Page 44 of Remy

She doesn’t have a coat, and I need to get her someplace warm before hypothermia can be added to the goodie bag of treats she’s received during the past six hours.

“In the parking lot.” She waves an arm to the left, not taking her eyes off the cab rank up ahead. “Here.” She retrieves my key fob from her trouser pocket and hands it over. “I can’t remember exactly where I parked.”

She turns on her heel and hustles for the street as if fleeing a crime scene.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I stalk to catch up and grab her wrist. “We leave together.”

She gasps. Flinches.

We’ve done this dance before—me being heavy-handed, her despising my touch. But in the bright light of day it’s risky.

“I’ll find my own way home.” She attempts to yank her arm free.

“Like hell.” I step closer, releasing her wrist to wrap an arm around her back, making our volatile standoff seem more like an intimate embrace to the cab driver who watches us from his rested position against the side of his car. “I’m not letting you out of my sight to make a costly mistake.”

Her eyes narrow. “I’m not stupid. I know I need to keep my mouth shut.”

“You’re exhausted and emotional. It’s a hazardous concoction.” I use my free hand to gently swipe the loose strands of her frazzled braid behind her ear and ignore her cringe. She has such stunning hair—always tied back with ethereal beauty. “One that might unintentionally steer you in the direction of a police station.”

“I’m not going to run to the cops.” She leans back, trying to inch as far away as my hold will allow. I’m sure she’d stop if she realized the tilt of her waist against my crotch is taunting my dick.

“Don’t make a scene.” There’s a lethal edge to my warning. “There are witnesses. Security surveillance. Do you really think the cops finding out about this is the only problem?”

She’s stiff in my hold—a complete contrast to the night we met.

I bet she’s relieved I didn’t pop her cherry all those months ago when she couldn’t stop staring at me with those wanton hazel eyes.

It wouldn’t have taken much. I could’ve seated her on my lap, hitched her skirt, and discreetly fucked her in full view of the bar’s patrons.

She’d been hungry enough—a greedy little kitten. One who would’ve despised those memories for the rest of her life.

You’re welcome, Ollie.

“If you want to keep that gorgeous head on your exquisitely delicate shoulders, I suggest you stop seeing my lenience as weakness. I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

She whimpers. Wiggles. “I’m not leaving with you.”

“Forgive me if I haven’t made this abundantly clear, but for the unforeseeable future you and I are going to remain intimately close at all times.” I slide my hand farther up her back, adding pressure to force her toward me. “I gave you leeway to come see your father because I knew making you wait would be detrimental to your emotional state. But from now on, you don’t leave my sight. Understood?”

She swallows. Shudders.

She wants out of this nightmare, and I get it. If I was immune to the sight of her, I’d be praying to wake up from this shit show, too. But I’m the fucking asshole who’s actually enjoying being close to her again.

“If you want to go home, we go together.” I rub taunting circles along her spine with my thumb. “If you take a nap, I’ll be right there to coax you to sleep. And if you decide you need a shower…” I let my voice trail, my cock already too unruly.

Dial it down, motherfucker.

Her breathing quickens. “I hate you.”

Her statement packs the same brutal punch it did the first time she threw it at me.

Don’t ask me how. Or why. It’s a mediocre retort. A flimsy backhand at best.

Yet here I stand, the serrated teeth of guilt gnawing into my gut like a rabid dog. “Hate me all you like, just do it discreetly. You don’t want anyone noticing your newfound friendship with Italian mafia royalty.”

“No, you don’t want evidence that shows I’m an unwilling participant,” she murmurs.

“Either way, you’d be screwed if this ever got to trial. Do you think a tantrum out the front of a hospital would negate the fact you willingly accepted the offer of a criminal’s car to drive into the city in the middle of the night? Does that scream hostile situation to you?”

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