After I picked up Mia from my parents’ place, I drove back to the house fifteen minutes away. I took her bag and greeted her with a simple look, treating her with a hint of indifference. Naturally, I wanted to wrap my arms around her and let my lips brush against her hair. That affection was bottled deep inside. “How was it?” I had one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the center console.

“It was nice.” As if she couldn’t resist touching me, she placed her hand on mine. “I missed you.”

I interlocked our fingers and squeezed her hand. “I missed you too.” I’d stayed at Conway’s penthouse in Milan and spent all my time working. I didn’t go out at night like I normally would. I didn’t jerk off either. Didn’t seem appealing. When I had Mia waiting for me, all my other options didn’t seem like options.

“Your parents are wonderful. They made me feel right at home. Your mother is really sweet, and your father is nice too. And they’re so in love…it’s cute.”

I shrugged. “I’m glad I didn’t have to witness any of that.”

She rolled her eyes. “It makes you happy, and you know it.”

“From a distance, yes.” I turned onto a different street and passed the golden fields down the road from the house we both shared. “What did you think of the cooking?”

“Amazing.”

I smiled. “I miss my mama’s cooking.”

“She knows how to work the kitchen, that’s for sure.”

I passed through the gates and drove up the long driveway to the house, watching the metal gates close behind me. We inched toward the building and pulled into the garage on the side of the house. “I’m glad you were comfortable there.”

“It was a good decision. I wouldn’t have been able to stay here alone, even with all your security.”

“I need to get you a gun and show you how to use it. Maybe that will make you more comfortable.”

“I know how to pull a trigger.”

“Handling a gun is more complicated than that. If you master the weapon, you might have more confidence.”

“I don’t think I want any guns in the house with Luca here.”

I hadn’t considered that. My lack of experience with kids was becoming more apparent. “Mia, I have a lot stashed around the place. But not having any guns isn’t an option, unfortunately.” We had to be protected in the unlikely event of an attack. It would take ten minutes for my family to get here to help, and I needed a way to protect us.

“Could you lock them away somehow? That way he can’t get to them.”

I guess I could carry a key around my wrist at all times. If something happened, I could unlock any door and get what I needed. “I can do that.”

“Thank you. He’s only eight years old…which means he’ll be curious.”

“I understand, sweetheart.” I still couldn’t believe I would be sharing the house with a child. When I made the offer, it didn’t sound like an issue, but perhaps my ignorance would make this new lifestyle difficult.

“So…any news on Luca?” Her voice came out weak, like she was afraid she was annoying me by asking the question all the time.

“He’ll be here on Thursday.” We got out of the car and walked into the house.

She stopped in the hallway, and her loud sigh echoed against the walls. She gripped her chest like she couldn’t handle the air that left her lungs. “Thursday…that’s only two days from now.”

“Yes.” I walked into the kitchen and set my bag on the floor. “Two days from now, you’ll have Luca.”

She leaned against the wall and cupped her cheeks with her palms, having a slight meltdown right in the kitchen. She closed her eyes as she focused on her breathing. Seconds later, her eyes welled up with tears. “Two days…”

Pity rose in my heart, like I was responsible for her pain. I imagined my mother’s reaction if someone took me away from her. She would be an even bigger mess, unable to do anything until she got me back. Taking a child away from its mother was the worst kind of torture you could inflict. At least Egor didn’t hurt the kid. I wouldn’t have put it past him. “Yes, sweetheart. Two days.” I stepped in front of her and gripped her shoulders, comforting her in the only way I knew how.

She blinked her tears away then lowered her hands. “I’m so happy… I’m sorry that’s not more obvious.”

“You never have to explain your emotions to me.” My palms cupped her face, and my thumbs wiped away the two tears that dripped down her cheeks. “I know you’re happy.” My hand moved to her heart. “But I know you’re broken at the same time. I promise when you get him back, no one will ever take him away from you again. I’ll make sure that never happens.” This woman made me pledge my loyalty without even asking. I wanted to make her happy, give her the entire world. She’d earned my respect and my affection, but she’d earned so much more too.

“I know, Carter.” She moved into my chest and wrapped her arms around me. She held me close, her cheek resting against my chest. “You’re a great man, Carter. The greatest man I’ve ever known.”

Before Mia came into my life, I was selfish, motivated by greed and sex. I was one-dimensional, uninteresting. If I’d known what I was getting myself into with her, I probably would have turned down the offer and kept my hands clean. I wasn’t a hero by any means. But now, I wouldn’t go back and change anything. This woman clawed through the armor around my heart and forced me to feel something, something I’d never felt before. She forced me not to be selfish, forced me to care about something other than myself. I thought I was a man before she came along, but now I felt like a bigger man than before. “I don’t know if I agree with that, but thanks anyway, sweetheart.”

She pulled away then grabbed my bag from the floor. “I’ll put this away and make you some lunch. Do you have a request?” Once she dropped her affection, she returned to the professional relationship we had during the day.

But I wasn’t in the mood for professional. I had been gone for almost three days, sleeping alone every night and working nonstop during the day. My hands got dirty from working on an engine, the pads of my fingertips were sore from gripping the pencil so tightly as I worked on the schematic in my office. Now that I was home, staring at the woman I owned indefinitely, I didn’t care about lunch or my bag. “You.” I pushed the strap off her shoulder, making the bag fall to the ground with a loud thud. “I don’t want lunch.” I stepped closer to her, my face slowly inching toward her beautiful face. “I don’t want you to do my laundry. I just want you.” My hand fisted her hair, and I yanked her face back slightly, making her lips perfectly accessible.

All the emotion left her gaze once I handled her that way, made my erotic demands that she had to fulfill. I kept her in my house because I wanted her to take care of my home—but I wanted her to take care of me too. Her other responsibilities could wait.

“I want you too…sir.”

At the end of the night, when dinner was finished and the dishes were done, Mia came to my room, wearing the lingerie I’d picked out for her in Milan. With a see-through bra that showed her hard nipples and garters on her beautiful thighs, she looked like the fantasy I had every time my hand was wrapped around my dick. Her long brown hair was curled around her face, her eyelashes were thick, and she looked like a woman who was about to be seriously fucked.

I sat up in bed with my back against the headboard, my dick already hard just from thinking about how she would look. Now that my eyes settled on her tanned skin and feminine curls, my cock twitched noticeably.

She approached the bed, the sound of her heels muffled by the carpet underneath her feet. She was naturally sexy without even trying, her fingers running through her thick hair and her eyes shining brightly despite the darkness in the room. She stopped at the edge of the bed, the arousal in her eyes matching mine.

Impatient, I grabbed her and yanked her on top of me, forcing those long legs to straddle my hips. Her heels were still on, but I didn’t mind in the least. I yanked on the front of her bra and forced her tit out, my mouth immediately engulfing her nipple and sucking hard. My fingers gripped her cheeks, and I gently moved her hips up and down, forcing her clit to drag against my shaft through her panties.

Within a minute, I could feel the moisture rub against my skin. Her pussy was already wet for me, so wet she was soaking through the panties and onto my length. I made this woman want sex after everything she’d been through, and that made my ego explode. I pulled her panties to the side and pointed my head at her entrance.

I slid inside so smoothly.

“Oh my god…” She gripped my shoulders as she inhaled, taking my entire length with a shaky breath. Her nails clawed into me, and her mouth opened, parted so a little of her tongue was visible.

My hand cupped her cheek, and I brought her mouth to mine for a kiss. Once her lips were on mine, I felt the fire spread throughout my entire body. She was naturally sexy without even trying. Most women worked hard to please me, hoping to get something more from me, like a relationship with my wallet. But Mia only wanted me for me…never cared about my money. Her entire body stiffened at my kiss, like my mouth was all she could think about, even though my enormous cock was inside her.

I gripped her hips and guided her back and forth, showing her how to ride my cock the way I liked. Slow and gentle was how I moved, so I could kiss her at the same time. After being away for a few days, I thought I would want something darker, kinkier. But now I just wanted the slow passion that satisfied me, the intimate pleasure between our bodies.

She loved sex this way, loved it slow and easy, appreciating every inch of my length as it moved in and out. And she loved kissing me above all else, loved feeling our lips move together with heavy breaths. Her nails clawed into me even more, and her pussy became even wetter, even tighter. She submitted to me because she knew I enjoyed it, but she enjoyed this down to her core.

And that made me enjoy it too.

She came shortly, barely lasting a few minutes before her pussy clenched around my length with the strength of a python. Cream built up around my dick, pooling at the base. She kept going, rocking onto my cock, harder as her hips naturally bucked.

My arms circled her waist, and I yanked her down onto my length, forcing her to finish with my entire dick inside her.

She kept her mouth pressed to mine but didn’t kiss me, unable to because the pleasure stole all of her focus. When she finished, she looked into my eyes again, the coffee color of hers so warm it reminded me of an espresso on a winter morning. “I’ve never come like this in my whole life…”

I started to move her again, knowing my turn was just around the corner. “Me neither.”

The next day, I fell back into my regular routine. I worked out in the morning, had breakfast, and worked from my laptop and had a meeting with my team remotely. Being five hours away really hadn’t made much of a difference in my productivity, except when I had to commute back to Milan for important events.

Mia continued to do her job around the house, keeping it clean and preparing all of my meals, but whenever she was quiet, her gaze would focus on the distance and she wouldn’t say a word, obviously thinking about Luca.

He would arrive tomorrow.

“Sweetheart?” I called to her from the dining room.

“Yes, Carter?” She came to my side, wearing the pink apron I got for her. She was always dressed in one of the outfits I put in her closet, designer dresses and separates. She had an affinity for nice clothes, something I didn’t know about her until I saw her wear everything in her closet.

“Could you make me an espresso? I’m dragging a bit today.”

“Of course.” She gripped my shoulder, flashed me a pretty smile, and then walked away.

I liked to ask for things just so I could be the recipient of that look. She was happy to wait on me, happy to give me whatever I wanted. Her gratitude never faded away. It reminded me of my parents, the way my mother would take care of my father the second he came home from work. She always had dinner ready along with a smile. Taking care of him seemed to be her greatest joy.

Mia did the exact same thing.

She came back a few minutes later, a hot cup of espresso on a saucer. “Anything else? What about a biscotti?”

“No sweets.” I didn’t allow that stuff in the house. “Do we even have biscotti?”

She tried to suppress her grin. “I guess I have a bit of a sweet tooth…”

Since she looked so cute as she said those words, I let it slide. “Well, you enjoy those. I’ll pass.”

“You never eat sweets?” she asked. “Maybe once in a while?”

“On my birthday.” My mom usually made me a cake along with dinner.

Both of her eyebrows rose to the top of her face. “You eat sweets once a year?”

“Sweetheart, I can’t look like this if I eat sweets more than once a year.” I patted my hard stomach, my eight-pack visible right underneath the shirt. I ate mostly proteins and some carbs, making my body run efficiently, like one of my expensive cars.

“But is it worth it?” She placed her hand over her stomach, where she had a small hint of a belly. “The second I moved in here, I started to gain some weight. You think I care? Nope. Life is short—eat the damn cake.”

“It’s different for women. You look sexy no matter what size you are. An overweight man isn’t attractive.”

“Not true,” she argued. “I would still think you’re sexy with a belly.”

I laughed because there was no way in hell I would ever allow myself to have a fat stomach. “We’ll never find out.”

She walked back into the kitchen so I could get back to my laptop. I sipped my coffee while I heard her work in the kitchen, doing the dishes and placing them in the dishwasher. That was where she spent most of her time throughout the day, other than when she did laundry.

The doorbell rang.

Only family members had access to the gate code, so I assumed it was someone welcome in the house.

“I’ll get it,” Mia called from the kitchen.

I was in my sweatpants without a shirt, but since this person had dropped by without announcement, I didn’t rush to pull something on. They were disturbing my day, so I didn’t care.

Mia’s voice came from the other side of the house. “Hello, Mrs. Barsetti. How are you?”

My mom was here?

Their voices grew louder as they approached the dining room.

I stood up to greet my mother, wishing I had something to put on now that I knew it was her.

My mom walked through the archway. She wore a slight smile on her face, but her eyes were heavy like something was on her mind. She didn’t make a comment about my bare chest and hugged me. “Hey, Carter. Are you busy right now?”

“Not at all.” I hugged her back before I shut my laptop. “Everything alright?”

“I came by because I need to talk to you about something.” She was a foot shorter than me and lean like my father. Her dark brown hair was still lustrous and beautiful, and her brown eyes sparkled naturally.

My mother came all the way to my house to speak to me in private—that wasn’t good. Since Mia had just stayed with them for a few days, I could only assume that was what this discussion would be about. “Sweetheart…I mean Mia. Could you grab me a shirt, please?”

“Of course, Carter.” Mia walked away.

“You don’t need to do that, son.” Mom sat in the chair across from me. “This is your home, and I dropped by unannounced. Don’t worry about it.” She pulled her hair over one shoulder and hardly made eye contact with me.

Was she ashamed of me? Did Mia tell her everything? Would she betray me like that?

Mia returned with the t-shirt. “Can I get you something, Mrs. Barsetti? Iced tea?”

“That would be great,” Mom answered.

I pulled the black t-shirt over my head, hiding my nakedness from view. She said it was perfectly fine, but it felt disrespectful to me.

Mia returned with the iced tea along with a plate of cookies. “Let me know if you need anything.” She excused herself from the room and walked back into the kitchen, visibly uncomfortable by the tension in the room. It seemed like she knew exactly what my mother wanted to discuss.

So my mother probably knew everything. Now she was going to slap me until I saw stars. I wasn’t afraid of the pain, just the disappointment. I was an almost thirty-year-old man who had disappointed my mother. I should have grown out of that phase by now. Now I sat there in silence and waited for her to shake her head and purse her lips.

Mom watched me, her chin propped on her palm.

Like a guilty party put on trial, I exercised my right not to speak. I didn’t want to incriminate myself even more.

“Carter, this isn’t easy for me to talk about. Your father was going to join us, but I thought it would be better if it was just the two of us. I’m sorry to drop this on you at this moment, but it’s been weighing me down since Mia stayed with us.”

I wasn’t that angry that Mia had told my mother the truth. There was no way to know what the context of the situation was. But I was livid that Mia didn’t give me the decency of a warning. After everything I’d done for her, it seemed cold.

“I went into Mia’s room one night to check on her. Her back was turned to me, and she was changing. That’s when I saw the scars on her back…”

I held my mother’s gaze, seeing the picture she wove in my mind.

“Carter, I’ve seen scars like that before. I know how they got there. I know how much force it would take to leave scars so deep and painful. They marred her back so severely that it’s obvious they were created over an extended period of time.”

The pain welled up inside my chest when I realized where this conversation was going. “It wasn’t me. I would never do something like that—”

“I know that, Carter.” She raised her hand to silence me. “The thought never crossed my mind.”

I shut my mouth, relieved that my mother didn’t think I was a monster.

“But I put the pieces together and realized Mia isn’t just some woman you hired to clean up after you. You’ve never been the kind of person to have help around the house, and Mia is so young to be in that line of work. Coupled with the scars and her timid behavior, I knew there was more to the story. So I asked her about her scars…and she didn’t give me an answer. So I told her my story first…”

Her story first? What story did my mother have to tell? A blank expression must have come over my face because my mother sighed and looked away. “I don’t understand…”

“I wasn’t sure when I was going to share this story with you. I wanted to wait until you were older, but you’re nearly thirty years old…so you’ve been an adult for a long time. It’ll be hard to hear, even harder to process. But since you’ve helped Mia, an innocent woman who deserves a better life, I think it’s time.”

So Mia did tell her. And now my mother was going to share another story with me.

“I was in my early twenties when I was captured. I was with a friend at the time, and we were both enslaved by the same master…” She kept looking at the table, unable to meet my gaze.

The second she began her story, the surface of my eyes coated with moisture, and I couldn’t blink it away. I’d never been an emotional man. I was like my father, hardly capable of feeling anything real. But I had a soft spot for my family, particularly my mother. She was so strong and so loving. She didn’t deserve anything bad ever to happen to her.

“The details of the imprisonment don’t matter,” she continued, raising her gaze to meet mine. “But Mia and I aren’t so different. We’ve experienced the same kind of torture. I was better off than she was because my enslavement didn’t last nearly as long. Your father saved me. He killed the man who held me captive. And he gave me a wonderful life.”

Even though I was exposed to this kind of cruelty all the time, hearing my mother speak of it on such a personal level made me ache all over. I should have said something in response to the tale, but I simply couldn’t. My mother had been raped and tortured, and my first response was to kill the man responsible for it…but my father already took care of that. I sat in silence, speechless at the revelation and deathly heartbroken over it.

My mother watched me for a long time, practically holding her breath as she waited for me to say something.

But I couldn’t. I was too broken.

Mom continued. “Mia told me that you took her away from her master and gave her a new life. She told me how kind and compassionate you are. She told me this not to betray you, but because I pressured her for her story. And Carter…I’m so proud of you. It brings tears to my eyes to think of what you did for this woman. Most men are cruel, but you’re good just like your father. Without you, where would this woman be? How would her son be without her? You’re a hero, son. I don’t care if you risked your family to get her out of that situation. You did the right thing…and I’m so lucky to have you as my son.”

My mother had just praised me, the kind of thing I lived for. All I wanted was for my parents to be proud of me, to know raising me had been worth all the time and frustration. But now those compliments meant nothing to me because of everything she’d said before that. “Mama…I’m so sorry.” Without even realizing it, tears sprang into my eyes. I felt them glide down my cheeks toward my chin. My chest hurt so much, like I was having a heart attack. “I’m so sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say, how else to express the way I felt. Knowing someone hurt my mother like that brought me so much pain I didn’t know how to absorb the agonizing truth.

“I know…” She rested her hand on mine. “But, Carter, it was a long time ago. I’ve been very happy for a long time. I never think about that period of my life. There’s no need to feel bad for me. I’ve let it go—and I want you to as well.”

I quickly wiped away the tears with my hand and cleared my throat. “Father saved you?”

“Yes. He did.” A smile spread across her lips. “He risked everything, even his own family. You two are more alike than you ever realized.”

“Were you together before you were captured?”

“No. After. He was doing business with the man who captured me when we met. And the rest is history.”

I leaned back in my chair and dragged my hands down my face, shaken by what I’d just heard. It didn’t matter that this man was dead. That wasn’t good enough. I wanted to torture anyone he ever loved—the way he tortured my mother. I stared at the surface of the table and tried to combat the severe pain that throbbed everywhere. I didn’t think less of my mother for what she’d been through. But it was hard to accept that it happened before I was even born.

My mom watched me for a while, being quiet. “Take all the time you need, Carter. I know this is difficult.”

She was being patient with me when she was the one who’d suffered the way Mia had. I saw firsthand what Mia had been through, had spoken to her psychopath of a master who got off on beating her mercilessly. Instead of being patient with me, I should be the one making my mother feel better.

I moved around the table and pulled up the chair beside her. “Mama.” I grabbed her hand and held it on the table. “I’m sorry. I wish…I wish I had been there so I could have protected you.”

She smiled slightly, but tears emerged at the exact same time.

“I’ve always respected Father, but I respect him even more now.”

“He’s a good man.” She squeezed my hand. “And you’re just like him.”

I shook my head, knowing my motivation to help Mia was also selfish. I saved her because it was the right thing to do, but also because I wanted her for myself.

“Please don’t pity me, Carter,” she whispered. “It was a long time ago. I’ve made my peace with it. I hadn’t thought about it much until I saw those scars on Mia’s back. I recognized the same abuse I’d endured.”

When I reflected on my past, I realized I’d never seen my mother in a swimsuit or clothing that revealed her back. She’d kept those scars concealed from me her entire life. “You’ve hidden your scars from us…”

Mom nodded. “Yes.”

“You don’t have to hide them anymore. You shouldn’t have to hide them at all.” I looked into her eyes. “You’re a survivor, not a victim. You lived through that and made a happy home for your family. Not very people could do that, could be strong enough to carry on after something like that. I had no idea…”

Her eyes softened.

“I don’t think less of you. I think you’re a fighter, Mama. I’m proud of how strong you are.” I admired Mia for the exact same qualities, for never giving up and remaining positive. She was willing to jump out of my car and fight me with a knife because she was so determined to get back to her son. I never viewed her as weak for being captured, but for being strong since she continued to survive.

“Carter…thank you.” She squeezed my hand again. “I knew you would say that…since you’ve taken such a liking to Mia.”

“Mia is an incredible woman. I admire her. Most people would have taken the easy way out. She never did. She never gave up because she had to get back to her son. Moments like that really define who you are. Mia is a fighter…and she earned my respect.”

“And your heart.”

I looked at my mother, unsure what she meant by that. “Mia and I aren’t romantic.”

“So you’re letting her live here with her son just because?” Mom smiled as she asked the question, like she knew something I didn’t.

“She doesn’t have anywhere else to go. She doesn’t have any money or any way to support her son.”

She kept grinning. “You’re very wealthy, Carter. If you really wanted her out of your hair, you would write her a fat check and let her disappear. You let her live here because you want her here.”

I couldn’t argue with that because she was absolutely right. I bought this new house in cash at the snap of a finger. I hadn’t even sold my other place yet, but that didn’t change anything. With more money than I knew what to do with, I could make anything happen.

When I didn’t respond to the claim, Mom continued to talk. “She thinks the world of you.”

“She does?” I whispered, knowing I shouldn’t care.

“Yes. Couldn’t run out of good things to say about you.”

That shouldn’t make me feel good. It should make me feel like shit, considering the offer I originally made with her.

“I can tell she adores you…respects you…even loves you.”

Maybe some of that was true, but not all of it. “Her feelings for me aren’t that deep.”

“I don’t agree.”

“She talks about me finding someone else all the time. She knows what we have isn’t forever. It’s just…what it is.”

Mom studied my face, reading my emotions like a book. “And that bothers you.”

“I never said it did.”

“But it does.”

I angled my face away from hers, trying to make it difficult for her to read me.

“Carter, don’t forget who you are. You’re the kind of man that speaks his mind and isn’t afraid to say what he wants. If you want this woman, tell her that. If you want this woman to love you, make her.”

“Make her, huh?” I whispered.

“For someone like you, it must be easy.”

I wasn’t sure if I wanted Mia to love me at all. “She has a son… I’m not sure how I’ll feel about that.”

“Why would that change anything?”

“I’ve never had a girlfriend before. Jumping into a relationship this complicated sounds like a bad idea. The only kid I’ve ever been around is Reid, and since he’s only a few weeks old, that doesn’t count. I’m not ready to be a father, let alone a stepfather.”

“But you’re going to live with both of them?”

“It doesn’t change anything. He’s her responsibility—not mine.”

Mom pulled her hand away. “It sounds to me like you don’t want commitment, but you want everything else.”

“Maybe.”

“I think it’s inevitable, Carter. Just accept it—it’s not so bad.”

I pulled my hand off the table and considered what she said. “After what Mia has been through, I don’t think she’s looking for love. She said she wants to raise her son and focus on him. She doesn’t trust men.”

“Except you. Like I said, she couldn’t say enough good things about you.”

“I’m not good enough for her…” She was in my captivity for a month, and I never tried to save her. The only reason I did was because I got attached to her, enjoyed sleeping with her. She was the one in a bad situation who never gave up. She was a much stronger person than I would ever be.

“You saved her, Carter. You reunited her with her son. Sounds like you’re the only man who’s worthy of her.”

“No offense, Mama, but you’re blinded by love.”

“No.” She rested her hand on my arm. “I know you better than you think I do. I know that Mia would still be a prisoner if it weren’t for you, that she would have died without seeing her son ever again. You’re her savior, the only man brave enough to do the right thing. Any other man she meets will never compare to you. Maybe you don’t see it right now…but you’re the only man she’s ever going to want.”

After my mother left, I went to the second floor where Mia’s bedroom was. Since she was nowhere to be found, I assumed she was purposely avoiding me, knowing I would be angry that she told my mother the truth about our situation.

I tapped my knuckles against the door, giving her the option to deny me if she wished. It was the kind of freedom she didn’t have before, and since it meant so much to her, I never infringed on it—even though this was my house.

“Come in.”

I stepped inside, seeing her on the couch in her private living room. She was in the same dress she wore earlier, her feet pulled up to her knees. She stared at me with trepidation, like she didn’t know what might happen now that we were face-to-face.

I slowly approached her, seeing the fear on her face. I stopped and stared at her, saying nothing.

She didn’t say anything either.

I kept looking at her until she lowered her gaze.

“I’m sorry I told your mother. But she saw the scars on my back and pretty much pulled everything out of me.”

“I’m not angry.”

She lifted her gaze again. “Then why do you look so angry?”

“She told me what happened to her…” My mother assured me she was fine, that it was so long ago that it didn’t matter anymore. She made her peace with the past and moved on, finding happiness with my father and the family they made together. If my father hadn’t saved her, I never would have been born.

“Are you okay?”

“Not sure yet.” I lowered myself onto the cushion beside her, my eyes still slightly puffy from the tears I’d shed earlier. “My chest still hurts, and I can’t remember the last time I shed tears. But when she told me, I couldn’t help it. My mother didn’t deserve that.”

Mia scooted closer to me, her hand resting against my back and her face close to mine. “I’m sorry…I know how much it must hurt.”

“It was a long time ago and she seems fine with it, but…it kills me inside. I want to kill the man who did this to her. He’s already dead because my father took care of that, but that’s not enough justice.”

“It’s not.”

“She was the one comforting me…when I should have been the one comforting her. I told her I was proud of her for being so strong, for not letting that experience sabotage the rest of her life. She refused to let that evil defeat her. Most people don’t have that kind of strength.”

Mia smiled. “I’m sure that meant a lot to her.”

“I think it did. I’m proud to call her my mother, even more than I was before. But it still kills me inside.”

She rubbed my back. “I know.”

“I wish I had been a man then like I am now. I could have protected her. I could have made sure nothing ever happened to her. If something were to happen today, I would mutilate the guy stupid enough to try.”

“I’m sure she knows that, Carter.”

“It’ll take a while for me to get over this…”

“That’s understandable.”

I stared at the carpet beneath our feet, feeling this beautiful woman comfort me with her touch. “She said she was proud of me for helping you. Said it’s exactly what she would have wanted me to do.”

“She should be proud of you,” she whispered.

I didn’t tell Mia everything else that was said, keeping that to myself. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Mia, and I wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about me. She was affectionate with me, but that didn’t mean her feelings went deeper than that. She certainly didn’t expect anything from me, always said I would end up with someone else.

“I’m glad you aren’t angry with me. I was afraid of what was going to happen when you walked into the room.”

“I was angry at first, but after our conversation, I understood. Talking to my mom seemed to make everything better, bring us closer together.” I turned toward Mia, seeing the pretty brown hair frame her face. “She really likes you.”

“We have a lot in common. I really like her too.”

Mia was the first woman I had slept with to have ever met my mother. I wasn’t sure if that meant anything or meant nothing at all. My hand moved to her thigh, and I gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“It’s not even five yet…”

“I know.” I rose to my feet. “I just want to be alone right now.” I couldn’t digest everything my mother said without feeling like I’d been punched in the stomach. I walked to the door, eager to get to my stash of scotch in my bedroom.

“Are you sure?”

I turned around at the sound of her hurt voice. I saw the concern in her eyes, the overwhelming sadness she felt toward me. “I understand if you want to be alone… I just thought I could be alone with you.”

I thought back to what my mother said, that Mia’s feelings for me were similar to mine for her. It was more than just simple affection and sexual attraction. There was a deeper connection between us, unexplored feelings that neither one of us touched. “You want to be alone with me?”

She stepped forward, the emotion burning in her eyes. “More than anything else in the world.”

The hours passed as we lay together in my bed. There was no sex and no talking. She was in her panties and bra, and I was stripped down to my boxers. Despite the sight of her nakedness, I wasn’t in the mood to drag the strap off her shoulder and reveal that perfect tit.

I wasn’t in the mood for anything.

Mia didn’t speak, knowing I preferred the company of silence. But she ran her fingers through my hair, rubbed my sore muscles, and comforted me with her feminine touch. Her perfume surrounded me, and my hand brushed against her thigh a few times. Sometimes I would drink my scotch. Sometimes I would light up a cigar.

She didn’t protest either one.

I knew I shouldn’t be depressed over something that happened decades ago. I hadn’t even been conceived yet. It didn’t seem like the past still had any hold over my mother. It was so long ago that she’d made her peace with it.

But could I make my peace with it?

If I’d known the truth before I met Mia, I knew I would have behaved differently.

Now I hated myself for the way I acted. I got Mia out of the situation eventually, but that was only because I was screwing her. My first instinct should have been to save her, not trick her into trying to escape so I could have her, so I could hurt her.

I was ashamed of myself.

Was I any different from Egor? Any different from the man who hurt my mother? The revelation changed everything, changed how I viewed myself.

Mia must have picked up on my mood because she addressed it. “Everything alright, Carter?”

“Yeah.” I stared across my room, my empty glass on the nightstand beside me.

She rubbed my chest, her eyes focused on my profile. “Seems like your mood has darkened.”

She could read me better than I realized. “I regret a lot of things. I should have saved you the second I realized what kind of monster Egor really was. I shouldn’t have looked the other way. I shouldn’t have participated in it. I shouldn’t have tricked you into escaping so I could hurt you…I’m not any different from Egor. I’m not any different from the man who hurt my mother. If my mother had told me this sooner…it would have changed everything.”

She rubbed her small hand across my chest. “You’re nothing like Egor, Carter. Despite your worst mistakes, you’re nothing alike. Remember, when I said no, you listened. You were always kind to me, always friendly. You gave me far more respect than Egor ever did.”

“I still didn’t help you…”

“Then how am I here? In your house?” She leaned down and pressed a kiss to my shoulder, her soft lips feeling like rose petals.

“Because I was sleeping with you.”

“Not true. You weren’t going to save me until I told you I had a son.” Her hand halted against my chest, her small fingernails digging into my skin. “You knew you wouldn’t be able to live without your own mother. That was why you helped me, Carter. Because it was the right thing to do. You know what Egor did? He left my son orphaned. He destroyed my body so I couldn’t have any more children. Don’t you dare compare yourself to Egor—you’re nothing like him.”

My hand rested on top of hers, and I squeezed her fingers. “Maybe that’s true. But I still could have been better… I could have treated you better.”

“Carter, if you didn’t treat me well, I wouldn’t be in this bed with you. I wouldn’t be kissing your warm skin. I wouldn’t be bedding you every night. I have the freedom to walk away, but I don’t want to.” Her hand moved to my chin, and she directed my stare onto her face. “I’m here with you because there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” She leaned into me and rubbed her nose against mine, her soft strands of hair brushing against my skin. She leaned closer then pressed her mouth over mine, giving me a soft kiss. “You’re the only man I want, Carter. You’re the only man I trust.” She kissed me again, her breaths filling my mouth and lungs. Her fingertips dug into the pectoral muscle of my chest. “You’re the only man I can kiss this way and mean it.”

My hand cradled her head, and my fingers dug into her soft hair. I brought her in for a deeper kiss, my cock coming to life in my shorts. All my self-loathing disappeared when I listened to this woman applaud me, watched this woman want me. My mouth probably tasted like scotch and cigars, but that didn’t halt her desire. I maneuvered on top of her and positioned her underneath me, her head hitting the pillow and my body covering hers like a blanket. Just when I’d positioned her legs around my waist, the doorbell rang.

I pulled away and stared into her face, seeing the warmth of her eyes stare back at me. Whoever was at the door must be family again. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to get past the gate. I gave her a final kiss before I moved off her and pulled on my clothes.

“Do you want me to get the door?” she asked, sitting up in bed.

I pulled on my jeans and my t-shirt. “No. I already know who it is.”

“Who?”

“My father.” I left the bedroom and hurried down the two flights of stairs to the ground floor. I jogged to the entryway and finally made it to the front door. Without checking to see if it was really him, I opened the door.

As I expected, my father stood there in a black t-shirt and jeans, his hands tucked into his pockets while his car was parked in the driveway behind him. He stared at me with a hard look, bottling his emotions so I couldn’t see them.

I knew exactly why he was there, so I didn’t ask. “Come in.” I shut the door behind him, and we walked farther into the house.

He walked beside me, his hands still in his pockets. “Your mother told me you were pretty upset…”

I halted beside him, taken aback by the comment. “Did you expect me to react differently?” I wasn’t ashamed of my tears. I wasn’t ashamed of my heartbreak. The woman who raised me had been raped and tortured. Was I just supposed to brush that off?

“She’s worried about you. That’s all.”

“I’m not the one she should be worried about.” I faced my father, feeling a hint of rage I couldn’t combat. I wanted to kill the man who did this to her, but he’d been gone for over thirty years. There was nothing else for me to do besides let it go.

His gaze shifted away as he sighed quietly. “I told her we should never tell you. I didn’t think any good would come of it. It was a very long time ago and has nothing to do with our lives anymore. We’ve been very happy for a long time.”

“No, I’m glad she told me.” Even though it hurt so much, I needed to know the truth. I needed to know what my mother had been through so I could respect her even more, so I could decide what kind of man I wanted to be. “I’m just heartbroken over it.”

“I understand, son. It used to kill me too. But seeing her happy for all these years makes me forget about it.”

What would my mother have done without my father? Would she have died in captivity and I never would have been born? Would she never have had the freedom she deserved? “She told me you saved her?”

He nodded. “And your uncle Crow too. When I saved your mother, it started a war. Your aunt was pregnant with Conway at the time, so Crow sent her away to keep her safe. It was just the two of us and a few of our men…until we got the Skull Kings involved. The man who took your mother kidnapped Crow, so I didn’t have any other option but to ask for their help. In exchange, they wanted my arms dealing business. Of course, I handed it over so I could get Crow out of there. I killed the man who hurt your mother—shot him in the face. And that was the end.”

If my mother had never met a powerful man, she couldn’t have escaped. My father was a hero. “Thank you…”

His eyes softened, and he rested his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t thank me, Carter. I would have gladly given my life to save her. She’s the only woman I’ve ever loved. She’s the only woman who’s ever meant anything to me. I would do it again in a heartbeat…because I love her more with every year that passes.” He lowered his hand. “I know this is difficult to process, but remember that this is all in the past. Your mother has been safe and happy for a long time.”

“I know, but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

“That’s the reality of the world we live in. You shouldn’t dwell on the past, Carter. You should be grateful that your mother escaped and got a second chance at life. She got to be a wife and a mother. And being a mother has been the greatest joy she’s ever known.”

I already knew that without being told. “I don’t want to be like him.”

“Like who?” Father asked.

“The man who did that to her. I don’t want to be like Egor either. I didn’t treat Mia the way she deserved, and now I’m ashamed of myself. She told me I’m nothing like him, that I’m not cruel and brutal, that I have a kind soul and a soft heart. But I didn’t rescue her the way you rescued Mom. I was selfish…greedy.” I lowered my gaze, unable to look at him.

He was quiet for a long time, a sigh filling the silence a moment later. “Carter…don’t be so hard on yourself. Not everything is as it seems. If it weren’t for you, that woman might be dead right now. You’ve given her a second chance at life, another chance to be with her son. I told you I was angry you risked all of us to save her, but I’m also very proud. It takes guts to do what you did, to save this innocent woman. How could I not be proud of that?”

I lifted my gaze to meet his, seeing the sincerity on his face.

“You’re nothing like those men, Carter. If you were, Mia would already be gone by now. That woman adores you. I see it every time she looks at you. She’s very happy here, Carter. She’s never going to leave unless you make her.”

“Maybe I don’t want her to leave…”

Father’s eyes lightened noticeably. “Then don’t let her.”