My family came over for dinner that night, my parents and Carmen.

Mom walked into the house first and squeezed me so hard, she seemed to possess Father’s strength. “I’ve barely stepped inside, and I love it already. The landscaping is beautiful. The ivy on the wall…gorgeous.” She pulled back and cupped my cheeks, looking at me with the same fondness in her eyes that was always there. “It’s perfect. I don’t even need to see anything else.”

I chuckled. “Thanks, Mama.”

She kissed me on the cheek before she let me go. “But I definitely want a tour anyway.”

My father embraced me next, a slight look of disapproval in his eyes. He resented me for lying to my mother—and for bringing him into the lie. “Carter.” He patted my back then stepped off to the side.

“Father…”

Carmen came next, wearing a long blue skirt and a ruffled white top. Her hair was in long curls, and her eyelashes were thick with mascara. She always looked like a beauty queen. When we were growing up and she didn’t wear makeup, she still had a natural beauty that couldn’t be denied. She whistled under her breath as she looked around. “Jesus, this place is fancy. The Queen of England could live here.”

“I don’t think she would like it very much.”

“Because you’d be here?” she teased, wearing an arrogant smirk.

“So glad you’re here…”

She chuckled then patted me on the back. “Seriously, I love it. When we pulled up to the gates, I screamed a little bit. And the drive up to the house is like something from a movie. Mama was freaking out the whole time because she was so excited. She might move in.”

“Not gonna happen.”

I showed them the downstairs living room, the backyard with the pool, and the bedrooms and personal gym on the first floor. I didn’t bother taking them up the stairs since it was more of the same. I took them into the kitchen next. “This is the kitchen and dining area.” When we stepped inside, Mia was working at the kitchen island in her apron. With her hair pulled back in a nice ponytail, her pretty face was revealed. She wore heels and a blue dress, looking more like a housewife than a maid. Ever since she’d moved in with me, she’d started wearing nice clothes and did her makeup. She didn’t seem like a woman who would try to impress a man, so I assumed she did it just because she wanted to. “Good evening, sir. Dinner will be ready shortly.”

The second she called me sir, I felt a stir in my pants. Now I associated that title with sex, and it was impossible not to.

“Who’s this?” Mom asked, approaching Mia at the island. “And what smells so good?”

Mia quickly washed her hands before she shook hands with my mother. “Mrs. Barsetti, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Carter’s maid.” Her eyes focused on my mother’s features, probably looking for the similarities I shared with her. Mia wore a pretty smile, and the makeup on her face made her glow even brighter than usual. Instead of looking like the help, she looked like a supermodel working in my kitchen. “I hope you’re hungry. Carter asked me to make his favorite dish.”

Mom was slightly startled by Mia, staring at her like she couldn’t believe that my maid was so beautiful. She finished the handshake before she recovered. “I could eat lasagna any time.”

“Damn, you’re hot.” Carmen, the big mouth of the family, blurted out those words without thinking twice about it.

I rolled my eyes. “Carmen, come on.”

“What?” Carmen said innocently. “She is. Look at her. Can I borrow that dress?”

Mia’s cheeks blushed slightly, and she smiled in a way I’d never seen before, like she was actually uncomfortable. She always kept her composure around me, even when I was the bad guy. “Yeah, sure. We look about the same size.”

Carmen walked up to her and greeted her with a hug. “I can’t believe my brother has a maid. I guess that’s a good thing because he didn’t know how to do his own laundry until he was twenty.”

“Carmen.” I wrapped my arm around my sister’s shoulders and slowly steered her away from Mia. “Why don’t you go set the table?” I gave her a gentle push, getting her out of the kitchen and away from Mia.

Mia smiled, like she didn’t seem bothered with the conversation. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Barsetti.” She shook my father’s hand.

He did the same. “Likewise. Need any help?”

“Absolutely not,” she said. “Take a seat in the dining room, and I’ll get the drinks started. A scotch, neat for the gentlemen and a glass of wine for the lady?”

Mom smiled. “That would be nice.”

Carmen walked back into the room. “I’ll take a scotch too—make it a double.”

I lowered my voice so only Mia could hear. “Don’t make it a double…”

Mia chuckled. “Alright, sir.”

We moved into the dining room and sat down at the table. I was relieved the introductions were over. Now we could talk about something else other than my hot maid. But judging by the excitement in Carmen’s eyes, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. “Did you hire a model to be your maid?”

I ignored my sister’s question, not wanting to talk about how hot Mia was in front of my parents, especially when my father knew I was sleeping with her. “She’s good at what she does—regardless of her looks.”

“Or her looks make her better at what she does…” Carmen wore a playful grin.

“Anyway…” I tapped my fingers against the table. “I’m glad you guys could stop by and see the place. I’m liking it so far.”

“What about work?” Mom asked. “You’re doing everything over the phone?”

“Yeah, pretty much. But I’ll have to talk some trips here and there. That’s the nice thing about having Mia around. She can keep it looking nice while I’m away, make sure the gardeners take care of the yard. Stuff like that.”

Carmen narrowed her eyes on my face, not buying my story for a second.

“Your father and I are very happy you decided to move back,” Mom said, beaming with pride. “When Conway decided to move back, we were pretty jealous. But now all the kids are together again. It’s really wonderful.”

“Yeah, I missed seeing Conway all the time.” I used to see him every weekend when we were both in Milan. We drank and fucked around, spent the nights on the town. But his bachelor days were long behind him now.

Mia walked into the room and put the drinks out for all of us. She handled everything like it wasn’t her first time waiting on people. Maybe Egor had her do something similar when she was in his captivity. “Dinner will be right out. Anything else I can get in the meantime?”

“No, we’re okay,” I said. “Thank you, Mia.”

She smiled then walked out again.

Carmen shifted her gaze back to me, suspicion written all over her face.

I ignored her look, knowing exactly what she was thinking. If I provoked her, she would accuse me of a lot of things I didn’t want to be accused of. “So Reid is pretty—”

“There’s no way that woman just works for you,” Carmen blurted. “You’re telling me this gorgeous model waits on you, and you keep it professional?”

I used to want to strangle my sister a lot. This was one of those times when I really wanted to strangle her. “My professionalism is none of your business, brat. Now be a mature adult and behave.”

“So, she isn’t just your maid,” Carmen said with victory. “I knew that wasn’t possible.”

“Mind your own business, Carmen. Every time you talk to a guy, I don’t assume anything.”

Carmen laughed loudly, like I made some kind of joke. “Anytime a guy comes anywhere near me, you treat him like a criminal.”

“Because he probably is,” I countered. “You don’t have good taste in men.”

“Excuse me?” she hissed. “When have you ever seen a guy I’ve dated.”

“I don’t need to.”

Mom sighed at our bickering. “Knock it off. We’re all together now, and we should be happy. We have so much to be grateful for. We have a new Barsetti, and Carter is going to be close by from now on.”

I never thought I would be happy to have my mother intervene. It reminded me of our childhood. Carmen and I didn’t bicker very much anymore, but then again, we weren’t around each other a lot. She was headstrong and opinionated, never afraid to speak her mind regardless of who she angered. It was one of the things I loved about her…but also hated. “Well said, Mama.”

Carmen rolled her eyes when our parents weren’t looking.

Mia brought dinner a moment later, and once everything was set on the table, she returned to the kitchen to start the dishes.

We talked about Reid most of the time, along with Vanessa and Griffin.

“I like Griffin a lot,” Mom said. “He’s got a dark side to him, but most men do. It’s natural.”

“I like him too,” Carmen said. “I’ve never seen Vanessa happier. She’s dated a few guys but never anyone who’s made her fly so high. I can tell he really loves her. Whenever we go out, I see the way he looks at her. I hope I find a man who will look at me the same way.”

I didn’t want to deal with that day when it arrived. Dealing with Griffin was already a pain in the ass. When it was my own sister, it would be even worse. I knew exactly what kind of monsters were out there. The last thing I wanted was for my sister to end up with one of them.

“I have no doubt you will,” Mom said. “When you find the right one.”

“Nunneries are cool too…” I suggested, half joking and half serious.

She rolled her eyes. “Should I tell Mia the same thing? Bet you wouldn’t like that…”

No, I wouldn’t. That was the only pussy I was screwing these days. When I tried to recall the last woman I’d been with, I couldn’t even remember a name. It was over two months ago now. It was hard to believe I’d been with the same woman that long.

“Mia is very pretty,” Mom said. “Where did you find her?”

Father and I agreed to keep up the lie, but now that Mom was asking me for details, I felt shitty for making up a story. “I asked a friend for a recommendation, and her name popped up. She’s good at taking care of the house, but she’s also loyal. I wanted someone I could trust.”

“She seems very nice,” Mom continued. “Does she live at the house, or does she drive home?”

Carmen watched me, interested in my answers.

I didn’t want to lie about all the details. It would just bite me in the ass later. “Yes. She lives here.”

“So you live with that hot piece of ass?” Carmen asked. “All the time?”

I glared at her. “Don’t call her that.”

“It was complimentary,” Carmen said. “She’s drop-dead gorgeous. Like, why is she a maid when she could be a model for Conway?”

“Not all women want to parade around in their underwear,” I snapped.

“Is there something wrong with women wanting to model lingerie?” She tilted her head to the side, cornering me into an argument on purpose. She was too smart for her own good and knew how to spin the narrative. If she got tired of being a florist, she could easily be a lawyer.

“That’s not what I said,” I argued. “Mia likes her job.”

“I can’t imagine anyone would want to wait on you,” my sister responded. “Mom did it for eighteen years and hated it.”

“I did not hate it,” Mom said with a chuckle. “I miss it, actually.”

“Why are you hung up on my maid?” I asked. “Do you want to date her? Because I can put it in a good word for you.”

Carmen narrowed her eyes on my face. “I’m sure she’s too busy with you.”

Father drank his scotch, doing his best to ignore both of us.

“Anyway,” Mom said. “Dinner was delicious, so she seems like a good addition to the house.”

“She is,” I said. “She also has a son who’s going to be staying here.”

“A son?” Mom asked in surprise.

“Really?” Carmen asked. “How old is he?”

“Eight,” I answered. “I haven’t met him, but he sounds like a good kid.”

“They’re both going to live here?” Carmen asked in surprise.

“Yes.” I held her gaze as I spoke. “Mia’s had a difficult life, not that it’s any of your business. I’m trying to help her out.”

Father sighed quietly then downed the rest of his scotch.

“That’s nice of you, Carter.” Mom placed her hand on my arm. “To help someone like that.”

“Like I said, she’s a great addition to the house.” I held my glass without taking a drink. “I enjoy having her around. The place is too big for one person, and it’s too big for me to take care of all the time. I need someone handling it full time.” If I hired a man or an older woman, none of these questions would have been asked. But since Mia was exceptionally beautiful, especially in that cute dress she wore, all my family could do was fixate on was her looks. I guess I couldn’t blame them…since I’d done the same thing since I met her. “Now, if we’re finished talking about her, I’ll give you a tour of the rest of the place.”

I said goodbye to my family on the doorstep.

Father clapped me on the shoulder. “Come by the winery for lunch sometime.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I said goodbye to my sister next. “See you later.” I hugged her, despite how much she annoyed me over dinner.

She returned the embrace then spoke to me with a smile on her face. “Look, all I’m saying is, that woman is not only gorgeous…but she can cook like a chef. She knows how to make a mean drink, and she keeps the house spotless. If I were you…I would be all up in that.” She kissed me on the cheek then walked out with Father.

I ignored what she said and turned to Mom. “Sometimes I wish I were an only child.”

“No, you don’t,” she said with a chuckle. “Your father and I would obsess over you even more.”

“True.”

She hugged me around the waist, over a foot shorter than me just the way Mia was. “But she does have a good point. You could have a maid do that for you…or have a wife do that for you.” She rubbed my back before she pulled away and looked at me. “I try not to ask you too much about your personal life. Your father gets angry at me. But I don’t want you to get caught up in work and luxury and forget there’s more out there. Money and looks will fade…but love never dies. Your father was just like you when we first met, but once he settled down and had a family, he became a much happier version of himself. That’s the only advice I want to give you.”

“And you want me to marry Mia?” I asked incredulously. “You met her one time and tried her cooking. I don’t think that’s enough interaction for an arranged marriage.”

“Of course not,” she said. “But when I saw her, I hoped that…it doesn’t matter.” She patted my chest with her palm before she stepped back. “Just keep an open mind, Carter. The only time a soul is complete is when it finds its second half.” She walked out toward my father, who wrapped his arm around her waist as they headed to the car. He opened the door for her, got her inside, and then they drove off with Carmen in the back seat.

I headed back to the kitchen and saw Mia shut the dishwasher before she turned it on. The place was spotless like it was before she started dinner. The leftovers were placed in the fridge, and the counters had been cleaned off. “Where did you learn to cook?”

She turned around at the sound of my voice. “The internet.”

“My family really enjoyed it. Mom was impressed.”

“Well, that’s flattering.” She washed her hands in the sink, scrubbing them with soap before she patted them dry with a kitchen towel. “I was a bit nervous to see your family. Wasn’t sure how they would be. But they’re lovely…like you.” She hung the towel on the hook then turned back to me, looking beautiful in the dress she wore. The apron was gone, and her high ponytail kept her hair out of her pretty face.

“I’m sorry about my sister. She’s a weirdo.”

She chuckled, her cheeks blushing. “No, her candor was refreshing. Besides, who doesn’t like a compliment?”

“And she’s straight by the way. I would understand why that would be a surprise to you.”

“Come on, Carter. She was just being nice.” She placed her hand on my biceps and gave me a gentle rub.

The second she touched me, my body hummed to life. I loved feeling those fingertips, loved feeling that womanly touch. The embrace was innocent, practically meaningless, but those little touches made my entire body feel warm.

“She reminds me of Vanessa. Honest, transparent, refreshing. I really liked her. I liked everyone, truly. Remember that the past three years of my life were unbearable. Before that, I never had a place to call home. It’s nice being around a family, being part of something normal.”

Since she was serving us, it didn’t seem like she was part of the family dynamic, but she obviously didn’t see it that way.

“It makes me miss Luca, though.” She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed.

“Less than a week now, sweetheart.”

“So, what did you tell them about me?”

“That you were the maid. That’s it. But obviously, Carmen can’t seem to believe that.”

“In her defense, she’s right on the money.” She smiled in a beautiful and sexy way.

“My mom likes you too. But she had a little talk with me in the doorway, basically told me she wanted me to settle down.”

“With me?” she asked in surprise.

“Not necessarily. I think seeing me with an attractive woman, who’s cooking in my kitchen, made her think of the kind of life she wants for her son. She wants me to have a wife and a pack of kids.”

“Well, there’s nothing better than being a parent, so I agree with her.”

“I don’t have anything against kids. I just don’t want to be a father.”

“It’s not as difficult as you think it is, Carter.”

“I would have to make a lot of sacrifices.”

“But those sacrifices come with immense rewards.” She tilted her head slightly as she looked at me. “Not everyone is meant to have children, and if someone doesn’t want a family, that’s perfectly fine. But I don’t think you fall into that category, Carter. I see the way you are with your family.”

I didn’t know what to say to that since she was absolutely right. I loved my family. I loved the Barsetti clan. It was an honor to be part of a family so noble and respected. We were loyal to each other—to all ends.

“Have you ever introduced a woman to your parents before?”

“No,” I blurted, finding the question comical. “Never.”

“You’ve never had a girlfriend?” she asked, her eyebrow raised.

I shook my head. “The girlfriend thing has never interested me. I’ve never needed a romantic relationship with someone, not when I’m satisfied by other things, like sex, work, and family.”

“Then it’s no surprise that your mother and sister were so surprised to see me, since they’ve never seen you with a woman in any capacity.”

“I guess.”

“You told them I’m living here?”

I nodded.

“Did you tell them about my son?”

I nodded again. “They find the situation strange. They probably think there’s something romantic going on between us. But I’m not going to correct my mother and tell her we’re just fucking. I might be able to have that kind of conversation with my father, but not my mother.”

“Understandable.”

“I’m sure they’ll get used to as time goes on and they realize nothing is gonna happen.”

She held my gaze without reacting, but there was a hint of sorrow in her eyes. I wasn’t sure why my words would matter to her. There didn’t seem to be anything between us, at least nothing romantic. “What?”

“That makes me sad.”

My heart started to race, the sweat forming on my palms. I stared at her beautiful face and felt the trepidation in my chest. I didn’t blink as I stared at her, and she didn’t blink as she stared back. Did our closeness develop into something more right under my nose without my realizing it? Did she want me, despite everything I’d done to her? My heart started to beat faster, and instead of rejecting her honesty, I wanted to push her against the counter and kiss her…even though I didn’t understand why. “Why?” My voice came out as a whisper because that was as loud as I could make myself speak.

Her hand moved over her hair, and she tucked the brown strands that had come loose behind her ear. “I don’t want you to be alone, Carter. I understand a man’s need to remain free as long as possible, but always being alone…sounds depressing. I know commitment sounds horrifying to a man like you, a man who can have anything that he wants. But I promise you, it’ll be the best thing you’ll ever do. So don’t say it’s never gonna happen. Keep the door open.”

When I heard her explanation, I realized she’d misinterpreted what I said. She wasn’t referring to herself specifically, but to women in general. My heart rate didn’t slow down even though her intent was clear. She spoke of me being with someone else so easily, like the possibility of us didn’t even cross her mind. That should be a good thing, exactly what I wanted. But I found myself disappointed by her dismissal. It made absolutely no sense. “I’ll think about it.”

“Good.” Her radiant smile returned. “When you meet Luca, I think it’ll really change your mind.”

“I don’t know anything about kids, sweetheart.”

“You don’t need to. They’ll teach you everything you need to know.” She moved closer to me, slowly inching her way into my body. She stopped in front of me, her palms moving to my chest. She rubbed me lightly, her luscious lips just inches from mine. “Can I ask you for something?”

When she was this close to me, smelling like roses and looking beautiful as ever, I was immobile. All I wanted to do was stare at her, devour her with my eyes. Every time she rushed me, she gave me a thrill no other woman could match. “Anything.” I’d already risked my life for her, risked my family for her. But now I was offering myself to her again.

Her hands slid up my chest until her arms hooked around my neck. She moved closer to me, embracing me like a lover. With her nose almost touching mine, she whispered against my lips, “Can we make love tonight? You know…the way I like?”

This beautiful woman was asking me to please her, to cover her body with mine and sink her into the mattress. After years of rape and torture, her body came to life for me. She wanted sex the way I gave it to her, wanted me to please her in a way no other man did. I wanted rough sex, to chain her up and make her cry, but when she asked me for this, I wouldn’t deny her. I loved pleasing her as much as I loved hurting her. “Yes.”

Her hands explored my physique, starting with my shoulders and making their way down my chest and stomach. Her hands wrapped around me, and she gripped my ass, pulling on it so I could move inside her faster. Sexy moans and pants came from her slightly parted lips, sounding like a woman being thoroughly pleased. Her ankles dug into my ass, and she rocked with me, ready to come for the second time.

My hand reached into her hair, and I yanked on the band keeping the strands secured in a ponytail. As I tugged, it snapped free, letting her beautiful locks move across the pillow. I fisted it next, gripping it as tightly as the band. My cock was met with her abundant arousal, the slickness between her legs that I’d come to worship. Most of my sexual escapades were muffled by a condom, but with Mia, it was just the two of us. Skin on skin, man and woman. The only reason I’d lasted this long was because she’d asked me to please her in such a seductive way. This strong woman wasn’t afraid to ask for what she wanted, and I wanted to deliver so she would ask me time and time again.

“Carter…” Her nails ran up my back until they dug into my shoulders. She sliced the skin accidentally, gripping me so tightly she wasn’t aware of what she was doing.

That was fine by me.

Her lips brushed against mine as she spoke into my mouth. “I’m gonna come again.”

I could feel the way her pussy tightened around me, the beginning of her pleasure. “I know.” I could feel her body as intimately as she could feel mine. I’d been sleeping with her long enough to understand every movement she made. From her change in breathing to the way she dug her nails into my body, I knew every move. My cock slid through her soaked arousal, and I could feel the tightness increase, feel her approach the cliff she was about to fly over.

Her hand moved into the back of my hair, and she fisted the strands as she kissed me. With quivering lips and sexy breaths, she made love to my mouth the way I made love to her body. She kissed me like she needed me, like the affection would push her over the edge and give her a climax she wouldn’t forget.

As I felt that moment approach, my cock hardened noticeably, ready to join her when that moment arrived. I was buried so deep inside that pussy, and I couldn’t wait to give her everything I had, to make her pussy full with my seed. I loved coming inside her, felt even more pleasure every time I did it. Our sex was vanilla, plain and simple, but she enjoyed me so much that it became the best I’d ever had.

She suddenly gripped me tightly as she hit her threshold. More moisture pooled around my length as her spirit sailed into the heavens. She fisted my hair and moaned against my mouth, coming all over my dick. Her kisses stopped as she moaned harder, her ankles digging deep into my ass. “Oh my god…”

I’d never got so much pleasure making love to a woman. It didn’t matter how slow and easy it was, it always felt good. I already saved Mia and planned to bring her son back to her, so I didn’t owe her anything. But nonetheless, I wanted to please her—because I enjoyed it. I came when she was almost finished, my big cock pressing deep inside her as I exploded. My entire body felt numb as I released, the pleasure so overwhelming my body couldn’t absorb it all. Once I filled her, the goodness was so great I forgot to breathe. Releasing inside her was the sexiest feeling I’d ever encountered. I was on fire, burning all the way down to the bone. I loved filling her with my come, erasing Egor from existence. I claimed this woman, keeping her in my bed because she was mine to enjoy. “Fuck…” My climaxes were better with Mia, probably because I got off on how much she enjoyed me. I loved being deep inside her as she spread her legs like that, begging me without saying a single word.

My cock kept throbbing until I was completely finished. Once the waves of erotic pleasure died away, my cock slowly softened inside her. Surrounded by her cream and my come, my cock could stay there forever, but I pulled out slowly.

She kept her legs around my waist and hugged me tightly, like she wasn’t done with me. She gave me a kiss so hot it made me stay. Our lips moved together aggressively, our breaths filling each other’s lungs. It was like I hadn’t pleased her at all, just made her want me more. Her ankles eventually released from my ass, and she ended our kiss.

I turned over and lay on my back, my wet dick slowly softening more. Exhausted and satisfied, I lay in the dark with her beside me. My chest was slick with sweat, and my ass was sore because I’d been thrusting into her for so long.

She was warm too, but that didn’t stop her from cuddling into my side. The sheets were pushed to the bottom of the bed, but neither one of us wanted them. We lay together, a tangled mass of two sweaty bodies.

Her hand rubbed my chest gently, her hair touching my neck and shoulder.

I stared down at her curvy figure, loving her slender waistline and wide hips. She didn’t have any stretch marks, so I wouldn’t have even known she’d had a baby. But even if she had, it wouldn’t have changed how much I wanted her.

The scars on her front were limited. Egor seemed to keep them on her back, using it as a billboard for his cruelty. Every time he looked at her rear, he was reminded of the power he had over her. When I looked at her scars, I didn’t think about him. I thought of her strength inside. He might have beaten her to the ground, but she was the one who got up again.

“Can I tell you something?” she whispered, her hand freezing against my chest.

“Yes.”

“I’ve never had sex like that all my life. I’ve been with a few guys, some were better than others, but with you…it’s so good.”

Like she didn’t compliment me enough, she did it again, this time with enthusiasm.

“Are you like that with all women? Or is it just me?”

I didn’t know how to answer her question because I didn’t like to compare her to the rest of my lovers. “I don’t know. It’s different every time.”

“Do you enjoy me as much as I enjoy you?”

I stared at the ceiling, smelling a mixture of sex and her perfume. “That answer is obvious, sweetheart. I love being buried between your legs every chance I get. You can lie there and do nothing, and it’s still damn good. Your pussy is like a drug to me.”

“I’ve never had a man describe it that way before…”

“Then you haven’t been with the right man.” I didn’t like to think about the men she bedded before me. I didn’t like to think about the man who knocked her up and left her behind. I didn’t like to think about anyone enjoying her but me.

“No, I haven’t.” She kissed my shoulder, her soft lips pressing hard against my skin. “But now I have.”

I was dead asleep when Mia started kicking me.

“Stop!” She threw her arms hard against me, punching me right in the stomach.

My eyes flashed open, and I prepared for danger, my mind immediately awake and prepared for battle. I spotted Mia beside me, her eyes shut. There was no one else in the room. Two seconds later, I realized she was having a nightmare. “Sweetheart.” I grabbed her wrists so she would stop punching me. Tears streamed down her face, and she whimpered in pain, the nightmare torturing her. “Wake up.” I shook her hard, trying to get her to snap out of it.

She finally stopped fighting me, her eyes snapping open and her breathing deep and irregular. She yanked her wrists away from my grasp and immediately sat up, her eyes looking around the bedroom for her assailant. She gripped her chest and felt her own heartbeat against her palm. “Oh my god…” Bathed in sweat with messy hair, it seemed like she just finished a real battle.

“Sweetheart, it’s me. It’s just the two of us.” I kept my hands to myself, giving her a second to realize her surroundings. There were tears in her eyes, and they weren’t the kind of tears I liked to see. “It’s just a dream.”

“A dream…”

“Yes.” My hand moved into her hair, and I pushed the strands back, revealing her tear-stained cheeks. “I’m here. Nothing is going to happen to you while I’m here. You’re safe.” I didn’t need to ask what her nightmare was about. There was only one person who ever tortured her. She was free from him, but her trauma would be there for a long time.

“Okay…” She wiped her tears with her fingertips and sniffled. She stayed still for a long time, slowly making sense of what just happened. She breathed deep and hard until her breathing returned to normal.

My hand rested on hers, reminding her I was there if she wanted to talk about it.

It didn’t seem like she did. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“Don’t apologize.” I gently tugged on her arm and brought her back toward me.

She moved into my chest and hugged me, cuddling into my body for protection. “The nightmares started after you rescued me. I know he’s gone, but…I guess I haven’t moved on yet.”

“It’ll take a long time before that happens.”

She rested against me, and the longer I held her, the calmer she seemed to be.

I didn’t want to be like Egor. I didn’t want to torture this woman and give her nightmares. Mia was a beautiful woman who deserved more than that. “I know I said I would save you if you did something for me in return. But, Mia, you don’t have to stay. You’re free to leave whenever you want.” I wanted to keep her as long as I wanted, to tie her up and whip her on the nights I was in the mood for something darker. But I’d grown to care about this woman, and I wanted her to have what she deserved—freedom. I didn’t want to be like Egor. I wanted to be better than him.

“I already knew that, Carter.” She sat back so she could look into my face. “But to be honest, I feel safe here. I want to stay here. When I was your prisoner at your other place, the idea of staying with you forever sounded tempting. The only reason I continued to fight was because of Luca. But now that he’s coming here…there’s nothing else for me out there. Luca’s father left me because he was selfish—”

“Pathetic,” I said. “The word you’re looking for is pathetic.” If I ever knocked up a woman, I would never turn my back on her. Even if it was a one-night stand that I didn’t even like, it wouldn’t make a difference.

Her eyes softened. “And then Egor ripped me away from my son and destroyed me…you’re the first good man I’ve ever met. All I want is a quiet life for Luca and me. I just want to work and make sure he goes to a good school and becomes a man I’ll be proud of. There’s nothing better out there, Carter. I want to stay here. I want to be with a man who can protect us. If it were just me, it would be a different story, but since I have a son…I need a man to keep him safe.” She took a deep breath, her eyes watering. “Because obviously, I can’t. I failed him. I left him in an orphanage without an explanation…”

“Don’t do that,” I whispered. “You’re rewriting history. That’s not what happened, Mia.”

“But that’s how he’ll see it.”

I shook my head. “No, he won’t. He loves you.”

“I don’t know…I hope so.”

I squeezed her hand. “I know so. There’s nothing my mother could ever do to make me stop loving her. I’m a grown man who doesn’t need her anymore, but my respect for her will never change. You and Luca are welcome to live here as long as you want. If you’re looking for protection, I fit the bill.”

“You’re so sweet, Carter. I feel like I’m getting the most out of the situation. I get to have my life back, I get to sleep with a beautiful man who’s kind, and I get to focus on raising my son. I can’t picture myself ever dating again, so having good sex with a friend is a dream come true for me. Until you meet someone you fall in love with, of course. If that day ever comes, you don’t have to worry about us. We’ll get out of your hair.”

I couldn’t picture that day ever coming. I couldn’t picture myself falling in love with a woman I met at a bar. I’d never had a deep connection with anyone—except Mia. She spoke of a purely physical relationship and a friendship, like that was all she wanted. Unlike other women who wanted more from me, Mia never did. There was a twinge of disappointment, but it didn’t make any sense because I wouldn’t want it to be any different between us. After what I did to her in the beginning of our relationship, it shouldn’t be surprising. Why would she want me? I chained her up to a wall and treated her like a slave for weeks. I was going to beat her and rape her until she talked me out of it. Maybe I was good to her now, but it hadn’t always been that way.

“Did I say something?” she whispered, her eyes shifting back and forth as she looked into mine.

I hadn’t realized how far I’d drifted away with my thoughts. “No.”

“Okay.” She smiled before she moved into my chest again. “I’m sorry I woke you.”

“No need to be sorry.” I kissed her forehead. “You never have to be sorry.”