Page 107 of Dark Love

“Prue? I didn’t know you were married.”

My hands ball up into fists. It doesn’t matter if there is a ring on her finger or not, Dahlia is mine. How dare he give my woman a nickname?

“I’m not. This is Vex. He’s my… um Vex.”

Did she want to say boyfriend?

“Why are you here? Is something wrong at work? Did someone get hurt?”

What? Why would she even ask something like that? Is her job dangerous? I should have done the research myself. Why did I trust Payne?

Because I can trust him with my life. If Dahlia had a dangerous job, Payne would have mentioned it.

“No. No. Nothing like that. I just brought you soup since you weren’t feeling well.” Adonis lifts up a takeout bag. “It’s the best chicken noodle soup in the city. I get it at this little deli—”

“She doesn’t need your soup.” She doesn’t need anything from you.

“That was so sweet of you.” Dahlia taps my arm like she’s reminding me to mind my manners.

What she doesn’t get is this is me controlling myself. If she wasn’t standing right there, I might have beaten Adonis up… or worse.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t feeling up to coming into work today.” She reaches an arm out to take the bag from him.

“Not a problem. Any time you need a day off, all you need to do is call me. I understand that some days—” His eyes move between the two of us. “—you just need a day off to spend with the people you care about.”

“Are you insinuating she’s not sick?” How dare he think Dahlia is capable of lying?

“No. No. Just letting her know that she’s supported at work. And if she needs anything, I’m there for her.”

I’m going to kill him. This guy thinks he can steal her away from me while I am standing right here. “She doesn’t need anything from you.” I shift slightly to move Dahlia’s arm and slam the door in his face.

“Vex! What was that? You just closed the door in my boss’ face.”

“You have plenty of food upstairs.” Food I provided for you with no expectations… well, almost no expectations.

“That’s not the point.” She puts her hand on her hips.

“Are you still hungry? Do you want chicken soup, because I can get you—”

“Ugh.” She flings her hands up in the air. “You’re being purposefully obtuse. I don’t want soup. Those garlic knots are about the best thing in the world. But that’s not the point. Adonis was just trying to be kind, and you slammed the door in his face.”

“And you’re blind. How can you not see that he wasn’t trying to ‘be nice’? A man is never just nice to a woman—” That isn’t totally true, but in this case it is. “—for no reason. He wants you.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” A woman her age should know this. I shouldn’t have to explain something so obvious to her.

“Then why did you bring me those treats and stay with me today?” She steps forward with one hand back on her hip and a militant jut of her chin.

“Because I want you too.” Her mouth drops open at my blunt words. “But unlike him, I’m not playing games with you. Or holding your job over your head. I want you, Dahlia. And I mean to do everything in my power to make you mine.” I take a step forward.

“Yours?” she croaks.

“Yes, mine.” I take another step forward. “In every sense of the word.”

“Um.” She leans the tiniest bit forward.

“Is that a yes or a no?” I already know the answer. She’s shown me dozens of times today by simply letting down her guard, by touching me without the need to, and by sleeping in my arms like she’s done it for her entire life.

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