When I thought about seeing her place for the first time, I envisioned a round of fucking to christen it under my touch. That's not going to happen tonight. I'll follow her lead but all I want is to hold her in my arms for the rest of her life. "I'll call for a car."
"Let's take the subway." Her face brightens with a smile. "I love taking the subway with you."
She likes disappearing into the crowd. It's her way of staying invisible. "I'm game as long as you promise to hold my hand."
She reaches to grab my left hand. "I promise I will hold tight and never let go."
"I ownthe building she lives in." Crew looks out his office window at the skyline of Manhattan. "I haven't told her that because she'd flip out. Sophia thinks I'm one of those arrogant billionaires who own half this city."
"You are one of those arrogant billionaires who own half the city." I chuckle.
"There's a security guard at the door of her building at all times. I'll speak to the manager of the security team and fill him in on this dick that's stalking her. They'll keep an eye out for him. Give me his name."
"Franco Abano. I sent you an email on my way here with all the details Sophia gave me. His work history, all the shit like that is in there."
"Good. Let's talk about this Ella Kara thing she's got going on."
After Sophia had taken me to her apartment last night, I asked her if Crew knew about Franco. She told me he didn't, but she said she'd be fine with me filling him in. I did just that as I rode the subway back to my place after kissing her goodnight. He was almost as alarmed as I was although I could tell he wasn't alone. He suggested I meet him at his office first thing this morning to discuss what steps I should be taking to protect Sophia. I would have asked Sebastian for his advice, but he's deep in a case right now.
I spent most of last night thinking about Ella Kara. Sophia's name and face are going to be splashed across every fashion magazine in the country come fall. Even though Franco already knows she's based in New York, it gives him insight into where she'll be at certain times. She's the brand, so she'll be expected to be on stage when the collection debuts at New York Fashion Week. That makes her vulnerable in a way I can't accept.
"I'll hire someone to shadow her." My gaze shifts from the view of the city to his face. "You must have people you use. Give me a name."
"Run this by her first, Nick." His fingers graze over the screen of his phone. "Give her a chance to have a say in this. She's proud. She'll be pissed if you hire someone to protect her without her input."
He's right. Sophia insisted last night before I left that she was fine. I can't take steps to deal with this without speaking to her first. "I appreciate your help with this, Crew."
"Sophia's like a sister to me. I love her almost as much as I love Lark. I'd do anything to keep Lark safe. It's the same for Sophia in my mind."
I know how much his younger sister means to him. He'd step in front of a bus for her. "I'll talk to Sophia and then I'll get moving on security for the launch of Ella Kara."
"Or I'll go down to Florida and talk to Franco."
I chuckle." Talk or beat the shit out of?"
"Whatever works, my friend. If he doesn't back off, I'll have someone down there pay him a visit."
"No need." I stand, shoving my chair back. "If it comes to that, I'll take care of it myself."
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Sophia
"You've doneexcellent work on this collection, Sophia." Sasha holds up the latest sample I created. It's a fitted dress with an embroidered bodice and a slit up the back of the skirt. "I'm impressed with this one in particular. I think we should have one of our team make a mock-up in red."
I'd considered that before I'd taken hours out of my life to make it in black. "That's fine. We can show both to Gabriel."
"We will." Her fingers play with the pearl bracelet on her arm. "I have to admit; I was hesitant when Gabriel first suggested this idea."
"The idea of the Ella Kara label bearing my name?" I've expected this conversation for weeks. Sasha has held a pivotal position within the design department of Foster Enterprises for years. She's nurtured the careers of many aspiring designers and has watched several, including Evlin Dawn, branch out and establish collections of their own. It has to sting that I was given this opportunity and not her.
"I knew you had talent." She touches my forearm, her fingers gentle. "We had a discussion more than a year ago when I came up to Gabriel's office. Do you recall?"
I would have felt embarrassed to have this conversation a few months ago, but not now. I've proven my worth to her and to everyone who has been working in this department for years. "I criticized your choices in the winter line last year."
She straightens, her hands going to her hips. "I questioned myself for months about those choices. I debated them, changed them, and then changed them back."
It's the first I've heard of it. I assumed she was confident in the pieces she'd chosen. Her demeanor during that conversation suggested as much.
