When we stepped into my apartment, Jillian glanced around the large, open room and released a long sigh. She walked toward the master bedroom and stopped in the entryway, leaning against the doorframe. I watched as she stared at the king-size bed, memories of her last visit no doubt still fresh in her mind. Old wounds that hadn’t yet healed. Doubts about how she’d handled the situation and if everything could’ve turned out differently still haunted her thoughts. Only, standing in my home made all her bad dreams very real all over again.

“Does looking at my bed bring back old memories—or give you all new ideas?” I stole up behind her and wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her tight against my body. She couldn’t hide the shiver that ran through her body under my touch.

“Both.” She tried to make her voice sound forceful, bold. But her breathing gave her true feelings away. “If you still have my favorite knife, we can create all new memories.”

I smiled at the back of her head over her bravado, but only because I knew she couldn’t see how proud I was of her spunk. If she wanted to push my buttons, I’d allow it. Without saying a word, I slowly slid my hand up the center of her body, across her perfect stomach, intentionally brushing across her breasts. Then when I’d almost reached her throat, she wasn’t ready for my quick reflexes. With my hand securely wrapped around her neck, I spun her around to face me while pushing her body backward with my forward steps.

When her back bumped into the wall, her wide eyes searched mine, looking for clues to discern my state of mind. Had she angered the mad beast, or had she triggered the sexy, dominant side?

“Do you think I’ll allow you to speak to me that way, Jillian? Do you think I’ll tolerate disrespect in my own home?”

I hid my amazement as I watched her spine straighten, her eyes harden, and her jaw set firmly in raw determination. “If you think I care what you’ll allow or what you’ll tolerate, you’re out of your damn mind. Whether I’m in your home, your mama’s home, or out on the fucking sidewalk, I will always say whatever I want to say. And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”

My smirk broke free, regardless of how hard I tried to hide it. She visibly relaxed when she realized I wasn’t being completely serious. “That fucking mouth of yours…the things I would love to do to it.”

She returned my smirk with a provocative, confident one of her own. “You wouldn’t dare try—”

Before she could finish her taunt, I crushed my lips to hers. Surprise stilled her movements for a moment, until I swiped my tongue across the part in her lips. She gasped with need, and I plunged deep into her mouth. With my hands on her face, I controlled her movements, tilting her head to deepen the kiss and keeping her locked in my grasp. I left my leg and used my knee to widen her stance.

The sweet sound of her panting filled the room when I ended our kiss. Our faces were just a breath away, my lips still hovering above hers in an erotic promise of more to come. Literally. “If I slipped my fingers into your panties, would I find your pussy wet for me, Jillian?”

I pressed my body against hers, without leaving enough room for even a hair to fall between us. With an upward surge of my hips, I thrust my hard cock against her clit. Even with all our clothes on, the sensation was enough to elicit a needful whimper from her.

“If I bent you over right here, with your fingers touching your toes, would you already be wet enough for me to fuck you until the most powerful orgasm you’ve ever had made your legs completely useless?”

“Oh my God, Damon.” The breathy plea in her whisper stoked the fires of my desire.

“Tell me to stop and I will.”

Her response was to lean up on her toes, closing the distance between us and locking our lips together in another sensual kiss. She linked her arms around my neck and pulled, lifting her feet off the floor. My hands slid under her bottom on instinct, pulling her up my body until she wrapped her legs around my waist. I ground my cock into her core, feeling her body come apart from the mere thought of what I could do to her.

“The last time we were in that bed…when I held you underneath me…I wanted nothing more than to fuck the stubbornness out of you…until your only thought was of me and what only I can do to your body.” I confessed to my thoughts and desires between kisses, between licks, and between bites on her neck, leaving my mark on her soft skin. “The urge to do just that right now is overwhelming.”

With a sudden jolt, she slid her hands down my chest until she found my erection pressing against my pants. Using both hands, she rubbed up and down my covered shaft before she quickly unbuttoned my pants and wrapped her silky smooth fingers around my cock. “Now, Damon. I want you to fuck me, right here.”

I held her against the wall with one hand and shoved my pants down with the other, letting gravity finish the job. Reaching under her dress, I found she was already wet, her core hot with desire. I pushed her panties to the side and stroked her swollen clit before sliding my finger along her slit. She gripped her legs tighter around my waist and plunged her fingers into my hair, gripping the strands tightly in her fist.

“Damon, so help me God, do it now, or I’ll find someone else who will.”

“The fuck you will.”

“I mean—” She started to argue, but my cock sliding into her wetness halted her words and released a loud scream of ecstasy.

Drawn together like never before, we held our position with our foreheads touching, our eyes locked in heated passion, and an invisible chain wrapped around us while I relentlessly drove deep inside her over and over. The connection I felt to her was stronger than anything I’d ever felt before. The warmth of her sex wrapped around my cock, like velvet hands pumping and squeezing me, was the most addictive drug I’d ever known. Even when my hair became slick with sweat and my legs threatened to give out, I couldn’t stop. I wasn’t ready to separate from the one person who could make me feel so much—too much—everything.

After one very long climax, when her body clenched around me with so much strength I couldn’t hold back another second, I finally gave in and fell over the edge with her. My hips slowed to a purposeful grind as we both came down from the highest high of euphoria I’d ever experienced. My lips sought hers, leaving soft kisses everywhere they landed while I lowered her legs to the ground. Her face had the satisfied expression of a well-fucked woman, nearly boneless and unable to stand on her own.

Being the gentleman I was, I helped her to the bathroom and cleaned us both up, seeing to her every need first. We’d turned a major corner since I first made my presence in Abita Springs known, just a few days before. It definitely seemed longer than that. Three months without her had been hell, and it felt like a hell of a lot longer than it really was. The past few days were a drop in the bucket in comparison, but being with her while not being with her was hell in itself.

After that one hell of a reconciliation, I knew our paths had finally merged back into one, and everything else would work itself out. She’d protested, fought against her feelings for me one turn after the other, but I didn’t mind a little cat-and-mouse game, chasing her to show my determination and commitment. I carefully watched her reactions after our impromptu wall-banging for any signs of remorse or shyness and was relieved to see none.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I, doll?”

“No, not at all. That was your best work yet.” The pleased smile on her face warmed my heart, gave me hope she was more than warming up to me again.

After everything that had happened between us in that room, I considered moving our master bedroom to the top level of my expansive apartment to give us both a fresh start. An alternative would be to completely redecorate the current room, giving it a new look, feel, and we could make all new memories in it. Whichever option she chose was fine by me.

As it turned out, I didn’t have to concern myself with either scenario. Not ten seconds after we’d dressed and walked out of the bedroom, Benny was at the door, escorting my dad and my sister into my apartment. And they shared a fucking wonderful idea.

“Hey, big bro.” Carrie stepped into my apartment with a mischievous smile plastered across her face. “How’s it going?”

“Little sis.” I inclined my head in greeting but narrowed my eyes in suspicion. “Dad. What are you two doing here?”

“Heard you had a little trouble down in Louisiana. Abita Springs, isn’t it, Jillian?” Dad lifted her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. “I thought Damon said you lived in New Orleans.”

“Probably because that’s what I initially told him. It’s the same area. Abita Springs is just across the lake from New Orleans but not quite as well known.”

“Are you injured? Do you need anything, cara?”

“No, sir. I’m okay. Thank you for asking.”

Dad felt the change in Jillian’s reaction to him. I could read it on his face, and he was bothered by it. A lot. From the first moment they met, both Dad and Jillian seemed to be taken with each other—in a father-daughter way. Since she’d lost her father a couple of years before, I thought maybe Dad could help fill a void she had in her life. After their icy reunion, I wasn’t so sure anymore.

I wasn’t so sure what that meant for my chances of winning her back either. Despite the passion we’d just shared.

“Mama and Daddy thought Jillian might be more comfortable and safer if she stayed with me for a while instead of staying here with you.” Carrie stepped to Jillian’s side and linked their arms together. “And I agree. Besides, I’ve never had a sister, so this will be a treat for me.”

“Hold on just a fucking minute.” My temper flared, and I started toward my sister, pointing my finger at her. “Did you suggest this fucking lame idea, Carrie?”

“No,” Dad interjected. “I did. Your mother and I talked about it, and we decided it was best, under the circumstances. Carrie is thrilled to invite Jillian into her home, but this was my decision.”

“With all due respect, Dad, I disagree. Jillian is safer with me—I’ve already proven that at least twice now.”

“No, what you did was get shot the first time and injured the second time. You could’ve been killed either way. Your judgment isn’t sound where she’s concerned, Damon. You’ve made mistakes, and neither you nor the family can afford more of the same mistakes in the future.

“Lorenzo is still on the lam. The Sanfratellos are waiting for us to stick our necks out in weakness so they can chop off our heads at the shoulders. My job is to protect the family, to do what’s best to keep it intact. This is what’s best for everyone.”