I know that once I finally make her mine, it’s going to be a wild, delicious ride for both of us, and I can’t wait to dive into her completely.
I catch a glimpse of the bodyguards in the rearview mirror, trailing behind us, and when I glance to the side, Lilly’s looking straight at me.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask her.
“That from the very first moment I saw you, I knew it would be you, Amos.”
I know what she means, but I need to hear her say it. My sense of honor demands that Lilly understands exactly where we’re heading. “What do you mean?”
She doesn’t hesitate. “My first everything. I’ve never felt this way around any man.”
Does she realize what those innocent words do to me? How the certainty that she’s mine makes me even more possessive?
I’m not a good man. I don’t carry good things inside me. If Judgment Day ever comes, I’ll be the first in line to be sent straight to hell.
But I'm a sinner, and I want thenow. I’ve got this angel next to me, offering me everything—and I won’t back down.
We pull into the garage of my building and fall into silence as we look at each other.
“I want you,” I say.
“I know.”
“I’m not going to make love to you, Lilly. I’m going to fuck you.”
“I’m not scared. I’m a little nervous but not scared.”
“Maybe you should be.”
“No. I’ve spent my whole life hiding from myself. For the first time, I want to risk it all. I’m not backing down. The fear of getting hurt by falling for you is nothing compared to the fear of never feeling this way again with anyone else.”
In all her innocence, Lilly has the power to push me to the edge. The urge to take her becomes unbearable.
Before I can get out and open her door, though, my phone rings.
Blood. Something must’ve happened.
“I have to take this. Go on up. I’ll be right there.”
“It’s okay. I’m gonna take a shower.”
I wait for her to step into the elevator before unlocking the phone. “What happened? Bruno?” My heart’s racing, anxiety creeping in.
“No. He’s okay. Only him.”
“What does that mean?”
“All the kids we rescued are showing signs of poisoning. One of them didn’t make it. The others will survive.”
“What? How is that even possible? Where the fuck were the feds, letting something like this happen?”
“Technically, the FBI was monitoring the clinic, but I don’t trust anyone who’s not one of our people. I’m staying outside Bruno’s room tonight. I know how important that kid’s become to you. But if you want my advice, you need to decide what to do about him, Amos. He’s a living witness. They might try again. The only reason he wasn’t poisoned too is because of the nurse you personally hired for him.”
“It has to be an inside job. Someone at the clinic put the poison in their food.”
“Yeah, that’s my guess too.” He pauses, but I know he’s not done yet. “I’ve been thinking about the kid. Maybe he could stay with me for a while—temporary foster arrangement.”
“I’m not sure that would work for him. Besides, I’ll need to pull every string I’ve got in the FBI to even try to make that happen. It would be like a temporary adoption. I’ll have to cash in some favors.”
