THE CLATTER OF dishes pried me from my slumber. For only a moment, I scrambled for the blankets. My modesty quickly faded as the handsome man delivering my meal spoke.

“No, princess. Don’t pull those blankets up. I want to see that beautiful body.”

Nox’s deep voice rumbled through me, tugging a lazy smile from me. With bright sunshine from the windows as a backlight, his features were muted. Despite the halo of light, Nox’s mussed hair, wide shoulders, and bare chest sent a tingle of electricity through me. As my eyes adjusted, my gaze lowered, taking in his defined abdomen and the V that disappeared into his low-hanging jeans. I pushed my thighs together as I again reached for the blanket.

My smile blossomed as I scooted toward the headboard pulling the cover with me. Tucking the blanket around my traitorous breasts with their hardened nipples, my attention went from Nox to whatever was hiding below the silver dome. As my imagination filled with breakfast delights, my stomach growled in a very loud and completely unsexy way.

Nox’s lips parted with a big smile. “Hungry?”

I shifted, wondering how the sound of his voice could stir a desire deep in my core, a hunger rivaling the one for food.

“I am. What time is it?”

Nox lifted the cover of one tray revealing a sandwich, soup, and vegetables. It must have been the soup, but the way its spicy aroma filled the room made my mouth water.

“Almost two,” he said. “I figured it was time to wake my Sleeping Beauty, and since breakfast is long past, Silvia suggested lunch.”

The sweet scene, his caring gesture, and even the delicious aroma washed away in a wave of panic. “Two? What?” My legs flailed as I worked to untangle myself from the sheet. “How’s my mom? Have you seen her? How could you let me sleep so late?”

Leaving the tray on the bedside stand, Nox lowered himself to the edge of the bed and seized my hand, stopping my escape before I could free myself from the blankets. “She’s fine. I haven’t seen her but I spoke with my dad.” Nox looked down at his bare chest. “I’m not exactly dressed to introduce myself to my girlfriend’s mother.”

His words registered: she’s fine. She’s fine.

Warmth filled my cheeks as I again studied his lack of clothing. “My mom’s old but I’m pretty sure you’d make quite the impression.”

“How about on her daughter?”

“On me?”

“Yes, princess…” He scooted nearer until our noses touched. “…have I made an impression?”

With a slight tip of my chin our lips came together. The sheet that had thwarted my escape dropped to my waist as his muscular chest pushed toward me. My moan filled the room as his touch roamed my side, grazing my breast and skirting lower. With Nox as my puppeteer by way of invisible strings, inch-by-inch my legs willing opened, exposing my ready core.

“Oh, Nox.”

The food he’d delivered was forgotten as my neck strained and back arched to his touch. With a kiss to my lips, his fingers plunged and thumb made magical sparks as he strummed my swollen clit. I reached for his jeans, wanting to free what I needed.

“What do you want?”

My breathing quickened as my smile grew. “You’re such a dick.”

“But you love me.”

“I do.”

“Say it.”

“I love you.”

His head moved back and forth. “No, tell me what you want.”

“I want your cock.” My declaration was much softer than it had been in a gas station months ago.

“Enough that you’re willing to wait on lunch?”

I looked at the tray and then back at the eyes above me, devouring me. His erection strained against his jeans and pushed against my leg. My hunger for food wasn’t gone, but unquestionably, my desire for him was greater. “Yes.”

“Oh, princess, I want you too.” His hand trailed the inside of my thighs. “I want to give you my cock.” He teased my clit. “And I want to make you my lunch.”

“Nox.”

He sighed. “But my dad said your mom will be downstairs soon. I’m still working on that first impression. Sorry we’re late, I was busy fucking your daughter probably isn’t the way to go.”

I giggled. He was right. “Okay, but… maybe we could work on that lunch part. I mean, I don’t want you to starve.”

Nox laughed. “And Deloris is on her way, and…”

I waited, not sure what the and meant.

“And?”

“Deloris thinks we’ll need to head back to Savannah soon, possibly tonight.”

My pulse quickened as the idea of a quick afternoon delight faded away. “No. We just got here. I finally slept. I don’t want to go back.”

Nox brought the tray of food over to the bed. “Eat.”

I shook my head. “No. I just lost my appetite.”

He lowered the tray to my lap. “I don’t think you ate the entire time you were gone. I swear you’ve lost weight.”

“After all Lana’s cooking, that’s probably a good thing.”

“No, it’s not. Eat. Besides, if you think Lana’s a good cook, you need to eat Silvia’s food.”

I wanted to argue, but the feast before me wouldn’t allow it.

“While you eat,” Nox said, “let me explain what my dad and I were told earlier by a member of the Demetri legal staff.”

I shook my head. “I’ve thought about it already. I think I know.”

“Okay, tell me what you think—after you’ve eaten.”

I lifted a piece of the sandwich and took a bite. As I began to chew, my stomach did the loud growling thing again. Shaking my head, I took a drink of the iced tea. “Fine. I’m still hungry.”

“They were talking about you and Chelsea making a statement,” he said.

I swallowed. “They think it was a mistake to refuse the police last night?”

“Yes and no.”

“I don’t want to go back, but they’re right. It would look better if Chelsea and I were willing to make statements. And I’m nervous that the policeman called me Mrs. Spencer.”

Nox exhaled. “At the police station they showed me a marriage license dated Friday. Your stepfather offered me a deal if I agreed not to contest your marriage and obeyed a restraining order to stay away from you.”

Blowing on a spoonful of soup, I shook my head. “Alton won’t stop. He won’t.” And then my mind filled with the last twelve hours and I met Nox’s gaze. “I’d say if you accepted his offer, you’re definitely in violation of that restraining order.”

“I told him to stick it up his ass.”

“You what?”

“Not directly, though we did speak.”

“Mmm,” I hummed as the spicy broth warmed my mouth, bringing my taste buds to life. “That is amazing.”

“I told you,” he said with a grin.

“I promise, Bryce and I weren’t married. Remember when I told you that Bryce threatened to…” I didn’t want to say the words again.

“Yes.” The vein in his forehead throbbed.

“That was Friday night, the same night Pat and Cy showed up at the manor. Do you think it would have only been threats if we were married?”

Nox covered my hand. “No, and even thinking about this makes me want to kill the motherfucker.”

“Stop saying that. Besides, I’m not sure if it would be better to speak to the detective or the attorneys.”

“The police can’t make you talk to them. A subpoena would come from the attorney of the court.”

I nodded, again dipping my spoon in the soup. “It could come from either side. But I doubt it’s been long enough. Today’s Sunday. A prosecutor probably hasn’t been assigned. Not officially,” I added.

“On a case like this, I’m sure the state is mounting its offense,” Nox said. “Nevertheless, the attorneys told us that Spencer is stuck in jail until after his first appearance. Assuming they still believe they have enough to convict, then he’ll officially be charged. They’re waiting on the report from the medical examiner.”

My hungry stomach twisted. “I can’t help wondering where they found her. How long was she dead?”

“We don’t know anything. My guess is that they don’t either or it’d be all over the news outlets.” He reached for my hand. “Deloris is concerned that no matter what they find or come back with, he’ll be released on bail. It could be high, but his mother or your stepfather will more than likely pay it.”

I exhaled as my shoulders sagged. “I don’t want to see him.”

“I don’t want you to. If we go to Savannah tonight, you and Chelsea could speak to the police and even his attorneys if you want to. Then we can be back here before he’s out on bail.”

I lowered the sandwich to the plate. “Chelsea’s face.”

Nox nodded. “It will help the prosecutor’s case. If the attorneys see it, they might realize the uphill battle they have in front of them.”

“Wait a minute,” I said. “You said we… if we go to Savannah?”

“Oh hell yes. You’re not going on your own. We’re taking the Batplane and flying as low under the radar as possible.”

“Thank you.” The delicious soup and sandwich churned as I contemplated Savannah. “We won’t be under the radar if we show up at either Hamilton and Porter or the police station.”

“No, but we don’t have to announce our presence until we arrive.”

My gaze went behind Nox to the windows, bright with sun through the now-opened shutters. I took in the clear blue sky. I couldn’t see anything else from my angle, but the blueness reminded me that today was another day. Yesterday was finally over. “Thank you.”

Nox leaned over and kissed my forehead. “For what?”

“For everything.”

“Don’t you get it?” he asked.

“Get what?”

“Alexandria Collins, I want to be your everything. There’s nothing you can tell me or confess to change my mind.”

My cheeks warmed. “You are my everything. That doesn’t mean that I’m not still mad at you and Deloris for involving Chelsea.”

“It wasn’t supposed—”

I touched his lips. “I know. Chelsea and I have talked about it.”

“Deloris will help her get out of Infidelity. Once she does, we can find something for her at Demetri.”

“I’m not sure if she’ll—”

This time Nox touched my lips with his. “How about we let her decide? There are a few other things we need to talk about, things I’ve recently learned.”

I took the last carrot stick from my plate and eyed the empty bowl, wishing for more of whatever kind of soup I just ate. It reminded me of vegetable soup, but spicier with some noodles. “I would love more soup, but first, I want to see my mother.”

Nox reached for the tray. “Maybe it would be better if she explained some of the things.”

Wrapped in a towel after a shower, I entered the closet. It was the same place I’d found Nox’s belt so many months ago. Built-in dressers and racks lined what could be a room. One section was filled with my clothes. They weren’t mine from New York or Savannah, but they were all in my size. “When did these get here?” I asked.

“Earlier today. Deloris had them delivered. I brought them in here while you were sleeping.”

I shook my head as I searched the nearby drawers. “Did she send me any underwear?”

Propped against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his wide chest, Nox’s blue eyes sparkled as he watched me search. “What if I told you that I told Deloris you didn’t need any?”

I spun toward him. “What?”

His laugh rumbled through the small room as he took two steps and reached for my towel. I swatted his hand. “Stop. I want to see my mom.”

“I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”

“That may make your work and my school difficult.”

He reached for the platinum diamond-dusted cage. “This never comes off.”

I nodded. “Underwear?”

He pointed to one of the drawers. After I finished dressing in jeans and a soft white sweater, I braided my hair, pulling it all over one shoulder. For a moment I stared at the woman in the mirror. For the first time in nearly two weeks, my eyes weren’t filled with worry.

“You’re beautiful,” Nox whispered, his handsome face coming near my ear.

I spun toward him. “Did your dad really say my mom would be downstairs and out of the hospital bed already?”

“That’s what he said.”

I shook my head, recognizing an emotion I hadn’t felt in nearly two weeks.

Happiness.

In this home, under Nox’s protective gaze, and with my mother safe, I was happy.

More than happy. I was excited—almost giddy. It was as if sometime during the morning, a seed of anticipation had cracked open deep inside my soul. Its roots were spreading through me, pushing away the stress and gloom. No longer entrapped, I was like a young girl on Christmas morning, eager to go downstairs and see what was under the tree. “I can’t believe she’s that much better. I was so scared.”

A strong arm surrounded my waist and Nox pulled me against his chest. “Never again. No more scared.”

I leaned back, our hips touching, and my lips in a full grin. “What if I told you there’s something else that scares me?”

“Tell me and I’ll make it go away.”

“That’s the thing. I’m not sure I want it to go away.”

Nox’s brow furrowed as his lips quirked to the side. “I’m confused.”

I lifted myself up on my tiptoes and brushed my lips to his. “Me too. That’s what you do to me.”

As I began to pull away, Nox brought me closer. “Tell me what scares you.”

“You.”

His embrace stiffened. “Me?”

I looked down and ran my fingers over his belt buckle before looking back up through my lashes. “This… last night you said…”

“I said your ass is mine,” he said, finishing my sentence. “And it will be. Is that what scares you?” His question was laced with concern.

“Part of it.”

“Princess, if you want to go see your mom, stop talking in riddles.”

“The idea scares me…” The warmth I’d felt earlier in my cheeks burned hotter. “…because as much as I shouldn’t want what you described, I do. I trust you.”

His smile returned as his phone vibrated.

“I want so fucking bad to ignore that,” he said as he pulled it from his jeans.

DELORIS flashed on the screen.

“Where are you?” Nox asked.

I started to walk away when he stopped me. “Charli, where’s your handbag from last night?”

Spinning a full circle, I looked about the room. “I’m not sure. I had it when we got here. Why?”

“Deloris wants to know if the phone your stepfather gave you is in it.”

The happiness that had sprung to life evaporated as dread filled its place. “Shit, it is.”

“She’s been listening to audible surveillance. They know where you are and are speculating that your mom is with you. She believes they’ve tracked your phone.”