Be With Me

by Gabrielle Sands

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “There are plenty of other stylists in this city who could do exactly what you’re asking for.” “I don’t want them. I want you.”

While she wasn’t looking, I swiped her lip gloss off her desk and shoved it into my pocket. Why? Fuck if I knew. Probably because I was losing my goddamn mind.

“You’re more concerned about your pride than staying alive. The male ego is truly something,”

But I could live with my own pain. It was the pain of others I didn’t know how to handle.

Mia Morales had infected my black heart with a virus that compelled me to do right by her. Fuck knows if I’d ever recover.

Baranov laughed at something Mia said, his hand brushing her arm. If he kept that up, I was going to break his wrist.

“Oh, and Andrei?” I took a step, forcing him to take one back. “Don’t ever talk to the Morales girl again.”

For everyone else watching, Mia was a side character given a few minutes to say her piece before the cameras zoomed back in on her father. But for me? She was the star of the fucking show.

I shot to my feet, watching as one of her father’s aides stepped up to her. He caught her elbow to steady her. My relief at him being close enough to help clashed with the violent urge to snap his fingers just for touching her.

My heart pounded against my ribcage. “What the fuck are they doing to her?” She looked exhausted. Maybe sick. Was she getting any rest? Was anyone taking care of her?

And then I wanted more. So much more. I wanted everything she’d give me. Even if it wouldn't be her all.

“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.” A shiver tumbled down my spine at that familiar deep voice. There was no mistaking it.

“Do that, and I’ll break each one of your fingers before I break your neck.” Erik’s hands fell away from my waist. For God’s sake. “Excuse his twisted sense of humor, Erik. He doesn’t get out much.” “She’s the only one who knows how to handle me.” Romolo’s tone was infuriatingly smug. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, your presence is no longer required. Leave.”

“It’s called vasovagal syncope.” Panic gripped my chest. That sounded bad. Terrible, really. Did it have something to do with seizures? Was it a brain condition? Fuck. She huffed. “God, you look like I just told you I’m dying.”

“You’re nuts.” “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.”

She glanced up, catching me staring. “You know, you don’t have to stay. You’re probably so bored.” Bored? I was entranced. Seeing her like this stirred something in me. I was an intruder on her process, but I didn’t give a fuck. She could try to get me out of here all she wanted. I wasn’t leaving. This area was safe during the day, but all kinds of fucked-up shit happened in New York during the late hours of the night. I’d know. “I’m not going anywhere. You need someone to keep an eye on you.”

I had power, strength, and money that could buy almost anything. But it was useless when it came to solving the only problem I cared about. Keeping her.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“But no one’s going to fucking touch her unless they want a gun shoved down their throat.”

All that mattered now was getting her out—fast and clean. If something had happened to her, if she’d been hurt in any way, Morales was a fucking dead man.

Mother was about to get an even shorter summary. “She’s mine. Off-limits. Forever.”

“You can think whatever you want about me, but if you so much as touch a hair on Mia’s head, I’ll rip you apart with my bare hands and feed you to the fucking dogs.”

Within an hour, Mia would be with me. And if Morales thought he could stand in my way, he was about to learn just how far I’d go to protect what’s mine.

Did she just say “sedated”? I saw fucking red. My fist collided with Morales’s nose before my brain could even fully process what I was doing. The need to make him pay was too strong to resist.

“Before, I only knew how to destroy. But now? I’ll learn how to build. If you’ll let me, I’ll build a life with you. One where you will feel safe, loved, and so fucking cherished that you will never doubt that you belong by my side. Not for a single second.”

I took her hands in mine and ran my thumbs across her knuckles. “I love you.” The words scorched their way out of me. “I love you like I’ve never loved anything in my goddamn life. It’s terrifying. It’s relentless. You’ve gotten under my skin and into my soul, and you didn’t even try. Somewhere along the way, I stopped being mine and became yours.”

If not, he’d upset the woman I loved. And that wouldn’t fucking fly.

“Berry,” I groaned, lifting her from my lap and settling her on the edge of the desk. I anchored my palms on either side of her hips and hovered close. “Don’t torture me. What do you want? You want me begging on my knees?” She bit on her lip, eyes dancing, and shrugged. “Maybe.” I sighed. “Fine. For you, I’ll get on my knees and beg.”

God, I fucking loved this woman. Mia was my peace in the chaos. My compass. My fucking redemption. And every single part of me belonged to her.