Two predators circling, not to destroy—but to determine compatibility.
And then she had come to him for help.
Not to a lawyer.
Not to a banker.
Not to the police.
To him.
The most dangerous man in Nevada.
The moment she’d stepped into his office and shut the door behind her, the entire past year shifted.
Those weren’t scattered flirtations.
They were reconnaissance.
Mutual reconnaissance.
She had been deciding whether to trust him.
And tonight, pacing his penthouse in fury because he’d frightened her—
She’d revealed the answer.
She cared.
The realization settled into him with a steadiness that calmed the edge of his temper.
She was furious because she loved him.
Because he mattered.
Because losing him would break her.
His jaw tightened.
He had bungled their first time together earlier tonight.He had misread her hurt feelings.And then, he’d tried to protect her by keeping everything from her.
But he would not miscalculate again.
He would protect her without pushing her away.
He would stand beside her without diminishing her.
He would make certain she never felt that terror again.
That was a promise.
And Luca Bernardi did not break promises.
“Come here,” he said softly, his voice low and steady despite the turmoil churning inside of him.He reached out to her with both hands and waited.
Ava stopped.The briefest flicker of hesitation crossed her face before she slowly moved toward him, and as she did, Luca rose.He didn’t wait for her to speak.He closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms, holding her softly.He could feel her tense at first, but slowly, she melted against him, her head resting on his chest.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered into her hair.“I should never have put you through that.I shouldn’t have made you worry.”
