I’d gone to her house like we’d discussed that evening, and wasn’t surprised that she didn’t open the door for me. Eventually I went back to my car and sat in her driveway, praying that she’d take pity and let me in. It didn’t happen.

So I tried again the next night.

And the next.

And the next.

Four days of no contact eventually passed. But I never gave up. Not once. That was why I was currently sitting in my car in her driveway, looking up at her house. The ache inside of me when she walked out of that conference room had grown with each passing day. It hurt to eat. It hurt to sleep. Christ, it even hurt to breathe. I felt like a drug addict detoxing, only there was no light at the end of the tunnel for me.

The shadow of her figure moved across the living room window, and I found myself holding my breath as the curtains fluttered. She knew I was there. She’d been watching me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she missed me the way I missed her.

My cell phone went off, the unexpected noise scaring the shit out of me. I released a sigh of annoyance at the sight of my sister’s name, then swiped my thumb across the screen to answer.

“Shorty, now’s not really a good time.”

“Really?” I knew the saccharin-sweet tone of her voice was fake when she carried on. “Seems like a good time to me seeing as you aren’t doing anything but lurking outside my best friend’s house like a creepy stalker.”

My head fell back against the headrest and I closed my eyes. “She called you to tattle on me?”

Her laughter came through the line. “She’s got it in her head that I can convince you to leave her alone. I tried explaining that you don’t listen to a damn thing I have to say, but she was adamant that I try.”

I smiled for the first time in forever. “Yeah well, you were right, she was wrong.”

“I figured as much. Okay then,” she chirped. “I’ll leave you to it. Love you, big brother.”

My back shot straight. “Wait,” I started skeptically. “You aren’t going to try harder?”

“Why would I do that?” I had no answer for that, even if I wasn’t thoroughly confused. “Look, you know what I want most of all is you and Sophia together. You fucked up. Big-time—”

“Thanks, shorty,” I responded drily.

“But everyone makes mistakes,” she finished. “She’s hurting right now, unbelievably so, and with damn good reason. But you make her happy. Happier than I’ve seen her since the last time you two were together. It’s like she’s only existing when she’s not with you, and I don’t want that for her. So no, I’m not going to try and talk you out of what you’re doing because I know in my heart that you’re the only one who can make her happy like that. So fix it, Dominic.”

My eyes slammed shut. I had to inhale and exhale slowly as what my sister just said burned through me. When I finally got my bearings back, I teased, “Since when did you become such a romantic?”

“Ugh,” she groaned dramatically. “It’s all Grayson’s fault, the caring, sincere asshat. I’m still not used to all these feels. They make me twitchy.”

I chuckled before finally disconnecting the call. Closing my eyes, I leaned back and settled in. It wasn’t ideal, and to be honest, five nights of sitting in my car had done some serious damage to my back, but it was worth it to be close to Sophia in any way that I could.

A knock on my driver-side window made me jump so high I bashed the top of my head on the roof of the car. “Shit! Son of a bitch!” I rubbed at the aching spot and looked to see Sophia bent down, staring in. She twirled her finger in front of her in the universal sign for “roll down the window.”

Turning the key in the ignition, I started the car up and put the window down. “Hey, what are you doing out here?”

“You’re really not going to go away, are you?” was her response.

“Nope,” I replied. “Not until you agree to talk to me. I’m settling in for the long haul.” I grabbed the bag in the floorboard and pulled out a paperback. “I’ve got a book to keep me entertained.” Next came a bottle of water. “Something to keep me hydrated, and to potentially use as a toilet if circumstances get dire.” She curled her top lip in disgust, but I kept going, removing a bag of beef jerky next. “And sustenance. It’s Saturday night and I have no plans. I can do this all night, Soph.”

She shook her head on a heavy exhale and stood upright. I expected her to head back inside, so she shocked the hell out of me when she rounded the hood and climbed into the passenger seat. “It’s freaking freezing out there, and I’m not letting you inside. You want to talk? Well, here’s your chance. Start talking. You’ve got five minutes.”

I hadn’t been prepared to see her, let alone speak to her. So her giving me this chance caught me off guard. I froze, completely unprepared.

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head at my silence, and started for the door handle. “Whatever. I’m out of here.”

“Wait. No.” I grabbed her arm to keep her in place. “I’m sorry. Just… give me a second. I wasn’t expecting you is all. I’m not quite sure where to start.”

Her chest rose on a deep inhale. “Why don’t you start with Chelsea?”

I nodded, looking straight ahead through the windshield. My hands went to the steering wheel, gripping it so tight in an effort to keep from touching Sophia that my knuckles turned white.

“I met her a few years ago in a bar. I’d never seen her before in my life. It was nothing more than a one-night stand. I didn’t know until after I slept with her that she was dating my father.” I turned my head, my gaze going straight to her as I implored, “You have to believe that, butterfly. I never would’ve done something that despicable.”

She closed her eyes and looked away from me, but nodded for me to continue. So I did.

“She was stacking the deck in her favor. You know as well as anyone that the Abbatellis are known all over New York. How much we’re worth is no secret. She got her hooks into my father, but when she discovered he wasn’t so easily manipulated, she sought me out. She thought I’d fall for her bullshit just because she put out, and when I didn’t, she used our night together as a way to blackmail me.

“I was still trying to break through to him, trying to impress him.” I let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Christ, I was so fucking stupid. Always striving for the acceptance of a man who never cared about anyone but himself.”

I was so lost in thought, lost in the misery that selfish old bastard caused for most of my life, that I jumped when she reached out and touched my hand. “Wanting your father’s acceptance doesn’t make you stupid,” she said quietly. She was the only one who really knew how my tumultuous relationship with my father had affected me. “It’s not stupid, Dom. He just never deserved you or Lola. And in the end it’ll be his loss.”

The small, sad smile I offered her didn’t come near my eyes. “Anyway, when I finally quit my dad’s company and moved to Seattle for you, she realized her leverage was gone. She’s a spoiled, gold-digging bitch, and she didn’t handle my brush-off well.” I twisted my body so I was facing her. Finally losing the battle to not touch her, I reached over and took her hands in mine. “I should’ve told you everything, Sophia. I never should’ve kept secrets from you, and I’m sorry for that. I’m so goddamn sorry.”

“I know,” she whispered, her voice husky with emotion. She looked like she was seconds away from crying, and that gutted me. “And about the e-mails? You want to talk about that?” she asked, prompting me to talk about why I tricked her.

“I have no good excuse for that,” I admitted, sorrow weighing heavily on my chest. “Deceiving you was wrong. I just love you so goddamn much that I was desperate for any way to get through to you. I’m sorry for hurting you, Sophia, but I can’t be sorry for how much I love you. You’re it for me. You’re under my skin. I don’t know how to live without you, and I was willing to try anything to get you back.”

She sniffled and pulled her hand from mine, batting at the tear that had fallen to her cheek. “Thank you for telling me the truth.”

“Thank you for letting me.” The conversation was over, I could feel it. I didn’t want her to go, but we’d just taken what I hoped was a step forward to fixing things between us. I couldn’t push for more right then or it would’ve been two steps backward. “Sleep well, butterfly,” I said softly as she pushed the passenger door open.

She placed a foot on the ground but looked back over her shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this? Stay out here, I mean. It’s supposed to snow tonight.”

I smiled and pointed at the thermos sitting in the cup holder between the two seats. “I have coffee for that. All my bases are covered.”

She smiled, and that alone was enough to warm me against the chilly temperatures. “All right.” She climbed out, but before closing the door, she leaned back down to extend an olive branch. “And Dominic?”

“Yeah?”

“If you have to pee, just knock, okay?”

A corner of my mouth quirked up in a grin. “I’ll hold you to that.”

She headed back inside, leaving me alone in my car. I pulled my phone out and opened the e-mail account I’d been using to talk to Sophia for the contest. She wasn’t completely willing to let me in just yet, but maybe BigSpoon would have a better shot at breaking through.

Like I’d told her, I was willing to try anything.