Chapter 27
AbrAM
“You pulled a gun on Nico?” Denis asks, like he’s not sure whether to be impressed or pissed.
It’s late, the last streaks of gold slipping beneath the skyline as I sit in my work office, locked in yet another conference call with Denis and Mikail.
I lean back in my chair as I roll the crystal tumbler in my hand, watching the ice melting slowly. “I didn’t shoot him.”
“That’s not the point,” Mikail snaps. “You shoved a pistol under his chin in your own damn parking garage.”
“He brought six men. Into my space. Unannounced. You think I’m going to let that slide?” My voice is low, sharp. “He needs to know I’m not some bureaucrat he can posture in front of. His daddy’s still breathing, and until he’s not, Nico is nothing.”
There’s a long pause. I hear Denis exhale sharply through his nose.
“So,” Mikail says finally, “the meeting’s pushed to tomorrow then.”
“Ten a.m., Agosti family home,” I confirm. “No more games. No more chasing. They want to talk, we talk. If they don’t,” I drain my whiskey, “then they’ll see what happens when they play footsie on my turf.”
“Keep me with you from here on out,” Denis says, tone clipped. “I don’t like this.”
“Agreed,” Mikail adds. “From now on, you’re not walking around alone. We’ve let it slide too long.”
“I’m going out with Jenna tonight.” I glance at the time, heart racing at the thought of her probably slipping into something that’ll make me lose my self-control. “After that, we’ll talk guards. Starting tomorrow.”
They don’t like it, their disapproval evident in their silence. But they don’t argue, either. I’m still the boss.
I end the call and set the phone down, letting the quiet settle over the room. I pour one more drink, just a small one. The kind meant for contemplation.
If I’d pulled the trigger today, things would be simpler. Nico’s body in a grave. Don Agosti too frail to retaliate. It would create a few waves, some noise. But no war.
No honor, either.
That matters. At least to me.
I finish the whiskey and stand, smoothing my jacket. I’ve got a woman to see. One who’s starting to matter more than I ever expected.
And if Nico or anyone else lays a finger on her, there won’t be any hesitation next time.
I lock the office and step into the elevator, eager to see my girl.
The valet pulls up with my car. I thank him with a nod and a gracious tip, then slip into the driver’s seat.
Normally, I’d park it myself, underground, tucked in the garage beneath my building.
But after yesterday’s little stunt, I’m not taking any chances.
New security measures are already in the works, but until the system’s rebuilt from the ground up, the place is compromised.
I merge onto the Strip and head toward Jenna’s place. Traffic is light, the city still stretching its limbs after the heat of the day. It gives me time to think—too much time.
Last night, she was… off. Not cold, not angry. Just somewhere far away. Wrapped up in something I wasn’t allowed to touch.
She said she was worried about Claire, but I know she was lying. I could see it in her eyes. I didn’t push, and that restraint is still eating at me. I hate being kept at arm’s length. But I’ve done the same to her—hell, worse.
What the hell are we, anyway?
She’s more than a distraction. More than a beautiful woman I can’t get enough of. She’s clever, grounded, real. She walked into my world without flinching, and she’s made herself at home in it—despite the danger, despite the challenges.
She came with me to my family brunch last weekend. She sat beside my sister and won over my nieces with lopsided pancakes. She laughed with Mikail and Denis. Everyone loved her.
So why have I kept her a secret?
Because it’s safer. Because if anyone ever found out…
My hand tightens on the steering wheel.
I picture Nico again. Only this time, it’s not me he’s confronting in the garage. It’s her.
I see the flash of a gun in his hand, the way he smirks because he knows he’s holding something precious to me hostage. That image, the possibility sets fire ablaze beneath my skin. I’d kill him. No hesitation. No warning.
I inhale slowly, forcing myself to focus. Jenna’s safety has always come first, which is why our relationship status is vague. Undefined. Why I don’t call her mine outside of the bedroom.
But maybe I’ve been going about it all wrong.
Maybe what she needs isn’t space but the truth.
Tonight, I’ll ask her to stay over. If she says yes, I’ll tell her. Tell her what she means to me. Tell her I want her close, that I’ll always keep her safe, even if the world is burning down around us.
I pull up to her building and kill the engine, eyes sweeping over the place. It’s a fine apartment, location. But fine isn’t good enough. Not for Jenna. Not anymore.
She deserves better and I’m going to give it to her.
One step at a time.
I sit outside her building for another moment, hands on the wheel, eyes unfocused as thoughts of Jenna invade every inch of my mind.
I want her. Not just for tonight, not just in my bed.
I want to wake up beside her every single morning, watch the sunlight slide over her curves, kiss her awake, and savor the sleepy smile on her lips.
Am I insane to think this way?
We’ve only known each other a short time, been sleeping together barely six weeks. Any rational man would tell me to slow the fuck down.
But rational flew out the window the minute Jenna Ridley walked into my office.
What I feel for her doesn’t compare in the slightest to what I felt—or thought I felt—for Daria.
With Daria, it was infatuation, physical attraction, a surface-level hunger.
Jenna’s different. She’s sunk so much deeper.
She’s lodged somewhere I didn’t even know existed, carving a place inside my heart and refusing to budge.
I climb out of the car and walk up the stairs to her apartment, tension humming beneath my skin. Her door opens a second after I knock, the sight of her hitting me like a shot of whiskey, potent and intoxicating.
“Hi,” she says softly, giving me a smile that could bring a lesser man to his knees.
My breath catches. She’s stunning, dressed in a dark green dress that clings to her curves like it was tailored just for her. The neckline dips just low enough to tease, revealing a tantalizing hint of cleavage I want to taste.
It hugs her full hips and her gorgeous, round ass, accentuating every inch of her deliciously feminine shape.
The silk skims over her thighs, smooth and inviting, ending just above her knees.
Black heels make her legs look endless, and her red hair is loose, cascading over her shoulders in soft waves, framing a face I want to spend a lifetime memorizing.
My cock pulses to life, and it takes all the restraint I have not to ravage her on the spot.
“God, you’re beautiful,” I say, stepping closer and sliding an arm around her waist. When I glance into her apartment, I notice her friend is there, watching the whole thing eagerly.
Jenna appears nervous, her anxiety puzzling me, and I wonder if she’s still uneasy from last night. But when I lean in, brushing my lips softly over hers, the uncertainty melts from her gaze like mist burned away by sunrise. She sighs against my mouth, causing warmth to flood through me.
I pull back, cupping her cheek. “Ready?”
“Almost,” she says, smiling. “Let me grab my purse.”
She turns back to get it, but her friend is there, holding it out, grinning like she’s been waiting all day for this moment.
“You must be Abram,” she says, eyes sparkling as she passes Jenna the purse.
I extend my hand. “That would be me. A pleasure to meet you.”
She grins. “Well, we’ve already met once. Sort of.”
“We have?” I give her another look. There’s something familiar about her. Then it hits me. She’s the friend from the club. I smirk, not saying another word about it.
She shakes my hand, a mischievous smile lighting her face. “Anyway, I’m Claire. It’s great to finally meet you officially. Especially after everything Jenna’s told me.”
I raise an eyebrow and glance at Jenna, whose cheeks are beautifully blushing. “Is that right?”
Jenna shrugs, her lips twitching into a teasing smirk. “Don’t get a big head. Before all this, I mostly griped about my hard-ass boss. It’s only recently I’ve been saying nice things.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Then I’ll have to make sure tonight makes you completely forget about the asshole I used to be.”
Claire laughs, clearly pleased. “Oh, I like him already. Have fun, you two.”
Jenna steps forward and loops her arm through mine. “We intend to.”
I look over my shoulder, giving Claire a smirk. “Don’t wait up.”
She smiles, waving us off. Jenna laughs softly as we head downstairs. The scent of her perfume curls around me, making it nearly impossible to focus. I open the door for her and guide her toward the car, my palm against the small of her back. “You look incredible tonight.”
Her eyes glitter. “And where exactly are we headed?”
I shake my head. “That’s a secret,” I respond playfully.
She pauses, one eyebrow raised in challenge, lips curving into a mischievous smile. “You’re not taking me back to The 13th Floor, are you?”
I surprise myself with my laughter, though the wicked spark in her eyes suggests she’s not just teasing—she’s actually interested. “Do you want to go back there?”
She shrugs, nonchalant, but the blush that blooms across her cheeks tells me everything I need to know. “Maybe. Not tonight, though. But I wouldn’t say no to another visit sometime.”
I lean in, brushing my lips over hers, savoring her taste. “I’ll keep that in mind. Tonight, it’s just dinner and then back to my place.”
She pulls me closer, her voice dipping into a sultry whisper that nearly has me taking her against the car right then. “Sounds perfect.”
I manage to hold back, opening the passenger door. Jenna slides gracefully into the seat, her dress riding up just enough to show a flash of her creamy thighs. I clench my jaw, swallowing hard. It takes everything in me not to change my mind about dinner entirely.
Closing her door, I walk around to the driver’s side and climb in, starting the engine.
I glance at her as we pull away from the curb. “Everything alright?”
She gives me a quick smile, a little too bright. “Of course. Why?”
“You seemed nervous when you answered the door.”
She looks down, her fingers toying with her purse. “Just thinking about things. Nothing to worry about.”
Still, I sense there’s more, something she isn’t sharing. Tonight, I plan on finding out exactly what’s going on behind those beautiful green eyes.
“Jenna,” I say quietly, reaching over to gently grasp her hand. “If something’s bothering you, you can tell me. No matter what it is.”
She meets my gaze, searching it as if trying to decide how much to trust me. “I know. And I will. Just not yet.”
I nod, respecting her need for space. “Fair enough.”
We drive in comfortable silence, the city lights flashing outside the window. Jenna’s hand is warm in mine, grounding me in a way nothing else ever has. Even if she’s not ready to talk tonight, I’ll make sure she knows one thing without a doubt: I’m not going anywhere.
Tonight, I’m going to show Jenna exactly how much she means to me. After that, maybe she’ll finally trust me with whatever secrets she’s keeping.
Either way, I’m in deeper than I ever thought possible. And for the first time in my life, I’m not looking for a way out.