“I’m coming,” I tell Cara and end the call. When I look up at Harris, his eyebrows are furrowed with a mixture of concern and anger. “Roommate,” I answer, and hopefully that’s enough of an explanation for now. “I have to go.”

I grab my pants, but Harris tugs them from my hands. “You aren't going anywhere.”

His tone is firm. I don’t want to go either, but I don’t have a choice. I want to scream in frustration, but I keep the words locked behind my lips. They’re swollen from his kisses because I’m not used to the attention. I lick them at the thought of kissing him again and his blue eyes follow the movement. He licks his own lips and I imagine he can taste me.

“You aren't going anywhere,” he repeats.

“I have to give her the car back. It’s hers,” I admit, but I’m pretty sure he heard that piece of information when Cara screamed through my phone.

She’s having a temper tantrum and who knows what she’ll do if I don’t go out and see her. The last thing I need is her causing a scene in front of Harris’s building. The cops could be called and that’s all I need—my name splashed across the internet once again. I’d end up dragging the man who gave me the best twenty-four hours of my life with me and I can’t do that to him.

“She can have her car back.” His eyes flash with something new I’ve never seen before from him.

He looks like he’s gearing up for a fight he knows he’s going to win. This shouldn’t excite me, and I try to push it away. I put my hands on my hips and ignore that I’m naked from the waist down. Harris’s eyes go right between my legs and I have to fight to be still.

“So you’re not always sweet and charming.” I’m pissed, but not at him. I’m mad at the whole situation. I had the best time of my life not even minutes ago and now I’m going to lose it all.

I reach out to grab the jeans from him, but he’s faster. His big hand wraps around my wrist as he pulls me into his warm body. I trip over my own feet, but I don’t fall to the ground. He pulls me into him and wraps me in his arms tight. He’s letting me know without words I’m not going anywhere and reminding me of what flashed across his eyes moments ago. His dominance can’t be mistaken, and though I may not have seen it before, it’s always been there lurking below the surface.

“Careful, sweetheart.” His voice is soft, and I melt against him. “I’ll walk you down to give her the keys. Then she can get the fuck out of here.”

“I can go by myself.” Maybe I can enjoy this for a little longer. Who knows who I’ll run into tomorrow, but I could spend tonight in his bed. Maybe he can see more of who I really am and that I’m nothing like my parents. Part of me knows he won’t care, but the scared girl inside of me who lost everything once can’t cling to that kind of hope.

He grunts and then shakes his head. “After the way I heard her speak to you? I don’t fucking think so.” He kisses me before I can respond and I grab onto him with everything I have left in me because this might be our last kiss.

“If you don’t stop doing that we won’t be going anywhere.”

As tempting as that is, I know one way or another we’ll have to because Cara will make a scene. As if on cue my phone rings again and Harris curses. He lets me go and answers the phone. My mouth falls open as he does so.

“We’re on our way down.” He doesn't wait for a response and ends the call and tosses my cell phone onto a chair.

“I can’t believe you said that to her.” I’m not mad that he did it. I’m shocked. He’s always so charming and sweet, but I like this side of him.

“She talked to my woman that way, I’ll talk to her that way.”

“That should not turn me on,” I mumble to myself, shaking my head. When I hear his deep chuckle, I glance over at him. “What are you laughing at?”

“Put your pants on so we can go downstairs and get this over with. I want you in my bed.” He hands me my pants and I put them on while he rights his own clothes.

“You’re bossy,” I tell him as I put my shoes on next.

“I have my moments.” He shrugs. “When pushed I don’t back down. If someone is nice to me, I’ll be nice to them. I don’t have to be an asshole in life to get what I want. I’d rather be nice, but as you can see some people don’t get it and you have to treat them accordingly. Maybe they’ll learn a lesson in the process.”

I like his logic. More than a few times I wanted to tell Cara off, but I didn’t have that luxury. I might not only be losing him tonight, but I lose the couch I’ve been crashing on. I smile at Harris because I don’t care that he might have cost me my home. He stood up for me and I can’t remember a time when someone did that.

“I wasn't the nicest when we first met,” I remind him as I stand up and he holds out a coat for me.

“You’re the exception to the rule.”

His words make my heart flutter. “I want you to know my time with you has been wonderful. I’m not sure you’ll know what it meant to me to be treated with such kindness.” I tell him that because I want him to know just in case this goes really badly.

“You make it sound like people are mean to you.” He searches my face like he can find something there.

“It's fine, let’s just—” I try and brush it off, but he won't have it.

“It’s not fine, and whatever it is, it’s not going to happen again. You might not be ready to tell me all of your secrets, but until I get them, I promise you no one is going to treat you like less than a queen. They won’t like what happens if I find out it’s not happening.” He grabs my hand and entwines his fingers with mine as we get on the elevator.

I didn't know this could get any harder, but in the last few minutes Harris has shattered all my walls. I think I’m falling in love with him and I don’t know if it’s his kindness or his strength but I’m giving him my heart.

He pulls me closer to him and kisses the top of my head as the elevator doors open into the lobby. I don’t make it a few feet before I hear her in the distance.

“I’m really sorry,” I tell Harris as Cara comes into view. Her head snaps towards us and her eyes widen in surprise when she sees who I’m standing with. By the look on her face she knows who Harris is. At the same time his hold on me tightens.

“Harris?” Cara’s eyes bounce between him and me.

“Your roommate is Cara Rich? Jesus.” He says a few more choice words under his breath and it’s clear from his tone he isn't a fan of hers.

“Cara,” he says in a dismissive tone with a hint of warning.

“That was you on the phone?” Her hands go to her hips. I can’t tell if she is about to explode or if she’s locking it up. Her moods are like a light switch, they go on and off so quick.

“I don’t appreciate you calling my girl and talking to her like that.”

Harris reaches into his pocket and takes out the keys I totally forgot to bring down. He tosses them to the man standing next to Cara that I hadn't noticed before. He catches the keys then glances at me and I know the look. He recognizes me and he’s trying to figure out who I am.

“Don’t show up at my home acting fucking crazy. Keep your messy shit over on your side of town where your daddy put you.” My mouth falls open and I’m rendered speechless. I’d laugh if I could get it out over the shock. Even better is the look on Cara’s face.

“What are you looking at, Luck?” The man takes his eyes off me and lifts his hands.

“Sorry, man, she looked familiar.” He tries to hand Cara her keys, but she ignores him. Her head looks like it’s going to explode any second now.

“This is going to get bad,” I whisper to Harris, because Cara can be unpredictable.

“You’re kidding me, right?” She looks around the lobby of the building and I'm not sure what she’s searching for. Her head snaps back to us like she’s found her answer. “I didn't think you were one of them.” She narrows her eyes on Harris.

“What’s she talking about?” I ask him.

“Who knows?” Harris says, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t play dumb, Harris. I’m seeing through the good old boy act now. You’re like my brother and the rest of them.” She shakes her head and glares at me. “Have your dirty little secret. I thought you were smarter than that.” Harris tenses next to me. “They never settle down. He’ll use you up and toss you aside like the rest of them.” She tries to look disgusted, but I’m not buying it. “Come on, Sloan, at least with me you know where you stand.” She waits like I’m a lap dog and she expects me to come to her. Harris’s hold on me tightens, but I’m not going anywhere.

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, Cara. The coke has apparently eaten up all the brain cells in your head, because you’ve lost your mind. Get out of here,” Harris tells her and confirms what I thought about her drug usage.

“Cut the shit,” she snaps at him, and her true colors come out. “You’re just better at hiding what you are than the rest of those assholes. It took me this long to figure it out because you really have everyone fooled don’t you. In fact I think you’re worse. At least with the others we can see what’s coming, but you’ve probably got her all wrapped up in you. She’s been through enough shit as it is.” Cara says it like she cares about me.

Cara has been through a shit storm of guys and she must assume that Harris is just like the guys that run in her circle. The guys just like her brother, Lance. Maybe I’m naïve, but I don’t believe a word of it. Cara is a user, too, and though she might not want to fuck me she wants things from me.

“Don’t talk about him like that. He’s a good man, Cara. I gave you your keys and I think you should go,” I tell her and pray she listens. Harris doesn’t deserve her accusations.

She goes to open her mouth, but Harris cuts her off. “I’m not stupid, Cara, and your games won’t work here. I don’t know why you want Sloan so bad, but it’s not happening. Take the con game you probably learned from your father and get the fuck out of my building. I will not say it again.”

“Fuck you.” She stomps her foot and nearly falls over when she does it in her five-inch heels. “My father’s not the con,” she laughs. “Give me a fucking break, Harris. You’re giving your dick to the daughter of the biggest con in this city.”

I let out a small gasp, unable to stop myself. “Sloan Martinez,” the man next to Cara says, putting together who I am and informing Harris at the same time.

“Cara.” Harris raises his hand and it’s then I notice the doorman dressed in all black reaching for the phone.

“I’m leaving, no need to call the cops,” she snips as the glares at me. “Get your shit out of my place.”

“With pleasure,” Harris answers for me. “I’ll have someone there first thing in the morning.” He says, and it pisses her off. She grabs the keys and stomps off, but Harris says her name and she turns back around. “Tell your brother to stay the fuck away from my girl. I promise your family won’t like the fallout if things don’t go my way.” She doesn't seem to care about his threat and gives him the finger as she walks away.

Harris looks at the guy who is still standing in the lobby. “Was Cara here tonight because she was with you?”

“Don’t insult me with that shit because you’re pissed, and I wasn't checking out your girl.” The man shakes his head as he goes over to a bank of elevators and gets in.

“Sorry about that, Allen,” Harris says to the doorman.

“No problem at all, sir,” he says.

“I don’t want any of the Rich family entering this building. I don’t care who they are here to see.”

“I’ll let the others know.”

“Thank you. Have a good night,” he tells the man before guiding me back to his private elevator.

“I might need a shower after dealing with that witch. She looks like her mother, but she acts like her father. They’re all users and I don’t just mean drugs.” He pulls me into him as he presses his nose to the top of my head and he breathes me in.

“Say something about what you found out. About who I am,” I whisper. The elevator doors slide open, but we don’t move as his hand comes to my chin. He makes me look up at him so I can’t hide for a second.

“I don’t care,” he tells me simply.

“She was so wrong about you. I hate that she—”

“Sweetheart, don’t let her words touch you, because they mean nothing to me.”

The weight of the world lifts off my shoulders as he holds me close. Before I know what’s happening, I’m in his arms and he’s carrying me off the elevator and back into his home. I bury my face into his neck and it’s my turn to breathe him in. A few moments later my back hits his bed and he comes down over me. My sweet, charming man is back and I reach up and touch his face, wanting to reassure myself that he’s real.

“Are you getting it now?” he asks before he kisses me deeply and begins to undress me. “I don't care about any of that shit. I care about what it’s in here.” He places his palm over my heart.

“You’re a good man, Harris. I should have known you wouldn’t care. I just got scared,” I admit. “I’m so afraid of losing everything again. I don’t let anyone close because I don’t want to lose them or see them not care when they lose me.” In this moment I see that losing my parents hurt me more than I’ve ever admitted to myself.

“I’m already close, sweetheart.” He leans in, brushing his mouth against mine. “There’s no way in hell I’m stupid enough to let you go, and anyone who did wasn’t worthy of you.” My eyes start to water at his sweet words.

“None of that,” he tells me as he gives me his perfect smile. “Let me show you how worthy I am to have you.” He slips down my body and kisses me between my legs until he wrings every last ounce of pleasure from me and I drift off to sleep.