“Because I know that I’m yours.” Her voice is softer now, and she sniffs when a tear falls. “And you’re mine, and damn it I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
I can’t hold back. I grip her hips and pound into her, over and over again until we’re both coming apart together.
When I pull out, I stand back and watch my cum seep out of her, down her legs, and then I work on unfastening the restraints. I pick her up and take her to the bed, sitting along the headboard with her tucked against me, careful of the fresh ink on her back.
“I’m sorry,” she says and wiggles so she can straddle me and cup my face. “If he said that when I was on the table, I didn’t hear him. I was in my happy zone. He didn’t do anything wrong. Lucky and Bobby were there.”
“That’s the other problem,” I tell her and brush her loose hair away from her face. “My men are never to see a naked part of your body.”
“It was my back.”
I just stare at her and she frowns.
“I don’t know why you want to be with me,” she finally whispers, “because I’m obviously not good at this, and you should be with a woman who understands your world. I’m too stubborn and strong willed. I don’t want you to try to break that side of me. Ilikeme, Mateo.”
“I don’t want to break it, either, but you willnotdo what you did tonight again. Were you okay with Beth?—”
“Fuck her.”
Exactly.
“If you think you’re the only jealous one in this relationship, let me make myselfperfectly clear,” I say as I brush the tears off her cheeks. “I almost killed him, and I might still go pay him a visit.”
“Please don’t.”
I stiffen. “Do you have feelings?—”
“No.” She grabs my face and tips her forehead to mine. “I’ve never had feelings for anyone before you. Sex was justsex. I guess I was built like a man that way before. He did a good job on my tats, and that’sit. Obviously, I need to find a female artist now. I don’t want you to kill him because there’s no need. He already told me to never call him again because he knows who you are. There’s no reason to hurt him.”
I sigh and watch her closely, seeing the truth in her eyes, and I feel myself start to settle.
“I’m going to tell you why I’m with you. You just said you don’t know why.” Finally softening, I kiss her lips. “Because you’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. You’re so fucking amazing, Violet, and I can’t imagine you not being mine. Iloveyour spine. I want you to speak up, and I have no intention of changing a thing about you, but we absolutely have boundaries, baby. Seeing other men with their hands on you is mine. No.”
“Yeah, I get it. I hated seeing you touch her. I’ll be more thoughtful.” She seems to reconsider that and gives me a sassy smile. “Unless the result isthis. Because yeah, that’s fun. No salmon in sight.”
I chuckle and roll her under me. “Restraints and edging. Got it.”
Thirty-Three
VIOLET
“How is it that it hasn’t even been a week and they’ve already got walls up, the space is painted, and the floors go in tomorrow?” I ask Mateo as we walk out of the elevator and to the waiting SUV. Diego’s standing by the back door, and there are at least six guards out here, making a line for us to walk next to toward the vehicle. Bobby and Lucky climb into the car behind ours. “And why are we surrounded by so many men?”
Mateo nods at Diego, and once we’re inside the back seat of the SUV, he laces his fingers with mine and leans over to kiss my cheek.
“First, your studio is coming along quickly because I told Cliff that I want it doneyesterday. And second, we’re surrounded because I have you with me and we’re headed out of the city.”
He kisses me once more and then sits up in the seat, reaches across me, and pulls the seat belt around my body, clicking it into place.
“I won’t risk you being hurt.”
“Why would I be hurt?”
“Things are tense right now, and if someone decides to attack us, I have enough men with us to go to war to keep you alive.”
I frown at him. “This doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence, you know. If it’s this dangerous, why are we leaving the penthouse at all?”
“Because we have somewhere to be.” He squeezes my hand. “I wanted to take the bike, but it’s too dangerous right now.”
