. No one was unanimously liked by every person they met throughout their life. There were always potholes along the road.

Vincent rubbed his large hands together. “I can help. Keeps my eyes and ears open. Do you have any suspects?”

“Bruce Carol,” Diesel said. “Titan and I both competed for his company when it was going under. He said some pretty offensive things about Titan, so I bowed out of the deal. Titan purchased the company for a fraction of what I offered, and it wasn’t enough to cover all of his debts, so he essentially lost everything.”

Vincent stopped rubbing his hands together, his eyes focusing on Diesel. “I think you have your culprit right there.”

“I confronted him,” Diesel continued. “He denied it.”

“Doesn’t matter if he denied it,” Vincent said. “Of course, he’s going to lie out of his ass. That’s what weasels like him do.” He lowered his hands then straightened his posture. “Anyone else come to mind?”

“No,” I said. “Diesel thought it was Thorn, but that’s impossible.”

“You’re certain?” Vincent pressed.

It was stupid for me to have suspected him in the first place. “Absolutely.”

“Then Bruce is your man,” Vincent said. “When a man hits rock bottom, there’s no telling what he’ll do. I’ve heard he’s a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen, so it doesn’t surprise me one bit.”

“What did you hear?” I wasn’t ignorant of the inappropriate events that took place in the business world. When wealthy men had power and friends in high places, they thought they were invincible. They abused their power by forcing women to do whatever they wanted or face the professional consequences. I’d been touched inappropriately in the office before, and I didn’t feel any remorse when I sprained a few ankles and knees. No one could pull stunts like that with me. Once I became the richest woman in the world, men didn’t think about crossing me anymore.

Vincent answered simply. “Threatens to fire women if they don’t give him what they want. For interviews for assistant positions, he has them meet him at a hotel where he conducts the interview in his hotel room. He offers them a great paycheck with benefits, but says they have to convince him to hire them…very shady stuff.”

That man really was vile. I felt terrible for his wife and children. I didn’t blame them for leaving.

“Fits the description perfectly,” Diesel said. “I guess I’ll keep him on my radar. Last I heard, his penthouse had been seized by the banks and he was leaving the city. Not sure where he’s going or if he has offshore accounts somewhere.”

“Every wealthy person does,” Vincent said. “I have an idea.”

“What?” I asked.

“I’ve met with Bruce a few times. We haven’t done business together extensively, but we know each other well enough. He’s aware that Diesel and I haven’t spoken in a decade. It’s come up in conversation before. I could arrange a meeting with him and determine his feelings toward Titan.” His eyes shifted to me. “I could say some terrible things and see if he confesses. You can’t take legal action against a man who doesn’t have anything, at least, if it’s not a criminal case. But at least you would have your answer.”

Vincent Hunt was busier than most, but he lived off the radar. His name was well-known, and his businesses were huge, but he stayed out of the tabloids. He led a quiet life out of the public eye. For him to get involved in this was generous. “You’d do that?”

He held my gaze with the same confidence Diesel always showed. “Anything I can do to help.”

“He might know it’s a setup,” Diesel said.

“And if he realizes it is, I don’t care,” Vincent said. “No harm done.”

“I don’t want him to have a vendetta against you as well,” I countered.

“I’m untouchable.” He leaned back against the couch and rested his arm over the back. “I have security with me at all times, even if they can’t be seen. The penthouse directly across from mine is staffed with a team that does surveillance for my private use. I’m not worried about a broke man who was too proud to save his business when he had the chance.” He leaned forward again, adjusting his cuff links. “We have a plan?”

Diesel considered it before he gave a nod. “Yeah. We have a plan.”