I pause several feet away from Trix’s apartment as the piercing grind of a power tool carries through the open doorway. A man shifts the door to the side and steps into the frame to test the deadbolt he just installed.

I squint at his face. It’s the same guy from the auction who gave me Trix’s message but instead of a pink bowtie, he’s wearing an old, stained T-shirt, jeans, and a tool belt.

He glances at me and smiles. “Hey, dude.”

I nod. “Hey.”

He extends his right hand. Black tattoos cover his arm all the way down to his bandaged palm. “I’m Robbie,” he says, smiling wide.

I don’t squeeze too hard. “Lance Tyler,” I say.

He tugs me an inch closer. “Hurt her and I’ll kill you.”

“What?”

Trix steps into the doorway with a blanket hanging over her shoulders. “He’s kidding,” she says, slapping his arm. “Come on in, Lance.”

“Yeah,” Robbie says, still staring at me. “I’m just a big kidder.”

I pass by him but the look in his eye tells me he’s really not kidding.

Trix sits down at her kitchen table and tightens the blanket around her. “Did you look into what I asked for?” she asks me.

I set my briefcase down on the table and give a hesitant look at Robbie in the doorway.

“He’s cool,” she says. “We can talk in front of him.”

I nod. “Well, I’ve got some bad news and some mediocre news,” I say.

“Bad first, please.”

“You were right. A restraining order won’t stick unless you press charges first but since you don’t want to do that...”

“And the mediocre?”

“You can file for a No Contact order,” I say. “Your story makes a decent case for stalking but he can challenge it.”

“He said she said, huh?” she murmurs.

“Again, without a formal charge to back it up...” I shrug.

“Thanks anyway.”

I sit down in the chair beside her. “But since you asked for my professional opinion, I have to say, I think you should press charges.”

“Me, too,” Robbie says from across the room.

Trix sighs. “If I do that, my family will never speak to me again.”

“Any family who sides with this guy over you isn’t family at all.”

“I’m not ready to close the door on them just yet,” she says. “In the meantime, I have new, fancy locks and lots of ammo.”

“And... a permit for your firearm, right?” I ask.

She smiles. “Yeah, sure.”

I ignore it. “Okay.”

Robbie dangles a keyring with two silver keys above her head. “For your new deadbolt,” he says.

She takes them. “Thank you.”

He hands her a second keyring. “And for your second new deadbolt.”

“Double thank you,” she says.

“Toolbox, please.”

She picks up the black case beside her on the table and passes it to him. He sets it on the kitchen counter and starts stacking his tools inside.

“You sure you want to stay here?” I ask. “We have a guest room.”

“Oh, no,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m not moving in with you, Lance.”

“It’s just temporary until all of this blows over.”

“And what about Haley?” she asks. “Have you run this idea by her first?”

“She won’t mind.”

Trix cocks her head. “I appreciate the offer but I’ll be fine here. Violated or not, it’s still my space.” She looks toward the couch. “And besides, Robbie here has already offered and I can’t pass up the chance for a Wheeler slumber party.”

“Mall Madness, baby!” he says.

I force a smile. “Still, my door is always open. You know that.”

She nods. “I do.”

Robbie comes back and hovers over her shoulder. “All right, I’m all done. Anything else you need?”

“No,” Trix answers. “I’m good now.”

He looks between us. “You okay here?” he asks her.

“We’re fine,” she says. “Thanks again for doing this.”

“Call me when you finally change your mind about me kicking Marcus’ ass.”

“I will.” She flashes a devious smile. “Have you told her yet?”

“No,” he says, annoyed.

“Coward.”

“Harpy.”

“Bye, Rob.”

He winks. “Bye-bye.”

I nod. “It was nice to meet you.”

“Yeah.” He waves with his bandaged hand and grabs his leather jacket off the back of the door. “You, too, man.”

Robbie walks out and closes the door behind him.

Trix deflates and leans over to drop her head onto my shoulder with a soft groan.

I kiss her forehead. “You sure you’re okay?”

“You’ve gotta be tired of asking me that by now.”

“Not at all.”

She raises her head to look at me. “I’m all right. Just got a bit freaked out there for a little while.”

I glance at the door. “So... Robbie?”

“Robbie?”

“Old boyfriend?”

“Melanie’s ex-husband,” she says. “Still a close friend, though.”

“Okay.”

She smirks. “Not jealous, are you?”

“No.” I shake my head unconvincingly. “Just saying, I’m pretty handy with a screwdriver, too.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She shifts forward in her chair and kisses me. “Do you have to get back to work?” she asks.

“No.” I kiss her back. “As far as they’re concerned, I’m with a client.”

“Isn’t there a rule against kissing clients?”

“Sure but you aren’t technically my client.”

“Still a bit naughty though, isn’t it?” she asks.

“You’re Angelo Argento’s daughter.” I smirk. “I think I’m more likely to get high-fives than wrist-slaps around the office.”

She laughs and drops her head down on my shoulder again. I wrap an arm around her, holding her close as I eye the room. As if I didn’t already feel nervous about Marcus watching over my house — now he’s breaking into Trix’s place and trying to…

I don’t even risk picturing it.

My eyes land on a small, red, velvet box on the table.

“What’s that?” I ask.

Trix glances at it and hesitates. “Oh, that’s just...” She sighs. “An heirloom.”

I pick it up and flick the box open. There’s a diamond ring inside. Old but still bright and beautiful.

“It’s nice,” I say.

“It was my mother’s,” she says. I rub her shoulder to comfort her, feeling a slight stab in my own chest as well. “After she died, my father saved it for me. Told me that he’d only give it to a worthy man who asked for my hand.” Her eyes roll. “He gave it to Marcus.”

“Really?”

She snaps it closed. “When I confronted him about it yesterday, he said he thought that’s what I wanted. Couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“That proposal happened... recently?”

“Last week,” she says. “They think a big, happy event will benefit the trial.”

I nod. “Swaying a jury. Oldest trick in Jerry’s book.”

“It makes sense.” She looks down. “Everybody loves weddings. Except for little, bratty Beatrix, of course…”

“They don’t own you,” I say. I brush her bangs back. “And weddings are pretty overrated if you ask me. Whole lot of fuss just to file some paperwork.”

She chuckles. “Lawyers. So practical.”

I kiss her cheek. “Well, we’ve certainly obliterated the whole no work-no family rule.”

“Hey, we stayed strong for a good seven hours there.” She turns her head up and kisses me. “We can always stop talking altogether for a while.”

“I’m here for as long as you need me.”

Trix slides off her chair onto my lap, her legs dangling on either side of me. “That’s what I like to hear...”

I embrace her, holding her close as we kiss again. She gently rolls her hips, teasing me as she pushes my jacket off.

“You sure you want to do this now?” I ask.

She stands up and tugs me along with her through the sun doors to her room. “Yeah,” she says. “Why?”

We lower onto the bed.

“You’ve been through a lot today, that’s all,” I say.

She nods. “I just want to let go for a while. Forget the bullshit, you know?”

I kiss her forehead. “All right.”

“And…” She kisses me back. “I can’t stop thinking about last night.”

Trix leans back and scoots closer to the pillows, her fingers loosely wrapped around my tie.

“Me neither,” I say, balancing on top of her.

“I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun,” she says.

I kiss her neck. She turns her head to the side, giving me more access to her sweet skin. “I’ll gladly take that and walk around with an annoying ego for a week.”

She laughs. “Well, you earned it.”

We kiss through laughter, slowly undressing each other. She loosens my tie. I pull her pants down as she tears her own shirt off over her head. I can’t keep my hands off her perfect body and she takes every opportunity to touch and kiss me.

Trix rolls over and reaches for her bedside drawer. “You sure you don’t have to be somewhere?” she asks.

I align myself behind her. “Not for a while...”

She hands me a condom. I tear it open and quickly roll it on, eager to get inside of her.

“Then, go slow,” she says.

I grin as she positions herself on her knees in front of me. “Whatever you want, Ms. Argento.”

I push forward, entering her from behind. She clenches around me, gasping with need but I do as she requested. I take her with slow, steady thrusts, feeling every inch of her begging pussy as her body reacts.

“Lance,” she moans. “Just like that...”

She grabs the bars of her headboard. I keep the same pace, gladly holding back the urge to fuck her harder as she starts writhing in front of me. Her hips buck back to match my grind and she instantly moans.

“Oh, that feels good...”

I hold onto her waist. “There?”

“Yes, right there. Don’t stop.”

I bite my cheek. My god, this woman turns me on. Her body, her mind. Even back when she was just a cold princess I wanted her but I never thought she’d be bent over in front of me screaming my name.

“Lance...”

My balls clench.

She turns her head back to look at me. Loose strands of hair tumble over her cheeks as she smiles, beckoning me to her. I lean forward, my hips still working her over as I kiss her soft lips. She pulls herself up, deepening our kiss while moans fill her throat.

“Are you close?” I ask, feeling her inner spasms.

She nods, unable to speak.

I wrap an arm around her, cupping her breast as I nibble at her neck. I let my desires take over as her orgasm washes over her. She twitches in my arms. Her pussy releases a warm deluge on my cock, pushing me over the edge. I come with her, groaning softly as she reaches behind to rub the back of my neck.

Trix lets go of the headboard and slowly collapses onto the bed. I go with her, my arm still wrapped around her quivering body. I pull her closer, spooning her against me and letting her scent fill my nose.

She turns, her eyes still closed, and kisses me. I admire the strong, beautiful woman beside me and my chest clenches.

“You sure you want to stay here?” I ask again.

Trix breathes a laugh. “Feeling protective?”

“Yes.”

She twists onto her back and touches my face. “I’ll be fine, Lance. Trust me.”

“I do trust you. I don’t trust him.”

“Neither do I.”

“Then, press charges.”

“Lance...” she raises a brow, “we have ways of dealing with this kind of thing.”

“So, you tattle on him to your father, he gets a stern talking to, and receives no real consequences for his actions?”

She presses her lips together. “I don’t expect you to understand.”

“Good. Because I don’t.”

“But I do expect you to let me handle this.” She runs her thumb across my jawline. “The more you get involved, the more dangerous it is for you. Think about that.”

I exhale. “Okay. I don’t like it. But okay.”

She kisses my cheek. “I feel like you’re gonna repeat that to yourself a lot from now on.”

“I raised a daughter,” I say. “It’s my catchphrase.”

She laughs. “You and my dad might have more in common than you think.”

“The more I get to know you, the more I think that’s true.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “Just promise me you’ll come to me at the first sign of trouble. I can find you a safe house, a police escort—”

“Lance.” Her smile spreads. “I promise.”

“Good.”

She runs her fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp. “You’re pretty cute when you’re pissed off,” she teases.

I push up and balance over her. “Oh, this isn’t pissed off.” I attack her exposed neck with rough kisses. “This is annoyed.”

She throws her head back and laughs.