Page 61 of In the Dark

“Who I’m dating and sleeping with, Jasmina. Or are you more interested in what the internet has to say?”

“I think it probably is a bit more trustworthy than you are. You’re not going to tell your future wife who you’re hooking up with.” I grabbed my purse and started walking toward him so that we could leave. I wanted this conversation over.

“Why the hell not?” He grabbed my arm so I didn’t get past him. He leaned in to say, “We can trust one another and have that mutual respect, but you don’t get to expect me to be faithful to you. I don’t owe you an ounce of that sort of loyalty.” I knew that. I understood that most men in his position wouldn’t be loyal, but still, hearing him say it felt disrespectful, like a punch to the freaking gut.

“I expect you to keep your indiscretions discreet, at the very least. I can do the same, obviously.”

He hummed. “You’re not going to have any indiscretions with other men while married to me, Jasmina.”

I glared up into his eyes. “So you can, but I can’t?”

He nodded. “Exactly. I don’t care about your reputation, but I’m not marrying a woman who’s going to tarnish mine.”

“Doesn’t marrying a girl from the East Coast with the Ruiz name already do that?”

He smirked. “Not when she’s handing over said coast. Which, by the way, you’ll be flying out to New York to discuss a merger of Fuerte Firearms.”

I swear Callahan was always looking for a reaction from me, because he dragged a finger over my cheeks where I knew my anger was surfacing in a pinkish, red tint. Handing over even part of our most lucrative business felt like we were being stolen from.

I scoffed. “Maybe I won’t go to those meetings.”

“You’ll do that,” he continued calmly, “and you won’t look at other men either. Those are the sacrifices you make for that lovely family you’re so determined to save.”

His voice followed me down the extravagant staircase, unhurried and certain, each step of his matching mine like a shadow that refused to give me any sort of freaking space.

I didn’t turn around. I didn’t argue. I just kept walking right out of the double doors in a hurry.

Because as much as I hated it, he wasn’t wrong.

Monte and Perla had raised me, took me in when I lost my parents, given me everything. Paolo had given me a seat at the table enough times that I would be an asset to Callahan and all the Diamonds now too. It was infuriating but true.

This was all for the family.

And that had somehow become Callahan Knight’s leverage.

I reached the driveway and almost managed to yank open the SUV door before anyone else could reach it. The driver was already moving toward us, clearly startled, but I didn’t wait.

The handle didn’t budge.

Callahan’s hand closed over it from above, strong enough that the door didn’t move an inch. I felt him behind me. He was so solid, controlled, immovable, and close enough that his chest brushed my back.

I glanced down and caught the flex of muscle beneath his dress shirt as he held the door shut against my pull.

“You know the drill. I open doors for you, Viper,” he said quietly.

Why did I shiver every time he talked to me this closely?

I sighed and closed my eyes. “I don’t need—”

“I know,” he cut in, not unkindly. “Still doesn’t change that I’m going to open them for you always.”

Why was that simple gesture and nonnegotiable so irritating, especially because it was starting to feel so reliable, so respectable, and so damn right? He stepped around me, pulled the door open, and waited until I climbed inside.

Only then did he follow.

17

Jasmina