Page 42 of Tailored for You

“Charles has a new woman every few months. They never last more than three months.” I shrugged. “And he’s never been monogamous. Those two put together ensure he won’t introduce a new woman to Harper and confuse her. He might be with Apple, but they still cheat on each other all the time. They’ve been off and on since high school.

“Apple doesn’t like that Harper exists. She’s a constant reminder that Charles moved on. She’s rarely around when Harper is, so I don’t worry about her, in that aspect at least.”

“Do you have any idea what a fucking idiot Charles is?” he murmured, the words meant only for me. “Someone as brilliant, strong, and stunning as you deserves to be treated with respect and adored for everything you are. Not whatever he was giving you.”

Heat flushed my chest at the raw honesty in his voice, his nearness making it hard to think straight. His eyes glimmered in the dim light, softer somehow but still holding a lethal intensity that always had me both on edge and completely undone.

He tilted his head slightly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “You don’t have to deal with idiots like him. Not today. Not ever.”

“Yeah, I know.” It was easy to say but harder to put into action when the idiot in question was my daughter’s father.

“The men will be here in the morning to bring in your stuff. They’re at your mercy, so put them to work. The faster you set up and are comfortable, the faster you can get to work.” He pushed off the wall he’d been leaning on.

He opened the door, and I followed. As I walked past him, a gentle hand on my arm stopped me.

“If you want Charles to leave you alone, let me know. I’ll handle it,” he said.

“Handle it how?” I asked because I didn’t think he meant he’d bring in lawyers and push Charles into a corner the way I knew Charles had done to others.

“How I see fit. If he isn’t listening to you or respecting your wishes, let me know, and I will make sure he understands what you want.”

“I don’t know if I’ll take up your offer, but thank you for making it.” Again, he was sliding into my life, giving me more support than I’d ever received.

Enzo nodded, and we headed back to the house, walking side by side.

In the darkness, I pretended we were holding hands, knowing it would remain a dream, but allowing the vision to filter through my mind anyway.

CHAPTER 13

Enzo

I sat in my office, a room I never bothered to use, and stewed. My drink sat full, work abandoned, because all I could think about was Serena and everything I’d learned about her today.

I had to talk to her. We had to have that conversation. The one where I laid everything on the table. She would either accept me or not. Panic and worry crawled through my body at the thought of her rejection.

It was the only reasonable solution after I offered to beat the crap out of her ex. I had more context and things weren’t adding up. Why was Charles suddenly so invested in being a father?

Was it because he felt threatened by me? Was he bored and causing her pain and frustration for amusement? Or was there something more sinister I hadn’t uncovered happening?

I went to my room, which I had given to Serena, and knocked on the open door.

Serena popped out of the bathroom, hair loosely braided, wearing an oversized T-shirt that went to her mid-thigh. There was nothing sexy about her clothes. She wasn’t putting on a show or wearing anything that was revealing. Her shirt, in fact, was longer than many women’s dresses.

Yet, with a glimpse of her calf, I was turned on. I refocused myself, because now was not the time to get sidetracked.

“Hey,” she said. I could hear the hesitation in her voice.

“Harper, fall asleep, okay?” I asked, taking a step farther into the room. I had decorated Harper’s room, leaving some parts for her to make her own.

Nerves twisted my insides. This was a make-or-break moment. Everything I worked for could be cut off at the knees in an instant, leaving me back at square one with her.

“Yeah. She was very excited about all the girl superhero stories that appeared on her nightstand.” She laughed. “After four stories and letting her tell me one, yeah, she finally closed her eyes.” She looked up at me through her lashes.

“Good.” I wanted to ask about the stories, to know who told which ones, but I kept on course. The desire to be part of their nightly rituals could wait. I swallowed and took the step that would define my future.

“Serena, do you know what I do?” I asked, barely able to look at her.

“What do you mean?” she asked. She wasn’t going to give me an inch, and I appreciated it all the more.