I’m lying on Cata’s bed, furiously texting to both Sawyer and Liam. She’s in the shower, and I want to see if they’ve found anything on the anonymous email account. I have to wrap up this conversation and delete it before she comes back into the bedroom.

Not the answer I wanted. My thumbs fly over the screen.

Work harder. It’s super fucking important. Did you disable Cata’s account? What about that name I gave you? Anything?

I roll my eyes and tap.

Fine.

I pause, ready to explain. But then it hits me: what if one of the guys is responsible for this? Could it be Liam or Sawyer?

I feel instantly guilty for even considering them suspects. They’ve never done anything to lead me to believe they would pull an asshole move like this. But at this point, everyone and anyone is fair game. I'd need to think harder about this. Did either of them try to hit on Cata? Are they jealous of my deal to sell Gamerhouse? They never seemed like they were. They always went with the flow, happy to be able to get a paycheck for gaming.

Sometimes, when you think you know people, you really don’t. My own family taught me that. But no, it's got to be that politician in New York. I need to do more research on him.

I’ll tell you later. Gotta run. Be back tomorrow. Staying at Cata’s tonight.

Cata walks in as I’m trashing the conversation. Her hair’s wet, and she’s only wearing a towel. I put the phone on the nightstand and sit on the edge of the bed, instantly attuned to her presence. Instantly wanting her.

“You look like you’re lost in thought. What’s in that brilliant brain of yours?”

How can Cata read my emotions like that? I lie. “Oh, thinking about the deal.”

She hums softly and settles onto my lap. Then lands a sweet, short kiss on my lips. Of course, I was thinking of her and the photos. Not about the deal. Which is crazy because it’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened to me. Other than Cata, of course.

“I was thinking, too,” she said.

“About?”

“Us. You. How you’re going to be a really different person once the Gamerhouse sale goes through.”

I frown. “No. I won’t. What are you talking about?”

“You’ve already got the mansion, the Porsche. I’ll bet you’re going to have offers from startups and big companies in Silicon Valley. You’re out of Florida once this happens.”

She’s right, probably. I'm here because it's the only home I've ever known. I shrug. “And?”

“And you’ll leave me behind.” Her voice is quiet. She puts a hand on my bare chest and strokes my skin with her thumb.

Gathering her wet hair into one hand, I press my mouth into her bare shoulder and shake my head. “I’m not going anywhere without you. The only way I’ll go somewhere alone is if you decide you don’t want to come with me.”

“You say that now, but…” she lets out a breath. “Why would you want me when you’re able to have anyone? You’ll soon be able to date models and smart Silicon Valley women and whatever when this goes through.”

“I don’t want models and whatever. I want you. I want your whatever.” I wrap my arms around her and sink my teeth softly into the skin of her arm.

“Ow,” she giggles.

I kiss where I had bitten. “Did I hurt you?”

She shakes her head. “But why? What do you see in me?”

Normally I might be exasperated by her neediness or make a joke. God knows I used to when we were younger, just a little, to tease. But knowing all she’s been through, knowing that someone is trying to ruin her with the old photos, I tell her how I’m feeling. Which isn’t easy for me.

“I see a woman who makes me laugh,” I say, then touch her lips with my fingers.

“And a woman who makes me think.” I tap her temple.

“And a woman who makes me see life differently.” I trace her eyebrow with my thumb.

She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me long and deep, offering me her tongue.

“I’m sorry,” she says.

“For what?”

“For staying away from you for six years. I wished we’d been together this whole time. I’m sorry I was angry at you. Sorry I held a grudge.”

I study her face, count the freckles on her nose like I used to. There’s one on the tip and two right above it. A triangle of freckles. “Maybe we needed those years apart to realize what we had.”

She takes my face in her hands and kisses me again, her freshly showered smell caressing me and turning my dick hard. The tuck of the towel around her torso comes undone, and I slide the rough, white fabric off her body.

“God, you smell good,” I say, burying my face along the roundness of her breast. “Strawberries? Blueberries? Cata-berries?”

While she’s laughing, I shift my legs, so she’s on her feet. “Stand up.”

She does, and I twist her around, so her back is to me. With her hips in my hands, I ease her butt onto my lap. “Sit on me.”

I have my legs stretched out in front of me, and I position her so she’s straddling me in reverse, our faces pointing toward the closet near the bed.

“See,” I point to the mirror on the closet door in front of us. “You asked what I see in you. I see the most beautiful girl, woman, I’ve ever known.”

I kiss her neck and run my hands over her breasts, cupping them. “Every part of you fits perfectly with every part of me.”

I watch her reflection in the mirror. She’s becoming excited, I can tell. Her mouth parts and her nipples become hard when I trap them between my fingers. She gasps when I bite her neck.

“Open your legs wider,” I murmur in her ear. She does, and I instantly wish I wasn’t still in my boxer shorts because my erection wants to break free from the constraint. “Now spread yourself wider with your fingers. I want to see all of you.”

Her breathing’s heavier and she does what I ask. My breath is fast, too, because watching her touch herself is making me rock hard. With one hand on her breast, my other hand trails down her stomach and glides over her wet slit.

She gasps as I slowly stroke her.

“Look how beautiful you are,” I whisper. “Look at how fucking sexy you are. Why would I ever want anyone else?”

I grip her breast harder while I continue to circle her with feather-light fingers. She’s moaning now and I can tell she’s close by how wet she’s getting.

With a growl, I remove my hand from her clit and slide my arm under her knees, hoisting her onto the bed, so her head is on the pillow.

“Diego. Don’t stop now. I was about to come.”

I strip off my boxers. “I’m not stopping. I’m beginning.”

Pushing open her legs with mine, I hoist her hips up with my hands and enter her. I’m on my knees, and I thrust into her. She cries out, and I nearly explode when I see her fingers move to her clit.

“Oh yeah, Cata. You know I love to watch that while I fuck you.”

She gasps and laughs, making a throaty sound. “You know I love to hear you talk like that while you’re…you’re…”

“While I’m fucking you?” I whisper, burying my cock deeper inside of her.

That’s enough to send her over the edge. She closes her eyes and gasps loud, then bites her lip. A few more strokes and I’m right behind with my own release, groaning and crumpling on top of her.

“I love you,” I whisper into her ear.