Be With Me

by Gabrielle Sands

He cocked a brow. “Who’s terrorizing who? You’re the one who just destroyed what was probably some Messero family heirloom.” Whatever blood was left in my face drained. “Shoot.” His lips made the tiniest quirk. “I’ll take the blame if you tell me your name.”

“Can I go now?” “I think I’m going to need you to moan my name a couple more times just to make sure you’ve got it right.” My mouth formed an O. He was playing with me. “You know, most men have to earn a woman moaning their name, and you definitely haven’t done that.”

“It’s a shame I didn’t place you right away.” His voice dropped lower, became silkier. “If I’d known you were the enemy, I would have enjoyed having you beneath me even more.”

I watched and planned my next move as they made their way through the crowd. And then Mia took off that sweater, and I nearly choked on my drink. What the fuck was she wearing?

"Did you really want to talk about the project?" "Sure." Of course the fuck not. But I’d been right about this being an opportunity, and it was about to pay off.

“Mia, are you okay?“ Fabi slurred. I steadied her, already knowing exactly what this looked like. Freshly showered and in a robe. Romolo, equally showered, lounging like a king who’d just been thoroughly satisfied. God. Kill me. I hesitated just a second too long—long enough for Nina to narrow her eyes and stab an accusatory finger at Romolo. “What did you do to her?” Romolo barely lifted his gaze from the book. “Nothing she didn’t want me to.” I glared at him. The bastard was enjoying this.

Fabi slung an arm around me, nodding dramatically. “Ye-yep. No problem.” Romolo tsked. “She’s wasted. Nina, I hope you made sure she behaved appropriately since she's my brother’s future wife.”

“I don’t trust him either,” I admitted. “But I didn’t want him to get into an accident on the road.” “That’s what airbags are for,” Zo said unhelpfully.

A moan slipped past my lips. “Shhh.” His breath coasted over my ear. “You wouldn’t want your friends to know how good I am at making you come.”

“Since when do you get into fights at my fucking club?” He frowned. “You know?” I cocked my head. “You didn't think Alexis would message me the second my own fucking brother decked some finance bro on the dance floor?” I leaned forward. “What’s going on with you, Cos? Have you forgotten you’re the eldest? The don-in-waiting? You’ve spent a decade building a reputation as someone reasonable. Steady. Someone the family could count on. And now you’re losing your mind over a piece of ass?” His nostrils flared. “Watch how you speak about my future wife.”

“Well, then,” Erik said lightly, “I’ll just have to see you unmasked some other time. Could I get your number?” “Not if you value your ability to breathe without a respirator.”

I stared at him, confused by those kisses, confused by the effort he’d made to arrange for us to meet. “Romolo, all this to talk? What’s there to talk about?” “Plenty.” His gaze narrowed. “Why don’t we start with what the fuck happened to you up on that stage last week?”

“It’s eleven. If we leave now, you’ll be screaming it by midnight,” he said roughly.

Heat flashed over my body. The floor tilted. The room seemed to spin even though we weren’t moving anymore. “Mia?” My eyelids lowered. I knew what was coming, but I couldn’t stop it. “Don’t let me fall,” I whispered as everything around me faded to black.

“I’m sorry,” I bit out. “For making you pass out.” Her stare warmed my cheek. “It’s okay. You didn’t know.” A beat passed. “You can make it up to me.” My gaze sliced her way. “I’m not convinced you’re well enough to handle what I want to do to you.”

“Who.” “I’m not telling you.” I had a feeling they might end up in Vermont if I did. “When was the last time you slept with someone?”

“Comes with the territory.” “What territory?” He leaned down, pressing his lips to my ear. “The territory you waded into when you slept with a gangster.”

Mia stopped pacing and exhaled. “I’m not going to the prep meeting. Send me the files, and I’ll review them. I understand you’re not happy. I have to go. I still have a ton of work to do. Bye.” She hung up and tossed her phone onto the desk. “Jesus.” “If you give me her address, she can be dealt with.”

“I’m not seeing her anymore.” “No?” “But no one’s going to fucking touch her unless they want a gun shoved down their throat.”

Then one of them moved and grabbed me by the arm. “What are you doing?” I thrashed against his hold. “Let go of me!” A kick to his shin made his grip loosen, and I ripped my arm away and took a step back.

Unless he is REALLY into the criminal world, this doesn’t make sense… he is literally kidnapping her (and using other people as accomplices)

“I can’t tell you. He’ll fire me.” “What do you care about more? Your job or your life?”

Seriously! Could you be any more stupid?

“I don’t like hurting women, Jenny. But if you don’t tell me where Mia is, I will throw you through that fucking window and run you over with my car. It’s a shitty way to go. Don’t fucking tempt me.”

My eyes snapped to the man responsible—her father. He stood frozen by the bed, his expression dark with rage. “Who let you in?” he bit out. I smirked coldly. “I have ten men with me. We let ourselves in.”