It doesn’t make sense that it comes in the shape of a man cutting off my air supply, but I also know he’s the only one who will give me his last breath in exchange.
 
 A life and promise he can live up to.
 
 “You’re so fucking perfect,” he praises, and that warmth continues to trickle as I wrap my hand around the back of his neck and pull him back to kiss my neck.
 
 “You talk too much,” I berate with a smile, knowing that he’ll punish me for it.
 
 It’s twisted, endearing, and palpable.
 
 But this is the love my body screams for.
 
 Being dominated as long as he promises that outside the bedroom, I’m his equal in every way.
 
 He increases the pressure of his grip on my throat, and my legs begin to tremble as a quick burst of fear passes through me. I’m held in place, forced to take his enormity, and I hang on his permission for my next breath. Hopefully, not until I come.
 
 The climb begins, ripping out of me in sharp tugs. The moment he jerks into me, I scream out his name as he releases his grip around my throat, and I follow on a wave of pure bliss that breaks me into a million pieces—always disrupting my world and ruining anything that ever made sense.
 
 Reforming into the hands of the man I can’t be without.
 
 He slowly rocks back and forth as he kisses down my nape and wraps an arm around my stomach to pull me farther into him, possessively. I focus on his every breath, a slow settling of ease running through me, that I’m covered in all of his overbearing presence. And for the first time in a long time, I’m at peace.
 
 Feeling that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
 
 His.
 
 Home.
 
 Safe.
 
 43
 
 LORENZO
 
 It’s painstakingly obvious how in over their heads Nicholas Wayne and his group are as they pull up in their cars.
 
 They’re stupid enough to bring almost the entirety of their numbers.
 
 Nicholas himself is here, which makes the head easy to remove.
 
 They even agreed on our location.
 
 “Fucking idiots,” I mumble under my breath as I stand at the side of my car, waiting for them to step out of their parked vehicles. I’m surrounded by the hounds, identities concealed by their helmets as they wait patiently on their motorcycles as instructed. We know better than to underestimate any type of enemy, but I know a group of idiots when I see one.
 
 I look over my shoulder, and although I can’t see her, I know Lily is sitting inside the car, watching. I don’t like having her here. It puts me on edge. But if agreeing to this offered me an opportunity to be with her, then I was done with denying myself.
 
 I’m already a miserable asshole, but even I was getting sick of my own mopey ass. I can’t stay away. Even if I was convincingmyself it was just because of a job. Leaving her side… The thought still feels unimaginable.
 
 “Well, well, no one is more shocked about how we got in this situation than me,” Nicholas says as he steps out of the car. I know it’s Nicholas because we’ve already created a profile for him. He’s new to the game. Arrogant and naive. “I assumed Luca Armani would be here to handle his affairs himself.”
 
 I make a point to hold up the bag of money. “My boss doesn’t do delivery jobs.”
 
 The man chuckles, clearly amused. “I’d be offended, but we outnumber you.”
 
 I arch an eyebrow. Wow, this guy really is an idiot. “I don’t take kindly to threats. Do you want your money or not? With this, you cease any communication or business with the Taylor family, including attempting to kill the heiress, Lily Taylor. And let me make this very clear. You are not to step on Armani territory again. There will be immediate retaliation.”
 
 The man sucks in a breath and sarcastically wiggles his fingers, as if spooked. “Considering you killed three of my men already, I think it’s fair to say we don’t play nice.”
 
 An understatement.