Page 99 of Scarlet Secrets

And the places where I can get to him? Last-minute changes.

As little as I trust Sergio, he’s not out to get me. He knows where the butter is on his fucking bread.

So his intel must be off.

My instinct is he’s giving me what he learns, so that means Niko.

Of course, I could be wrong, which is why I’m having Ilya look into it.

But that means extra security on my property. And lookouts. A team that’s going to secure the area I’m taking her.

Niko might know about my lands, he might not. But he won’t know all my movements. A few cars are leaving and have left and will continue to do so for the next hour. Overkill? Absolutely.

But I’m not about to risk Erin.

“Get in the car. Sasha will be here when we return. This is an all about you day. Picnic, conversation, good food, wine.And you can see some of the land I own. The country house.”

She stares at me. “The country house?”

“I’m rich. I own many things.”

“You don’t own me.”

Her words are so quiet I pretend not to hear her.

On the drive, I tell her about the expansive and isolated estate we’re going to. It’s only an hour from the city, but it’s like another world.

When we arrive, she gasps at the two-story cottage, which she claims is a bona fide house. But that’s not where we’re going. It’s a beautiful day and I take her hand, making sure she has the lighter basket, and we head off to a lookout that’s secluded, even here.

The surrounding woodland is shady, lush, and green and below, is a little stream gurgles by.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she says as she takes in the view below, where farmland is aways off. But here it’s just intimate and one of my favorite places I never really visit.

“I know. I’d come here as a kid when my father galivanted with his new wife.”

Her blond hair shines in the dappled light. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” I finish setting up the blanket and set out some food and open the wine, pouring her a glass and handing it to her. “I loved it here.”

We eat and drink, and I pull her in against me so her back is pressed into me, like a layer of warmth I need, even though the weather’s balmy.

During a lull in the conversation, I say, “I don’t want to be him.”

“Your father?” She traces an imaginary line on my pants.

“Yeah. It’s important to me, Erin, not to be like him. I want to provide for you and Sasha. I want to be the father he wasn’t. I want…” I blow out a breath and ease back. She turns toface me. “I want for us to be an actual family. Give him a well-rounded life with two present and involved parents. And I think you like me enough, want me enough, to do this. I know you more than love him enough.”

She takes a swallow of her wine and eats a grape. “Your order makes more sense.”

“If you don’t want to marry me, then…”

“You’d take Sasha.”

“Erin—”

“Wait.”

I do because I’m already out on a limb. I want her. I have fucking feelings I don’t know what to do with, and that strips me bare. What I want is to say I’d take him and cut her out. But I couldn’t do that. Yet… letting her go isn’t an option. What if she met someone else, wanted someone else? What if something happened? I can’t control the world, only small parts. And it irks me I can’t control how she feels.

---