Golden sun pours onto her honeyed skin.

Her head fits perfectly against my shoulder. Her breathing even and easy for the first time.

My Sienna.

Mine.

She is safe.

For now.

I kiss her on the forehead and regretfully untangle myself from her sleep-heavy limbs.

I could stay in bed with my princess all day.

But I can’t, there’s work to do.

I close the door quietly and head to my study. James is bringing me a report this morning on Edison’s movements back in LA.

He and Titus are sitting near my desk, waiting for me.

“Bad news, Nate, he’s still looking. Killing Mr. Rose wasn’t enough. He still wants the girl. Shaw isn’t stopping,” James looks worried.

I sit down at my desk and pour myself a glass of water. I need my head clear right now.

“Does he know we left LA?” I prod.

I remain calm and collected. Sienna’s life is still in danger. I must keep control.

“Not yet,” answers Titus. “Our trail was clean. Looks like he suspected something, but he hasn’t expanded his search just yet. Probably giving you a chance to come clean. He isn’t looking east at all.”

“Yet,” I caution. “Fuck! This isn’t going to end until he is dead, is it?”

“Or until he finds her,” James’ voice is low.

My friends know that isn’t what I want to hear.

I can still smell her on my skin. My Sienna. She’s the push I needed to get out of this mob bullshit. The only way I can keep her safe, or to keep her at all, is to kill again.

I wanted out of this, a clean break, but there’s no way out other than through bloodshed.

“We take Shaw out,” I say, anger creeping in my voice.

Cold steel fills my body. I will do this, and then our lives can start.

“Take him out?” Titus raises an eyebrow.

“Once and for all,” I answer. “James, put a team on him, track him. I’ll take him out, but I need a plan.”

“Nate, he has some powerful connections. This might be the one you go away for,” Titus says.

“The asshole deserves to die. And this will be our last mission. We can wipe our hands clean once he’s gone,” I say.

It’s the only plan. The only way to keep her safe.

“Are you sure, Nate? Is now the time?” James questions.

Now is not the time for fucking reason.

“The asshole is closing in on us. He wants her. And I will never allow that to happen. She’s mine.”

I can hear my heart pound in the silence at the thought of losing her.

Never.

“I can stop at nothing to keep her safe. She’s…” I can’t even finish that sentence.

Sienna is everything good in the world.

She’s light and innocence personified.

There’s no way I can explain this to Titus and James, though my claim over her is evident to all.

“Okay, Nate,” James says, after a pause. “We’ll keep her safe.”

“We have your back,” Titus adds.

I nod at my guys. They leave me alone with the mess on my desk, the mess of a war with Edison Shaw.

I sit back down.

I play taking Edison out again and again in my head. I can almost see the bullet hit him between his cold fat eyes.

There’s a knock at the door.

Sienna stands in the doorway of my study. She’s a vision, even just in jeans and a white tee. My breath catches in my throat.

This is the woman I’ll kill Edison Shaw for.

This is the woman I’d do anything for.

“Good morning, angel,” I say.

The anger leaves my body. All I feel is passion for her.

“I made coffee,” she smiles and steps into the study.

She looks timid, setting the cups on the desk. I stand up and come around the desk to wrap my arms around her.

She’s mine.

Finally.

I kiss her neck. Pressed against her slight frame, my cock hardens. I want her now. I want to strip her naked and take her bent over this desk. I slide a hand up her shirt and caress her smooth stomach.

“Nate, I have to get out of this building,” she sighs.

I slip a finger in the waistband of her jeans.

“Why go out, when we can have so much more fun staying in?” I whisper in her ear darkly.

“Please, Nathan,” she begs. Fuck, I love hearing her beg. “I can’t stay inside on such a beautiful day. Take me out for a walk?”

I pull away from her a little bit.

My Sienna, I can’t deny her, not when she asks for something as simple as a walk. I can keep her safe here in Manhattan. Shaw doesn’t even know we left California yet. I look into her pleading eyes. Anything for her.

“Of course, princess, we’ll go out. You and me.”

“You mean it?”

Her eyes light up, and I think how fucking happy she makes me.

“Yes, baby, we can go out.”

“Thank you, Nate,” she says and kisses me.

I draw her in closer and her hot mouth presses against my own. My cock throbs hard against my pants. I think of last night, how she was spread for me, so vulnerable and exposed.

Fuck, I want that again.

“Now?” she says, looking hopefully at me.

She's just like I remember her.

“Now,” I agree, smiling.

She heads out the door. I text Titus to let him know I’ll be taking Sienna out for the morning.

I grab my Glock 26 from the desk drawer, ready for anything as always.

Sienna’s waiting for me at the elevator. Her back is to me, and I stop to admire her ass in her jeans. She turns, and her face brightens into a smile when she catches my eyes scanning her delicious ass.

“Ready to go?” she asks.

In answer, I take her hand and lead her into the elevator. Her fingers laced with mine feel fucking perfect. Our hands fit.

Outside on the street, we look like two people taking a romantic stroll.

A fucking picture perfect couple.

This is what I want. I want to let my guard down. I want to just enjoy my girl. But I can’t.

With every car that passes, my fingers tighten around hers a little more. I scan the street for anything out of the ordinary. Her safety relies on my vigilance.

People watch us walk by, of course they do. We’re fucking stunning. Sienna may be dressed down in jeans and a t-shirt, but she’s still the most beautiful woman in the world.

Sienna seems to be just enjoying the sun on her skin and the sounds of the city.

I’m enjoying her.

We turn down a street and in front of us beckons the greenery of Central Park.

“Please, can we walk through the park? I’ve never been there, and I miss the grass and nature,” Sienna asks.

I agree, but I check the position of my Glock entering the park.

More danger here, more places for people to hide.

I hold Sienna’s hand tightly, she pulls away a little when we hit the first group of trees. She wants to be set free, but I just can’t do that. I hold her close. I can’t let her out of my sight and I don’t want to let go of her for a moment. Not here.

Sienna relaxes into the walk, I let go of her hand and drape my arm around her shoulder. Peace in the park. What I wouldn’t give to have every day be like this for the rest of our lives.

We make our way across the short side of the park, pass a pond, and go back to the concrete of the city.

Sienna catches sight of the The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

“We have to go, I haven’t had a chance. Please, Nate?”

I look at the imposing doors and the crowd of tourists. Too crowded for my taste. I can do better for my princess.

“Give me a sec,” I answer, pulling her in for a hug.

I hold her to me while I call a curator I helped out last year.

“Chuck, Nate here. I have a VIP with me that needs a private entrance to the Met? Hook me up?”

Sienna looks up at me confused, but when I confirm with Chuck that we can head in the south service entrance, she smiles.

“I don’t need the VIP treatment,” she scolds.

“Sienna, you’re mine and that makes you very important,” I answer, kissing her lightly.

She doesn’t know this is not only to make her happy but to keep her safe.

I will do anything to make her happy.

I will do anything to protect her.

I will do anything to keep her.