Page 26 of Boss Daddy

The burn of past betrayals flares up, and for a moment, I’m drowning in old memories and fresh fear.

“I don’t want anything from you, Erin,” he says as if reading my damn mind again. “I just want to make sure you’re safe. I’d do this for any employee.”

“Yeah. That’s what a lot of men say.”

It’s a defense mechanism—one I’ve used so many times before it feels like a reflex. But this time, the words feel hollow.

Samuel doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t pull away or bristle. Instead, he reaches out and takes my hand, his grip firm and warm, grounding me. His thumb brushes over my knuckles as his eyes meet mine.

“I want nothing from you,” he says. “Nothing in exchange. All I’m thinking about right now is your safety.”

“Is that right?”

“That’s right. Hell, if you need me to, I’ll give you some money to get you out of the city. But—”

“But what?”

The corner of his lips curl slightly. “But I kind of like having you here.”

I search his eyes for any sign of deceit, any shadow of hidden intention. But all I see is truth. Dependability. A man who means exactly what he says.

The walls I’ve built crack just a little. Maybe I should let myself believe him but fear still curls in my gut.

I nod, a small movement, but it feels like stepping off a ledge. “Okay.”

I know Misha doesn’t tolerate defiance, doesn’t forget a slight. I’m not the first woman who has refused his “requirements.” I know what happens to girls who cross him. Some disappear. Some come back so broken, they’re barely recognizable.

If he gets his hands on me, it won’t be a warning, it’ll be an ending.

A brutal one.

The weight of that fear climbs up my throat, threatening to choke me. I look at Samuel again. He hasn’t moved—his hand still holds mine and his eyes remain locked on me.

“Okay. You made the right call. Trust me—my place is as safe as they come. A hell of a lot safer than the fuckin’ West Central.”

“Hey, West Central has its charms.”

“Yeah, if you consider the smell of piss and garbage charming.”

That gets a laugh out of me. Samuel’s eyes soften, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little. His thumb brushes my knucklesand it anchors me.

I take a shaky breath, a deep one to fill the empty spaces inside. For the first time in a long time, I’m allowing myself to trust a man. The walls are still there, but a door has opened, just a crack.

“Come on,” he says. “My car’s parked out back.”

“The keys.”

“Huh?”

“The keys. I dropped them into a grate.”

For a second, I wonder if he’s going to be pissed, but he only laughs.

“It’s fine. I’ve got my own set. Speaking of keys, I’m guessing James forgot his and that’s why he came back. I guess he can grab them tomorrow when he comes in.” He strides over to the front door and locks it from the inside. “Let’s go.”

I take one more steeling breath before following him. We head through the back hall of the club toward the rear entrance which leads out into a small parking lot. The space is dominated by a massive, black SUV that looks like something the president of a small nation would be driven around in.

“That’s me,” he says. As if I thought it could belong to anyone else.

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