“Come on baby, come for me,” I mumble under my breath, fisting myself hard, needing to come myself, but holding off—waiting for her.
She stiffens, burying her face in her pillow to silence the cry as she falls apart, shaking from the intensity of it. I imagine the way her clit pulsates, the way her muscles contract, heating with her arousal and tightening around her fingers.
I spill into my hand with a low groan, not taking my eyes off of her as her body collapses into the sheets. Still at last.
Completely spent, breathtakingly beautiful, and blissfully unaware of the dark shadow watching from outside.
30
TWO WEEKS
BRIAR
Now
“But I want you to come, too!” Remi whines, stomping her foot, as she refuses to leave the apartment. And here I was thinking we were past the tantrum stage…
Keep it together, Briar.“I know, baby, I wish I was coming, too, but Mommy has to work. And you’re going to have way more fun hanging out with Lily and Uncle Jim and Aunt Patty than having to go to pre-school everyday right?” She and I aren’t technically related, but seeing as I practically lived at her house growing up, Lily, her brothers, and her parents are the only family Remi’s ever known.
“I guess…” Remi’s got her pout working overtime and the sight of that quivering lip almost sends me racing back to my room to pack my suitcase.
“Two weeks will go by quicker than you know it.”
“You promise?” She blinks up at me with tears in her eyes and I feel my heart break inside of me. If I didn’t think Giovanni would follow my ass to New York, putting not only Remi and Lily but her entire family at risk, I would absolutely do it. Giohasn’t shown back up at my apartment since the morning aftereverything,and neither have his guys, but he’s been blowing up my phone with not-so-subtle reminders.
“I promise.”
I trap Remi’s head in my hands while landing a kiss on her forehead long enough that she starts squirming away, distracting herself. “Mom! Stop!”
Reluctantly, I release her. “Go find your shoes, and don’t forget your bag of snacks for the ride!”
While Remi searches for her shoes, my gaze meets Lily’s.
“Are you sure you can’t come?”
“Not you too,” I groan.
A hint of a smile appears on her face but it’s still heavy with worry. “I feel like I shouldn’t leave you alone. It’s not too late to see if one of the girls—or even one of the guys—from the Conservatory can stay with you, or vice versa?” She shakes her phone in her hand, but with Giovanni haunting me, and Koen’s reappearance, I don’t want to put anyone else at risk. This is my mess and I need to be the one to clean it up.
I shake my head and Lily lets out a disappointed sigh. “Text me if you change your mind. I’ll have Dash or Sam come pick you up.”
“I will.”I won’t.
She narrows her eyes but thankfully doesn’t call me on it.
“No sign of you-know-who?” she asks, lowering her voice, though Remi is fully distracted, poring through the snack bag I put together earlier in the kitchen.
“No.” I haven’t seen or heard from Koen since that night he broke into my bedroom, and I’ve been on high alert. I’m willing to bet he’s watching me but I haven’t been able to prove it. Aside from a black SUV I’ve started noticing parked outside of the Conservatory during classes, nothing else seems out of the ordinary.
But I always have that little feeling—especially at night. A little prickle of awareness, a feeling deep in my gut when I’m at the studio, that I’m not alone, but when I turn around to check, no one’s ever there.
“Probably for the best.” Lily nods and I start grabbing bags, helping her load up the little Toyota Corolla that Mia let her borrow.
Even without any verified Koen sightings, I’ve been careful to avoid being out in public with Remi just in case he decides to drop in, ensuring I remember to keep my mouth shut.
Seeing him again has stirred up doubts over whether or not keeping our daughter a secret from him was the right choice. And while I still feel immense guilt and a nagging feeling that I’ve done something wrong, the events at the warehouse should only reinforce that I made the right decision.
Nothing could’ve prepared me for seeing Koen in that warehouse. The way he moved—practiced, methodical—fire fights and murder… it was just another night to him.
