IT HAD BEEN years since I’d stepped foot in the master suite at Rye. I know that sounds crazy. I didn’t sell the house after Jo died. I couldn’t. It was my mother’s. She loved this house. I had to separate myself from my loss.

I stayed away. I avoided my childhood home like it was the plague. In my mind it’d killed not only my mother but my wife too. For all practical purposes I gave it to Silvia. She deserved it more than me. She cared for it and honored it. I probably wouldn’t be here now, nor would Oren or Adelaide or Charli, if Silvia had taken me up on the offer I made her.

Despite what I knew would become an argument with Oren, I had the deed ready to sign over to Silvia. Everything was there except my signature. Deloris was the one who convinced me to take the paperwork to Rye, sit down with Silvia, and let her know that the house was hers. I was ready to do it from New York City and forget about it.

The conversation that ensued was one that only siblings can appreciate. Charli called Chelsea her sister. Silvia was mine. Fuck blood. Siblings weren’t defined by blood, but by life, by triumphs and heartbreaks. My mother had told me that Silvia came to live with us because she needed a family. I don’t think I really appreciated that until I needed one too.

With my mother and wife gone and father halfway around the fucking world, I made an interesting discovery the day I came back to Rye. I learned that Silvia shared my loss. My mom was like her mom. My wife had been like her sister-in-law. Yes, Silvia had maintained the house, but not out of obligation to me. She did it out of love and devotion to the women who loved this house and who loved us both.

I handed her the papers. She had the ownership in her hands and in classic Italian-family reverence, she threw them at me and told me to grow up. I’ll never forget the look on her face as the papers scattered all over the kitchen floor. “I don’t need this house. I don’t need the money you say I can make by selling it.” She pointed directly at me. “I would never sell it. It’s not mine to sell and, Lennox, it’s not yours either. It’s Angelina’s. She loved this house because it represented her family. Face your ghosts and man up. This house needs you.”

She challenged me to stay one night. Dared me. Like a fucking sister would dare her brother and because that’s how my mother wanted us to be, I accepted. It was one of the longest nights of my life.

To this day, I don’t know if Oren knows that I wanted to rid myself of the house. I still don’t think it’s his concern. Nevertheless, I made peace with it. The next day, Silvia and I made our peace too.

She’s my family—blood or no blood.

I started making an effort to visit more often. It was usually only for dinner, but when Oren was in town, occasionally I’d stay. I told myself it was to keep him away from my apartment in the city. Perhaps that was true.

We never discussed it, but Oren always took the master suite. I admit that at first it pissed me off, thinking of my mother there alone while he was off doing whatever in the hell he was doing. However, with time, I secretly appreciated his saving me from reentering that room. Over the years I’d avoided it.

The room down the hall was perfectly acceptable.

When I arrived tonight, I imagined finding Charli asleep in the bed we’d shared. I assumed that would be the room Silvia would give her. I’d only just opened the door to the darkened room when I’d heard her voice—not only her voice, her despair. It flowed down the hallway in a cloud, emanating from where she was and reaching out to me.

Stepping through that doorway to the master bedroom suite… there was so much at once. Though my eyes immediately went to Charli, I couldn’t help but see my father holding the hand of another woman. My teeth clenched knowing that this was the same room he’d at one time shared with my mother. In that millisecond, I took in Charli’s mom. It was the first time I’d seen her in person, and yet I’d barely noticed her. My Charli had dominated my vision and needed my attention.

Ghosts no longer registered. My father was no longer relevant. All that mattered was Charli—her swollen eyes, tearstained cheeks, and broken expression. The woman in the bed had her attention. That woman wasn’t someone taking my mom’s place: she was Charli’s mom.

I was running on fumes. We all were.

If her devil of a stepfather and even the law couldn’t keep us separated, memories wouldn’t.

I closed Oren’s door and left him, the nurse, and Adelaide behind.

I held tighter to Charli’s hand as we began down the hallway. It was time for us.

I needed to hold her, comfort her, and do everything in my power to ease the tension surging through her beautiful, petite body and emanating from her.

Pulling her close, I brushed my lips against hers and sighed. Damn, it didn’t matter where we were or who was fighting against us, as long as I had her in my arms, life was right.

“Amore mio?” she asked.

“Always.”

Her golden eyes opened wider as I opened the door to our suite. “What does it mean?”

Closing the door, I pulled her against me. “It means my love. And you are. Seeing you, holding you, having you here, makes the hell of the last nearly two weeks worth it.”

As her arms encircled my neck, she buried her cheek against my chest. “I don’t understand. Why would your dad say that to my mom?”

“Princess, can we save all other topics for tomorrow… after we sleep?”

She nodded, her earlier broken expression melting into one of surrender. It wasn’t me that she was about to surrender to, but sleep.

“Sleep.” She elongated the word like it was a pipedream.

“Yes, you and me…” I tilted my head toward the large bed. “…there.”

Charli hummed. “Don’t let me go.”

“Never.”

She tugged my hand. “I mean it. I don’t think I’ve slept, really slept. I want to know—no need to know—you’re with me.”

“I’m with you always. It sounds like your mom is doing better. Now it’s time for us to rest.” I smirked knowing it was already tomorrow. “And later today, once we’re awake, we’ll talk.”

She nodded against my chest before looking up. “How did you get away from the police? I got Isaac’s text on your phone, but it just said you were on your way.”

“Later.”

She shook her head as she pulled away and walked toward the bed. “I hate to leave my mom, but I’m so tired.”

As Charli pulled down the covers, I turned on the light in the bathroom. “Give me a minute. I’ll be right there.”

I’d spent most of the day waiting for the damn party and then hours waiting along a dirt road. Then I ran on the same dirt road, knocked the shit out of two guards, and punched Alton Fitzgerald. That was all before I was arrested. All in all, it was a fucking long day.

I turned on the shower and as it warmed, shed my clothes, leaving them in a pile upon the tile as the room filled with humidity. Just before I stepped inside, the most beautiful image filled my vision. Coming from around the door, walking through the cloud was Charli. She’d lost the clothes she’d been wearing, leaving us both dressed, or undressed, to match.

“Fuck, princess, I thought you said you were exhausted?”

Her small hand rested upon my bare chest and her fingers splayed. She tilted her head toward the shower as her long hair hung in waves and flowed over her shoulder. “If we get in there, can we wash it all away? Like the time with my makeup… when you made it all go away… can you do that again?”

I kissed her forehead. “We can give it a try.”

The hot water prickled like small needles on my skin as I stepped under the spray. Using my body, I shielded Charli, turning down the heat until the temperature adjusted and we both could comfortably step under the warm waterfall. Just as she’d asked, each drop eased the tension, washing it away until it swirled on the tile and disappeared down the drain.

Behind the glass doors the mist filled with the aroma of fruit—something citrus—as I massaged shampoo into Charli’s long silky hair. In the light of the shower, her red tresses darkened, bringing out a rich, beautiful mahogany hue. With her hands on the side of the shower, her head bowed forward as I covered her, cleaning away the last week—the last two. The conditioner, the body wash… each step removed a little more of the edge. When we were done, Charli turned in my arms, wrapped her arms around my waist, and under the still-hot spray broke down.

It wasn’t the reaction my body had been hoping for. I knew we were both tired, but having her naked body next to mine had an effect that my brain could do little to control.

Instead of taking the woman I loved, I held her shoulders as they shuddered.

“I love you.”

She shook her head. “I’m so sorry. There’s so much I need to tell you.”

Did she know about the marriage license? Had she signed it but didn’t want to admit it? Did this have to do with Spencer? She’d kissed him to distract him. What else had she done? What had he done?

Turning off the water, I reached for her chin.

“I need to know just one thing.”

Her tear-filled eyes lifted to mine.

“Do you still want to be here with me?”

Her entire body lost tension as she exhaled. “Oh God, yes. If you still want me. You thought you were getting a cash-strapped girl—at worst, an opportunistic girl—who signed with Infidelity and you thought that was a mess. I’m not that person. I’m so much more of a mess than that.”

“I had no idea who I was getting when I spoke to you in Del Mar. I only knew that there was something about you, something I needed and wanted. On that first night, when you walked out of my suite, I knew I had to get you back. When I figured out why you walked out, I knew you weren’t only beautiful but so much more—strong, driven, and honorable. You’re my princess and always will be.”

Her golden eyes glistened.

I went on, my tone changing, “But as I said earlier, if you make me come after you one more time because you do something like get in that man’s car…” I reached for her bare ass. “…this ass is mine.”

“You don’t regret it?” she asked. “Coming after me?”

My grin grew. “Regret having your ass in the palm of my hand, your sexy body against mine? Never.”

She shook her head. “Nox, my life is so fucked. My mom almost died tonight.” She looked up. “She did. Her heart stopped. I’m so much more of a mess than just needing to pay for law school.” She stepped back and reached for a towel. “And now, what if Alton sends the police here? My mom and I shouldn’t be here. We’re putting you and your dad at risk.”

As she tucked the towel around her breasts, my cheeks rose higher and I untucked the towel, letting it drop to the floor. “Did my dad seem concerned about anything your stepfather can do?”

“No, but he doesn’t know—”

I eyed her beautiful body from her toes to her dripping hair. “He does. We’ll talk. Now, I’m tired of talking.”

Charli’s eyes veiled as her nipples hardened.

I reached for her hand and encouraged her to turn completely around. “So fucking beautiful.” After all we’d been through, I needed to know she was really here and safe. As she slowly spun, a faint yellowness showed on her forearm. When I reached for her, purposely touching the spot, I hoped I wasn’t seeing a bruise… that maybe instead, the lighting was playing a trick on my tired eyes.

Her flinch was quick, almost imperceptible.

Almost.

My smile disappeared. “What happened?”

She shook her head and took my hand. “No more talking. I believe, Mr. Demetri, that was your rule.”

I bit my cheek, wanting to know which asshole was responsible. I’d seen Chelsea’s cheek. It was obviously worse than what I saw on Charli’s arm, but that didn’t make Charli’s bruise less significant.

Our bare feet padded across the wood floor, finally landing upon the soft rug surrounding the bed. Charli’s lips brushed mine before she climbed onto the bed, her perfect ass bringing my dick back to life as she crawled toward the headboard. She fanned her wet hair over the pillow as she lay back. With her eyes glued to mine, her breasts rose and fell in anticipation as I followed suit and crawled across the mattress toward her. As I neared, her legs fell farther apart, silently inviting me toward her core.

With my body suspended above hers, I said, “I thought you were exhausted.”

“I am,” she confirmed, her hand caressing my cheek. “And so are you.”

I was. I’d brought her to bed not anticipating anything but sleep, but having her with me in the shower and now in our bed ignited a need I couldn’t hide. My hard dick rubbed slowly over the soft skin of her legs as they willingly spread wider to accommodate me.

“Charli…”

She pulled my lips to hers, opening hers and encouraging our tongues to glide and tangle. Separating our kiss, she demanded, “Make love to me. You helped wash away the past, now fill me with the future. I’m tired of being trapped in a life I hate. I want our life back.”

“You’re not trapped anymore. Never again. And no matter where we are, the future is ours.”

As we kissed our bodies connected, my cock finding her entrance, welcomed by her essence. Inch-by-inch, we came together. The deeper I plunged, the more her back arched, pushing her tits toward me. With each thrust her warm core stretched and surrounded me.

It may have only been a few days since we were together, but this union was different. In the hotel there had been a sense of urgency. We’d been in the eye of the storm. This morning we were home, where we belonged. The storm had passed and we’d survived. There would be damage to repair and retaliation yet to claim, but for the moment, we could savor the present.

With the shutters closed and the dawn’s early light seeping in from between the slats, we climbed our personal mountains. Time stood still, no longer demanding our attention. Getting closer to one another became our greatest need.

Our bodies knew what our tired minds may have forgotten. We were two pieces of a whole: as I filled her, as she accommodated all of me, we fit perfectly together, like one. And like one, we moved in sync until her golden eyes closed, neck stretched, and lips formed a perfect O.

We tasted and touched. She wasn’t the only one to be filled. Our senses were too. Our tongues feasted on the sweet concoction of bodywash mixed with the salty taste of exertion. The air around us clouded with the scent of shampoo and musk. The sounds of breathing filled our ears, becoming the melody while Charli’s moans and whimpers created the lyrics. The rhythm increased until together we stiffened. A deep, reverberating growl filled the crescendo as our dance ended, leaving my muscles slack. Contented and satiated, I caged her lovely face between my arms unwilling to move away.

Time stood still as we clung to one another, her arms around my shoulders and my face buried in the crook of her neck. Instead of releasing me, Charli held tighter, pulling my chest against hers, flattening her breasts until our hearts found the other’s beat.

When our eyes met, she confessed, “I haven’t felt this good or safe since I left for Savannah.”

My lips quirked into a knowing smirk. “And after we’ve slept, your ass is mine for putting yourself in that danger.”

The way her eyes veiled and she fidgeted her hips brought my tired dick back to life.

“Nox?”

I kissed her forehead. “Oh, princess, you knew it was coming.”

Pink filled her cheeks. “When we’re rested and when I know my mother is all right.”

“The longer you make me wait…”

Her chin rose, bringing her confident expression to view. “Yes, Mr. Demetri, bring it on.”

My dick twitched again.

“Fuck.”

As I pulled out, Charli’s smile morphed to a pout.

“Oh, princess, sleep.” I rolled to my back and pulled her close.

With her head on my chest, Charli said, “Whether you want to admit it or not, you are Prince Charming.”

Stroking her still-damp hair as the scent of flowers filled my senses, I wished I was, but I wasn’t. For her I’d do my best, but I wasn’t the pure-hearted Disney prince. I knew evil.

I also knew that she did too. I’d stared him in the face earlier tonight when he entered the room at the police station. He’d been unhappy with my answer, sure that I’d take his offer. Not only didn’t I take it, I pushed him on showing the video footage of the mansion—of him manhandling Charli into the car. By the time the detective returned, the video footage was no longer available and the charges were dropped.

I wasn’t naïve enough to believe that Alton Fitzgerald was done with me, but I took the opportunity to leave Savannah.

As Charli’s breathing began to even, I whispered, “No, I’m not Prince Charming. I’m Batman.”

She rolled into me, wrapping her soft leg over mine. With the sunlight that was peeking through the slats of the blinds, I watched her cheeks rise just before she fell sound asleep.