Page 25 of Vicious Redemption

LEO

Tia’s clearly uncomfortable. She stands before me, her head bowed, her cheeks flushed with emotion. But what she sought me out to say, I don’t know because she seems lost for words. The frustration of her outburst in the car appears to have dissipated.

Instead, she almost looks contrite.

And though I have countless responsibilities weighing me down right now, if she’s ready to talk, I want to hear it.

Unable to sit still and watch her struggle any longer—and need to rid myself of the tension that’s been plaguing me since our argument—I stand from behind my desk and round it to stop in front of her.

“Speak, Tia,” I command, cupping her chin and guiding her eyes up to meet mine.

My heart squeezes when I find sadness there—not the hatred she professed to feeling this morning. Not the anger she unleashed in the car. Fresh tears pool along her dark lashes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

And despite all my frustration, all the anger over her father’s betrayal, and the hurt of knowing Tia played some part in that, I hate to see her look so hopeless.

“I’m sorry, Leo,” she murmurs.

My eyebrows raise in astonishment, and I study her conflicted expression. An apology is the last thing I expected after our heated discussions surrounding her family. And despite my frustration with her stubborn inability to see them for what they are, my guard lowers at the genuine look in her eyes.

“I lost my temper when I found out you took my phone away,” she explains. “I felt trapped, and I acted rashly. But I should have talked to you—like I wished you would have talked to me.”

My lips part as I release a heavy breath, but Tia rushes on before I can explain.

“I know why you did it. I handled things terribly this morning. I can hardly fault you for getting mad or reacting the way you did. But I can’t stay locked up here forever. I’ll go insane. But I swear you have my heart. I know I messed up, and I won’t make the same mistake again.”

Silence falls between us, and a single tear streaks down Tia’s cheek as she looks up at me imploringly. An iron fist closes around my heart, crushing the last of my fury.

Brushing the moisture from her skin with the pad of my thumb, I murmur, “Why are you crying?”

“Because I don’t want to lose you over this.” Tia’s voice hitches, revealing the pain within.

The cold ball of tension that’s knotted my stomach all afternoon releases all at once. And my heart swells at her sweet attempt to fix things between us.

Wrapping one arm around her waist, I pull her close. And as my fingers comb back into her thick locks, I kiss her tenderly. This woman is a salve for my soul. She puts me back together and tethers me to reason when I can’t anchor myself.

I know being with me isn’t easy—least of all when her family and mine have been at each other’s throats. But still, Tia hasn’t given up. And it moves me that she wants to keep me in her life.

When our lips meet, she melts into me, her hands sliding up my chest to rest upon my heart. And she kisses me like she never thought she would get to again.

“I’m sorry I didn’t speak to you about it beforehand. I’m not… a naturally trusting person, and the entire situation has me on edge. I don’t want to put you in a cage, Tia. I won’t indefinitely, but I think it’s necessary until I can get things back under control. I don’t trust your father. He’s proven perfectly capable of using you for his own benefit, and I want to keep you—and the baby—safe.”

Tia sniffles, the tears running more freely down her cheeks now, and the sight of her tears wring my heart.

“I don’t like isolating you, but I don’t know what else to do. You and Maria unwittingly became a part of a bigger plan, and that could happen again with how Don Guerra is acting. Even if I can trust you, I can’t take that chance.” My tone is imploring because, despite my confidence that it’s the right decision, I know what a difference Maria has made for Tia’s happiness.

She nods, the simple gesture easing the tension in my shoulders. Then she leans forward to rest her forehead against my chest, the hopeless gesture breaking down my defenses.

“Is there any way you can find it in your heart to spare my family? I know you need to reassert your authority, but it will break my heart if you kill my father.”

Her voice is soft, vulnerable. And it moves me deeply.

Sighing, I cradle her in my arms and press a kiss to the crown of her head. “I’ll think about it,” I promise.

Tia lifts her head to gaze up at me, then she rises onto her toes to kiss me—a silent show of gratitude that I can taste on her lips. And though we’ve kissed a hundred times before, this one feels more meaningful somehow.

It’s sweet and tender, yet quickly builds into something more passionate. Because as furious as I’ve been with Tia, as deeply as she’s hurt me, I don’t want to lose her either. And in this kiss, I can feel the rift between us mending, the distance vanishing.

Tia’s arms snake around my shoulders, pulling me closer. I go willingly, curving around her body as I hold her tight. Her lips part, granting me better access, and I delve between them to stroke her tongue with my own.

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