Ginny lay sprawled across Tony’s chest, and she lightly ran her fingertips along the smooth lines of his pecs.

Being with Tony was better than she’d imagined. He was worth the wait.

She snuggled closer to him, draping her leg over his thigh.

“Are you cold?” he asked, immediately pulling the covers up around her.

“No,” she said. “I just like being close to you.”

She wasn’t playing coy with him—years had already been wasted and she wasn’t about to waste more time with him.

His response was to press his lips to her forehead and hold her tighter. She continued to run her hand over his chest, moving on to his stomach. It rumbled, and she felt the vibrations with her hand.

She laughed. “Are you hungry?” Glancing at the clock, she realized it was almost three. They’d completely missed lunch. She started to pull away from him. “I’ll make something.”

He yanked her body back against his. “I don’t think so. I finally have your naked body wrapped around me. As much as I love your cooking, I love this more. You’re not going anywhere.” He released her for a moment to lean over and pull his phone out of his pants, which were on the floor next to the bed. “What kind of pizza do you like?”

“Veggie.”

He grimaced. “We’ll definitely need two, then.” He called and placed an order for delivery.

While he did that, Ginny observed his hand resting on her hip. The knuckles were scarred, like they’d been in battle. Though when and where, she didn’t know. But she was looking forward to learning everything.

She closed her eyes, focusing on the feel on his hand on her bare skin.

This was Tony.

She squeezed her eyes tighter and smiled into his chest. Everything about the last several days was surreal, but nothing more so than this.

“Hey.” He lifted her chin. “Is everything okay?”

She realized he couldn’t see her smile—only that she’d buried her face. “Just thinking about how crazy this all is. A week ago, I was engaged to a man I loathed. Now here I am, in bed and about to eat pizza with a man I’ve adored for years.”

He rolled her so she was on her back and he towered over her, resting on his forearms. The edges of his lips quirked up and his eyes danced. “You adore me?”

She swatted him playfully on his ass. “Don’t let it get—”

He silenced her words by capturing her mouth with his. She matched the vigor of his kiss and stroked his back. On her thigh, she could feel him, ready to go again.

Heat and dampness formed between her legs. She shifted slightly so she could open her legs for him to settle between them. Instead, he stayed propped up and reached down to touch her.

Her back arched at that first contact and she thrashed her head against the pillow as his mouth moved to her neck and his fingers continued to stroke. Heat built within her and she raised her hips to his hand, wanting more.

Slowly, he slid one finger into her as his thumb massaged her clit. She squeezed her eyes shut and moaned.

“Come for me, baby,” he whispered.

He increased the pressure of his thumb and quickened the pace of his finger. Her hips bucked one final time and she held on to his shoulders as the tremors consumed her body. He removed his finger but kept his hand against her area as aftershocks raced through her.

Her forehead was damp with sweat and she pressed it against his shoulder. Her body slowly relaxed as she breathed deeply.

She’d never had two orgasms so close together before. The second one was better than the first, and both were better than any she’d ever had.

Each one was an emotional as well as a physical experience. She’d never freely given herself the way she’d just done because she’d never trusted anyone enough. She’d always tried to maintain at least an ounce of control.

With Tony, she’d gladly relinquish it.

She ran her fingers down his chest, over his abs, and down to his member, lightly stroking the soft skin. His body tensed and he pulled her against him.

The doorbell rang and he cursed.

“That’s probably the pizza,” Ginny said. Her hand stilled.

“It can wait.” Tony didn’t budge.

The doorbell rang again. She removed her hand and disentangled herself.

“Fuck,” he grumbled. “The one time I wouldn’t mind the pizza being late.”

Ginny giggled. “It’s okay.”

Tony stole one last kiss before sitting on the edge of the bed and slipping into his jeans. He stood and turned, the jeans undone and riding low on his hips.

If the delivery man was actually a she, she was in for a pleasant—and eye-catching—surprise.

Ginny’s gaze traveled the length of him—his defined chest, ab muscles, and the hair on his stomach that led down to his manhood. She swallowed.

She’d already seen everything, but knowing what was underneath his clothes—and what he felt like—made her want him even more.

His eyes raked over her body and with every inch of skin his gaze devoured, her desire heightened. With a sigh of reluctance, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Ginny exhaled and fell back onto the pillows. That man was sexy, generous, and enigmatic, all rolled into one.

And he was hers. All hers.

Finally.

No matter what happened, she was not letting him go.

* * *

Tony grabbed some cash out of the kitchen junk drawer on the way to the front door. The doorbell sounded again.

“Fuck,” Tony muttered. “Calm your shit.” He flung open the door, prepared to give the delivery man a piece of his mind.

Instead, Veronica stood there wearing fuck-me heels and a twisted, impatient expression. She squinted at him, looking him up and down. Her nostrils flared. Then she pushed her way into his apartment before he could stop her.

“What the fuck do you want?” he growled.

“I want to talk to my sister.”

“Sorry,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Can’t help you with that.”

Well, he could. But he sure as hell wasn’t going to. Veronica could rot in hell first. Things were finally as they should be between him and Ginny. Figured Veronica would somehow find a way to fuck it up. Not if he could help it.

“Don’t try to bullshit me,” she sneered. “I know she’s here. Ginny! Ginny!” She stretched her neck and went up on her toes, as if that would make her voice carry farther.

When she tried to push past Tony to get farther into the apartment, he grabbed her arm. “You can’t just come in here like that.”

“The hell I can’t. This is my sister we’re talking about.” She sneered.

“And this is my home. And anyway, you didn’t seem to give a shit when she was prepared to marry that asshole, Barkov. Now all of a sudden you do?”

“You don’t know shit. Get your hands off me.”

Tony didn’t loosen his grip. “You need to leave. Now. I’m only going to tell you nicely once.”

Veronica threw her head back and laughed. “Then what? What are you—” Her neck turned at a noise behind them and her brightly painted lips formed a smirk.

Tony glanced over his shoulder. Shit. Ginny stood in the living room in yoga pants and his T-shirt. No bra. Her cheeks were flushed.

Veronica detached her arm from Tony’s grasp and he let her go, crossing his arms.

Veronica looked back and forth between the two of them—Tony wearing nothing but jeans and Ginny’s disheveled appearance—and let out a snicker. “So that’s how it is now.”

Tony cursed and clenched his fists. Goddammit. He didn’t care that Veronica knew he and Ginny were together—he’d shout if from the rooftops if it wouldn’t put her in danger with Barkov. But he wasn’t sure how Ginny would react. She’d barely had time to process this shift in their relationship.

When Ginny crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her sister, Tony’s concern eased a little.

“What do you want?” Ginny asked pointedly.

Good. Tony was glad to see she wasn’t planning to take any shit from her sister.

“Just to talk.”

Tony shook his head and stood between the two sisters, making himself a human barrier. “It’s not a good time.”

“No, it’s okay,” Ginny said quietly with a sigh. “She’s my sister. I’ll talk to her.”

Tony’s lips pressed into a thin line, but one look at Ginny was enough to know he couldn’t talk her out of it. She’d always had a soft spot for Veronica. And even though Ginny was the younger sister, she was the one who always took care of her older sister instead of the other way around.

“I’ll be in the bedroom.” He left the two women alone. Any longer in Veronica’s presence and he was likely to physically throw her out of his apartment. She was nothing but a high-class hooker who sold herself to the highest bidder. She better not say anything to hurt Ginny.

Tony paced in the bedroom, keeping one ear focused on the living room. If needed, he could be out there and get Veronica out of his place in about ten seconds. While he’d never hit a woman, he had no problem forcibly removing her from his home if she wouldn’t go quietly.

He picked up his phone and scrolled through his emails. There was one from Ingrid with the log-in information for their cell phone carrier. His work laptop was out in the living room, but his personal laptop was sitting on his dresser. He fired it up and logged into their accounts.

His father’s phone records were extensive. No surprise there. A few of the numbers were familiar, but most weren’t. He’d have to google all of the numbers to see if they popped. He was guessing the other party in the conversation he overheard wouldn’t be listed, so that would narrow down the list.

But damn, this was still a near impossible task. He didn’t have the resources to trace a number. He could always call it to see who answered, but that wouldn’t do much good. The individual was unlikely to announce his identity to an unknown caller, especially since this individual was involved in illegal activities.

Tony glanced at the door he’d left open a crack. Ten more minutes. That’s all he was giving Ginny’s bloodsucker of a sister.

He slipped a shirt over his head. With one eye on the clock, he turned back to his laptop.

* * *

Ginny faced her sister, smoothing down her hair and trying to make herself as presentable as possible. In other words, trying to make herself look as if she hadn’t just spent the afternoon in bed with Tony.

Shit, shit, shit. This was bad.

She didn’t regret making love to Tony, but she sure as hell wished her sister wasn’t here to witness the aftermath.

Couldn’t she have just one thing in her life that wasn’t tainted by Veronica?

No, that wasn’t fair. Veronica had no way of knowing she was interrupting anything. The last time Ginny had spoken to her, she’d expressed concern. She’d give her sister the benefit of the doubt.

A very small sliver of doubt. If Ginny had been holding her breath for Veronica to show genuine compassion, she would have suffocated long ago. Still, she was a sucker where her sister was concerned. She knew it, but couldn’t help it.

“How did you find me?” Ginny asked.

“It wasn’t hard.” Veronica crossed over to the couch. “You weren’t anywhere else. It didn’t take a genius to figure out you’d be here with your new number one admirer.”

Ginny ground her teeth, but she’d let Veronica have that one. After all, she’d once been engaged to Tony, so it was natural she might have some animosity about her sister and ex being friendly. More than friendly. But really, she had no right to feel that way—she given up that claim when she cheated on Tony and traded him in for a richer, more powerful model.

“What do you want? I told you I wasn’t ready to talk yet.”

Veronica sat, crossing her legs and displaying an impressive pair of Manolo Blahniks. The blood in Ginny’s veins turned to fire as her sister made herself at home in Tony’s space. She had no right.

Ginny paused for a moment, startled at the unconscious shift in her thoughts. She was so used to defending Veronica, acting as her protector. Yet, here she was, being territorial over Tony’s space.

“I want to make sure you’re okay, of course.” Veronica sniffed, giving off the air of being offended.

Ginny examined her sister’s face, searching for signs of sincerity and hating that she felt the need to do so. Veronica’s expression was perfectly neutral. She’d long ago mastered the art of keeping her agenda hidden.

And she always had an agenda.

Ginny steeled up her walls, which had begun to weaken when pitted against Veronica’s antics. “I’m fine,” she said curtly.

Veronica cocked her head and peered up at her. “What happened to your face?”

Ginny’s fingers went to her eye. She’d been avoiding mirrors for the last two days and forgotten about how she looked. It hadn’t been hard to put it out of her mind, especially when Tony made her feel beautiful.

Being reminded of it was a harsh slap in the face, especially when Veronica looked pristine, as usual. And Ginny had to wonder why it had taken so long for Veronica to ask her about it. If their situations were reversed, that would be the first thing she wanted to know.

“What do you think happened?” Ginny retorted. The answer should have been obvious, the question unnecessary.

Veronica didn’t comment. She simply remained on the couch, giving Ginny the once over. Ginny tucked her hair behind her ears and wrapped her arms around herself, painfully aware that her current state made her even more the ugly sister. Veronica was always polished and put together like she was about to strut down a runway. She was the gorgeous one while Ginny was the smart one.

Though not lately. It was a bitter pill to choke down. She’d been so stupid.

“Veronica, thanks for your concern, but this really isn’t a good time.”

“Are you still planning to marry Fedor?”

Ginny’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t be serious. But Veronica sat there, looking up at her and expecting an answer. She was serious.

Ginny gestured to her face. “What do you think?”

Veronica shrugged. “Accidents happen all the time. People make mistakes.”

Accidents? Ginny was so flabbergasted it took her a few moments to find her voice. “This was no accident. And some mistakes are unforgivable.”

Ginny clenched her hands into fists at her sides and her mouth twisted. Did Veronica really think she should just let this go? Forgive and forget? Prance back to Fedor like nothing had even happened?

Didn’t she realize that if it happened once, it would more than likely happen again?

No, returning to Fedor was never an option. Even if she didn’t fear for her safety, now that she was away from him, she realized she could never live her life as a lie. And that’s what her relationship with Fedor was—an empty, loveless lie on both sides.

“The company won’t survive.”

Since when did Veronica care about the company? Ginny pinched the bridge of her nose. What was her sister up to now? The last thing Ginny needed was another Veronica-induced complication.

“I’ll figure something out.” Ginny hated to admit it, but the company was the least of her worries right now. Her top worry was actually Veronica, though her sister didn’t even realize it. Ginny should take the opportunity to question her, to see if what Fedor had said was true.

But she was so pissed she could barely stand to look at her, making this a terrible time to bring it up. She needed to be calm and level-headed when she broached that topic. It was a conversation she only wanted to have once.

“Perhaps Fedor would still be interested in investing in the company”—Veronica paused for a beat—“if he married me.”

Ginny’s arms fell limp to her side and her eyes bulged. Then she closed them and counted to ten.

Veronica surely wasn’t serious this time, was she? But when Ginny opened her eyes, Veronica’s expression hadn’t changed—she was as serious as ever.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Ginny said, restraining herself from spewing the words she really wanted to—you’re fucking crazy!

“Why not?” Veronica stood and moved closer to Ginny. “I know you don’t have feelings for him. You only agreed to marry him to save the company.”

Ginny kept her mouth clamped shut, not bothering to deny it. There was no point anymore. And she realized she didn’t care what her sister thought of her. In fact, Ginny thought bitterly, Veronica would probably approve of why she’d agreed to marry Fedor, thinking it was a solid strategic move.

“So it’s not that much of a stretch to think he would marry me.” Veronica ran her hands down her hips. “He and I are actually a better match.”

Ginny couldn’t deny that, either. If Fedor didn’t know what he did about Veronica, he probably would have approached her instead of Ginny. However, for his purposes of making in-roads in society, Ginny was better suited. Veronica had shown her true colors one too many times to the local families.

And the bridge with her own family was shaky at best. Ginny was the link between Veronica and her parents, but she was getting closer and closer to cutting that tie. Would Veronica even care?

“Veronica, even if I thought Fedor would go for it, it’s not a good idea.”

“Why not? We couldn’t marry right away, obviously. Some time would have to pass after your split before we could announce our engagement. But think about it, Ginny. You couldn’t control him, but I could.”

Ginny pinched the bridge of her nose. Control? He didn’t hit her because she couldn’t control him. No one controlled Fedor. A man like him was dangerous and volatile.

Veronica was delusional if she thought otherwise.

Ginny’s heart plummeted its final descent. She could no longer believe that beneath Veronica’s surface lay goodness. If it was indeed still there, it was buried deep, so deep that Ginny couldn’t see it or reach it.

So she might as well find out the truth. Her faith in his sister was already irreparably shattered.

She looked her sister in the eye. “I want to talk about Barry, Veronica. You never did talk to me about his death.”

Veronica’s neck snapped back and she narrowed her eyes at Ginny. “That was months ago. Why are you bringing that up now?”

Ginny leveled her gaze. “I think you know why.”

Veronica’s eyes widened for a split second before she took a step back, then turned and retrieved her purse from the couch. She stopped beside Ginny on her way to the door. “I came by as a courtesy to you because you’re my sister. But you’re done with Fedor. That makes him fair game.”

She can have him. They deserve each other.

Veronica sashayed out the door, letting it slam behind her. She hadn’t even bothered to say goodbye.

It saddened Ginny that it didn’t bother her one bit.

* * *

As soon as Tony heard the front door slam, he set his laptop aside and went into the living room. Ginny stood with her face in her hands. When she heard him, she looked up. No tears.

Guess Ginny’s past the point of being hurt by Veronica.

Good. Ginny needed to realize how toxic her sister was. She deserved better. And though it might pain her now, it would pay dividends in the long run.

“What did she want?” Tony asked, trying to keep a neutral tone. The triangle between him, Veronica, and Ginny was a delicate one, and he didn’t want to do anything to damage his connection with Ginny. She was well aware of his past with Veronica and how he felt about her. There was no need to exacerbate the issue.

“Fedor,” Ginny said bluntly. “She wants Fedor for herself.”

Tony’s mouth set in a hard line. Veronica was a fucking piece of work. “She said that to you?”

Ginny nodded. “Now that he’s fair game and all.” She sounded bitter and broken down and it tore at him.

Fucking Veronica. He should have slammed the door in her face the minute he saw her.

Tony pulled Ginny against his chest. “I’m sorry.” He didn’t need to explain what he was sorry for—they both knew it was for Ginny having that excuse for a sister.

“The worst part is that a small part of me wishes Fedor had gone to Veronica in the first place, you know?” Ginny sniffed. “Then I feel like a bitch for thinking it.”

She wasn’t the only one who wished that.

“You’re not a bitch,” Tony assured her. “Why didn’t he go to her, anyway? That kind of exchange is right in her wheelhouse.”

Ginny pulled away from him and sat on the couch. She brought her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. Though she looked in his direction, she wasn’t looking at him. Her gaze was fixed on the wall behind him.

“Because Fedor has evidence that Veronica killed her husband.”