And protecting her, not just now, not just from her father, but in life, that is my job. Which is why she’s about to own two casinos.
I’ll help her however she needs. Hell, I’ve been trained my entire life to be an instrumental support to a multimillion-dollar business.
But even if she were to cut me loose… My chest aches at the idea of it.
If she did, though, I’d still help her. Because, for the first time in my life, I have let someone all the way in and it’s going to change me forever.
I don’t know how or why it happened. But I know that Sasha, with her petite little frame, and her big eyes, and her giant heart, has turned me into hers.
I’m in love with her.
That is absolutely clear. In fact, I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.
But in loving her, I’ve realized something really important. My life is hers. My job is to circle around her with both protection and support. She is the center.
Finishing the email, I open the books that sit on my desk.
The books need to be balanced for the Palace. It’s a job that I usually leave to the accountants, but I’ve hired a new man, and I just like to double check his work. But an hour in, my eyes are crossing.
So leaving the book open on the desk, I get up and head out of the office, making my way into the bedroom.
It’s now filled with Sasha’s scent, and I relax as I breathe her in, tugging off my shirt, and sliding into the bed behind my wife.
She’s asleep, but she wakes just enough to snuggle deep into the curve of my body. “I missed you.”
I kiss her shoulder, holding her tight. “I missed you too, love.” Threading my fingers through hers, I lay my head down and bury my nose in her hair.
She’s so soft tucked against me that I relax too, my eyes closing, and I instantly drift off.
But I don’t think I’ve been asleep for five minutes when my phone sounds in the room.
As a general rule, it’s in sleep mode at night, but certain numbers are exempt.
I bolt up, snatching the phone off the nightstand. “Hello?”
“Code red,” a male voice barks into the phone. “We’ve had a break-in.”
“Where?” I snarl back. “How?”
“Back stairwell,” the guard answers, “and I don’t know how.”
“What’s wrong?” Sasha asks, her hand coming to my bare chest.
But I don’t have time to answer. Instead, I roll off the side of the bed. “In the closet, love.”
“What?” she asks, pushing up on her knees, my T-shirt skimming her thighs. I love that she’s sleeping in my clothes. Love how soft she looks with her tousled hair and sleepy eyes. But now is not the time for love.
“In the closet, Sasha. Now.” And then I grab her hand and pull.
She comes. The moment her feet hit the floor, I start pushing her toward the closet even as I open my nightstand drawer, pulling out the lockbox with my pistol.
I press my finger to the fingerprint ID pad, the box opening. “What’s wrong?” Sasha asks as she stops in the doorway of the closet.
“Nothing I can’t handle, baby. In the closet, but don’t close the door. Next to it is a bat. You know how to swing?”
“Yeah,” she answers, her frightened eyes still on me.
I can’t stay. But I want to hold her. Kiss her. Tell her that I’d lay my life down for hers. Instead, I turn off the safety on my pistol and make my way to the hall.
