Page 98 of Release Me

I nod. “Yeah, Russ’ intel turned up the same information, which is what made me decide to get a security team in the first place. So, you don’t think she’s a threat?”

“I don’t. We parted ways on a good note. She even gave me her number, so we could stay in touch if I wanted. I told her I wasn’t sure because I wanted to keep some distance between my old life and my new one, and she seemed to understand that.”

Everything she says sounds good, but I can’t do anything with good. I need facts. I need the certainty that comes along with a deep dive into Bianca’s entire existence.

“Do you plan on using it?”

Some emotion I can’t name passes behind her eyes, and she shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“Would you mind giving it to me?”

“So you can give it to Russ and have him look into her?”

There’s no point in lying. “Yes.”

“Yeah, okay, I’ll text it to you.”

With the conversation over, Nadia’s pacing slows to a stop, and she crosses her arms again, but this time it’s not a defensive posture, it’s a self-soothing one. The only thing I want to do in this moment is hold her, so that’s what I do. She melts into my embrace, wrapping her arms around me and wincing when I squeeze her too tight. I loosen my grip, pulling back to look at her.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No, my boobs are just a little sore. I think my period is about to start.”

“Is that why you’ve been in such a bad mood for the past few days?”

She scowls at me. “Are you really pulling the crazy, hormonal lady card right now?”

“I didn’t call you crazy or hormonal. I just asked a question.”

“A stupid question.” The laugh building in my chest is killed by the withering gaze she settles on my face. “Don’t laugh at me, Sebastian.”

“I’m not laughing at you, baby. I’m just trying to understand why you seem to hate me these days.”

Mood swings are not something I’m unfamiliar with. Talia would have them all the time, even when she wasn’t on her period, and when Zoe was going through puberty every family gathering was a minefield that had to be navigated with care and precision. But Nadia’s mood swings are…different. Epic in a way that makes my heart wrench and my head spin because I don’t know what to do to fix it. Just like I don’t know what to do with the tears springing in her eyes right now.

“I don’t hate you,” she says, a huge tear skating down her cheek. “I love you. I’ve just been a little grumpy lately.”

Now she’s pouting, which just makes her all the more adorable and confusing and leaves me no choice but to drop a kiss on her lips. The kiss keeps me from telling her that being grumpy isn’t any different from being in a bad mood. It also seems to settle the erratic energy flowing between us.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Bianca,” she sighs against my lips.

“And I’m sorry for keeping you in the dark about the security team.”

“I’m not mad about you hiring them. I’ll do whatever is necessary to stay safe, but I want you to be safe too, so can you please have at least one of them on you at all times?”

“Just one?” I murmur, my hands running down her back, over her ass and the skin tight skirt that makes it sit up higher. She’s gained weight since we’ve been together, and while it looks good on her, it feels even better in my hands. Her breath catches when I lift her up, and she wraps her legs around my waist while I walk us back to the wall of glass that gives spectacular views of the city.

“I figured I should make a compromise,” she says, already squirming against the hard press of my dick between her legs.

“Your willingness to make concessions is much appreciated, Miss Hendrix.” My lips go to her neck, and I pull the delicate, citrus scented skin into my mouth, licking and sucking until she matching the rhythm I’ve set with my mouth with a slow churning of her hips.

We were both too tired to do anything but go home and fall into bed after we left my parents’ house last night, so I’m desperate for her. Too desperate to be patient or gentle. Too desperate to preserve the integrity of her underwear when I hike up her skirt. Too desperate to do anything besides groan in her ear when I finally slip inside the silken perfection of her pussy.

“Always so wet, precious. Always so fucking ready for this dick,” I murmur, driving into her with long, thorough strokes that make her whimper and grip my hair.

“Sebastian, please.”

“I got you, baby. I always take care of you, don’t I?”

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