Chapter 10
Rocco
Danny falls asleep almost instantly in his Spider-Man car seat between us.
I have to get their apartment started and finished quickly.
Reece and Jax are great with Danny, but the loft doesn’t meet his needs—Harper’s either.
They need a place to decompress after everything they’ve been through.
The guest suite, where Danny can hear everyone moving about, isn’t working.
He requires routine, security, his own space.
Harper stares out the window, a curtain of blonde hair falling over her face. Her shoulders are tense, raised to her ears. She looks small and fragile, the streetlights casting shadows across her delicate features and deepening the sharp hollows of her cheeks.
I reach over the seat and offer her my hand. “Come here, kitten.”
She studies me with questioning eyes. The vulnerability in her gaze both thrills me and makes my chest ache. Knowing she needs me—that I can care for her in ways she’s never experienced—never dreamed of—is exhilarating.
I never understood what Ethan found so appealing about having Jax and Aurora dependent on him, but now, I get it. I don’t want Harper locked away, reliant on me. I want her as my partner, my equal, but I also want her to need me, desire me, as much as I do her.
She slips out of her wool coat and carefully drapes it over the seat. She places her hand in mine, and I guide her onto my lap, mindful not to disturb Danny.
Her body remains rigid. “Rocco…” she warns.
I wrap my arms around her waist and draw her closer. “Lie down and let me hold you. You’re exhausted.”
She hesitates for a heartbeat before resting her head in the crook of my neck, her body aligned perfectly with mine.
Her weight on my thighs feels right, as if she belongs on my lap. I can’t resist the urge to touch her. I brush my lips over her hair and wonder when it will be appropriate to kiss her.
Debatably, none of this is appropriate. She’s still married. Nothing about the way my body responds to her is innocent, nor are my intentions.
Maybe I should call her husband myself.
As far as I’m concerned, she’s no longer his. She left him after he refused to give her a divorce. She escaped. She’s willingly in my arms. Married or not, the moment he mistreated her, he lost the right to claim her. End of discussion.
I shift, trying to hide my growing arousal. This isn’t about sex—not yet. It’s about trust. It’s about building her confidence and laying a solid foundation for our future.
But God, I want to kiss her.
We leave the city and merge onto the highway, and darkness descends upon us. I’m acutely aware of every point of contact—her hand resting on my stomach, my thumb tracing the curve of her hip, her ass dangerously close to my hard length.
She lifts her head, and her bright-blue eyes meet mine. “Thank you,” she whispers.
“For what?”
“This. Everything. I can’t thank you enough.”
My gaze drops to her lips—full and tempting.
I cup her jaw. “Thank me with a kiss.”
She bites her bottom lip, considering my request, and my cock thickens further.
“Is this the part where you’re my sugar daddy, and I get what I want with a kiss?”
Her voice carries a playful undertone, and I can’t help but smile.
“I’ll give you whatever you want regardless. I’ll always care for you.”
She glances at my mouth, then back up to my eyes. There’s uncertainty there, but also curiosity. Desire. “It’s been a while.”
“Me, too.” I nod, fully understanding how daunting it is to put yourself out there after being alone for so long. “Just one kiss,” I coax.
She leans in, her lips parted slightly. My resolve shreds, and the distance between us evaporates.
I’ve kissed countless women, but nothing has ever felt like this.
My heart races, and suddenly, I have the energy of a twenty-year-old.
I don’t know how to explain it—there’s a trembling in my bones—not fear, but a raw current that once surged through my veins before a fight, before I lost my brother and my world went from fighting in the ring to fighting in the courtroom.
She clutches my sweater and rocks against my straining erection, and what’s left of my control snaps. I cradle the back of her head, thread my fingers through her hair, and deepen the kiss.
My tongue brushes hers, and a soft moan escapes her. Her taste is addictive, all honey and sweetness, and I want to devour her.
She surprises me. She tilts her head, and her tongue tangles with mine, hungry and demanding. The sparks between us ignite, and a groan rumbles deep in my chest.
Then she pulls away, breaking the kiss, leaving me staring at her, wrecked.
Her breathing is ragged, her pupils dilated. “We have to stop.” Her hips sway once more, as though she can’t help herself either.
We’ve crossed the line—blown past it at full speed—and I don’t want to return. No matter what it costs me, I need to find a way to finalize a divorce and custody agreement over Christmas while her husband is deployed.
I press my forehead to hers. “I know, kitten. Fuck, I know.”
She tucks her face into my neck, our hearts beating in sync. I stroke her back, feeling each vertebra through her sweater. She’s too thin.
Her breathing evens out, and just when I think she’s asleep, she murmurs, “I dreamt of a man like you.”
I run my fingers through her hair. “You did? What did you dream about?”
“A man to rescue us.” She yawns. “To save us. I’d hide and close my eyes and pray for you.”
Her voice is faint, yet each word pierces my heart like a dagger.
My gaze locks with Alexei’s in the rearview mirror. No woman should ever have to hide from a man and pray for rescue. I need to know every detail of what they endured, because I’m not sure she even understands the gravity of the abuse.
“You saved yourself, baby.” I brush her hair back from her face. “And I’m so glad you did. My entire world changed the moment you stepped off that plane.” I kiss her forehead. “You’re exactly where you belong. I’ll take it from here.”